Research Company: " SUVs Are Increasingly Popular "

WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- According to a new study by R. L. Polk & Co., the longest standing curator of automobile records in the U.S., over 25 percent of SUV owners feel that this type of vehicle is "ideal for their active lifestyle" and another 24 percent indicating they "feel very safe" in an SUV. Additionally, more than 79 percent of SUV owners reported using their SUVs in harsh weather where vehicle control may be difficult.

BACK-TO-SCHOOL WITH THE SUV: Forty-seven percent of female SUV owners reported "sometimes or frequently" using their SUV to drop children off at school or daycare and over 36 percent reported this way to transporting one child in a car seat.

Alliance CEO Josephine Cooper stated, "In the 70's and 80's it was the station wagon, in the 90's it was the minivan, nowadays SUVs have becomes America's family vehicle. This survey shows that for a number of American families SUVs provide the vehicle attributes that best fit their lifestyle. Automakers are committed to providing consumers with vehicles that meet their needs."

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers is a trade association of 13 car and light truck manufacturers who account for more than 90 percent of U.S. vehicle sales. Member companies include BMW Group, DaimlerChrysler, Fiat, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Isuzu, Mazda, Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan, Porsche, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo. For more information, visit the Alliance website at http://www.autoalliance.org .