Americans bought more Toyota Prius hybrids last year than Ford Explorer sport utility vehicles, the top-selling SUV for more than a decade.

The Explorer led the SUV pack in the 1990s to replace the minivan as the family car, about 6 million have driven out of showrooms over the past 18 years.

Filling an Explorer fuel tank now costs close to $70, against $30 five years ago. The traditional SUV "is a dead market", says George Magliano, director of automotive industry analysis at consultant Global Insight.
Financial Times/ft.com