GAS-HOG HEAVEN; MAN U.S. DRIVERS WOULD KEEP BIG CARS EVEN IF FUEL COSTS RISE.

Byline: John Hughes Associated Press 

Gas prices would have to rise by about $1 per gallon before most Americans would dump their gas-guzzling cars and trucks for more fuel-efficient vehicles, a survey suggests.

About seven in 10 Americans say they would switch to more fuel-efficient vehicles if gas prices hit $2.09 per gallon, according to a survey being released Monday by AutoPacific Inc.

That leaves 30 percent who are unwilling to change the type of vehicle they drive regardless of how high fuel prices go, the automotive marketing research and consulting firm found in its survey.

``What you find is that while people will tell you that fuel economy is very important, they don't actually react that way,'' said George Peterson, president of the Santa Ana firm.

The average price at the pump fell to a low of $1.07 in March but had risen to $1.14 by early May, according to the Lundberg Survey poll of 10,000 stations.

For the AutoPacific study, the nearly 26,000 people questioned had bought 1998 models in the last four months of 1997. The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

The results show that regulation is the best way to lower vehicle pollution, said Daniel Becker, director of the global warming and energy program for the Sierra Club.

``The political will doesn't exist to raise gas taxes by 80 percent or 100 percent,'' Becker said.

He said federal lawmakers should raise the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standard, which currently requires that light trucks average 20.7 miles per gallon and new cars average 27.5 mpg.

But Peterson said the survey results argue against that. Automakers shouldn't be forced into making small, fuel-efficient vehicles that consumers don't want, he said.

``It's size, comfort, safety, power and acceleration. Those things are up there at the top of their list,'' Peterson said.

Gasoline prices were virtually unchanged at the pump in the past three weeks as abundant supply kept up with increased summer demand, according to the nationwide Lundberg Survey released Sunday.

The average retail price of gasoline, including all grades and taxes, was about $1.14 a gallon, according to the weekly survey of 10,000 stations nationwide conducted Friday.

That was up just 0.12 cent from the May 8 survey, industry analyst Trilby Lundberg said.

``We have a momentary price inertia,'' she said.

Memorial Day, the traditional start of the summer travel season, failed to kick off a rise in pump prices because a ``more than ample supply'' kept pace, Lundberg said.

``Our studies have shown for years that holidays do not drive gas price changes, and this is more proof of that,'' she said.

At self-service pumps, the average price for regular gasoline was about $1.09 per gallon, midgrade was about $1.19, and premium was about $1.27.

At full-service pumps, regular was about $1.49, midgrade was about $1.58 and premium was about $1.66.