Hottest SUVs of 2008

Swelling sales of sport utility vehicles show no sign of abating and their continued popularity seems to clash with widespread concerns over fuel prices and the environment. But manufacturers have responded to the changing times with new, sportier, and “greener” SUVs to ensure their longevity.

But high gasoline prices and changing consumer trends are causing buyers to reject what were once the segment’s stalwarts.

“You’ve got the crossovers, luxury models and compacts growing in sales, but it’s the traditional midsize models like the Ford Explorer that are getting killed right now,” says Lonnie Miller, director of industry analysis for the market research company R.L. Polk and Company in Southfield, Mich.