Well I guess they're only purpose is to be able to carry a family without having the ugly-ness (generalizing) of a minivan, btw I'm only taking about large suvs, not crossovers, because they're just pointless
1) You are seriously undervaluing road dominance, I went from hatchbacks, estates to SUV's (sports cars and mx5's in-between), a car guy obviously, but sitting that 2-3inches above everyone else makes driving around cities or towns much less stressful, the opposite of driving the MX5 (ie fly on the wall). 2) Buying a "sporty" estate costs easily 10% more than the similar sized "sporty" SUV variant typically in the new car market,* 3) Corporate lease hire perspective, there are (were) more deals on SUV's than estates simply because there are more choices out there*. *Point 2, 3 you could say this is driven from people buying SUV's in the first place which drives the costs down... 4) To experience 4wd there's not many estates which can do that in similar price brackets. From a pure handling characteristic perspective, not actually off-roading, its quite different, 5) More 7 seater options for SUV than estate, yeah sure- you can get an MPV but that's just.... No... 6) Climbing up/down - you also missed a point where if you have small children, its much easier to put them in when its waist level rather than bending over etc, I've had a hatchback prior and that was not fun. 7) ISOFIX - SUV's have more options for isofix, not all estates have the 3-4 isofixings. Not specifically you have 3-4 kids, its useful if kids have friends etc... 8) Vision looking out/surroundings, the Mrs rates this highly vs previous estate 9) Kerbing of wheels, or there lack of... 10) Its safer becuase you're not going to be overcooking that corner as the SUV simply will warn you beforehand with its lackluster 'uninspiring' handling. Saying that, I can zip around a lot quicker in the SUV than in the previous hatchbacks that's for sure... 11) What is even more obnoxious than a BMW driver? A BMW driver that drives an SUV.... :)
@@nuddin99 they know they can stop making sedans and force you to spend an extra 25 grand so they make more money . When that's all you make then that's all that is bought
@@nuddin99 Because currently, older generation has more buying power and is more interested in cars in general, so they dictate the market. And being older, they are more likely have back problems and is easier to go in and out of the car.
Another point: people are generally scared of driving, sadly, often to an unreasonable degree. Sitting higher up reduces the sense of speed as you are farther away from moving objects, making you feel like the speed you are doing is safer than it is. Sadly this has the effect of making people drive more dangerously, and things can quickly get out of their control.
@@martinfisker7438 Only if you are about to collide head on with someone in a golf tho, but the real winner in that battle are the 2.5 ton electric cars lol. SUVs generally are more dangerous than an equivalent estate, they have more mass to stop with similar crumple zones, the side impact protection needs to be alot stronger, and when even a Porsche Macan fails the moose test you know they are pretty hopeless at evading things and not rolling over.
Additionally, SUVs are deadly for pedestrians compared to hatches, sedans and estates. Heavier and less steady makes for less stopping power. Taller and bulkier makes for less visibility, especially the Armada-like SUVs with tall square fronts that can hide a whole 5ft tall human being. Flat fronts and high hoods makes for more deadly impacts. Modern SUVs are also a nuisance to other road users. Their bumpers are too high for other reasonable cars on the road, making accidents involving SUVs way more costly and dangerous than they should be due to bumpers no longer aligning (The CRV bumper aligns with the Civic bumper though, so it's not entirely impossible. Good job, Honda!). Their headlights are also more often than not mounted way too high (modern pickups are also guilty of this) and can easily blind other road users. I hate SUVs, I will never buy one, I hate that manufacturers are making the roads unsafe for everyone else because "muh tall driving position" and I wish manufacturers would stop hyping them so much and people would rent a pickup truck the ONE time a year they need to get lumber from Home Depot.
@@martinfisker7438 Believe in JESUS today, confess and repent of your sins. No one goes to heaven for doing good but by believing in JESUS who died for our sins. Hell isn't fun. GOD loves you soo much unconditional❤🙌❤😋❤
The worst thing about SUVs is that since the trend started more and more pedestrians are killed in road accidents, so the argument "SUVs are safe" is just a drivers perspective.
First, only recently have cars been designed AT ALL to protect pedestrians. Second, even a microcar is going to hit, maim, and kill people. Even a bicycle can knock someone over hard enough to kill them. The rise in pedestrian deaths is due to pedestrian behavior; mostly distraction. All cars are safer than they used to be, because they're better built to handle a crash and protect occupants, and more recently, pedestrians. SUVs are also improving due to stability control. As for pedestrian behavior, I suspect that phones and earpieces are the cause. However, I'll add that here in the US, outside the dense urban areas. our young people no longer have the common sense to even know how to cross the street. Our schools actually discourage learning how to be a pedestrian.
SUVs killed my car of choice - the minivan. Minivan allows for similarly high riding position but is waaaaayy more practical with the removable seats, flat floor and overall spaciousness and configurability - things I often need for work. And they still are more fuel efficient than SUVs. All this SUV madness just means I have less and less reasonable cars to choose from.
100%. Same thing with the toy trucks here in the US. Now a working man who actually needs a truck has to pay god knows what for one, just so a bunch of midlife crisis dudes from the suburbs can commute in a drum braking GMC monstrosity.
@@johanjoe3012 It's better in the US than in Europe, where I happen to live. Though getting a big minivan around here usually means importing it from the US anyway...
my mx5 is on coilovers and i cant see anything over 1 car ahead of me. Not to mention how every massive new car with bright led headlights has them pointing into my mirrors :(
If you have a hardtop or the roof down, at least in the NA and NB, the car is a fishbowl with amazing visibility… until mr range over decides to put his fat ass in your face while mrs SQ7 shines her lights directly into your mirrors from behind. I’m fine with cars being big. The Volvo V70 is one of my favourite cars of all time. It’s big and heavy. It’s very practical and handles surprisingly well for being 1.7 metric tons. It had all of the early 2000’s luxury features you’d expect as well as being one of the comfiest things on the road. It managed to do that without sitting 10ft tall and getting in everyone’s way. I obviously love my mx5 NB. Mandatory miata love.
@@murray6188 I was in the market for a car. I ended up with an SLK. Loving every minute of driving it and hate night driving due to SUVs blinding me over my back mirror. Your points could not be truer. SUVs are a nightmare in the roads and mostly in the hands of people who cannot deal well with their huge footprint.
I don’t own an SUV nor will I ever. I am a fan of tiny cars - they offer much better versatility in terms of driving & parking in the city and the only time I feel crowded is when there are SUV’s around me. I love that I do find parking spots on the streets much, much easier now! (Mini Cooper SE owner)
@@WolfieNamira sometimes i forgot i'm from a 3rd world country where roads are like a moonwalk, SUVs and pick up trucks are the way to go for ground clearance plus interior space.
Try fitting a family of 5 with 3 kids that are 6 foot tall and above in a car. SUVs exist for a reason. I also like the way they look and how high up you are. I can’t stand cars!!. Different tastes.
My wife said she preferred SUV’s for their greater visibility as you’re higher up until 1. I bought her a roadster and she was able to enjoy a spirited drive down typical country roads without feeling seasick, 2. She scraped it trying to negotiate a narrow underground car park. Now she agrees with me that they’re not all people make them out to be. I think for many people it’s a status or style choice, and not one a true “driver” would make. We have since traded our SUV in for a 5 dr sport back style EV.
sadly most people only get to experience very few types of cars, and my guess is alot of people would change their opinion, especially when they somewhat enjoy driving.
I drove with 2 SUVs (not mine, I was just allowed by their owners), and I really hated it. The suspension was hard and bumpy, the high seating position made me feel disconnected from everything happening outside (the handling was weird and felt like butter). I was so happy when I got back into my station wagon.
I convinced my mom who wanted to go for an SUV to choose a saloon instead. She is regularly in awe of how little it sips fuel (she does a lot of highway driving), and is not going back. Also, she was impressed that it was possible to buy an equivalent or better saloon for a much lower price than an SUV. Now she wants a convertible though, and I fully support that 😂😂😂
@@jonass1285 I work as a BMW car mechanic, and i drove tons of X1, X2, X3, X5... they are terrible. Especially chaning X5 tires is something i wish nobody
I see your point ( ultimately the point of the video) but most people gravitate towards SUV's simply because of ease and ego. In South Africa ( where I live), most people who live in big cities have family in rural areas and/or townships. The roads to these areas often are low quality and have potholes.(the government here is rotten with corruption.) People see these issues and think: "SUV's were made to go off road, if it can handle the Drakensberg or Alps, then a few potholes shouldn't be too bad." So they'd rather pay a premium for a GLC over a C-Class estate. The other reason is just ease of loading and off loading items from the boot. South Africans often buy in bulk, and having a higher up boot is often a huge factor then buying a car. This is why SUV's are seen as more bang for your buck down here. Fun fact, VW's Tiguan and Toureg out sold the Golf and the Arteon down here. We only get the GTI and Golf R varients of the Golf now.
@@lethuzulu4966 I don’t think he’s talking about areas like that. It’s very understandable on why people use it in environments like that, but he’s talking about the issue in more developed urban areas
@@lethuzulu4966 Believe in JESUS today, confess and repent of your sins. No one goes to heaven for doing good but by believing in JESUS who died for our sins. Hell isn't fun. GOD loves you soo much unconditional❤🙌❤😋❤
I've been driving the same honda accord for nine years and it went from feeling like an averagely sized car in comparison to traffic to feeling like it's going to get run over monster truck style by a gmc yukon every time I drive to the grocery store
now imagine how i feel in a 1990s P8 Starlet hatchback in EUROPEAN traffic which tends to be smaler than US vehicles lol. i feel like im in a 1960s Mini Cooper in the 2000s
Great video, I really really don't like SUVs for the reasons you mentioned. They represent so many things wrong in society - greed, feelings over facts, not caring for the environment, bad traffic and parking in cities, danger to pedestrians. I hope it's mostly a boomer greed thing and 'normal' practical cars like estates and minivans will return.
Tf are u on about none of ur points are valid what so ever u just have a completely different preference. What are u trying to tell me a hell cat is safe? Td
every time I see a new SUV gets announced, I cry in anger as a Car mechanic, these are the worst to work on and most experiences I had in my ford dealership (Germany) were a pain in the ass most of the time.
Yep. Was looking to buy a troc but ended up choosing a polo instead. Similar practicality, size and quality but so much cheaper! The only difference is with extra height i would worry bit less about potholes but oh well
I absolutely agree with you. Big, ugly, over-powered gas-guzzlers. Give me a diesel Golf, and I'll be a happy man. And if every car on the road is an SUV, there's no benefit at all from an elevated driving position. I will say, getting in and out of my Audi S4 at my age is getting harder, but so is climbing up into my Hino truck. Some people say safety is a big reason for buying an SUV, but that's only if you hit a small hatchback. They are not as safe if you hit another, maybe bigger, SUV, and they do not handle as well as a sedan or wagon. So they are not as safe.
Im a Golf owner, not a diesel one but still, its perfect if you dont have a garage or your own place for parking, and even then, anywhere i go, i can park on easy mode. Plus its fucking nice to have infinite supply of cheap and readily accessible parts. While i miss driving a Subaru, i cant say i miss the bills.
@@vavra222 I hear you on the Subaru, not so reliable. One car I've never owned is a Golf, even though I've always wanted one. I bought a S4 Audi a few years ago, and I'm a bit sorry I did. Don't get me wrong, I love driving the Audi, it's just a stunning car to drive. But, if the timing belt goes, it'll cost me $9,000 to fix it. Plus, it's heavy on fuel, being a V8. But I love the sound, of the thing. I have had my eye on an R32 Golf, what a gorgeous little machine they are. But, I figure with a diesel, a 1,000 ks from a tank would be perfect for me. Fuel is going to get more and more expensive, and I could always convert it to run on bio-diesel or cooking oil? LOL.
There is a benefit to the elevated driving position. For me it's independent of what other people are driving. Visibility, and the fact that I don't need to bend over to get into it. That's 100% of the value proposition for me.
Actually if you are in an SUV you can still see the road ahead through the windscreen of the SUV in front, however in a lower car all you see is the rear door
The funny thing I noticed is that while they are supposed to be capable of offroading... a hatchback can do it arguably better without it being a sort of rally bred package like a Yaris GR for example. The only thing I dread is that in the future rally will be dominated by SUVs and that is a future I don't want to live...
@@slurp3194 Which always makes a difference, regardless of the type of crash. The more energy the worse the crash is. Not to mention that in an SUV you are more likely to have the crash, because it handles so much worse. Higher bumpers and center of mass are also fking lethal to everything else on the road, especially cyclists, pedestrians and motorcyclists. In an SUV you are 60% more likely to end up killing someone in an equal crash. But most SUV drivers don't care about anyone else so that makes sens.e
@@slurp3194 Center of gravity makes all the difference. Tesla cars are almost impossible to roll in a crash due the fact all the battery packs are low down meaning the weight is only a couple of feet from the floor. An average hatchback requires a significant crash to roll, a sedan or wagon are hard to roll too. SUVs are always rolling in crashes and ones not that significant, SUVs also like to roll just from evasive manourves.
SUVs are seen as providing everything : room, lifestyle, 'design', security, and 'sport'. Most of it is an illusion, but people seem OK with making a compromise on prices and fuel economy for the added clout. Even though I fail to see anything that would attract a living being other than molluscs to a fourth gen RAV4, except the fact that maybe it's a bit tougher than the others?
only redeeming quality a RAV4 has is the ability to run for like 20 years without an oil change, wich is mostly a toyota thing though. great as an affordable offroade but yeah, pointless everywhere else
Yep. SUVs are way more versatile. Especially when you live in a country like India where you can easily end up going on inexistent patches of terrain for visiting common tourist spots outside the city. SUVs provide way more peace of mind, knowing that your car can handle the job without you having to rely on external help to drive short distances. For these reasons, I like AWD crossovers the best. If somebody wants to go extreme off-road, I'd suggest a truck, as it's way more versatile than a big cramped box.
@@ravenclawgamer6367 in countries where a bit of off-roading is your everyday, SUVs make sense. But SUVs with no off-road capabilites, and in countries where you never need them is absurd
Love love love this video!!! I saw an article last week that said 80% of new car sales in America are SUV's, crossovers and trucks. Truly sad. I'll NEVER buy an SUV.
Been considering this for years. The best explanations I've come across: -Parents dont want to bend over to buckle up their spawn -Oldies dont want to bend their knees/hips -Women/short guys who want to feel tall They're basically just over-sized hatchbacks that people progress to when they run out of room.
@@rektiumstuff3245 Nah, I own an AWD Subaru sedan (Liberty/Legacy) for that purpose (not that it will ever snow here in Australia, but we have plenty of dirt). When I drove around alpine area's of Switzerland I was amazed at the number of Subaru's... it figures because they definitely get a lot of snow. A lot of SUV's are FWD and would perform horrendously in the snow. Plus their weight make them much worse at braking in slippery conditions, especially on road tyres. See: th-cam.com/video/S7j7jHIvoPc/w-d-xo.html
@@fieldo85 FWD is better in the snow in a car but worse in a SUV? Yes makes it harder to stop. Honestly tires make a bigger difference than a SUV over a sedan. But with the SUV i'll never high center because of said snow. Also your subaru Legacy is a modern day crossback or w/e they call a small SUV now.
Finally, someone else who shares my opinion. You forgot to mention the heightened risk for literally everyone outside of the SUV-drivers car when it comes to accidents. More weight also means more severe injuries, except for the person inside the SUV. I hear the argument a lot that people want a safe car, but choosing an SUV just because of that is moronic and egoistical.
@@ew6546 Absolutely not. I maybe should've elaborated a bit further in the comment, but what i was trying to say is that small cars aren't inherently less safe than bigger, heavier vehicles. Lane keep assist, pedestrian detection, allround airbags are features you'll find in a Suzuki Swift (~900kg/~2000lbs kerb weight) nowdays. Such cars also tend to brake better. We should all be buying only the lightest vehicle that fits our needs. No need to 1up everyone else. It's viscious cycle that ruins the roads, kills more pedestrian and bicycle users (especially children), wastes resources and increases pollution (tire debris, brake dust, CO2). Bigger vehicles are also more expensive in upfront cost, repairs and fuel costs. There's more money to make out of these huge cars than smaller, cheaper ones. That's why the market pushes them so hard towards the consumer.
I envy the results they got. I recently drove across america and saw about 3 wagons/estates. Theres a decent amount of hatchbacks but nothing close to the number of SUVs. These stats are lovely.
If you only saw 3 estates you clearly didn't spend much time in the Pacific Northwest. Subaru Outbacks may be the single most common vehicle around here.
US has a lot of pick up trucks right i think people get SUVs cause they are more comfortable in long drives as they are big but at the same times less ugly than a mini van
@@kriche74 Well as someone who has owned two and gone through the registration, licensing, and insurance process with them I can assure you your anecdotal evidence is wrong. Just because "compact" SUVs have encroached on its footprint doesn't change the fact that the outback existed, as a wagon, long before SUVs were even a thing, let alone compact SUVs.
@@apocello42 I respect that you love the Outback, and I do mean that in all honesty. They're great vehicles. I am left questioning the accuracy of your statements though. The Subaru Outback first entered production in 1994 for the 1995 model year. The Jeep Cherokee entered into production in 1984, and is considered to be the first compact SUV. If we want to be really picky, the first SUV's started showing up in the 1930's, though the term "SUV" had yet to be coined. Evidence, by nature of being anecdotal, is not automatically assumed to be incorrect, though that is what you've insinuated with your statement. Ironic considering the evidence you've provided in the defense of the Outback's status as a wagon was anecdotal in nature anyway. One would need to hold a poll to conclude whether the average American considers the Outback to be an SUV or a wagon. You, as an owner, are still a sample pool of only one person. It's nothing personal against you seeing as I don't know you any differently from the next guy in the comment section. Hope you have a great day.
Where I'm from, I believe the SUV appeal comes from our crumbling infrastructure, and poor driving education---especially here in the Midwest U.S. (A.K.A. The Salt Belt). Many consumers here likely go for the SUVs believing they are safer and can handle the unnecessary beatings from the poor infrastructure because they're bigger....while in turn making it less safe for others in smaller and lower vehicles.
So what everyone can buy suvs 🤷🏽♂️. Your mentioning how its unsafe fod the smaller lower cars well that shouldnt be ur concern they can buy an suv too instwad
@@slurp3194 Well yeah, it is my concern because I drive a lowered vehicle along with a utility wagon that’s comparably low in ride height to the average SUV. My reasons were outlined because SUVs are very likely a bandage over much bigger, yet avoidable issues that should NOT require purchasing an SUV in the first place. Also, there are enough people around who cannot afford, or do not need-or even want an SUV-especially considering they cost an average of $5000 USD more than a comparable sedan or hatchback. And enough of us do not want to own and drive the same cookie cutter vehicle/form factor as the average Joe.
The SUV appeal comes from marketing by GM and Ford, cause it's where they make the most money, until gas prices go up, but they'll just get bailed out again, thanks Obama.
@@hockeymaskbob2942 People are still buying SUVs regardless of gas prices-One reason being SUVs are practically all that’s available new with some of these brands, nowadays. In fact, many people are still willing to purchase “unchipped” vehicles over MSRP regardless of the chip shortage, and Ford (among other brands) is willing. Then they plan to install the missing chips at no cost once they’re available.
Why is it that in this age where we have the highest standard of car safety we are having the greatest of accidents and only agreeing to having the largest affordable cars available? There are more highways being built now more than ever before, is there really any need for off-road concern? Did people not manage it in the past?
I have kids and drive a Nissan Rogue SUV. I sat on the back seat of many, many, many sedans, station wagons and SUVs before buying the Rogue. And I bought the Rogue because the back seat is a million times more comfortable in terms of head room and leg room than any sedan or lower car I tried. That works great for kids in car seats of for elderly parents, and I have both.
I like small sedan cars. but living in a place where the roads are not as good, having the clearance to go over holes, bumps, and less than ideal roads is the reason why people in my country choose them over anything else.
And that makes total sense. I am with you. But how do we explain the numbers in light of the fact that the majority of the population doesn't live in the country, and wealth to buy new vehicles is concentrated in the city? There are a lot of 4x4s purchased for use in environments where they make zero sense.
@@Daekar3 that it's true. To me it mostly come to status symbol. If you have the money you want a big vehicle to show status. I mean the same could be said about the US and their obsession for trucks but that out of the scope of this video. But that does not apply for everybody. I do know people that for like the flexibility that an SUV provides over any other vehicle.
I've noticed traffic light rollovers are increasing with the average ride height increase, be it SUV's or 4WD's. Someone doesn't give way, slight nudge, and over they go!
I agree with you completely as I don’t have or want an SUV, but I kinda see their appeal at least in my city (Jakarta, Indonesia). Some of our roads are really bad (including big speed bumps) and we have seasonal flooding, as such, the ride height of an SUV kinda make sense. On top of that, people here have big families and haul loads of stuff but very few manufacturers produces estates/station wagons (currently, Mazda 6 is the only good and reasonably priced estate - please cmiiw if anyone knows). I drive a BMW G20 and I love it. But can’t deny i get a bit annoyed every time I drove over bad roads/big speed bumps and hit the side of my undercarriage or have to turn around if I can’t get through shallow flooding 😅
I never understood it either.. From what I asked others, they “feel safer” even though they don’t look into actual safety numbers/ crash results. Even then, as you pointed out with the moose test, they typically can’t handle as well thus also making them less safe in a pinch.
wagons are: •Cheeper •Lighter •Faster (and sportier) •Sleeker •Bigger inside •Better on fuel •Better looking •Cooler (imo) •easier to drive •less bad for the enviornment •E •T •C But nooo I'll take an evoke 🙄
Wagons are still the best option. They aren't much bigger than hatchbacks and are way more practical than sedans. SUVs tend to provide the same interior space (apart from the taller boot, which could be made use of like once a year), but are bigger on the outside too. In my opinion the current best car is the Octavia VRS TDI estate, with its excellent fuel economy and practicality, while still providing good performance and low maintenance.
The average family around me is two parents and two kids. A full size sedan is more than enough room and yet they HAVE to get a ghey as fuck suv or crossover
We have one SUV because we live in an area where it snows alot therefore the extra ground clearance and 4x4 mean you can go to work without shoveling the driveway or wait for the ploughs to clean the road. Also handy to go on steep forest roads, I only wish it had low range gearbox.
@@MidwestFarmToys Snow tires. Simple answer. I good set of snow tires cost you $1000 on a hatchback, and I'm talking about the best. 4x4 with all-season tires means you are not safer in slippery and cold conditions. You just think you are. Don't believe me? My GTI on snow tires is the only thing that moves on the road when there was a sudden snow in mid November.
@@MidwestFarmToys Then don't make yourself sound like an average American situation. In your case, yes, 4x4 is very much necessary. But most of the places don't even snow that often. And if me living in Michigan where the roads are the worst and it can snow in early April can get away with snow tires on hatch, which is a GTI and still cheaper than a crossover on all-season tires, weather is not the excuse.
@@MidwestFarmToys You just don't sound like you know car at all. The only good thing you deduced from a hatchback is that it has better fuel economy than an easy to roll over SUV, yet you claim it's necessary in US, how pathetic.
My mom bought an SUV. I warned her it wouldn't be worth it, and she should just get a hatchback. She proceeded to be surprised when a CRV has no more trunk space than a Fit. Huh, weeeird.
I am one of the few that actually need and frequently use the offroad capabilities of my SUV, and it hurts my soul to see people with SUVs or even pickup trucks that never saw more action than a parking lot ramp
I am a Land Cruiser owner in Australia who has owned cars and 4 wheel drives since the 1970’s. An average “family” size saloon car back then (like a Holden Kingswood or Ford Falcon) was exactly what most people wanted. Fairly simple, so the owner could maintain them, had good cargo space, could tow a caravan or trailer, and were quite good on rough country roads, and had a largish straight six, or smallish V-8 engine that were well liked. Then over the years that category of car became lower to the ground so could not be driven off road, became too complex, were too lightweight for a good sized trailer or caravan, and started incorporating uninspiring engines like V-6 and largish 4’s and started incorporating unpopular technologies like the dreaded start/stop, or CVT. These technologies had a reputation for being reliable only in the first few years of car life, but the reality is that the average car is 12 years old, an age where things like a CVT becomes a potentially expensive liability. So the move to the larger SUV. It might also have problematic technologies, but at least you can tow a good size trailer or caravan, and you can drive off paved surfaces without damaging the floor of the car. And not a CVT in sight. Larger, more enjoyable engines, like my V-8 diesel, and dramatically more comfortable ride on long journeys. Five to 10 hours in a small car is very tiring, but 10+ hours in the Land Cruiser is comfortable. The suspension is so much more comfortable than those harsh “sport tuned” suspensions on small cars, and it is easy to get in and out of the vehicle, and once out the door closes with a satisfying sound of solid build, while doors on small cars close with a tinny sound that screams cheap and lack of sold materials. I have a large bull bar where my big driving lights, and 2-way radio aerial are mounted and many people have brackets for fishing rods and such things. Family sized cars of 50 years could easily accomodate these sorts of things, but the rounded plastic front ends of most small cars are lousy for adding the practical things like that. The problem with modern saloon cars is they moved away from the practical needs of average car buyers. Hatchbacks suit young people without families, but the average family needs to use a vehicle to go camping and other family recreation, need to be able to tow rubbish to the tip, trailers for recreational vehicles, caravans, etc. and need to go off road at least sometimes. And as we get older, we like the comfort of a vehicle high enough to get in and out of easily, and suspension appropriate for long journeys. A saloon car of 50 years ago was a cost effective choice that could do most things passably well. The current saloon cars do not. That is why most people don’t want to buy them. They are built to meet emissions standards but to do so they ignored basic driver needs. As a result, an SUV is more than what most people need, but there is no alternative because the smaller cars are not good enough to do what the average family needs to do, or wants in a car. Also not mentioned is seating numbers. A saloon car of 50 years ago was a six-seater. Modern saloon cars are only five-seaters. That is not enough seats. My family size made buying a seven seat vehicle a significant part of the buying choice. I am at the age where there are grandchildren plus parents, plus us two. A five seat vehicle is simply out of consideration. Meanwhile hatchbacks do well for those who prefer a smaller car for the practical reason that you can lay down the seats to carry larger items. Just like SUV’s, it is the practical uses we put cars to that dictates actual buyer choices. Reviewers who tout modern “features” and styling rarely get it that we buy cars for far more ordinary things than the number of speakers or color choices, or miles per gallon. We are more interested in fitting all the grandkids in, or what it feels like at highway speed with a caravan, or whether or not we can drive through the creek to get to a camping spot.
id disagree on the size part. friend of mine bought a brand new Jeep Compass and can hardly fit her childs stroller in the boot whereas ive moved cabinets in the back of my liftback 1992 Carina ll with no problems. the whole SUV offer more space thing is an illussion bar a few like Mitsi Prados or 110 defenders
@@tramlink8544 My Land Cruiser seats 7 people. Your Carina II can't do that. With beefier suspension and larger wheels I can take a lot more weight. The Jeep Compass is a smallish SUV compared to a Land Cruiser, and I wouldn't expect it to carry much at all. They are soccer-mum cars, best suited to picking the kids up from school. My Land Cruiser is well suited to carrying supplies for expeditions into very remote desert locations. mI would not consider the Jeep Compass as a good indication of what a good 4WD can carry.
@@artistjoh you're argument would hold weight if I didn't know a few dozen families of 3 with gxl land cruisers and prados that have never seen dirt beyond a driveway. Which would be fine if they used them to tow anything, but they use their hiluxes etc for that. Feel that for the majority of people they could spend 100k so much better Also what cars in Aus had CVTs beyond Holden captivas and Honda's?
@@mecklas Yes there are plenty of city types driving 4WD of all types. But if you pull up to a remote outback pub, around 80 to 90 percent of the vehicles there are Land Cruiser. As to cars that use CVT. Here is the list in the US. Some of them won't be sold here, but it does show that they are widespread across many manufacturers. They are spreading because while they have a shorter lifespan compared to more conventional transmission types they do improve fuel consumption and in countries that demand fuel consumption improvements, using a CVT is an easy way to achieve that. Buick: Encore GX Chevrolet: Malibu, Trailblazer, Spark Chrysler: Pacifica Hybrid (plug-in hybrid) Ford: Escape Hybrid, Escape Plug-in Hybrid Honda: Accord, Accord Hybrid, Civic, Clarity Plug-in Hybrid, CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, HR-V, Insight Hyundai: Accent, Elantra, Venue Infiniti: QX50 Kia: Forte, Rio, Seltos, Soul Lexus: ES 300h, NX 300h, RX 450h, RX 450hL, UX 250h Lincoln: Corsair Grand Touring (PHEV) Mitsubishi: Mirage, Mirage G4, Outlander PHEV, Outlander Sport Nissan: Altima, Kicks, Maxima, Murano, NV200, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Versa Subaru: Ascent, Crosstrek, Crosstrek Hybrid (PHEV), Forester, Impreza, Legacy, Outback Toyota: Avalon Hybrid, C-HR, Camry Hybrid, Corolla, Corolla Hybrid, Highlander Hybrid, Prius, Prius Prime (PHEV), RAV4 Hybrid, RAV4 Prime (PHEV), Sienna, VenzaBuick: Encore GX
@@artistjoh again, you'd have a point, but I live in rural North Queensland. For big families it makes sense to have a big car. The luggage space in a cruiser is enormous, and their ability to seat 7 people comfortably is a solid justification to purchase one. But for the price, most people would be better off not putting themselves in 100k of debt and instead purchasing a smaller vehicle and saving money on fuel, maintenance as well as gaining the practicality of not driving a land yacht
I've asked a lot of people the same question, and the answers I got fell into 2 categories: 1) Prestige 2) Saftey, apparently, they feel like when they're higher up they don't get harmed as much
In the United States it’s an arms race. When full size trucks are still the top sellers, people want to buy a bigger vehicle (SUV) to feel safer in the event they ever get into a collision with a 2.5 ton Ford F-150.
@@jamesbarisitz4794 I had one too, first generation, no issues, very reliable little car, longest car I have owned. How did you get the roof to shake 😂, once had a tree fall on my qashqai roof and left a small dent, still never seen it shaking. Its a solid car and would highly recomend for anyone looking for a small budget SUV
That marketing argument at the end is where the hype from SUV really come from. Advertisement made SUV into a status symbol. It's not just a car you are buying. You are showing to everyone that YOU have the biggest one (what i'm referring to here is up to reader's discretion). And it's what drives the sale of SUV rather than more traditional car. In the middle of a climate crisis, the fact that marketing was able to convince everyone to get a bigger, heavier car is astonishing.
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Last year my mum told me she had bought a Mitsubishi Eclipse and me getting dead excited I went and waited for her to come to my house so I could have a look only to realise that what came round the corner was a Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross
Bought a hatchback for the practicality of any SUVs minus all the heavyweights. Easier to maintain my hatchback than many bulky, extra heavy, tall SUVs.
How the hatchback has the practicality of a SUV? It doesn't have the ground clearance and the trunk space (i am guessing that you have AWD hatch). Also a hatch has better gas mileage, it is easier to find parking spaces and probably has a better onroad handling. Completely different practicality
@@dshaprin the suv’s space is just used in passenger comfortability and safety and trunk space which is almost never fully used. But yeah even if it doesn’t seem like it it has secretly more space but people just seem to not use it to it's full potential usually.
Lol sometimes I get this vibe that I'm driving around mom's toyota yaris even though it's a toyota highalnder lol man wish I was short lol would appreciate easier parkings honestly but I can atleast reverse park which isn't bad at all lol.
I think a lot of people who aren't interested in cars just want something as a utility. A lot of space, big boot, can drive up a path or down a dirt track if needed and I think possibly the biggest appeal is the appearance of safety. The average person does not give a second thought about driving dynamics so they won't care what they're missing out on. Plus it's a cycle in fashion, estates might even be all the rage in 10 years, sure aren't they really popular in Germany?
I've got a turbo Subaru Forester 2002 and it's absolutely awesome. It's heaps of fun on the windy roads and is incredible for driving in soft sand. I use it for access to surf spots in my region (New Zealand) I can't stand the feeling of having to park and walk or not being able to go somewhere because it's 4wd access only. I think a lot of people do over do it though, AWD cars with a bit of clearance can get you 98% of the places you'd ever want to go. I think other less populated countries a 4wd might be a bit more essential when you are looking for access to rural undeveloped spots
Sure, if you really have the need for a 4wd car, go get it. Most people don't. They buy their suvs and drive them exclusively on highways and in cities. Btw, Subaru's XV is a very nice idea (or at least it was those few years ago when I considered it as my next car) - a bit higher suspension, but with a normal hatchback body - not that pumped upwards.
older FWD hatchbacks do the job too, i remember in car throttle during their scotland trip they went up a dirt track. the Ford Focus and VW Jetta got stuck, while the old Peugout 206 which sits a tad higher and had skinnier wheels went up the track with no issues
I had a RAV4 for one year and it was very practical, but being a car guy I got bored of it pretty quickly and ended up getting a MX5 and never looked back. I should point out that I bought a SUV so I could go off road every so often - mostly on gravel and the beach - but found that the tradeoff in handling wasnt worth it especially when I was spending 99.99% of my time on decent paved roads. I will be getting a family car next year for the misses and will most likely get a Mazda 6 Wagon, which handles so much better then a SUV and has most of the same practicalities.
RAV is not a fun SUV to drive and I almost gave up on SUVs after driving one. I'm a sedan / wagon person but I have test driven the X2, X3 and GV70 and they're certainly 'tossable' for SUVs. Still nothing beats a wagon if you can find one.
We considered swapping our mpv for a suv, but didn't because of the premium. My parents prefer them because of "you don't sit on the ground", most of the time you have 3 full size seats in the second row and we also almost bottomed out on some montain roads with our S-Max since we like going to places. We couldn't really afford both, so that's why we considered a "more versatile" platform. Idk i'm still an estate guy myself (and the S-Max is nice for an mpv too)..
To be fair: The range of SUVs is a bit too big too make just one category from it. It reaches from compact cars on stilts all the way up to 8 seaters with a boot the size of an original fiat 500. If separated each size might have their own justification. The Huge SUVs are, in my opinion, a replacement for minivans just with a lot more prestige, power and intimidating aestetics. Small and mid size SUVs replace compact or mid size cars with higher entry, better visibility and allegedly more safety. Also for the beginning of Electrification SUVs were the best choice. Obviously because those are the cars that sell the most but also because in the early stages they had to use ICE platforms, and it's easier to implement the battery pack in the floor, when the Car looks like an SUV. Point in case: The EQC has a ground clearance of 142mm vs the GLC having 245 mm.
I agree with the first part. Guess what the first EV that had enough range to be somewhat viable? a small 2 seater (tesla roadster). The second? sedan (model s).
@@johnhunter7244 Well, my first draft had a different phrasing in which I said that in the early years everything but an SUV was either a marketing stunt (roadster), or a halo car (Model S). Also i specifically referred to established manufactureres having to use ICE platforms, which obviously doesnt apply to Tesla. There were many more electric cars that weren't SUVs: Renault Zoe, Nissan Leaf, Hyundai ioniq, VW e-Golf, Ford Focus Electric, BMW i3. Most of them were Released prior to the SUV Boom. Some of them have either painfully small batteries or a very high seating position 🤔 But with most cars of that generation it seemed like the manufacturers didn't take electrification seriously - they feel like a 'marketing stunt'. The first electric cars seemingly developed to actually sell good for fleet emmissions were almost exclusively SUVs: Kia e-Niro, Hyundai Kona, Mercedes EQC and EQA, Audi E-Tron, Jaguar I-Pace, Opel/Vauxhall Mokka, DS 3, Ford Mustang Mach-e, Volvo xc40. And it makes sense: Lift your platform, slap a battery underneath put an SUV styling on top. It's a win-win.
@@xyz-je2wx In a 2,5 ton EQS you will probably feel less of the impact when ramming a 1,5 ton Compact SUV off the road. So I'd say the safety argument is relative ;)
Just bought a Subaru Legacy. Sedan. Four doors. Works beautifully for my needs. All my grandchildren are over 21 and own their own cars. So I don’t need a ginormous people carrier to drive around by myself. Besides, the Legacy is sporty enough for me in my dotage. I did sports cars in my younger days; Lotus Elan, Jensen Healy, Austin Healy 100-4, even a tricked out Datsun 510 sedan. The Subaru will most likely be the last vehicle I shall ever own, so I want reliability and a modicum of comfort. It gives me both 😎.
Busted London for the first time last month (stayed for 5 days) and noticed some surprising things from someone coming from the states. I saw one Subaru which over here is one of the most common cars it seems like and saw only two pickup trucks which is impossible to do unless you close your eyes. Absolutely love these videos the effort and humor that goes into these is why I’m here on TH-cam!
Hey, i am waiting for mine to arrive (11 months, thanks chip shortage) and i can tell you why. 1. It is a leased car and it is actually cheaper for me than buying the estate variant (significantly cheaper) because of the residual value. 2. I always drove estates. I do need a car with some room in it (family guy and all) and an SUV is simply more practical. 3. I do go of the beaten track from time to time and while i do not need 4x4 (and i didn't get one. I got a compact front wheel drive) i do want the additional ride height. 4. Everyone else are driving one and i am just sick of getting blinded on the road from taller vehicles headlamps......
SUVs are less practical than estates, unless your comparing a Land Rover to the Skoda Fabia Wagon. You can get estates with AWD - top one is Subaru Outback. Also the lights are from Manufacturers putting miniature suns in headlights. I found that the lights are just as bright when driving my Dads 4x4 and my Mums sedan.
@@danielbociarski6633 100% true, but again leasing. i got GLA, if i was getting the CLA estate, i could only get the base model. The GLA i got had almost all extras. This is because of residual value which is higher of the SUV so it is cheaper for me to get. The only other one with same value was CLA cupe.
You said it! "stepping into the car rather than stepping down". This is the bggest issue I have with cars and small hatchbacks, you can damage yourself especially for older people. I get blinded by headlights from front and rear with small cars because you sit so low. Because in Australia there's a lot of SUV's this happens all the time. My daughters car is a small hatchback, mine is a 4wd ute.
SUV owner and lover here! Reasons - I live in New Orleans, land of floods and potholes. If that little street flooding I am driving through turns out to be much deeper than I thought, an SUV will drive right through. A sedan will be flooded out. Also, the bottom of my car doesn't scrape when I hit a hidden pothole. I also find it easier to load and unload the kids from carseats in an SUV. Bending over to buckle them in all the time can grow old fast. It might not seem like a big deal, but when you are talking about years of daily buckling (and remember, Americans tend to drive a LOT more in a day than Europeans, and we have a lot of stops), it adds up. Comfort matters in a car, and ease of loading kids is a big part of that comfort. Americans also have bigger families, and often need that third row seating (and don't want the shame of a minivan to get it). Even with two kids, I carpool with other kids. When I'm not, I can lay the third row down and fit two kids bikes in the back plus weekend sports equipment. I just can't do that with a sedan.
I live in a developing country, and I agree with all of your points! Also, living in a developing country, there are many regions where the road conditions are horrendous! It is way more sensible to buy an SUV over the others.
it's good to show these points because of how much bias there is in these kinds of videos and channels. they treat cars as toys, when most people use them as appliances, so comfort, practicality and versatility comes before "fun".
in all honesty, ive seen SUVs in the UK crossing fords and killing their engines (because some have the air intakes facing down) where 2000s sedans and hatchbacks crossed with no issue
@@danieldelaney1377 Because the space in a the second row of a pickup means installing a rear facing carseat leaves the front row passengers pushed up til their knees hit the dash. And in a rainy city, tossing a stroller in the back of an exposed pickup bed isn't exactly ideal. Again, the reason why SUVs rule to road in America is because people are not focused on power or having a "proper" 4x4 that can take on a mountain. People are focused on convenience.
A Crossover SUV makes a lot of sense on developing countries, where even high traffic roads are poorly maintained, full of holes and speedbumps. That's the main reason they are so popular in Brazil right now. In Western Europe and Eastern Asia, where the roads are usually much better, i agree it makes a lot less sense
I just bought my first SUV/crossover/whatever and for me it was primarily 2 things. 1: I ended up with a 110lb dog and my Mazda 3 hatchback wasn't really cutting it. 2: My back problems finally got bad enough that it could be difficult for me to repeatedly get in and out of a low car. Got a CX-50 and I've been pleased with the change.
Right so I live in Sri Lanka and the roads here well, they aren't the best so many people prefer buying something like a Toyota Land Cruiser because they are Big, high off the ground and last a reaaaaaly long time and honestly I don't see a clear reason other than that. That being said I am a MASSIVE fan of SUVs. Pls don't hate me
Yeah this is totally justified bc of the place u live. However most crossovers cant cover rough terrain any better than a car/hatchback. You're talking about proper SUVs with 4x4 and rugged construction, which i think we can all appreciate.
@@unripetomato4312 the only thing a land cruiser has on a Range Rover is reliability that’s literally it, compare a L405 Range Rover to a LC200 and the Range Rover dominates in almost everything. The only difference is majority of people who buy a Range Rover don’t use it for what it was made to do even tho it’s in a similar price bracket.
@@TacoInvader69 ***HAD*** Real utes, not SUVs with a tub! With a single cab (not dual cab crap) the option of trays or tubs and V8s or straight 6s to pull a 1 tonne load easily. Sadly the real Aussie ute has disappeared along with car manufacturing.
I had a 2019 Mazda3. Top trim, 2.5 non-turbo (there wasn't one) and front wheel drive. Next year I switched to CX-30 turbo because of more power, not much of price difference against Mazda3 turbo, slightly quieter with the thicker tires, and the higher ground clearance allows me to get in / out of gas station with out scratching the front bumper. Also the cornering wasn't compromised either. I was very happy to make the change.
I have a 2010 Nissan Rogue, gets almost the same mileage as my Chevy Cruse, doesn't get stuck in 1/2 inch of snow like the cruse, and has more room for my 3 children. I occasionally deliver for the Amazon Flex program, far easier to work out of the Rogue. The cruse is more fun and responsive on dry pavement and good roads but feels cramped and small compared to the rogue and yes they are the same length overall, with more useful space in the rogue.
After 6 times having driven estates (Ford Focus Wagon, last 2 ones a 1.6 automatic) I switched to a Lexus RX 450 hybrid. Excellent seats and for someone with back problems very easy to get in and out. It's a pimped Toyota, which means in my case about he same maintenance costs, same fuel consumption and same road tax (due to the hybrid drive train) as my Ford Focus 1.6 wagon automatic I drove before. As a bonus I have now a Mark Levinson stereo system and the ability to look further up the road to see what is happening, which is very handy in busy Dutch traffic. Lastly, the silence of this car and the hybrid system have turned me into a very relaxed and easy going driver wich leads to stres free drives and no fatigue whatsoever after a very long journey.
SUV visibility debunked: -Being larger, suvs often have thicker pillars and thus larger blindspots. -being higher, suvs often provide worse depth perception, vehicle placement, and speed perception (srsly there are studies look it up) -visibility is determined by the line drawn from the eyes to the edges of each window. The regions swept out by these lines are the visibility zones. Thus, the vehicle being higher raises that line higher from the ground and by pythagorean theorem extends the region which cannot be seen. Thus, raising a car reduces visibility. The increase in visibility is actually from raising the seating position relative to the beltline of the car, which would point the line from the eyes to the window further downward, thus expanding the field of view.
Youre right, which is even worse considering most SUV owners ive seen recently are short people. Worse yet is that those people cant park a normal car and yet they still insist on trying to fit into all the crammed spots with a fuckign SUV. I dont really hate any type of car, if the owner can drive it, its like with those few cars that are notoriously "old people cars", "safe", very slow and great mileage - 99% of the time im right about the driver being an old person and driving city speeds on a highway is fucking bonkers. Again, i dont hate the cars, i just hate being right about the stereotypes of each one of them.
@@vavra222 there's more to it still. These short people can't operate: 1. seat controls, to adjust their seating position and they're actually sitting so low they can barely see in front of them 2. infotainment system, to pair their phone to have hands free phone operation 3. parking assistants, or at least parking sensors and cameras and for some reason insist on parking a 5,5m long 2m wide mastodon of a car all by themselves with limited visibility and thus completely failing at it. And no joke, I've seen a woman trying to turn around a Mercedes GLS AMG, fully packet with all the sensors and cameras in a tight parking lot, she didn't once use any of the technology and instead of getting as tight as she could and turning the car in one go she had to reverse-forward a bazillion times because she has left a meter long gap at each end every time she moved the car because of her lack of depth perception. In short, stupid people buy stupid cars to do stupid things with them on public roads.
@@mikosoft Nailed it, glad that i live in a small town in Czechia, most people here just go for normal cars, luckily. Even if they want to have a status car of some sort, they usually pick a very nice car of normal dimensions. There is an odd big american pickup truck here and there, but thats more like an eyecandy lol, those people at least dont drive like idiots because those trucks are pretty expensive and pretty rare here.
@@vavra222 here in Bratislava (hello neighbor) people go for SUVs more and more. You see them park in tight spots, not fitting into the space, leaving the car in various diagonal positions although that kind of parking is not just SUV drivers but SUVs are the worst offenders since they are so large. And yes, people drive the cars like crazy, thinking they're the only ones that matter.
Most of them have a false believe "the bigger it is the better it is". Most of the SUV owners don't buy these cars for driving pleasure or off roading! They feel they are the boss on the road and that's what motivates a lot of them to buy SUVs! I was shocked how slow Nissan Qashqai was when I drove one as a rent car!
My mom has a crossover because she says the extra ride height makes her less motion sick and it has extra luggage space. We just went on a road trip with more luggage than ever in the trunk of my dads Camry, and she was less motion sick than normal.
People are getting older and older and it's easier to step into a car. That's my explanation. A convertible SUV has no explanation what so ever, though...
I think a big part of it your missing is people will buy a big suv even if they have only two kids knowing they will not need the extra space. They do it because they know they will be safer in a crash in a big suv vs a small sedan or hatchback. This becomes more true the more big cars are on the road. It’s like a self fulfilling prophecy.
In our country Kuwait.. here is why SUVs are better: - Parking lots are so limited so we use to climb up the sidewalks - The most two activities you can do here is either camping or going to beach - Our speed bumps are everywhere and they are extremely large so Mustangs rear passengers have to get out of the car to avoid hitting the ground - In summer it reaches +50°c with ground temperature reaching +75°c under direct sun.. which means we are literally driving over frying pan.. thus.. the higher your vehicle, the cooler AC you got
compact SUV is very appealing (at least to me), because of it's ridding height, the road where i live suck, you have big pothole everywhere, and unnecessarily big speed bumb, and seasonal flooding, which make driving sedan or hatchback like hell, imagine scarping your car underside everyday, or have to turn around when there's shallow flooding, or dent your bumper because of pothole, not fun, so to me SUV is pretty much the perfect vehicle to have, big cabin (middle row that can actually fit 3 people), big trunk, high ground clearance, sure they have more bodyrole, but i don't drive that fast anyway.
I am from India. I am trading my saloon for a mini suv. But our mini suvs are just frugal saloons on suv form factor. My last car got major issues with suspension , and suffered ride quality due to poor quality of roads in my area. It seems logical in india to buy a frugal suv rather that buying a hatchback or a saloon.
Honestly I hate SUV’s. I took my bmw to the dealership and they gave me an x5 as a loner car. I hated it with every cell in my body, I returned it and asked them to give me something small. They gave me a 2 series grand coupe and I hated it as well. Honestly I hate all new cars, their steering sucks and the ones with good steering, they’re out of my price range.
Always hated the auto manufacturer rhetoric that SUVs are simply what people want, as if carmakers have zero influence on the market or the minds of car buyers. Toyota and Subaru came out with a nice cheap sports car, and it's sold like hotcakes. But I doubt the profit margin was as impressive as it could have been, if they'd teamed up to make an SUV instead.
Yes, it's a grand conspiracy. 10s of millions of humans were duped into buying their SUVs. No one actually likes them because they are pointless. Got it!
@@thedalillama the average car buyer doesn't know shit about cars. They only know what they've heard. So yeah, actually you can dupe millions of people into liking a thing. Companies wouldn't dump so much money into advertisement, if it didn't have the power to convince people to buy what is being advertised. No conspiracy necessary. People are just easily influenced.
The high up seating position, the safety, the amount of cargo space and head space compared to a saloon, the ground clearance, the comfort, etc. is all the reasons why my mom has an SUV. It is kinda like our road trip vehicle since the cargo space doesn't seem to run out. Its a lexus rx btw
It feels safer but most of the time isn't. Since they are based on "normals" cars plateforms, but higher they are heavier. And the more mass the more energy you have to dissipate on the same surface. You need to brake longer which increase chances of accidents and deaths.
They aren't safer, you're more likely to be involved in a rollover. And it's not that rare, we see SUV tip overs at city speed collisions. It's only safer if you have a huge mismatch of weight and height, but if you take two cars of the same platform, like a Subaru Legacy vs an Outback, the difference is much less consequential
i remember watching a video that said the proliferation of SUVs actually led to overall worse safety standards, including worse injuries from SUV-involved accidents, since they crash harder with greater force. even if its occupants are safe, the other vehicle might not be so lucky. this may have led to an obsolescence of safety requirements as typical car safety guidelines assumed that the incoming/impacting vehicle was a sedan weight rather than an SUV weight. imo, the depreciation of safety standards is the biggest reason to hate on SUVs. ugliness and fuel consumption are technically fixable problems; but safety is not, since if all cars increased their safety standards to handle collisions with SUVs, it could lead to some sort of escalation in overengineering, leading to increased prices for every type of vehicle - all just to survive crashes with SUVs.
As a car enthusiast, I've come to realize SUVs are a necessary evil in order for the manufacturers to have the money to keep making the fun cars we love so much, as overpriced as they are thesedays. Even Lotus and Ferrari are doing it now. I'm never buying one, you'd have to shoot me first. I find sports sedans to be good enough for family needs. Plus, when I drive, it's usually alone, so an SUV and even an estate car would be a massive waste of space.
I'm a fan of SUV, as most rural roads in my home country, Indonesia, are in poor conditions, SUV are also a better choice in hauling stuffs and people during road trip and they tend to be safer in frontal crashes, which are quite common in Indonesia.
I could not bring myself to purchase a SUV so I bought a Subaru Outback. They call it a SUV here in the states, but it's a station wagon to me, and has more cargo space than most SUV's that was in the same price range.
I don't really know why SUVs are viewed as safer... crash tests don't really show much of a difference and SUVs are more probed to tip-over. Around 12 years ago a BMW X5 side-swiped my hatchback and tipped over. I really didn't have significant damage... even though the BMW almost climbed with the front wheel on my fender. A few years after that at a lower speed a Porsche Macan did something similar and bounced all around the road. Other similar accidents with other sedans and hatchbacks that I had only had the hit and the cars stopped. As much as people like to downplay the risk, the SUV is more likely to do this.
3rd row is a thing in like really big SUVs. but there are still mini vans that can provide that while beeing more economical and having even more space then a 3 row suv.
@@VrumsAdventures It's more like people who doesn't look at the crash test ratings, which, let's face it, is the general public. SUVs are usually a lot bigger than hatchbacks, sedans, etc, and people think that being in a bigger vehicle is safer because they have a size and weight advantage over the smaller cars. I know that is completely false but that's what my parents think so.
Very few SUV style vehicles sold in the UK have a third row ... that's one of the complaints: they are huge yet still only carry the same number of people and the same amount of "stuff".
We had a perfectly serviceable 328d wagon and my better half exchanged it for an x3. I was appalled at the time. She has repented her choice, but is stuck with it for now. I bought an early 90s 3 series wagon. Light, revvy, great mileage. I am in heaven.
Often the high end SUVs aren't bought a for their capabilities but for their prestigious value. They are large, imposing, expensive, and seen as luxury goods. They buy them to show they're better than others, not because they fit their driving style. As far as more general popularity many have the incorrect view of them being safer. Also road quality in many parts of the U.S. has gotten worse and worse so it also makes sense why more ride height might sell better
If I want to impress someone with a car I tell them I have a fleet and Tuesdays i drive this car and Wednesday I drive that car. Seriously for the price of one of these gaudy ugly pieces of shit I can buy a small fleet of used cars that probably run better then the newest cars on the market. If you're only interested in what others think about you, you have a sad and unappealing life if your self worth is so inextricably tied to other people's opinions about you
SUV tall. Need stiff suspension. Ride like garbage. Put big alloys and low profile tires to look awesome! Ride even worse. Drive even worse. Garbage can. Put crap tires on garbage can. Drive and handle and ride worse. I've just explained a Juke and a Mokka. Worst cars for worst people
I’m in the US and we do have an SUV for camping, exploration (back country dirt roads+++) and as a work truck (home projects mostly), but we don’t drive it that much. My wife drives a mid-size estate and I have a 3 door hatch. We drive these most of the time, locally and for on-road trips.
The real question is to ask why most SUV owners don't drive cars. You'll find out that SUVs are crutches to an underlying issue that is widespread across the United States. The most common reason I found to be is the deterioration and neglect of roads and highways. Potholes are a major issue, some areas more than others. SUVs handle potholes better than cars or at least have better odds surviving some unavoidable potholes. For me, I'm mainly a car driver. When I drive an SUV, it is to preserve my car. Good weather driving= Car Bad weather/winter driving= SUV
I live in the US, and bought a brand new SUV as soon as I could afford one. I can attest that the primary reason I'd been set on an SUV for years instead of a compact was because the roads in my suburban area (10 minutes outside of a major city) are in HORRIBLE condition (for a myriad of reasons). I've taken my old used cars to the mechanic more times than I can count for issues having to do with awful roads. If I lived somewhere more tropical, where roads are generally flat and not pock-marked with potholes, I'd probably be driving a sports car.
I'm in the USA and I just upgraded to a 2022 Rav4 from a 2007 Yaris sedan. I chose this for many reasons, but here are the big ones that promoted the change. 1 - Passenger capacity (and comfort) is a huge upgrade. The back of the Yaris is cramped. Yes, there are roomier sedans, but most of the ones I was looking at ended up being at similar price points to most Crossover SUVs. 2 - Power + Semi off-road performance. I live on the coast in the pacific northwest and I really wanted something that I could feel confident taking through adverse road conditions. Having an AWD system and extra ride height allows me to feel a tad more confident making my commute when the weather is unaccommodating. No, the Rav4 is not a heavy-duty 4x4... but I don't need it to be! I just need something that can handle the conditions when I need it to, while also getting decent fuel economy when I don't. 3 - Safety (at least perceived). This obviously varies depending on the vehicle, but I can certainly say that I FEEL much safer driving in my SUV than when I go 80+mph down a Montana highway in my tiny Yaris... for me, that was an improvement. At the end of the day, I don't regret upgrading. I probably would have been happy getting a hatchback, or a new modern sedan, but that wasn't what I wanted. Utility, comfort, and reliability are all important to me. The Rav4 Crossover fits the bill here. I can carry myself and my friends comfortably, I can drive on the beach safely, and I can carry bikes and transport cargo without having to pack everything in tight. That being said... I don't live in a big city or somewhere that has very tight roads. Many European cities are like this, and also have much higher gas prices... so if you're used to this kind of driving environment, maybe an SUV is just not for you.
I really love full/mid size frame based SUVs (actual off-roaders), because it's fun to drive them even on road. What about crossovers- it's easier to get into them, you have extra mm of ground clearance (it's really cool in snowy regions), also you has way better road visibility because you seat is placed higher than in common car (and, of course, your position is more straight). On the other hand- aerodynamics and mass disadvantages, which were described in the video.
Stateside, that hatchback percentage would be much lower and the SUV percentage would be much higher which is a shame really. SUVs should only be used for large families but if your buying one for primarily just going to work, then you’ve bought the wrong car. I know people that buy SUVs to take to work in the city, and then they complain that it’s bad on gas and it’s hard to maneuver through the city.
Yea, SUVs suck, oftentimes SUVs have terrible drivers behind the wheel, have a ridiculous bumper height which causes a lot more damage in a rear-end collision in what would have been just some dents in the bumpers with normally sized cars and it turns out that from what I've heard women like SUVs because they are big and they feel safer. To account for possible bias: I own a sedan.
I've read somewhere that SUVs didn't have to comply to the same environmental and safety regulations in the US as regular cars, and thus are, much like pick up trucks, 'easier' to produce for manufacturers. Not sure if there's any truth to that still, I would have hoped if there's a loophole the US would have closed that by now...
It's completely the case. Before SUV's used to be classified into the "light truck" category that was supposed to be less stringent for commercial vehicles, but basically every manufacturer took advantage of that so that you had nonsensical things happening like the Dodge Neon being a "car" but the PT Cruiser being a "light truck." It's still going to this day; typically for the same sized vehicle footprint, a CUV/SUV will have a less stringent fleet fuel economy standard to hit than the car. So again, nonsensical things happen like Subaru being incentivized to sell more XV Crosstreks than Imprezas because one has less of a hit on their corporate fuel economy than the other, even though both are exactly the same body shell and engine.
In Canada, SUVs are popular for because... 1. They're comfortable for long distance driving and on unfinished or damaged road surfaces. 2. The rapidly aging population have an easier time getting into a compact SUV then an equivalent compact car. 3. For the average Canadian driver an SUV can handle the snow and other winter driving conditions better than a car. Mostly due to ride height over 1-2feet of snow. However, as a millennial, the reason I bought a Nissan Pathfinder was for two reasons: 1. It has seven seats (i have three kids all in booster seats) 2. Minivans are too expensive and not as nice.
So, is it just me who thinks SUVs are pointless?
It's definitely not just you! 😊👍👍
Well I guess they're only purpose is to be able to carry a family without having the ugly-ness (generalizing) of a minivan, btw I'm only taking about large suvs, not crossovers, because they're just pointless
People who drive SUVs and don't see an inch of mud or gravel are pointless
You should set up a poll 😂
1) You are seriously undervaluing road dominance, I went from hatchbacks, estates to SUV's (sports cars and mx5's in-between), a car guy obviously, but sitting that 2-3inches above everyone else makes driving around cities or towns much less stressful, the opposite of driving the MX5 (ie fly on the wall).
2) Buying a "sporty" estate costs easily 10% more than the similar sized "sporty" SUV variant typically in the new car market,*
3) Corporate lease hire perspective, there are (were) more deals on SUV's than estates simply because there are more choices out there*. *Point 2, 3 you could say this is driven from people buying SUV's in the first place which drives the costs down...
4) To experience 4wd there's not many estates which can do that in similar price brackets. From a pure handling characteristic perspective, not actually off-roading, its quite different,
5) More 7 seater options for SUV than estate, yeah sure- you can get an MPV but that's just.... No...
6) Climbing up/down - you also missed a point where if you have small children, its much easier to put them in when its waist level rather than bending over etc, I've had a hatchback prior and that was not fun.
7) ISOFIX - SUV's have more options for isofix, not all estates have the 3-4 isofixings. Not specifically you have 3-4 kids, its useful if kids have friends etc...
8) Vision looking out/surroundings, the Mrs rates this highly vs previous estate
9) Kerbing of wheels, or there lack of...
10) Its safer becuase you're not going to be overcooking that corner as the SUV simply will warn you beforehand with its lackluster 'uninspiring' handling. Saying that, I can zip around a lot quicker in the SUV than in the previous hatchbacks that's for sure...
11) What is even more obnoxious than a BMW driver? A BMW driver that drives an SUV.... :)
I thought I was in the minority for loathing SUVs. It's nice to know I'm not alone.
You are in the minority, why else do you think they sell well?
@@nuddin99 because it's all they make . Ford and Chevrolet don't even make sedans anymore
@@nuddin99 they know they can stop making sedans and force you to spend an extra 25 grand so they make more money . When that's all you make then that's all that is bought
@@nuddin99 Because currently, older generation has more buying power and is more interested in cars in general, so they dictate the market. And being older, they are more likely have back problems and is easier to go in and out of the car.
@@Mharve they do actually but not in US because people just loves SUVs :(
Man fuck SUVs and everything they stand for
Another point: people are generally scared of driving, sadly, often to an unreasonable degree. Sitting higher up reduces the sense of speed as you are farther away from moving objects, making you feel like the speed you are doing is safer than it is. Sadly this has the effect of making people drive more dangerously, and things can quickly get out of their control.
SUVs are also safer.. except for anyone not in the big murder machine
@@martinfisker7438 yeah the higher than "normal" crash structure makes them dangerous for non megalomaniacs
@@martinfisker7438 Only if you are about to collide head on with someone in a golf tho, but the real winner in that battle are the 2.5 ton electric cars lol.
SUVs generally are more dangerous than an equivalent estate, they have more mass to stop with similar crumple zones, the side impact protection needs to be alot stronger, and when even a Porsche Macan fails the moose test you know they are pretty hopeless at evading things and not rolling over.
Additionally, SUVs are deadly for pedestrians compared to hatches, sedans and estates. Heavier and less steady makes for less stopping power. Taller and bulkier makes for less visibility, especially the Armada-like SUVs with tall square fronts that can hide a whole 5ft tall human being. Flat fronts and high hoods makes for more deadly impacts.
Modern SUVs are also a nuisance to other road users. Their bumpers are too high for other reasonable cars on the road, making accidents involving SUVs way more costly and dangerous than they should be due to bumpers no longer aligning (The CRV bumper aligns with the Civic bumper though, so it's not entirely impossible. Good job, Honda!). Their headlights are also more often than not mounted way too high (modern pickups are also guilty of this) and can easily blind other road users.
I hate SUVs, I will never buy one, I hate that manufacturers are making the roads unsafe for everyone else because "muh tall driving position" and I wish manufacturers would stop hyping them so much and people would rent a pickup truck the ONE time a year they need to get lumber from Home Depot.
@@martinfisker7438 Believe in JESUS today, confess and repent of your sins. No one goes to heaven for doing good but by believing in JESUS who died for our sins. Hell isn't fun. GOD loves you soo much unconditional❤🙌❤😋❤
The worst thing about SUVs is that since the trend started more and more pedestrians are killed in road accidents, so the argument "SUVs are safe" is just a drivers perspective.
And it's not even true, Moose test, side impact etc. , only safer when you're going head on with something smaller
precieved saftey sadly goes over real safety for alot of people, or they are just not aware most of the time
SUVs handle worse and have higher chance or rolling over
Yeh, it's only safer for the driver. For everyone else, they're kinda a menace.
First, only recently have cars been designed AT ALL to protect pedestrians. Second, even a microcar is going to hit, maim, and kill people. Even a bicycle can knock someone over hard enough to kill them.
The rise in pedestrian deaths is due to pedestrian behavior; mostly distraction.
All cars are safer than they used to be, because they're better built to handle a crash and protect occupants, and more recently, pedestrians. SUVs are also improving due to stability control.
As for pedestrian behavior, I suspect that phones and earpieces are the cause. However, I'll add that here in the US, outside the dense urban areas. our young people no longer have the common sense to even know how to cross the street. Our schools actually discourage learning how to be a pedestrian.
SUVs killed my car of choice - the minivan. Minivan allows for similarly high riding position but is waaaaayy more practical with the removable seats, flat floor and overall spaciousness and configurability - things I often need for work. And they still are more fuel efficient than SUVs. All this SUV madness just means I have less and less reasonable cars to choose from.
100%. Same thing with the toy trucks here in the US. Now a working man who actually needs a truck has to pay god knows what for one, just so a bunch of midlife crisis dudes from the suburbs can commute in a drum braking GMC monstrosity.
@@James-kh8mq Surely there should be laws against anything over 2500lb having drums….
@@James-kh8mq Hilux sounds like the solution but you don't have em over there
i think theres still a few good minivans. theres one from chrysler and toyota (i forgot their names , sorry) , and the kia carnival
@@johanjoe3012 It's better in the US than in Europe, where I happen to live. Though getting a big minivan around here usually means importing it from the US anyway...
As someone who daily drives an mx-5 it’s infuriating having absolutely no visibility in comparison to these huge cars that everyone now buys.
my mx5 is on coilovers and i cant see anything over 1 car ahead of me. Not to mention how every massive new car with bright led headlights has them pointing into my mirrors :(
@@murray6188 this.
@@murray6188 my del sol on coilovers makes a ford sedan tower over me lol.
If you have a hardtop or the roof down, at least in the NA and NB, the car is a fishbowl with amazing visibility… until mr range over decides to put his fat ass in your face while mrs SQ7 shines her lights directly into your mirrors from behind.
I’m fine with cars being big. The Volvo V70 is one of my favourite cars of all time. It’s big and heavy. It’s very practical and handles surprisingly well for being 1.7 metric tons. It had all of the early 2000’s luxury features you’d expect as well as being one of the comfiest things on the road. It managed to do that without sitting 10ft tall and getting in everyone’s way.
I obviously love my mx5 NB. Mandatory miata love.
@@murray6188 I was in the market for a car. I ended up with an SLK. Loving every minute of driving it and hate night driving due to SUVs blinding me over my back mirror. Your points could not be truer. SUVs are a nightmare in the roads and mostly in the hands of people who cannot deal well with their huge footprint.
I don’t own an SUV nor will I ever. I am a fan of tiny cars - they offer much better versatility in terms of driving & parking in the city and the only time I feel crowded is when there are SUV’s around me. I love that I do find parking spots on the streets much, much easier now! (Mini Cooper SE owner)
Family?
@@batialexis9339 for a family of one or two, a small car is perfect
@@WolfieNamira sometimes i forgot i'm from a 3rd world country where roads are like a moonwalk, SUVs and pick up trucks are the way to go for ground clearance plus interior space.
Try fitting a family of 5 with 3 kids that are 6 foot tall and above in a car. SUVs exist for a reason. I also like the way they look and how high up you are. I can’t stand cars!!. Different tastes.
@@Odat wagon
My wife said she preferred SUV’s for their greater visibility as you’re higher up until 1. I bought her a roadster and she was able to enjoy a spirited drive down typical country roads without feeling seasick, 2. She scraped it trying to negotiate a narrow underground car park. Now she agrees with me that they’re not all people make them out to be. I think for many people it’s a status or style choice, and not one a true “driver” would make. We have since traded our SUV in for a 5 dr sport back style EV.
sadly most people only get to experience very few types of cars, and my guess is alot of people would change their opinion, especially when they somewhat enjoy driving.
I drove with 2 SUVs (not mine, I was just allowed by their owners), and I really hated it. The suspension was hard and bumpy, the high seating position made me feel disconnected from everything happening outside (the handling was weird and felt like butter). I was so happy when I got back into my station wagon.
I convinced my mom who wanted to go for an SUV to choose a saloon instead. She is regularly in awe of how little it sips fuel (she does a lot of highway driving), and is not going back. Also, she was impressed that it was possible to buy an equivalent or better saloon for a much lower price than an SUV. Now she wants a convertible though, and I fully support that 😂😂😂
Get her a VW T4
@@jonass1285 I work as a BMW car mechanic, and i drove tons of X1, X2, X3, X5... they are terrible. Especially chaning X5 tires is something i wish nobody
you're doing god's work. I only wish more people would realize how unnecessary and even worse off SUVs truly are in most cases
I see your point ( ultimately the point of the video) but most people gravitate towards SUV's simply because of ease and ego. In South Africa ( where I live), most people who live in big cities have family in rural areas and/or townships. The roads to these areas often are low quality and have potholes.(the government here is rotten with corruption.)
People see these issues and think: "SUV's were made to go off road, if it can handle the Drakensberg or Alps, then a few potholes shouldn't be too bad." So they'd rather pay a premium for a GLC over a C-Class estate.
The other reason is just ease of loading and off loading items from the boot. South Africans often buy in bulk, and having a higher up boot is often a huge factor then buying a car. This is why SUV's are seen as more bang for your buck down here.
Fun fact, VW's Tiguan and Toureg out sold the Golf and the Arteon down here. We only get the GTI and Golf R varients of the Golf now.
First came SUVs, then came covid.
@@lethuzulu4966 I don’t think he’s talking about areas like that. It’s very understandable on why people use it in environments like that, but he’s talking about the issue in more developed urban areas
@@lethuzulu4966 Believe in JESUS today, confess and repent of your sins. No one goes to heaven for doing good but by believing in JESUS who died for our sins. Hell isn't fun. GOD loves you soo much unconditional❤🙌❤😋❤
@@alunesh12345 what are u on about?
I've been driving the same honda accord for nine years and it went from feeling like an averagely sized car in comparison to traffic to feeling like it's going to get run over monster truck style by a gmc yukon every time I drive to the grocery store
THIS
now imagine how i feel in a 1990s P8 Starlet hatchback in EUROPEAN traffic which tends to be smaler than US vehicles lol. i feel like im in a 1960s Mini Cooper in the 2000s
@@tramlink8544 Corsa b is scary also
Great video, I really really don't like SUVs for the reasons you mentioned. They represent so many things wrong in society - greed, feelings over facts, not caring for the environment, bad traffic and parking in cities, danger to pedestrians. I hope it's mostly a boomer greed thing and 'normal' practical cars like estates and minivans will return.
Tf are u on about none of ur points are valid what so ever u just have a completely different preference. What are u trying to tell me a hell cat is safe? Td
@@slurp3194 Dodge Challenger and Charger had a 5 star safety rating, while the Durango, an SUV with a hellcat model scored 4 stars
@@dagoose. bro really tried to sneak a hellcat in there.
Small SUVs are better for parking in cities than station wagons cause they’re shorter and more of them will fit
@@MsJassi13you mean a hatchback?
every time I see a new SUV gets announced, I cry in anger
as a Car mechanic, these are the worst to work on and most experiences I had in my ford dealership (Germany) were a pain in the ass most of the time.
lifting the tyre of a chayenne = pain
exactly. an suv tire change....customers have to pay more for tires brakes and fuel but they want to sit up higher.
@@TiyamatFTL a former college of me worked at Audi before. Guess how bad it is with the 22' from an Q8 :')
or "just" the 17/18' of a Ford Ranger
Ich arbeite bei BMW. Diese scheiß X5-Räder sind so schwer, vor allem wenn man sie ins Reifenregal ganz oben einlagern muss -_-
@@Simon_r2600 fühl ich bruder...bin zum glück seit Januar fertig mit der Ausbildung xD
I love small hatchback cars, park anywhere, practical, fun.
You can do it with SUVs too. Just park on the walkway or the bike lane.
- sarcasm mode off
Yep. Was looking to buy a troc but ended up choosing a polo instead. Similar practicality, size and quality but so much cheaper! The only difference is with extra height i would worry bit less about potholes but oh well
Yeah, even non-hot hatches are fun to drive
i have a 1992 P8 Starlet and my friend got to drive it, he was in awe of the turn radius and just how fast a 75hp engine can go on a 600kg car
You can Park an Suv too..
I absolutely agree with you. Big, ugly, over-powered gas-guzzlers. Give me a diesel Golf, and I'll be a happy man.
And if every car on the road is an SUV, there's no benefit at all from an elevated driving position.
I will say, getting in and out of my Audi S4 at my age is getting harder, but so is climbing up into my Hino truck.
Some people say safety is a big reason for buying an SUV, but that's only if you hit a small hatchback. They are not as safe if you hit another, maybe bigger, SUV, and they do not handle as well as a sedan or wagon. So they are not as safe.
Im a Golf owner, not a diesel one but still, its perfect if you dont have a garage or your own place for parking, and even then, anywhere i go, i can park on easy mode.
Plus its fucking nice to have infinite supply of cheap and readily accessible parts.
While i miss driving a Subaru, i cant say i miss the bills.
Non American
@@vavra222 I hear you on the Subaru, not so reliable. One car I've never owned is a Golf, even though I've always wanted one. I bought a S4 Audi a few years ago, and I'm a bit sorry I did. Don't get me wrong, I love driving the Audi, it's just a stunning car to drive. But, if the timing belt goes, it'll cost me $9,000 to fix it. Plus, it's heavy on fuel, being a V8. But I love the sound, of the thing.
I have had my eye on an R32 Golf, what a gorgeous little machine they are. But, I figure with a diesel, a 1,000 ks from a tank would be perfect for me. Fuel is going to get more and more expensive, and I could always convert it to run on bio-diesel or cooking oil? LOL.
There is a benefit to the elevated driving position. For me it's independent of what other people are driving. Visibility, and the fact that I don't need to bend over to get into it. That's 100% of the value proposition for me.
Actually if you are in an SUV you can still see the road ahead through the windscreen of the SUV in front, however in a lower car all you see is the rear door
The funny thing I noticed is that while they are supposed to be capable of offroading... a hatchback can do it arguably better without it being a sort of rally bred package like a Yaris GR for example.
The only thing I dread is that in the future rally will be dominated by SUVs and that is a future I don't want to live...
I honestly doubt it tho. A rally SUV would be a slightly bigger hatchback with how much weight reduction would have to be done
Paris-Dakar racers but everywhere xDDDD
No it wouldnt suvs destroy hatch backs in off roading its not even close ground clearance is impossible
@@slurp3194 I mean if we're taking stock vehicles to rally race, then yeah I guess
@@legmaballshityourchin rally nascar? I'd fucking watch that
I enjoy watching SUV'S roll over in dash cam videos. Something that wouldn't happen to sedans, wagons or hatches in most situations.
The higher center of gravity wont make that much of difference unless u get into a very violent crash
@@MidwestFarmToys so you are a sadist.
@@slurp3194 Which always makes a difference, regardless of the type of crash. The more energy the worse the crash is.
Not to mention that in an SUV you are more likely to have the crash, because it handles so much worse.
Higher bumpers and center of mass are also fking lethal to everything else on the road, especially cyclists, pedestrians and motorcyclists.
In an SUV you are 60% more likely to end up killing someone in an equal crash. But most SUV drivers don't care about anyone else so that makes sens.e
@@slurp3194 Ever heard of the moose test? No contact needed to roll over.
@@slurp3194 Center of gravity makes all the difference. Tesla cars are almost impossible to roll in a crash due the fact all the battery packs are low down meaning the weight is only a couple of feet from the floor. An average hatchback requires a significant crash to roll, a sedan or wagon are hard to roll too. SUVs are always rolling in crashes and ones not that significant, SUVs also like to roll just from evasive manourves.
SUVs are seen as providing everything : room, lifestyle, 'design', security, and 'sport'. Most of it is an illusion, but people seem OK with making a compromise on prices and fuel economy for the added clout. Even though I fail to see anything that would attract a living being other than molluscs to a fourth gen RAV4, except the fact that maybe it's a bit tougher than the others?
ong
only redeeming quality a RAV4 has is the ability to run for like 20 years without an oil change, wich is mostly a toyota thing though. great as an affordable offroade but yeah, pointless everywhere else
Yep. SUVs are way more versatile. Especially when you live in a country like India where you can easily end up going on inexistent patches of terrain for visiting common tourist spots outside the city. SUVs provide way more peace of mind, knowing that your car can handle the job without you having to rely on external help to drive short distances. For these reasons, I like AWD crossovers the best. If somebody wants to go extreme off-road, I'd suggest a truck, as it's way more versatile than a big cramped box.
@@ravenclawgamer6367 in countries where a bit of off-roading is your everyday, SUVs make sense. But SUVs with no off-road capabilites, and in countries where you never need them is absurd
@@ambergris5705 True. Where utility is not required, it makes no sense.
Love love love this video!!! I saw an article last week that said 80% of new car sales in America are SUV's, crossovers and trucks. Truly sad. I'll NEVER buy an SUV.
Yah at least in Europe cars still sell ok but here in North America the situation is truly lame smh!
Well I can see how big pretentious Americans like big pretentious cars, it's all relative
Americans love Big stuff and We Mean BIG STUFF*
Yeah, mostly because they don't even SELL anything else in America anymore.
Been considering this for years. The best explanations I've come across:
-Parents dont want to bend over to buckle up their spawn
-Oldies dont want to bend their knees/hips
-Women/short guys who want to feel tall
They're basically just over-sized hatchbacks that people progress to when they run out of room.
live in an area where u can get sudden dumps of snow and you will enjoy having a SUV.
@@rektiumstuff3245 Nah, I own an AWD Subaru sedan (Liberty/Legacy) for that purpose (not that it will ever snow here in Australia, but we have plenty of dirt).
When I drove around alpine area's of Switzerland I was amazed at the number of Subaru's... it figures because they definitely get a lot of snow.
A lot of SUV's are FWD and would perform horrendously in the snow. Plus their weight make them much worse at braking in slippery conditions, especially on road tyres.
See: th-cam.com/video/S7j7jHIvoPc/w-d-xo.html
@@rektiumstuff3245 driving ability is more important than the vehicle when it snows.
@@rektiumstuff3245 i do and the suv’s are worse than trucks or awd cars and most are fwd anyway
@@fieldo85 FWD is better in the snow in a car but worse in a SUV? Yes makes it harder to stop. Honestly tires make a bigger difference than a SUV over a sedan. But with the SUV i'll never high center because of said snow. Also your subaru Legacy is a modern day crossback or w/e they call a small SUV now.
Finally, someone else who shares my opinion. You forgot to mention the heightened risk for literally everyone outside of the SUV-drivers car when it comes to accidents.
More weight also means more severe injuries, except for the person inside the SUV. I hear the argument a lot that people want a safe car, but choosing an SUV just because of that is moronic and egoistical.
absolutely, try driving a normal car on the highway and being surrounded by huge SUV beasts. They're the scum of the streets
Nobody buy a car to have an accident. That happened so it’s pointless, if everybody drive well it would be less accident no latter what car u have
Wtf are u even saying? All your points are pulling at strings
So you are telling me I should get an SUV.
@@ew6546 Absolutely not. I maybe should've elaborated a bit further in the comment, but what i was trying to say is that small cars aren't inherently less safe than bigger, heavier vehicles. Lane keep assist, pedestrian detection, allround airbags are features you'll find in a Suzuki Swift (~900kg/~2000lbs kerb weight) nowdays. Such cars also tend to brake better.
We should all be buying only the lightest vehicle that fits our needs. No need to 1up everyone else. It's viscious cycle that ruins the roads, kills more pedestrian and bicycle users (especially children), wastes resources and increases pollution (tire debris, brake dust, CO2).
Bigger vehicles are also more expensive in upfront cost, repairs and fuel costs. There's more money to make out of these huge cars than smaller, cheaper ones. That's why the market pushes them so hard towards the consumer.
I envy the results they got. I recently drove across america and saw about 3 wagons/estates. Theres a decent amount of hatchbacks but nothing close to the number of SUVs. These stats are lovely.
If you only saw 3 estates you clearly didn't spend much time in the Pacific Northwest. Subaru Outbacks may be the single most common vehicle around here.
US has a lot of pick up trucks right
i think people get SUVs cause they are more comfortable in long drives as they are big but at the same times less ugly than a mini van
@@apocello42 not trying to be a know it all but most people consider the Outback an SUV.
@@kriche74 Well as someone who has owned two and gone through the registration, licensing, and insurance process with them I can assure you your anecdotal evidence is wrong. Just because "compact" SUVs have encroached on its footprint doesn't change the fact that the outback existed, as a wagon, long before SUVs were even a thing, let alone compact SUVs.
@@apocello42 I respect that you love the Outback, and I do mean that in all honesty. They're great vehicles. I am left questioning the accuracy of your statements though. The Subaru Outback first entered production in 1994 for the 1995 model year. The Jeep Cherokee entered into production in 1984, and is considered to be the first compact SUV. If we want to be really picky, the first SUV's started showing up in the 1930's, though the term "SUV" had yet to be coined. Evidence, by nature of being anecdotal, is not automatically assumed to be incorrect, though that is what you've insinuated with your statement. Ironic considering the evidence you've provided in the defense of the Outback's status as a wagon was anecdotal in nature anyway. One would need to hold a poll to conclude whether the average American considers the Outback to be an SUV or a wagon. You, as an owner, are still a sample pool of only one person. It's nothing personal against you seeing as I don't know you any differently from the next guy in the comment section. Hope you have a great day.
Where I'm from, I believe the SUV appeal comes from our crumbling infrastructure, and poor driving education---especially here in the Midwest U.S. (A.K.A. The Salt Belt). Many consumers here likely go for the SUVs believing they are safer and can handle the unnecessary beatings from the poor infrastructure because they're bigger....while in turn making it less safe for others in smaller and lower vehicles.
So what everyone can buy suvs 🤷🏽♂️. Your mentioning how its unsafe fod the smaller lower cars well that shouldnt be ur concern they can buy an suv too instwad
@@slurp3194 Well yeah, it is my concern because I drive a lowered vehicle along with a utility wagon that’s comparably low in ride height to the average SUV. My reasons were outlined because SUVs are very likely a bandage over much bigger, yet avoidable issues that should NOT require purchasing an SUV in the first place. Also, there are enough people around who cannot afford, or do not need-or even want an SUV-especially considering they cost an average of $5000 USD more than a comparable sedan or hatchback. And enough of us do not want to own and drive the same cookie cutter vehicle/form factor as the average Joe.
The SUV appeal comes from marketing by GM and Ford, cause it's where they make the most money, until gas prices go up, but they'll just get bailed out again, thanks Obama.
@@hockeymaskbob2942 People are still buying SUVs regardless of gas prices-One reason being SUVs are practically all that’s available new with some of these brands, nowadays. In fact, many people are still willing to purchase “unchipped” vehicles over MSRP regardless of the chip shortage, and Ford (among other brands) is willing. Then they plan to install the missing chips at no cost once they’re available.
Why is it that in this age where we have the highest standard of car safety we are having the greatest of accidents and only agreeing to having the largest affordable cars available? There are more highways being built now more than ever before, is there really any need for off-road concern? Did people not manage it in the past?
As a group, we're idiots. That would also explain Trump, Boris Johnson, Putin, Bolsanaro and Company.
Distracted driving. Period.
@@jamesengland7461 Jesus loves you
@@JordanRx8 why yes he does!
@@tsubadaikhan6332 I notice that you somehow didn't include Biden in your list of "I have to make this political"...
I have kids and drive a Nissan Rogue SUV. I sat on the back seat of many, many, many sedans, station wagons and SUVs before buying the Rogue. And I bought the Rogue because the back seat is a million times more comfortable in terms of head room and leg room than any sedan or lower car I tried. That works great for kids in car seats of for elderly parents, and I have both.
Exactly. I have a sedan, my wife has a SUV. Whenever we got to take the kids out, the SUV it way better in all aspects.
@@washingtoncavalcante4650 Except for the higher repair and fuel costs... And a lot of times simply just the pricetag itself.
I like small sedan cars. but living in a place where the roads are not as good, having the clearance to go over holes, bumps, and less than ideal roads is the reason why people in my country choose them over anything else.
And that makes total sense. I am with you. But how do we explain the numbers in light of the fact that the majority of the population doesn't live in the country, and wealth to buy new vehicles is concentrated in the city?
There are a lot of 4x4s purchased for use in environments where they make zero sense.
@@Daekar3 that it's true. To me it mostly come to status symbol. If you have the money you want a big vehicle to show status.
I mean the same could be said about the US and their obsession for trucks but that out of the scope of this video.
But that does not apply for everybody. I do know people that for like the flexibility that an SUV provides over any other vehicle.
I've noticed traffic light rollovers are increasing with the average ride height increase, be it SUV's or 4WD's. Someone doesn't give way, slight nudge, and over they go!
Finally someone who understands it!
I agree with you completely as I don’t have or want an SUV, but I kinda see their appeal at least in my city (Jakarta, Indonesia). Some of our roads are really bad (including big speed bumps) and we have seasonal flooding, as such, the ride height of an SUV kinda make sense. On top of that, people here have big families and haul loads of stuff but very few manufacturers produces estates/station wagons (currently, Mazda 6 is the only good and reasonably priced estate - please cmiiw if anyone knows).
I drive a BMW G20 and I love it. But can’t deny i get a bit annoyed every time I drove over bad roads/big speed bumps and hit the side of my undercarriage or have to turn around if I can’t get through shallow flooding 😅
I wish we had Mazda 6 wagons/estates in the US. Last time that was a thing here was 2007. Even the stock Mazda 6 is going away.
What a rant!
And I wholeheartedly agree.
On the other hand, it made buying a rational car much more affordable.
I never understood it either..
From what I asked others, they “feel safer” even though they don’t look into actual safety numbers/ crash results.
Even then, as you pointed out with the moose test, they typically can’t handle as well thus also making them less safe in a pinch.
wagons are:
•Cheeper
•Lighter
•Faster (and sportier)
•Sleeker
•Bigger inside
•Better on fuel
•Better looking
•Cooler (imo)
•easier to drive
•less bad for the enviornment
•E
•T
•C
But nooo I'll take an evoke 🙄
Wagons are still the best option. They aren't much bigger than hatchbacks and are way more practical than sedans. SUVs tend to provide the same interior space (apart from the taller boot, which could be made use of like once a year), but are bigger on the outside too. In my opinion the current best car is the Octavia VRS TDI estate, with its excellent fuel economy and practicality, while still providing good performance and low maintenance.
I don't like the look of wagons and estate cars. They are so long and flat it makes them ugly.
Lower to the ground. END OF STORY.
@@yannickgeudens5192 look up e63 AMG and rs6 Avant and I guarantee your mind will be changed
@@06dpa in the land of Canadian we do not have such brands as renault, Octavia, skoda, etc so I don't know much about them.
SUV's make my soul hurt! 😂😂😂
I live in sudan, our roads make all SUVs suffer, although most of of us drive a small compacts and sedans because of very high car prices
"I have a big family i need to buy an SUV"
-Literally everyone who can fit three children in the back of a Super mini/Small hatchback.
The average family around me is two parents and two kids. A full size sedan is more than enough room and yet they HAVE to get a ghey as fuck suv or crossover
We have one SUV because we live in an area where it snows alot therefore the extra ground clearance and 4x4 mean you can go to work without shoveling the driveway or wait for the ploughs to clean the road. Also handy to go on steep forest roads, I only wish it had low range gearbox.
@@MidwestFarmToys Snow tires. Simple answer. I good set of snow tires cost you $1000 on a hatchback, and I'm talking about the best. 4x4 with all-season tires means you are not safer in slippery and cold conditions. You just think you are. Don't believe me? My GTI on snow tires is the only thing that moves on the road when there was a sudden snow in mid November.
@@MidwestFarmToys Then don't make yourself sound like an average American situation. In your case, yes, 4x4 is very much necessary. But most of the places don't even snow that often. And if me living in Michigan where the roads are the worst and it can snow in early April can get away with snow tires on hatch, which is a GTI and still cheaper than a crossover on all-season tires, weather is not the excuse.
@@MidwestFarmToys Sounds like a salty man who always gets below 20 mpg because of his obsession with the SUVs.
@@MidwestFarmToys You just don't sound like you know car at all. The only good thing you deduced from a hatchback is that it has better fuel economy than an easy to roll over SUV, yet you claim it's necessary in US, how pathetic.
My mom bought an SUV. I warned her it wouldn't be worth it, and she should just get a hatchback. She proceeded to be surprised when a CRV has no more trunk space than a Fit. Huh, weeeird.
I am one of the few that actually need and frequently use the offroad capabilities of my SUV, and it hurts my soul to see people with SUVs or even pickup trucks that never saw more action than a parking lot ramp
I am a Land Cruiser owner in Australia who has owned cars and 4 wheel drives since the 1970’s. An average “family” size saloon car back then (like a Holden Kingswood or Ford Falcon) was exactly what most people wanted. Fairly simple, so the owner could maintain them, had good cargo space, could tow a caravan or trailer, and were quite good on rough country roads, and had a largish straight six, or smallish V-8 engine that were well liked. Then over the years that category of car became lower to the ground so could not be driven off road, became too complex, were too lightweight for a good sized trailer or caravan, and started incorporating uninspiring engines like V-6 and largish 4’s and started incorporating unpopular technologies like the dreaded start/stop, or CVT. These technologies had a reputation for being reliable only in the first few years of car life, but the reality is that the average car is 12 years old, an age where things like a CVT becomes a potentially expensive liability.
So the move to the larger SUV. It might also have problematic technologies, but at least you can tow a good size trailer or caravan, and you can drive off paved surfaces without damaging the floor of the car. And not a CVT in sight. Larger, more enjoyable engines, like my V-8 diesel, and dramatically more comfortable ride on long journeys. Five to 10 hours in a small car is very tiring, but 10+ hours in the Land Cruiser is comfortable. The suspension is so much more comfortable than those harsh “sport tuned” suspensions on small cars, and it is easy to get in and out of the vehicle, and once out the door closes with a satisfying sound of solid build, while doors on small cars close with a tinny sound that screams cheap and lack of sold materials. I have a large bull bar where my big driving lights, and 2-way radio aerial are mounted and many people have brackets for fishing rods and such things. Family sized cars of 50 years could easily accomodate these sorts of things, but the rounded plastic front ends of most small cars are lousy for adding the practical things like that.
The problem with modern saloon cars is they moved away from the practical needs of average car buyers. Hatchbacks suit young people without families, but the average family needs to use a vehicle to go camping and other family recreation, need to be able to tow rubbish to the tip, trailers for recreational vehicles, caravans, etc. and need to go off road at least sometimes. And as we get older, we like the comfort of a vehicle high enough to get in and out of easily, and suspension appropriate for long journeys.
A saloon car of 50 years ago was a cost effective choice that could do most things passably well. The current saloon cars do not. That is why most people don’t want to buy them. They are built to meet emissions standards but to do so they ignored basic driver needs. As a result, an SUV is more than what most people need, but there is no alternative because the smaller cars are not good enough to do what the average family needs to do, or wants in a car.
Also not mentioned is seating numbers. A saloon car of 50 years ago was a six-seater. Modern saloon cars are only five-seaters. That is not enough seats. My family size made buying a seven seat vehicle a significant part of the buying choice. I am at the age where there are grandchildren plus parents, plus us two. A five seat vehicle is simply out of consideration.
Meanwhile hatchbacks do well for those who prefer a smaller car for the practical reason that you can lay down the seats to carry larger items. Just like SUV’s, it is the practical uses we put cars to that dictates actual buyer choices. Reviewers who tout modern “features” and styling rarely get it that we buy cars for far more ordinary things than the number of speakers or color choices, or miles per gallon. We are more interested in fitting all the grandkids in, or what it feels like at highway speed with a caravan, or whether or not we can drive through the creek to get to a camping spot.
id disagree on the size part. friend of mine bought a brand new Jeep Compass and can hardly fit her childs stroller in the boot whereas ive moved cabinets in the back of my liftback 1992 Carina ll with no problems. the whole SUV offer more space thing is an illussion bar a few like Mitsi Prados or 110 defenders
@@tramlink8544 My Land Cruiser seats 7 people. Your Carina II can't do that. With beefier suspension and larger wheels I can take a lot more weight.
The Jeep Compass is a smallish SUV compared to a Land Cruiser, and I wouldn't expect it to carry much at all. They are soccer-mum cars, best suited to picking the kids up from school. My Land Cruiser is well suited to carrying supplies for expeditions into very remote desert locations. mI would not consider the Jeep Compass as a good indication of what a good 4WD can carry.
@@artistjoh you're argument would hold weight if I didn't know a few dozen families of 3 with gxl land cruisers and prados that have never seen dirt beyond a driveway. Which would be fine if they used them to tow anything, but they use their hiluxes etc for that. Feel that for the majority of people they could spend 100k so much better
Also what cars in Aus had CVTs beyond Holden captivas and Honda's?
@@mecklas Yes there are plenty of city types driving 4WD of all types. But if you pull up to a remote outback pub, around 80 to 90 percent of the vehicles there are Land Cruiser. As to cars that use CVT. Here is the list in the US. Some of them won't be sold here, but it does show that they are widespread across many manufacturers. They are spreading because while they have a shorter lifespan compared to more conventional transmission types they do improve fuel consumption and in countries that demand fuel consumption improvements, using a CVT is an easy way to achieve that.
Buick: Encore GX
Chevrolet: Malibu, Trailblazer, Spark
Chrysler: Pacifica Hybrid (plug-in hybrid)
Ford: Escape Hybrid, Escape Plug-in Hybrid
Honda: Accord, Accord Hybrid, Civic, Clarity Plug-in Hybrid, CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, HR-V, Insight
Hyundai: Accent, Elantra, Venue
Infiniti: QX50
Kia: Forte, Rio, Seltos, Soul
Lexus: ES 300h, NX 300h, RX 450h, RX 450hL, UX 250h
Lincoln: Corsair Grand Touring (PHEV)
Mitsubishi: Mirage, Mirage G4, Outlander PHEV, Outlander Sport
Nissan: Altima, Kicks, Maxima, Murano, NV200, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Versa
Subaru: Ascent, Crosstrek, Crosstrek Hybrid (PHEV), Forester, Impreza, Legacy, Outback
Toyota: Avalon Hybrid, C-HR, Camry Hybrid, Corolla, Corolla Hybrid, Highlander Hybrid, Prius, Prius Prime (PHEV), RAV4 Hybrid, RAV4 Prime (PHEV), Sienna, VenzaBuick: Encore GX
@@artistjoh again, you'd have a point, but I live in rural North Queensland. For big families it makes sense to have a big car. The luggage space in a cruiser is enormous, and their ability to seat 7 people comfortably is a solid justification to purchase one. But for the price, most people would be better off not putting themselves in 100k of debt and instead purchasing a smaller vehicle and saving money on fuel, maintenance as well as gaining the practicality of not driving a land yacht
I've asked a lot of people the same question, and the answers I got fell into 2 categories:
1) Prestige
2) Saftey, apparently, they feel like when they're higher up they don't get harmed as much
In the United States it’s an arms race. When full size trucks are still the top sellers, people want to buy a bigger vehicle (SUV) to feel safer in the event they ever get into a collision with a 2.5 ton Ford F-150.
There's a good reason Nissans model sounds like Cashcow! 😂
We had one. When you powered the rear passenger windows, the roof would shake violently and deafen you with subsonic bass . Hated it.
How "juke" sounds like Cashcow?
@@yaniv_akrish He means the Qashqai
@@jamesbarisitz4794 I had one too, first generation, no issues, very reliable little car, longest car I have owned. How did you get the roof to shake 😂, once had a tree fall on my qashqai roof and left a small dent, still never seen it shaking. Its a solid car and would highly recomend for anyone looking for a small budget SUV
I own SUV because of bad roads in the neighborhood: big clearance & 4x4 drive rules, but I hate it for the big expenses for maintenance.
That marketing argument at the end is where the hype from SUV really come from.
Advertisement made SUV into a status symbol. It's not just a car you are buying. You are showing to everyone that YOU have the biggest one (what i'm referring to here is up to reader's discretion). And it's what drives the sale of SUV rather than more traditional car.
In the middle of a climate crisis, the fact that marketing was able to convince everyone to get a bigger, heavier car is astonishing.
It's certainly isn't advertising for me. They just look so damn powerful.
The problem with a hatchback vs. an SUV is the fact that the SUV IS ALWAYS BLASTING ITS HEADLIGHTS IN MY HATCH LOVING EYES!!!
Believe in JESUS today, confess and repent of your sins. No one goes to heaven for doing good but by believing in JESUS who died for our sins. Hell isn't fun. GOD loves you soo much unconditional❤🙌❤😋❤
@@alunesh12345 are there any SUV's in heaven?
Last year my mum told me she had bought a Mitsubishi Eclipse and me getting dead excited I went and waited for her to come to my house so I could have a look only to realise that what came round the corner was a Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross
Bought a hatchback for the practicality of any SUVs minus all the heavyweights. Easier to maintain my hatchback than many bulky, extra heavy, tall SUVs.
My family loaned a ford fiesta hatch and it did not sip any fuel since the fuel is 2€ a litre it could be a great choice.
How the hatchback has the practicality of a SUV? It doesn't have the ground clearance and the trunk space (i am guessing that you have AWD hatch). Also a hatch has better gas mileage, it is easier to find parking spaces and probably has a better onroad handling. Completely different practicality
@@dshaprin the suv’s space is just used in passenger comfortability and safety and trunk space which is almost never fully used. But yeah even if it doesn’t seem like it it has secretly more space but people just seem to not use it to it's full potential usually.
Lol sometimes I get this vibe that I'm driving around mom's toyota yaris even though it's a toyota highalnder lol man wish I was short lol would appreciate easier parkings honestly but I can atleast reverse park which isn't bad at all lol.
I think a lot of people who aren't interested in cars just want something as a utility. A lot of space, big boot, can drive up a path or down a dirt track if needed and I think possibly the biggest appeal is the appearance of safety. The average person does not give a second thought about driving dynamics so they won't care what they're missing out on. Plus it's a cycle in fashion, estates might even be all the rage in 10 years, sure aren't they really popular in Germany?
I've got a turbo Subaru Forester 2002 and it's absolutely awesome.
It's heaps of fun on the windy roads and is incredible for driving in soft sand. I use it for access to surf spots in my region (New Zealand)
I can't stand the feeling of having to park and walk or not being able to go somewhere because it's 4wd access only.
I think a lot of people do over do it though, AWD cars with a bit of clearance can get you 98% of the places you'd ever want to go.
I think other less populated countries a 4wd might be a bit more essential when you are looking for access to rural undeveloped spots
Sure, if you really have the need for a 4wd car, go get it. Most people don't. They buy their suvs and drive them exclusively on highways and in cities. Btw, Subaru's XV is a very nice idea (or at least it was those few years ago when I considered it as my next car) - a bit higher suspension, but with a normal hatchback body - not that pumped upwards.
older FWD hatchbacks do the job too, i remember in car throttle during their scotland trip they went up a dirt track. the Ford Focus and VW Jetta got stuck, while the old Peugout 206 which sits a tad higher and had skinnier wheels went up the track with no issues
I had a RAV4 for one year and it was very practical, but being a car guy I got bored of it pretty quickly and ended up getting a MX5 and never looked back.
I should point out that I bought a SUV so I could go off road every so often - mostly on gravel and the beach - but found that the tradeoff in handling wasnt worth it especially when I was spending 99.99% of my time on decent paved roads.
I will be getting a family car next year for the misses and will most likely get a Mazda 6 Wagon, which handles so much better then a SUV and has most of the same practicalities.
RAV is not a fun SUV to drive and I almost gave up on SUVs after driving one. I'm a sedan / wagon person but I have test driven the X2, X3 and GV70 and they're certainly 'tossable' for SUVs. Still nothing beats a wagon if you can find one.
People like the feeling of space and height in the cabin. Can’t tell people they’re wrong just coz it differs with one’s own tastes.
We considered swapping our mpv for a suv, but didn't because of the premium. My parents prefer them because of "you don't sit on the ground", most of the time you have 3 full size seats in the second row and we also almost bottomed out on some montain roads with our S-Max since we like going to places. We couldn't really afford both, so that's why we considered a "more versatile" platform. Idk i'm still an estate guy myself (and the S-Max is nice for an mpv too)..
To be fair: The range of SUVs is a bit too big too make just one category from it. It reaches from compact cars on stilts all the way up to 8 seaters with a boot the size of an original fiat 500. If separated each size might have their own justification. The Huge SUVs are, in my opinion, a replacement for minivans just with a lot more prestige, power and intimidating aestetics. Small and mid size SUVs replace compact or mid size cars with higher entry, better visibility and allegedly more safety.
Also for the beginning of Electrification SUVs were the best choice. Obviously because those are the cars that sell the most but also because in the early stages they had to use ICE platforms, and it's easier to implement the battery pack in the floor, when the Car looks like an SUV. Point in case: The EQC has a ground clearance of 142mm vs the GLC having 245 mm.
I agree with the first part. Guess what the first EV that had enough range to be somewhat viable? a small 2 seater (tesla roadster). The second? sedan (model s).
i guess avoiding a crash is easier in a sedan or a hatch but after getting into one,
SUVs are better, they do have high safety ratings
@@johnhunter7244 Well, my first draft had a different phrasing in which I said that in the early years everything but an SUV was either a marketing stunt (roadster), or a halo car (Model S). Also i specifically referred to established manufactureres having to use ICE platforms, which obviously doesnt apply to Tesla. There were many more electric cars that weren't SUVs: Renault Zoe, Nissan Leaf, Hyundai ioniq, VW e-Golf, Ford Focus Electric, BMW i3. Most of them were Released prior to the SUV Boom. Some of them have either painfully small batteries or a very high seating position 🤔
But with most cars of that generation it seemed like the manufacturers didn't take electrification seriously - they feel like a 'marketing stunt'. The first electric cars seemingly developed to actually sell good for fleet emmissions were almost exclusively SUVs: Kia e-Niro, Hyundai Kona, Mercedes EQC and EQA, Audi E-Tron, Jaguar I-Pace, Opel/Vauxhall Mokka, DS 3, Ford Mustang Mach-e, Volvo xc40.
And it makes sense: Lift your platform, slap a battery underneath put an SUV styling on top. It's a win-win.
@@xyz-je2wx In a 2,5 ton EQS you will probably feel less of the impact when ramming a 1,5 ton Compact SUV off the road. So I'd say the safety argument is relative ;)
@@xyz-je2wx Really ? I see a lot rolled over with stoved in roofs and injuries aplenty . I wouldn't risk my kids in one
Just bought a Subaru Legacy. Sedan. Four doors. Works beautifully for my needs. All my grandchildren are over 21 and own their own cars. So I don’t need a ginormous people carrier to drive around by myself. Besides, the Legacy is sporty enough for me in my dotage. I did sports cars in my younger days; Lotus Elan, Jensen Healy, Austin Healy 100-4, even a tricked out Datsun 510 sedan. The Subaru will most likely be the last vehicle I shall ever own, so I want reliability and a modicum of comfort. It gives me both 😎.
This channel is still criminally underrated
Busted London for the first time last month (stayed for 5 days) and noticed some surprising things from someone coming from the states. I saw one Subaru which over here is one of the most common cars it seems like and saw only two pickup trucks which is impossible to do unless you close your eyes. Absolutely love these videos the effort and humor that goes into these is why I’m here on TH-cam!
Hey, i am waiting for mine to arrive (11 months, thanks chip shortage) and i can tell you why.
1. It is a leased car and it is actually cheaper for me than buying the estate variant (significantly cheaper) because of the residual value.
2. I always drove estates. I do need a car with some room in it (family guy and all) and an SUV is simply more practical.
3. I do go of the beaten track from time to time and while i do not need 4x4 (and i didn't get one. I got a compact front wheel drive) i do want the additional ride height.
4. Everyone else are driving one and i am just sick of getting blinded on the road from taller vehicles headlamps......
SUVs are less practical than estates, unless your comparing a Land Rover to the Skoda Fabia Wagon. You can get estates with AWD - top one is Subaru Outback. Also the lights are from Manufacturers putting miniature suns in headlights. I found that the lights are just as bright when driving my Dads 4x4 and my Mums sedan.
@@danielbociarski6633 100% true, but again leasing. i got GLA, if i was getting the CLA estate, i could only get the base model. The GLA i got had almost all extras. This is because of residual value which is higher of the SUV so it is cheaper for me to get. The only other one with same value was CLA cupe.
You said it! "stepping into the car rather than stepping down". This is the bggest issue I have with cars and small hatchbacks, you can damage yourself especially for older people. I get blinded by headlights from front and rear with small cars because you sit so low. Because in Australia there's a lot of SUV's this happens all the time. My daughters car is a small hatchback, mine is a 4wd ute.
SUV owner and lover here! Reasons - I live in New Orleans, land of floods and potholes. If that little street flooding I am driving through turns out to be much deeper than I thought, an SUV will drive right through. A sedan will be flooded out. Also, the bottom of my car doesn't scrape when I hit a hidden pothole.
I also find it easier to load and unload the kids from carseats in an SUV. Bending over to buckle them in all the time can grow old fast. It might not seem like a big deal, but when you are talking about years of daily buckling (and remember, Americans tend to drive a LOT more in a day than Europeans, and we have a lot of stops), it adds up. Comfort matters in a car, and ease of loading kids is a big part of that comfort.
Americans also have bigger families, and often need that third row seating (and don't want the shame of a minivan to get it). Even with two kids, I carpool with other kids. When I'm not, I can lay the third row down and fit two kids bikes in the back plus weekend sports equipment. I just can't do that with a sedan.
I live in a developing country, and I agree with all of your points!
Also, living in a developing country, there are many regions where the road conditions are horrendous! It is way more sensible to buy an SUV over the others.
it's good to show these points because of how much bias there is in these kinds of videos and channels. they treat cars as toys, when most people use them as appliances, so comfort, practicality and versatility comes before "fun".
in all honesty, ive seen SUVs in the UK crossing fords and killing their engines (because some have the air intakes facing down) where 2000s sedans and hatchbacks crossed with no issue
Why not just have a proper 4x4 like a hilux or Ford ranger?
@@danieldelaney1377 Because the space in a the second row of a pickup means installing a rear facing carseat leaves the front row passengers pushed up til their knees hit the dash. And in a rainy city, tossing a stroller in the back of an exposed pickup bed isn't exactly ideal. Again, the reason why SUVs rule to road in America is because people are not focused on power or having a "proper" 4x4 that can take on a mountain. People are focused on convenience.
A Crossover SUV makes a lot of sense on developing countries, where even high traffic roads are poorly maintained, full of holes and speedbumps. That's the main reason they are so popular in Brazil right now. In Western Europe and Eastern Asia, where the roads are usually much better, i agree it makes a lot less sense
Odd, you don't see that many hatchbacks in America (at least the westcoast) anymore.
It seriously is like 85% crossovers and trucks. I hate it.
I just bought my first SUV/crossover/whatever and for me it was primarily 2 things. 1: I ended up with a 110lb dog and my Mazda 3 hatchback wasn't really cutting it. 2: My back problems finally got bad enough that it could be difficult for me to repeatedly get in and out of a low car. Got a CX-50 and I've been pleased with the change.
Right so I live in Sri Lanka and the roads here well, they aren't the best so many people prefer buying something like a Toyota Land Cruiser because they are Big, high off the ground and last a reaaaaaly long time and honestly I don't see a clear reason other than that. That being said I am a MASSIVE fan of SUVs. Pls don't hate me
Visit North America to gain a true understanding of how it is here. You can't compare an OG land cruiser to a rav 4 or range rover.
@@unripetomato4312 yessssssss tru
Yeah this is totally justified bc of the place u live. However most crossovers cant cover rough terrain any better than a car/hatchback. You're talking about proper SUVs with 4x4 and rugged construction, which i think we can all appreciate.
@@unripetomato4312 the only thing a land cruiser has on a Range Rover is reliability that’s literally it, compare a L405 Range Rover to a LC200 and the Range Rover dominates in almost everything. The only difference is majority of people who buy a Range Rover don’t use it for what it was made to do even tho it’s in a similar price bracket.
@@Offensivebeast aren't Range rover notoriously unreliable?
In Australia, we have station wagons made with alu-min-ium... Just so you know. 😬
AND UTES
@@TacoInvader69 ***HAD*** Real utes, not SUVs with a tub! With a single cab (not dual cab crap) the option of trays or tubs and V8s or straight 6s to pull a 1 tonne load easily. Sadly the real Aussie ute has disappeared along with car manufacturing.
@@CathiiScott all cars are shit everywhere nowadays
maybe some has said this but the editor is on point with providing proper clips
I had a 2019 Mazda3. Top trim, 2.5 non-turbo (there wasn't one) and front wheel drive. Next year I switched to CX-30 turbo because of more power, not much of price difference against Mazda3 turbo, slightly quieter with the thicker tires, and the higher ground clearance allows me to get in / out of gas station with out scratching the front bumper. Also the cornering wasn't compromised either. I was very happy to make the change.
That's a nice car, it's kind of pushing the 'crossover' idea though. It's just slightly lifted.
I have a 2010 Nissan Rogue, gets almost the same mileage as my Chevy Cruse, doesn't get stuck in 1/2 inch of snow like the cruse, and has more room for my 3 children. I occasionally deliver for the Amazon Flex program, far easier to work out of the Rogue. The cruse is more fun and responsive on dry pavement and good roads but feels cramped and small compared to the rogue and yes they are the same length overall, with more useful space in the rogue.
Good luck with that CVT tranny, it's a grenade.
After 6 times having driven estates (Ford Focus Wagon, last 2 ones a 1.6 automatic) I switched to a Lexus RX 450 hybrid. Excellent seats and for someone with back problems very easy to get in and out. It's a pimped Toyota, which means in my case about he same maintenance costs, same fuel consumption and same road tax (due to the hybrid drive train) as my Ford Focus 1.6 wagon automatic I drove before. As a bonus I have now a Mark Levinson stereo system and the ability to look further up the road to see what is happening, which is very handy in busy Dutch traffic. Lastly, the silence of this car and the hybrid system have turned me into a very relaxed and easy going driver wich leads to stres free drives and no fatigue whatsoever after a very long journey.
SUV visibility debunked:
-Being larger, suvs often have thicker pillars and thus larger blindspots.
-being higher, suvs often provide worse depth perception, vehicle placement, and speed perception (srsly there are studies look it up)
-visibility is determined by the line drawn from the eyes to the edges of each window. The regions swept out by these lines are the visibility zones. Thus, the vehicle being higher raises that line higher from the ground and by pythagorean theorem extends the region which cannot be seen. Thus, raising a car reduces visibility. The increase in visibility is actually from raising the seating position relative to the beltline of the car, which would point the line from the eyes to the window further downward, thus expanding the field of view.
Youre right, which is even worse considering most SUV owners ive seen recently are short people. Worse yet is that those people cant park a normal car and yet they still insist on trying to fit into all the crammed spots with a fuckign SUV.
I dont really hate any type of car, if the owner can drive it, its like with those few cars that are notoriously "old people cars", "safe", very slow and great mileage - 99% of the time im right about the driver being an old person and driving city speeds on a highway is fucking bonkers.
Again, i dont hate the cars, i just hate being right about the stereotypes of each one of them.
@@vavra222 there's more to it still. These short people can't operate:
1. seat controls, to adjust their seating position and they're actually sitting so low they can barely see in front of them
2. infotainment system, to pair their phone to have hands free phone operation
3. parking assistants, or at least parking sensors and cameras and for some reason insist on parking a 5,5m long 2m wide mastodon of a car all by themselves with limited visibility and thus completely failing at it. And no joke, I've seen a woman trying to turn around a Mercedes GLS AMG, fully packet with all the sensors and cameras in a tight parking lot, she didn't once use any of the technology and instead of getting as tight as she could and turning the car in one go she had to reverse-forward a bazillion times because she has left a meter long gap at each end every time she moved the car because of her lack of depth perception.
In short, stupid people buy stupid cars to do stupid things with them on public roads.
@@mikosoft Nailed it, glad that i live in a small town in Czechia, most people here just go for normal cars, luckily.
Even if they want to have a status car of some sort, they usually pick a very nice car of normal dimensions.
There is an odd big american pickup truck here and there, but thats more like an eyecandy lol, those people at least dont drive like idiots because those trucks are pretty expensive and pretty rare here.
@@vavra222 here in Bratislava (hello neighbor) people go for SUVs more and more. You see them park in tight spots, not fitting into the space, leaving the car in various diagonal positions although that kind of parking is not just SUV drivers but SUVs are the worst offenders since they are so large. And yes, people drive the cars like crazy, thinking they're the only ones that matter.
Most of them have a false believe "the bigger it is the better it is". Most of the SUV owners don't buy these cars for driving pleasure or off roading! They feel they are the boss on the road and that's what motivates a lot of them to buy SUVs! I was shocked how slow Nissan Qashqai was when I drove one as a rent car!
My mom has a crossover because she says the extra ride height makes her less motion sick and it has extra luggage space. We just went on a road trip with more luggage than ever in the trunk of my dads Camry, and she was less motion sick than normal.
People are getting older and older and it's easier to step into a car.
That's my explanation.
A convertible SUV has no explanation what so ever, though...
It's not just the older people buying SUVs
Suvs are just more relaxed driving then sedan
I think a big part of it your missing is people will buy a big suv even if they have only two kids knowing they will not need the extra space. They do it because they know they will be safer in a crash in a big suv vs a small sedan or hatchback. This becomes more true the more big cars are on the road. It’s like a self fulfilling prophecy.
An SUV is magnitudes more likely to cause roll over which are for more dangerous accidents. Statistics show SUV are NOT safer.
In our country Kuwait.. here is why SUVs are better:
- Parking lots are so limited so we use to climb up the sidewalks
- The most two activities you can do here is either camping or going to beach
- Our speed bumps are everywhere and they are extremely large so Mustangs rear passengers have to get out of the car to avoid hitting the ground
- In summer it reaches +50°c with ground temperature reaching +75°c under direct sun.. which means we are literally driving over frying pan.. thus.. the higher your vehicle, the cooler AC you got
compact SUV is very appealing (at least to me), because of it's ridding height, the road where i live suck, you have big pothole everywhere, and unnecessarily big speed bumb, and seasonal flooding, which make driving sedan or hatchback like hell, imagine scarping your car underside everyday, or have to turn around when there's shallow flooding, or dent your bumper because of pothole, not fun, so to me SUV is pretty much the perfect vehicle to have, big cabin (middle row that can actually fit 3 people), big trunk, high ground clearance, sure they have more bodyrole, but i don't drive that fast anyway.
Feels great driving in a 2 seater red sports car when everyone around you is in monochrome colored hatchbacks and SUVs
I am from India. I am trading my saloon for a mini suv. But our mini suvs are just frugal saloons on suv form factor. My last car got major issues with suspension , and suffered ride quality due to poor quality of roads in my area. It seems logical in india to buy a frugal suv rather that buying a hatchback or a saloon.
Honestly I hate SUV’s. I took my bmw to the dealership and they gave me an x5 as a loner car. I hated it with every cell in my body, I returned it and asked them to give me something small. They gave me a 2 series grand coupe and I hated it as well. Honestly I hate all new cars, their steering sucks and the ones with good steering, they’re out of my price range.
When you go to a dealer tell them : i know more than you and buy something which you think is cool . So that you can only blame yourself
I mean cars like the Toyota gr86 and gr yaris exist, or the mazda mx5, but maybe you're not looking for tiny underpowered low storage cars 😕
A daihatsu tocot
Always hated the auto manufacturer rhetoric that SUVs are simply what people want, as if carmakers have zero influence on the market or the minds of car buyers.
Toyota and Subaru came out with a nice cheap sports car, and it's sold like hotcakes. But I doubt the profit margin was as impressive as it could have been, if they'd teamed up to make an SUV instead.
Yes, it's a grand conspiracy. 10s of millions of humans were duped into buying their SUVs. No one actually likes them because they are pointless. Got it!
@@thedalillama the average car buyer doesn't know shit about cars. They only know what they've heard.
So yeah, actually you can dupe millions of people into liking a thing. Companies wouldn't dump so much money into advertisement, if it didn't have the power to convince people to buy what is being advertised.
No conspiracy necessary. People are just easily influenced.
All these FWD "SUVs" should be named "bulky useless hatchbacks".
here in the philippines roads are so fcking small yet suvs and pickups are everywhere
The high up seating position, the safety, the amount of cargo space and head space compared to a saloon, the ground clearance, the comfort, etc. is all the reasons why my mom has an SUV.
It is kinda like our road trip vehicle since the cargo space doesn't seem to run out. Its a lexus rx btw
I agree with everything but the safety part, haahaa.
It feels safer but most of the time isn't. Since they are based on "normals" cars plateforms, but higher they are heavier. And the more mass the more energy you have to dissipate on the same surface. You need to brake longer which increase chances of accidents and deaths.
They aren't safer, you're more likely to be involved in a rollover. And it's not that rare, we see SUV tip overs at city speed collisions. It's only safer if you have a huge mismatch of weight and height, but if you take two cars of the same platform, like a Subaru Legacy vs an Outback, the difference is much less consequential
i remember watching a video that said the proliferation of SUVs actually led to overall worse safety standards, including worse injuries from SUV-involved accidents, since they crash harder with greater force. even if its occupants are safe, the other vehicle might not be so lucky. this may have led to an obsolescence of safety requirements as typical car safety guidelines assumed that the incoming/impacting vehicle was a sedan weight rather than an SUV weight.
imo, the depreciation of safety standards is the biggest reason to hate on SUVs. ugliness and fuel consumption are technically fixable problems; but safety is not, since if all cars increased their safety standards to handle collisions with SUVs, it could lead to some sort of escalation in overengineering, leading to increased prices for every type of vehicle - all just to survive crashes with SUVs.
As a car enthusiast, I've come to realize SUVs are a necessary evil in order for the manufacturers to have the money to keep making the fun cars we love so much, as overpriced as they are thesedays. Even Lotus and Ferrari are doing it now. I'm never buying one, you'd have to shoot me first. I find sports sedans to be good enough for family needs. Plus, when I drive, it's usually alone, so an SUV and even an estate car would be a massive waste of space.
I'm a fan of SUV, as most rural roads in my home country, Indonesia, are in poor conditions, SUV are also a better choice in hauling stuffs and people during road trip and they tend to be safer in frontal crashes, which are quite common in Indonesia.
For night driving, theres an arms race between your head height, and the height of other cars headlights.
I could not bring myself to purchase a SUV so I bought a Subaru Outback. They call it a SUV here in the states, but it's a station wagon to me, and has more cargo space than most SUV's that was in the same price range.
Well an SUV usually have a third row which is handy sometimes and SUVs are viewed as safer than hatchbacks
I don't really know why SUVs are viewed as safer... crash tests don't really show much of a difference and SUVs are more probed to tip-over.
Around 12 years ago a BMW X5 side-swiped my hatchback and tipped over. I really didn't have significant damage... even though the BMW almost climbed with the front wheel on my fender.
A few years after that at a lower speed a Porsche Macan did something similar and bounced all around the road.
Other similar accidents with other sedans and hatchbacks that I had only had the hit and the cars stopped.
As much as people like to downplay the risk, the SUV is more likely to do this.
3rd row is a thing in like really big SUVs. but there are still mini vans that can provide that while beeing more economical and having even more space then a 3 row suv.
@@VrumsAdventures It's more like people who doesn't look at the crash test ratings, which, let's face it, is the general public. SUVs are usually a lot bigger than hatchbacks, sedans, etc, and people think that being in a bigger vehicle is safer because they have a size and weight advantage over the smaller cars. I know that is completely false but that's what my parents think so.
Very few SUV style vehicles sold in the UK have a third row ... that's one of the complaints: they are huge yet still only carry the same number of people and the same amount of "stuff".
We had a perfectly serviceable 328d wagon and my better half exchanged it for an x3. I was appalled at the time. She has repented her choice, but is stuck with it for now. I bought an early 90s 3 series wagon. Light, revvy, great mileage. I am in heaven.
Often the high end SUVs aren't bought a for their capabilities but for their prestigious value. They are large, imposing, expensive, and seen as luxury goods. They buy them to show they're better than others, not because they fit their driving style. As far as more general popularity many have the incorrect view of them being safer. Also road quality in many parts of the U.S. has gotten worse and worse so it also makes sense why more ride height might sell better
Out of my way peasant!
If I want to impress someone with a car I tell them I have a fleet and Tuesdays i drive this car and Wednesday I drive that car. Seriously for the price of one of these gaudy ugly pieces of shit I can buy a small fleet of used cars that probably run better then the newest cars on the market. If you're only interested in what others think about you, you have a sad and unappealing life if your self worth is so inextricably tied to other people's opinions about you
SUV tall. Need stiff suspension. Ride like garbage. Put big alloys and low profile tires to look awesome! Ride even worse. Drive even worse. Garbage can. Put crap tires on garbage can. Drive and handle and ride worse.
I've just explained a Juke and a Mokka.
Worst cars for worst people
This video convinced my partner to get a Mini Cooper instead of a T-Roc so thank you 😂
I’m in the US and we do have an SUV for camping, exploration (back country dirt roads+++) and as a work truck (home projects mostly), but we don’t drive it that much. My wife drives a mid-size estate and I have a 3 door hatch. We drive these most of the time, locally and for on-road trips.
The real question is to ask why most SUV owners don't drive cars. You'll find out that SUVs are crutches to an underlying issue that is widespread across the United States.
The most common reason I found to be is the deterioration and neglect of roads and highways. Potholes are a major issue, some areas more than others.
SUVs handle potholes better than cars or at least have better odds surviving some unavoidable potholes.
For me, I'm mainly a car driver. When I drive an SUV, it is to preserve my car.
Good weather driving= Car
Bad weather/winter driving= SUV
wait SUVs handle better in the winter, we have a mild winter here so i don't know how they do in like a proper winter
I loathe SUVs too..Theres only a small handful that are actually nice
I live in the US, and bought a brand new SUV as soon as I could afford one. I can attest that the primary reason I'd been set on an SUV for years instead of a compact was because the roads in my suburban area (10 minutes outside of a major city) are in HORRIBLE condition (for a myriad of reasons). I've taken my old used cars to the mechanic more times than I can count for issues having to do with awful roads. If I lived somewhere more tropical, where roads are generally flat and not pock-marked with potholes, I'd probably be driving a sports car.
I'm in the USA and I just upgraded to a 2022 Rav4 from a 2007 Yaris sedan. I chose this for many reasons, but here are the big ones that promoted the change.
1 - Passenger capacity (and comfort) is a huge upgrade. The back of the Yaris is cramped. Yes, there are roomier sedans, but most of the ones I was looking at ended up being at similar price points to most Crossover SUVs.
2 - Power + Semi off-road performance. I live on the coast in the pacific northwest and I really wanted something that I could feel confident taking through adverse road conditions. Having an AWD system and extra ride height allows me to feel a tad more confident making my commute when the weather is unaccommodating. No, the Rav4 is not a heavy-duty 4x4... but I don't need it to be! I just need something that can handle the conditions when I need it to, while also getting decent fuel economy when I don't.
3 - Safety (at least perceived). This obviously varies depending on the vehicle, but I can certainly say that I FEEL much safer driving in my SUV than when I go 80+mph down a Montana highway in my tiny Yaris... for me, that was an improvement.
At the end of the day, I don't regret upgrading. I probably would have been happy getting a hatchback, or a new modern sedan, but that wasn't what I wanted. Utility, comfort, and reliability are all important to me. The Rav4 Crossover fits the bill here. I can carry myself and my friends comfortably, I can drive on the beach safely, and I can carry bikes and transport cargo without having to pack everything in tight.
That being said... I don't live in a big city or somewhere that has very tight roads. Many European cities are like this, and also have much higher gas prices... so if you're used to this kind of driving environment, maybe an SUV is just not for you.
I really love full/mid size frame based SUVs (actual off-roaders), because it's fun to drive them even on road.
What about crossovers- it's easier to get into them, you have extra mm of ground clearance (it's really cool in snowy regions), also you has way better road visibility because you seat is placed higher than in common car (and, of course, your position is more straight). On the other hand- aerodynamics and mass disadvantages, which were described in the video.
Stateside, that hatchback percentage would be much lower and the SUV percentage would be much higher which is a shame really. SUVs should only be used for large families but if your buying one for primarily just going to work, then you’ve bought the wrong car. I know people that buy SUVs to take to work in the city, and then they complain that it’s bad on gas and it’s hard to maneuver through the city.
Yea, SUVs suck, oftentimes SUVs have terrible drivers behind the wheel, have a ridiculous bumper height which causes a lot more damage in a rear-end collision in what would have been just some dents in the bumpers with normally sized cars and it turns out that from what I've heard women like SUVs because they are big and they feel safer. To account for possible bias: I own a sedan.
I've read somewhere that SUVs didn't have to comply to the same environmental and safety regulations in the US as regular cars, and thus are, much like pick up trucks, 'easier' to produce for manufacturers. Not sure if there's any truth to that still, I would have hoped if there's a loophole the US would have closed that by now...
It's completely the case. Before SUV's used to be classified into the "light truck" category that was supposed to be less stringent for commercial vehicles, but basically every manufacturer took advantage of that so that you had nonsensical things happening like the Dodge Neon being a "car" but the PT Cruiser being a "light truck." It's still going to this day; typically for the same sized vehicle footprint, a CUV/SUV will have a less stringent fleet fuel economy standard to hit than the car. So again, nonsensical things happen like Subaru being incentivized to sell more XV Crosstreks than Imprezas because one has less of a hit on their corporate fuel economy than the other, even though both are exactly the same body shell and engine.
In Canada, SUVs are popular for because...
1. They're comfortable for long distance driving and on unfinished or damaged road surfaces.
2. The rapidly aging population have an easier time getting into a compact SUV then an equivalent compact car.
3. For the average Canadian driver an SUV can handle the snow and other winter driving conditions better than a car. Mostly due to ride height over 1-2feet of snow.
However, as a millennial, the reason I bought a Nissan Pathfinder was for two reasons:
1. It has seven seats (i have three kids all in booster seats)
2. Minivans are too expensive and not as nice.
People in UAE: bro we only have SUV, SUV and hypercar. pick