If West Virginia is representative of the nation, despite the return of the Beetle and the Mini-Cooper, the SUV craze is not over. The U.S.... If West Virginia is representative of the nation, despite the return of the Beetle and the Mini-Cooper, the SUV craze is not over.

The U.S. Census Bureau says sport utility vehicle (SUV) registrations in West Virginia increased 83 percent between 1997 and 2002. SUV registrations jumped from 87,000 in 1997 to 159,000 in 2002.

The 2002 Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey (VIUS) report for West Virginia includes information on fuel efficiency, annual mileage, primary range of operation, permanent equipment and other physical and operational characteristics. Data are for pickup trucks, SUVs, minivans, and all other single-unit trucks and truck-tractors.

State reports are being released on a flow basis. A U.S. summary report will be issued later this year.