High gas prices shifting sales of new vehicles in Nebraska

Sticker shock at the pump has been good news for sales of cars. They make up a larger share of new-vehicle sales in Nebraska and Iowa than they did four years ago. While most sales in the Midlands are still sport utility vehicles and trucks, people are increasingly turning to cars because of their better gas mileage.

Car sales rose from 30% to 35% of all sales between the first quarter of 2004 and the first quarter of this year. Meanwhile, SUV, truck and van sales as a percent of all sales in Nebraska decreased from 70% to 65% during that time. That’s according to Cross-Sell Report, a Louisville, Ky., firm that compiles monthly vehicle sales and registration data.

For the U.S. as a whole, about one in five vehicles sold during April was a compact or subcompact car, based on monthly sales data released Thursday. Almost a decade ago, when SUVs were at their peak of popularity, only one in every eight vehicles sold was a small car. Sales of the compact Ford Focus are up 45% in the eastern Nebraska and Kansas region.