DENVER -- If you're not driving a dark blue, Ford pickup, look to your left or right and chances are good the commuter next to you is.

A comprehensive study of state driving records shows sport utility vehicles aren't as popular as you might imagine.

The data comes from the Colorado Department of Revenue as of April 2009. It is data extracted from a list of the state's 5,086,672 registered vehicles.

From Aurora to Broomfield, Granby to Platteville, Ford pickups are consistently at the top of the list for largest ownership bloc. The data used in the analysis showed only zip codes with at least 50 registered vehicles of a particular unit.

The second most popular vehicle for that zip code is then listed in parentheses, unless it's the same make and model. (Think: another Ford pickup.)

For example, if you live in the 80501 zip code of Longmont, there are 276 1999 Ford pickups in that area. And the No. 2 vehicle? A 2001 Ford pickup with 221 owned in that area. The top 10 entries in that zip code are trucks, with one Chevy and one Dodge on the list.

Go to Steamboat Springs or Boulder, however, and you find that Subaru wagons dominate the 80487 and 80301.

As you read the attached chart , here are the categories: zip code, year, make, model number, number of registered vehicles, second most common vehicle, other make, and relevant notes. (See chart.)

We also made contact with several auto dealerships to get a sense of which color or particular model may be represented most often in this survey. See below.

What Does Popular Vehicle Say About Your Region?

As for why certain vehicles do so well in certain areas, that will always be subjective but Metro State marketing professor Darrin Duber-Smith took a shot at trying to explain some of the findings.

For Toyota and the Camry, he said "It's the family Camry. Very reliable, durable. So you're appealing on utility. It's long-lasting. Toyota's about lasting long. Like living easy 'till you're 90."

The RAV-4 does very well in Longmont. "It kind of seems like a younger person's SUV. Affordable. It has some style to it, more than a lot of other SUVs. Maybe you sacrifice functionality for style," said Duber-Smith.

Aurora's 80010 had a lot of '99 Chevy Silverados. "Likely either bought used or held onto it for a long time. More of a family usefulness," Duber-Smith said.

Boulder loves Subaru and the Outback. "More hip than a mini-van. Very useful. Great in snow. It's a cool station wagon. Minivans aren't cool. We know that. The Outback has all of the safety that an SUV doesn't have and all the utility that the Camry does have. So I see it as a common middle ground kind of ride. It's kind of like pilates mom insteead of soccer mom," Duber-Smith said.

Parker's 80134 drives plenty of 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokees. "That's more of a yuppie community. The gentleman farmers, gentlemen ranchers, they have higher incomes. You'll find a lot of moms there. They are the soccer moms. Younger people live there, with kids. Big houses, big vehicles, big appetites. You may find a typical household has two dogs, two kids and everybody needs to go," Duber-Smith said.

As for the ubiquitous Ford truck, "It's about durablity," he said. "They try to appeal to the do-it-yourself individualist, with an image of strength, reliability to 'Joe 6-pack.' It's your average American vehicle. I think it has a lot to do with price, too. If you're using it for work, it's probably too small. You're doing it for price and image. More like living hard 'til you're 50 ... I can't explain why Ford is so strong. I don't get it."

Another academic sees the popularity of the pickup in a different way.

"We're a pretty mountainous state. A lot of people travel to rural areas. And it makes sense people would want a vehicle like this," said Dr. Sharon Araji, interim chair of the sociology department at the University of Colorado Denver. "I would wonder what kind of jobs do these people have and what's their favorite form of recreation?

"If you're in a more affluent ZIP code, you're going to find more expensive cars. Whereas, if you go to a lower socioeconomic area you're not going to find as many Land Rovers or Mercedes cars. Who's paying and who still owes is what I wonder. Could be a predictor of coming repossessions. It can certainly help used car dealerships too. You’ll know what to (sell) in a particular area. Retired people generally go less for a sports car and prefer a reliable, convenient car. In younger areas you’ll likely find faster cars."

"This information, for a sociologist, is quite interesting," Araji said.

Another sociologist at the University of Denver, Dr. Michael S. Rosenbaum said one thing to look for is symbolic form.

"It refers to the symbolic power of automobiles—meanings consumers use to articulate images of themselves to others, whether or not those images are grounded in the realities of their lifestyles. Thus, symbolic form can explain why hundreds of thousands of Americans purchased SUV’s during the 1990s even though they lived in climates that didn’t necessitate four-wheel drive, and despite the fact that a station wagon or minivan would have accomplished their functional demands with a higher level of safety and economy. It also explains the sudden demise of the SUV over the last two years as gas prices have risen and Americans have begun to associate the SUV with extravagance and irresponsibility. Symbolic form can also explain the choices consumers make between brands. For example, many consumers would never consider a vehicle manufactured by a foreign brand because they consider it their duty as Americans to support the American economy by purchasing an American brand," Dr. Roesenbaum said.

"The Grand Cherokee is powerful in terms of symbolic form: for starters, it’s a Jeep, which is not only an American brand, but a brand associated with freedom and military prowess. It offers an image of toughness and independence while providing functional capacities that allow it to serve as a primary family vehicle. Like the four-wheel drive pick-up truck, it’s good at getting around in bad weather and it’s good at hauling stuff to the mountains, but it’s also good at hauling people in comfort and it’s a reasonable commuter," Dr. Rosenbaum said.

Car Dealers Talk About Most Popular Models

For Ford, the F-150 is the dominant pickup, according to Burt Automotive. The 1997 and 1999 dark blue models, with a new, rounded body shape and a third door sold extremely well.

As for Ford SUVs, the Explorer in white is likely to be seen on Colorado roadways most often. In sedans, a silver 2008 Taurus has plenty of company.

Mike Shaw Chevrolet said a 2000 white Silverado half-ton pickup truck would be their most popular pickup, with a 2002 and 2005 gold Blazer their top selling SUV.

In Chevy sedans, despite cool muscle cars like the Camaro, it's the 2008, gold Malibu that sold well.

You'll see several strong showings for Jeep in the data. An experienced Medved staffer said a black, 2004 Grand Cherokee is likely to be their top seller, along with another black, 1999 version. The Wrangler still sells very well in Colorado too, with black and red the dominant shades.

Toyota fared best among foreign-owned manufacturers and a spokesman at Stevinson Toyota in Aurora said the 2007, silver Camry is their No. 1 car. A gold, 1997 version also drove off the lot repeatedly, as did the 2008, silver Highlander and white, 2007 RAV-4.

A salesman at Jerry Morris Broadway Dodge in Denver said sales of the 2001 and 2006 pickups could be a draw between the three-quarter ton Ram 2500 and the half-ton Ram 1500 -- as both were quite successful.

One of the few luxury vehicles represented in state data is the BMW sedan. A staffer at Ralph Schomp BMW in Highlands Ranch said the black, 2008 328xi sold best.

Honda was the other common foreign-owned manufacturer represented often in the survey.

A salesman at Mile Hi Honda in Aurora said the silver, 2002 Accord, the silver 2007 Pilot, and the green 2004 Pilot were the top selling sedans and SUVs for those years.

And Boulderites seem to love their Subarus.

At Boulder Flatirons Acura the white or silver 2005 Outback wagon, the white 2003 Outback, the silver 2002 Outback, and the blue 1999 Outback all sold very well.