All of the analysis says it won't be like that again. The delta between CUV/SUV mileage and car mileage isn't nearly as great as it was a decade ago and there will be far more hybrids and electrics coming to market within the next few years. The change will be to hybrid or electric CUV's or SUV's before downsizing to a small car. As millenials, which are the largest cohort of buyers, begin to have careers, kids, and live in suburbs, they need the size of a SUV/CUV. They won't give up the size, so they will just move to an alternate fuel over a downsized car. They also put less emphasis on ownership and will just use Uber or another service before going back to a car. There are other alternatives available today or will be available shortly that indicate there won't be a repeat of 2008. The market will become horribly saturated with SUV's and CUV's, which means some will need to fail or companies will need to bring out cars as an alternative. Even then, I think the sedan is dead for sure. Too many people have activities that make the sedan or even a coupe, a tough sell. A hatchback makes the most sense and it isn't much of a stretch to go from a hatchback B or C segment car to a B or C segment CUV. Having an Escape in the garage, we use that for all sorts of activities that aren't possible with a small hatchback and surely not with a sedan. Biking, kayaking, golfing, flying RC planes, home improvement, hauling car parts, and vacations are all done using a crossover. We don't have kids and can't imagine not having the Escape. Our friends with kids won't consider having anything other than a SUV or CUV. Drive past any school as kids are being dropped off or picked up and notice there are no cars. If gas prices spike, which I doubt they will due to supply and demand, CUV and SUV buyers will just move to a hybrid or electric version of what they already have. As electrics and hybrids come out, the demand on gas starts to decline and since supply is more constant, the price will drop. Gas companies know that a massive spike and sustained high price will erode their market share to alternate power. It would be a bad move for that to happen, knowing it only hurts them faster.