The Attraction of an SUV

[PedallingNowhereSlowly]

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.

I've delivered to plenty of rural locations, some without paved roads. Not a problem in my van, which has ground clearance on par with a car.
But honestly, most of these crossovers/SUVs are marketed to city and town dwellers where they are employed on school runs. Driving is an inherently dangerous activity and these are inherently dangerous vehicles.

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

I've delivered to plenty of rural locations, some without paved roads. Not a problem in my van, which has ground clearance on par with a car.
But honestly, most of these crossovers/SUVs are marketed to city and town dwellers where they are employed on school runs. Driving is an inherently dangerous activity and these are inherently dangerous vehicles.

I’ve no doubt they are marketed in such a way, especially the huge modern Landrovers and Rangerovers. Round this way though it’s rare to see them There are though a lot of off road capable vehicles but they are more modestly sized.

 

[Gillstay]

I have worked in rural locations and off road for most of my life. Occasionally if bad I used a landrover in 2nd gear, never engaged 4 wheel drive.
A 504 pickup with a LSD worked well, but often just a diesel engine and good clearance was enough. ie Berlingo.
A lot of the SUV stuff is just fashion following the Americans who don't care about the environment.
I have also found many farmers are not that interested in the 4 wheel drive its the towing ability that matters, unlike these massive towny things.

 

[Pblakeney]

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.

Debatable whether that is down to the cars or the drivers.
I've seen neighbours wheel spinning on snow/ice going nowhere. I jump in and drive the car out of their drive slowly.

 

[Drago]

Some of you will recall that I used to drive a Smart ForTwo. It went wherever I needed it to. That shows what nonsense people talk when they insist they need a M1 Abrams to cope with the stete of the roads.

 

[PedallingNowhereSlowly]

On this topic, I came across this piece of analysis today: https://www.csm-research.com/purcha...hy-consumers-choose-suvs-over-sedans-in-2025/
It's American-centric but I suspect it translates across the pond quite well. Bit of a long read unfortunately.

 

[Pblakeney]

On this topic, I came across this piece of analysis today: https://www.csm-research.com/purcha...hy-consumers-choose-suvs-over-sedans-in-2025/
It's American-centric but I suspect it translates across the pond quite well. Bit of a long read unfortunately.

I'm not going to read it but suspect it will be along the lines of fashion, trends, and status.

 

[PedallingNowhereSlowly]

I'm not going to read it but suspect it will be along the lines of fashion, trends, and status.

'Cultural Identity and Lifestyle Signaling' is one of the headings.
'Demographic Patterns and Generational Preferences' is another.

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

Debatable whether that is down to the cars or the drivers.
I've seen neighbours wheel spinning on snow/ice going nowhere. I jump in and drive the car out of their drive slowly.

That’s the point I was making 😊

 

[mjr]

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

The ones swinging out probably have no idea where the far side of their vehicle is and didn't look up from the phone or central touchscreen early enough to check in the side mirror.

 

[Anthony-C]

'Cultural Identity and Lifestyle Signaling' is one of the headings.

Gosh that's polite.

 

[simongt]

My neighbour recently bought a Ford Ranger Wildtrack because he 'always wanted one'. it's used almost exclusively for virtually EVERY journey no matter how short and then he complains about the cost of putting diesel into it - !
But then he relies on his trusty Transit for his fishing trips becaue he can't get all his 'essential' gear into the Ranger - !

 

[Shearwater Missile]

I changed my Hyundai i20 coupe last year, I loved the car but you did feel the roads, my wife in particular. It did`nt have low profile tyres but it sat lower than the saloon. I did`nt want or need a SUV. I replaced it with a Hyundai Bayon, classed as a crossover car. We sit a bit higher, the suspension is softer and has more room. I took out two on test drives, the one I bought and a more upmarket version. The two things that swung me towards the Advance were, the Advance had 16" wheels against 17" and was better over the exact same test. The second thing was that the upmarket car had privacy glass, that was certainly apparent looking through the rear view mirror and that was in sunshine. So, the Bayon fitted the bill without going to extremes of a SUV. You can bet however, that when we park in a supermarket car park with plenty of empty spaces, there will be a huge SUV parked next to us when we return, making if difficult to get in !

 

[Drago]

Don't get too hung up on wheel diameter - that only goes so far. Larger diameters are often fatter and actually carry a greater volume of air so can often actually give a plusher ride. In the VW van world I also inhabit 18s are considered the most comfortable, and 16s the least due to their smaller volume air and the stiffer sidewalls required.

 

[Gunk]

VW van world I also inhabit 18s are considered the most comfortable, and 16s the least due to their smaller volume air and the stiffer sidewalls required.

Usually the 16’s would be more comfortable because of their taller sidewall