It’s no surprise that the auto industry is in a slump. Gas prices are high, most of America is mortgaged to the hilt, and consumers are finding there’s too much month left at the end of the money.

According to information from sales tracker Autodata, April vehicle sales showed surprising information. Despite the sluggish economy, passenger vehicle sales were up five percent. At the same time, sales of trucks and sport utility vehicles plummeted over 17 percent.

Automotive marketing experts suggest that this disparity in sales data results from consumer mind shifts. When the price of gasoline is through the roof, the better your cars are on gas, the more you’ll sell. US auto makers are sitting up and paying attention to this shift in customer focus.

Mark LaNeve, the VP of Sales, Service and Marketing for GM North America says, “Consumer preference is shifting and we’re shifting with it.”

Both GM and Ford are planning to cut back second quarter truck and SUV production as more and more customers are opting for smaller vehicles. George Pipas, a Ford sales analyst, says that people who bought F-150 pickup trucks as fashion accessories just a few years ago are now looking at sedans. “People who didn’t need the utility of pickup truck are trading them in.”

What does this mean to the average local auto dealership?

Whether you’re looking at your automotive marketing online, your radio slots, or your print publications, the important thing to focus on right now is fuel efficiency. This is the time to play up your vehicles that are great on gas, especially hybrids.

“It’s clear that gas prices are weighing heavily on car-buyers’ minds,” says Jesse Toprak of Edmunds.com. If you take the opportunity to highlight your vehicles with great fuel efficiency you have the chance to capitalize on this trend before your competitors and ride out the slump.