IRVINE, Calif.--Interest in SUVs still increased 3 percent from last year despite record gas prices, reported Kelley Blue Book. The company just released the third wave of the New Vehicle-Buyer Attitude Study on SUVs, which was conducted Feb. 26 to March 1, 2004.

"We have asked in-market car buyers how favorable they feel towards SUVs during negative media hype as well as amidst rising gas prices and surprisingly, the favorability of the vehicles remained at high levels," said Rick Wainschel, KBB's director of marketing research. "Favorability ratings toward SUVs increased 5 percent over last year."

The study queries both those considering an SUV purchase and those who are not. Rollover was actually the top concern among those considering an SUV for their next vehicle purchase (49 percent); the impact of foreign oil dependence was the least of their concerns (19 percent). The study also found that 61 percent of all car buyers and 86 percent of considerers rated SUVs as the most favorable overall, up from 56 percent in 2003.

SUVs' popularity was reflected also in sales, which were up 3,200 units this February compared to February 2003.

KBB completed the study to determine popular attitudes toward SUVs in light of rising U.S. gas prices.