Well, but how many people are actively looking for a new car at any given time? I would have guessed less than a third, although perhaps that many or more are thinking ahead to the next car they're going to buy. I think a third is a huge number, and the two thirds that aren't 'considering getting rid of their current vehicle' are probably mostly planning to drive their current car for a while longer.

Since I just bought a hybrid last fall, I'm not 'considering switching' as you say, so I wouldn't have popped up in that survey, either. It all depends on how you frame the question. What about the large number of people who already drive small cars? They mostly can't really consider going smaller if they already have compacts, unless the mini-Cooper is going through a boom I don't know about. Maybe not too many people have hybrids, but a lot of people drive compacts. Anyone know the numbers?