GAS BILLS DETERRING SUV BUYERS 2005 SEES DOUBLE-DIGIT DECLINES IN SALES.

Byline: Candice Choi Staff Writer

Monster sport utility vehicles may have the muscle to conquer the rocky terrains of the outback, but they're falling over quickly in the face of rising gas prices.

Ninety-five percent of new car and truck owners say they are less likely than they were a year ago to trade in their cars for a full-size SUV, according to a report released by the Power Information Network, an affiliate of J.D. Power & Associates.

``If gas prices continue going higher, sales are never going to go back up,'' said Tom Libby, senior director of industry analysis at PIN.

Even those who already own a full-size SUV like the Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford Excursion are less loyal to the muscular trucks than they were the same time a year ago.

While the entire SUV category accounted for 26 percent of all vehicle sales in 2004, full-size versions of the truck accounted only for 4 percent of sales. So far in 2005, the market has accounted for only 3 percent.

Sales of full-size SUVs tumbled 21 percent in February compared with the same time a year ago. The drop follows a 31 percent decline in sales in January.

The result is that large SUVs are sitting on dealer lots for extended periods of time. In the first two months of 2005, full-size SUVs sat on lots for an average of 84 days before being sold. That's the longest stretch of time for any light-truck category and substantially longer than the industry average of 66 days.

The Armada, a full-size SUV, is one of the poorest sellers at Miller Nissan in Woodland Hills.

``You hear on the news that gas prices are going through the roof, and that influences people's decisions,'' said Gino Castellano, sales manager at the dealership.

Miller Nissan sold about 40 cars this weekend; about 10 percent were popular midsize SUVs like the Pathfinder. No Armadas were sold, Castellano said.

Sales of SUVs of all sizes began showing signs of weakness as early as this past summer, when J.D. Power reported the trucks were sitting on lots for as long as 73 days.

Still, SUVs accounted for one-quarter of all vehicle sales in the past two years. The now ubiquitous truck, which first emerged in the mid-1980s, remains a popular choice for everyone from parents to campers to anyone with a Costco card.

Mid-size SUVs typically get two or three more miles per gallon than full-size SUVs, Castellano said. That may not seem like much, but the dollars can add up quickly.

Gas prices in the Los Angeles area have not gone below $2 per gallon since Jan. 29, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California.

The average price of a gallon of gas in the area was $2.33 on Monday. A month ago, it was $2.11.

It's no wonder more people are thinking twice about getting a full-size SUV.

Dean Dichoso purchased his Toyota 4Runner three years ago while he was still living in Texas. Gas prices in California are significantly higher, he said.

Now it costs about $48 to fill up his tank. It's getting so expensive that Dichoso is thinking of buying a Honda Civic to drive when he's not carting around his musical equipment.

Not everyone is disenchanted with large SUVs.

Woodland Hills resident Rod Koetz said he doesn't care if he has to pay $50 to fill up his Lincoln Navigator.

``It doesn't get any bigger than this. I'm a big guy, and I feel good in this car. It suits me,'' he said.

Koetz isn't the only one who still wants the biggest SUV on the market. Owners of entry-level midsize cars are switching to full-size SUVs at the same rate as a year ago, and owners of full-size vans are moving to large SUVs at a slightly higher rate, according to the PIN report.

Meanwhile crossover SUVs, like the Ford Freestyle and Honda Pilot, which look more like cars than trucks and use up less gas, are fueling the growth of the midsize SUV segment, Libby said.

Candice Choi, [phone]

candice.choi(at)dailynews.com