Big SUVs Are Back, But Carmakers Are Also Selling Small SUVs Like Crazy

If you're an automaker and you're selling compact SUVs, you're doing well in a resurgent U.S. auto market.

Take Nissan and Honda.

Each reported strong crossover model sales and record October U.S. sales for their core brands on Monday.

Major automakers in the U.S. market are expected to show a rise of about 6 percent from a year earlier.

Nissan Motor sales rose 13.3 percent to 103,117 vehicles, beating expectations of a 11 percent rise. The Nissan brand's sales rose 15 percent, while the Infiniti luxury brand's sales fell 1.2 percent.

Nissan Rogue crossover sales increased 14 percent to nearly 14,700. The Sentra small car's sales rose 56 percent to 13,129.

Honda Motor's sales rose 5.8 percent, missing expectations of an 8 percent rise.

Honda's top-selling model was the CR-V crossover at 29,257, up 30 percent. The CR-V competes in the same segment as the Rogue and numerous other similar vehicles. The segment has enjoyed strong sales in 2014 as consumers head back to dealer showrooms, seeking versatile transportation options.

Compact SUVs offer many of the benefits of compact sedans, including good fuel economy, but their general design allows the to be used to more easily move around gear and cargo. The segment has traditionally appealed to young car buyers and small families.

CR-V sales were so good that they eclipsed Honda's Accord sedan, which had sales of 27,128, up 8 percent. Sales of the Civic, Honda's compact sedan, fell 12 percent to 24,154.

Motor Trend recently named the CR-V its SUV of the Year.