The Attraction of an SUV

[T4tomo]

The driving position is better, as is leg room as it allows for a higher seat.

The thing I hate about SuVs is the high seat. I'd rather be sat low in my practical load lugging estate than higher in an SUV.
That's said Mrs T loves her Qashqai

 

[Drago]

I like my van. High seat without the SUV blind spot agphead of the bonnet.

 

[MadMalx]

The term SUV is branded about too much. The Aygo X is called a SUV, as is the Yaris X.

PS don't get a Yaris X, get a Yaris, why, the rear foot room in a Yaris X is pitiful, I struggled to get out of both my SIL's cars, and one SIL is 'short', so the seat is far forward.

My elderly FiL says the X (front passenger) is much easier to get in & out of than the Yaris every time he gets in. The diminutive Mrs MM is happy enough in the back, as is the 6ft MM, if she’s driving.
I’m not wild about the Yaris x though, preferred my Skoda estate. Cars aren’t my thing anyway, I do more miles on my bike.

 

[mjr]

I like my van. High seat without the SUV blind spot agphead of the bonnet.

Since when has a high chair been a thing to aspire to? That's for mucky truckers. Cool cars are sleek and low.

SUV carspreading is for the, ahem, larger person. Don't get one if you still fit in a regular car seat! 😉

 

[Drago]

Im 6'4" with 35 1/2 inch inside leg. The high seating position gives me dedent leg space and means its one of the few vehicles I'm truly comfortable in that isn't an SUV. Lifes a lot easier for you normies.

 

[katiewlx]

Since when has a high chair been a thing to aspire to? That's for mucky truckers. Cool cars are sleek and low.

SUV carspreading is for the, ahem, larger person. Don't get one if you still fit in a regular car seat! 😉

fitting isnt necessarily the problem as you get older it just gets harder to get into or out of lower seat cars, there have been times Ive had lifts in Audi TTs or Jag Ftypes where Ive basically had to put one leg in and then try to flop unceremoniously to get in because theyre bucket seats and you cant scooch your rear in first, and then getting out is nearly rolling over and crawling out on my hands and knees, not the greatest way to make an entrance I can say that much.

So thats when a car with a high chair becomes aspirational, plus the feeling you have better overall vision of the road situation in front of you, which is debateable but it gives you that confidence driving regardless, and the feeling its safer, again debateable but you are that step further removed from things, so its all a psychological boost.

and they are getting bigger/wider, as I encountered a few on the road over the weekend, on minor roads for sure but theyd have easily coped with two way traffic 30 years ago say in the mid 90s. And there were two SUVs, I think one was a Range Rover and one the Chinese copy, and they literally had to stop because there wasnt enough room for them both to pass at anything but crawling speed, and Ive never seen that happen before on a road that looked more than wide enough to support two normal sized vehicles side by side.

fwiw I dont mind that the term SUV encompasses alot of vehicles that technically arent SUVs, we used to call alot of cars hot hatches that were nothing of the kind either, but we all tended to know roughly the type of cars we meant.

 

[Drago]

To be fair, theres a similar junction near here and cars of all description cut the corner stupidly, often at speed. Its not something exclusive to SUVs.

 

[katiewlx]

To be fair, theres a similar junction near here and cars of all description cut the corner stupidly, often at speed. Its not something exclusive to SUVs.

that just seems to becoming a habit for the majority of motorists regardless of vehicle, which is challenging to say the least as a cyclist, I used to always give a good metre gap to the centre line, but Im now sort of actually crawling up to the junction line just in case, as Ive seen drivers just take the whole left side lane when turning, like theyre flippin Lando Norris trying to clip the apex.

 

[Gillstay]

Also a lot of swinging out before they turn in seems to be common. Very odd driving.

 

[Badger_Boom]

I know I resemble these remarks but to me "all SUV drivers" is just as bad and divisive as "all cyclists".

 

[PedallingNowhereSlowly]

There is a distinction between SUVs and 'crossovers' for the things that aren't quite SUV.

Mrs. PKS had a Qashqai when we met. I couldn't see the benefit, other than the raised driving position. It was big enough to be cumbersome on country roads. The suspension was firmed up presumably to make it roll less in the corners, which made for a rubbish ride. It felt under powered and returned poor fuel economy.

The MINI Clubman we have now has as much usable space inside, and weighs 200 kg less, despite being almost two decades newer. It's lower bonnet height is also less of a danger in a pedestrian/cyclist collision. It handles better and returns better fuel economy.

Personally, I think SUVs and Crossovers should be legislated out of existence. Their only purpose are generating more profit for the automotive industry.

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

Personally, I think SUVs and Crossovers should be legislated out of existence. Their only purpose are generating more profit for the automotive industry.

I take it you’re not someone living in a rural location?

I’ve just put a deposit down on a Suzuki e Vitara as the extra 40mm of ground clearance over my current car comes in handy, even if just coming up the track to my house.

 

[Drago]

When my sister lived in the Cairngorms her neighbours would often justify their SUVs with talk of rough roads, and wintry conditions. She'd nod sagely and carry on quite happily as normal over the same roads her old Skoda Felicia 1.3.

 

[Electric_Andy]

When my sister lived in the Cairngorms her neighbours would often justify their SUVs with talk of rough roads, and wintry conditions. She'd nod sagely and carry on quite happily as normal over the same roads her old Skoda Felicia 1.3.

My parents had the same a while back, they went to a very rural garden centre, up a road with huge pot holes and literal chunks of asphalt breaking off the top. My Dad (in his not-4x4) said "aren't these roads bad", and the local chap said "you just go incredibly slow or incredibly fast and you're ok".

What I've noticed is, so called SUVs are correct in their advertising - they can have relatively sporty engines, and are good at carrying things as a utility vehicle. They don't really claim to be an off road vehicle. So as Drago says, they are attractive for their higher driving position, leg room, and (some) have a generous boot space. I'm no expert but I guess suspension might be better on some of the higher end ones, which is nice if you have speed bumps in your urban or suburban area. We have my MIL staying at the moment and it's a struggle for her to get in and out of our Audi which is very much a base level SUV on the smaller side. But she can get in and out of her daughter's RR a lot easier, even though it's higher up. And probably the doors are wider too

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

When my sister lived in the Cairngorms her neighbours would often justify their SUVs with talk of rough roads, and wintry conditions. She'd nod sagely and carry on quite happily as normal over the same roads her old Skoda Felicia 1.3.

Rough roads and wintry conditions are passable in many vehicles if proper thought and care are given. I’ve driven out of roads around Manchester in mid winter, that neighbour were unable to. I’m cars many would have said weren’t up to the task.

For me ground clearance is most important due to the deeply rutted nature of my local roads.