DETROIT -
Chevrolet attributed a 16-percent increase in 2010 sales to the better fuel efficiency of its lineup.
 
The brand revealed it sold 1,565,632 vehicles, and gained 0.7 points of market share last year, showing gains across its full line of cars, trucks and crossovers.  
 
Chevrolet crossover sales climbed 34 percent in 2010, compared to a 20-percent gain for the industry. And Chevrolet car sales climbed 16 percent, the same percentages as the brand’s overall sales gain, compared to a 5-percent gain for the industry.
 
In the U.S., drivers keep new cars an average of seven years – meaning the majority of buyers last year replaced vehicles bought in 2003, according to officials. That year, the average American buyer ranked gas mileage 14th on a list of their most important reasons for purchase. In 2010, fuel economy was the No. 5 most important vehicle attribute for consumers, according to General Motors research
 
"In the past 10 years, gas mileage has jumped from a ‘nice-to-have’ to a ‘must-have’ feature," said Chris Perry, vice president, of Chevrolet marketing. "That’s a huge shift, demonstrating that buyers today want vehicles that deliver exceptional safety, style, performance without sacrificing fuel economy."