Enlarge By Bill Pugliano, Getty Images Edmunds.com, which attracts about half of Internet users researching their next car purchase, says interest in compact crossover SUVs is on the rise. Car shoppers who panicked in June and July about gas prices are losing interest in small cars and hybrids as fuel prices have declined. As gas prices topped $4 a gallon for about seven weeks this summer, truck and SUV sales plummeted, and small-car sales soared. But Edmunds.com, which attracts about 50% of people using the Internet to research their next car purchase, says research interest in compact crossover SUVs now is on the rise. "In May, June and July, people were just stunned" by $4 gas, says Jeremy Anwyl, CEO of Edmunds.com. Now, "It's kind of a return to rationality, where the singular fixation on fuel economy is gone. As people think things through clearly and a little more calmly, they'll make different decisions." While still about $1 pricier than last year, the national average for regular gas is about $3.80. In recent months, executives at General Motors and Ford Motor have said they believe a consumer shift from big SUVs and trucks may be permanent. Small-car sales are up 10.9% for the year, while SUV sales are down 16.2%, and trucks are down 23.4%. Automakers have increased production of their smaller, more fuel-efficient cars, but they haven't been able to meet demand, so they've lost sales. But the future of compact and smaller cars may not be as bright as some predict. In addition to Edmunds.com's report, a study by consulting group Acxiom found most buyers won't look to small cars for their next purchase but may downsize in the class of vehicle they drive. Owners of big SUVs, for instance, would more likely buy a smaller SUV or crossover, not skip to a small car just to save gas. In June, 31.4% of recent new car buyers surveyed said the purchase was motivated by a desire for better gas mileage, Acxiom says. That's up from 21.1% in February, but still less than a third of buyers. There is "not this huge flood to one segment in the auto industry," says Tim Longnecker of Acxiom's automotive practice. "There's still going to be this huge desire for utility." Anwyl of Edmunds agrees. While some experts have predicted that Americans will begin driving much smaller cars, as many folks do in Europe, where fuel is heavily taxed, Anwyl says Americans have built lives around larger vehicles that can carry lots of stuff, such as their children's sports gear. "At the end of the day, people need space," he says. "There are unique needs in the United States. … The types of vehicles that resonate with consumers will be the ones that offer reasonable utility and pretty good fuel economy. Not the super-small ones with high fuel economy." Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more