SUVs - Whats the point?

[nickfrog]

Sheepshanks said:

Hungrymc said:

Hugo a Gogo said:

it what sense is a Tiguan equivalent to a Passat?

Interior space is much smaller in every way

That's one example of why some people go for them. Despite being smaller, they feel roomy and comfortable partly due to the more upright seating position, higher roof, proximity to the windscreen etc. For my daily plodder, it being comfortable and a nice place to sit is as important as any other attribute and more important than most. What that means to me off course may be different to what it means to you.

Tiguan is Golf sized. It's a bit weird as it does feel altogether bigger (we have a Golf in the family too) but it's remarkably incapable of carrying much stuff.

The Tiguan is a bit smaller than a Passat Estate IME (ie not much smaller) but has more usable space for our needs, particularly when carrying 2 27.5 mountain bikes at the back : they just go in side by side with the droppers down whereas in a Passat Estate, due to the way the opening is configured, it's a total PITA. So for us it's remarkably capable of carrying stuff, unlike the Passat Estate.

Tbf, I should compare the Tiguan to the Golf Estate, but even that works out more expensive anyway because of poorer depreciation while being even more impractical for our needs and having a bigger footprint, particularly in lenght. So in a nutshell, we chose the Tiguan because it's more practical, smaller footprint and cheaper than either the Golf/Passat Estates and without any downsides.

Different people need/like different things.

[nickfrog]

sonnenschein3000 said:

Plate spinner said:

Having asked a few people that drive them, I think it comes down to the projected image and feelings of superiority.

Nothing wrong with that I guess, many folk are hugely driven to achieve these things whether they openly admit it or not.

And in a lot of cases, borrowing up to their eyeballs to achieve that!

Total bks. I hate the image and I have a SUV but I couldn't give a toss about other people's motivations. I think people who do probably have an inferiority complex.

As for borrowing, well, leasing was far cheaper than cash so should I have bought it instead in case a bloke off the internet think I have stretched myself financially ?

These two posts actually epitomise the total hypocrisy of people judging others by their own level of image and wealth frustration. If not, why would you care ?

[anonymous-user]

Cold said:

Amazing how upset some people get with other people's buying decisions. I wonder why this is? Surely there's got to be some underlying psychological reason for demanding that a stranger justifies their car choice?

1620 posts and 8 months.

You've got PH nailed!

[nickfrog]

Cold said:

Amazing how upset some people get with other people's buying decisions. I wonder why this is? Surely there's got to be some underlying psychological reason for demanding that a stranger justifies their car choice?

+1

[Rawwr]

The only thing my brain struggles to deal with a bit is larger SUVs (RR, Q7, X5) where the owner has made the conscious decision to specify or fit enormous wheels with itty-bitty profile tyres. Surely that can't be a comfortable ride and negates a good amount of the benefit you'd normally get in adverse conditions?

[dazwalsh]

Going back to the size of say the Tiguan, it's closer in size to a golf estate both in terms of width and length., likewise the kuga is a smidgen shorter than the focus estate, and the same width.

The argument that they are big and stupid just because they are taller than ordinary cars is a bit daft.

[heebeegeetee]

nickfrog said:

Cold said:

Amazing how upset some people get with other people's buying decisions. I wonder why this is? Surely there's got to be some underlying psychological reason for demanding that a stranger justifies their car choice?

+1

Apart from the fact that nobody's upset and nobody's demanded anything?

It is a curious topic though. In the UK we have the most benign weather and the most benign terrain, yet the road are awash with SUVs. I was in the Central Massif a few years back once, in proper snow, and there were *no* SUVS - everyone is in ordinary hatchbacks, on winter tyres. And when you think of the cost of set of tyres compared to a 4x4...

What we do have in the UK though still is eye watering levels of debt, and I' reading that we're headlong onto another financial crisis underwritten by our car purchasing habit.

[Hungrymc]

Rawwr said:

The only thing my brain struggles to deal with a bit is larger SUVs (RR, Q7, X5) where the owner has made the conscious decision to specify or fit enormous wheels with itty-bitty profile tyres. Surely that can't be a comfortable ride and negates a good amount of the benefit you'd normally get in adverse conditions?

Is a factor on lots of cars though isn't it? How many E46 M3s ran on the "better" 18 inch wheels?

[RobM77]

heebeegeetee said:

nickfrog said:

Cold said:

Amazing how upset some people get with other people's buying decisions. I wonder why this is? Surely there's got to be some underlying psychological reason for demanding that a stranger justifies their car choice?

+1

Apart from the fact that nobody's upset and nobody's demanded anything?

It is a curious topic though. In the UK we have the most benign weather and the most benign terrain, yet the road are awash with SUVs. I was in the Central Massif a few years back once, in proper snow, and there were *no* SUVS - everyone is in ordinary hatchbacks, on winter tyres. And when you think of the cost of set of tyres compared to a 4x4...

What we do have in the UK though still is eye watering levels of debt, and I' reading that we're headlong onto another financial crisis underwritten by our car purchasing habit.

For me at least I was just pointing out a few misconceptions and myths. I'd rather people all bought different cars as it makes the roads more interesting. What I find curious is that I'm that guy in the SUV adverts who surfs, tows big things and carries bikes around, but I find that a car suits my needs much better.

Also, as per the poster above, I've noticed an absence of SUVs in snowy areas. We visit the alps regularly and most of the tiny hamlets and farms on the slopes have small hatchbacks. The contrasts with my village in rural West Berks, which is full of SUVs. Nobody's pointing any fingers, we're just curious. Perhaps SUV owners are aware of how odd their choice of car is and they get really defensive really easily?

[Fingers52]

We have just changed my wife's TT for a Q2 (waits for abuse).

We were thinking of an A3, but found it quite boring, yet a short test drive in a Q2 had us both quite enthusiastic about purchasing one.

2000 miles later, we are very happy with our purchase, and find it a very relaxing drive.

We went for a 2WD 1.5 turbo petrol which goes adequately fast, and I am now thinking about what type of small SUV I will be getting to replace my XF!

I get that a bigger 4x4 might be slightly pointless for some, but I think of it as just a different shaped car rather than 'an SUV'.

[carinatauk]

People really do have a hangup about what people drive on here. FFS it's a car forum.

I have had everything from XR3i, TVRs, saloons etc etc. My last purchase was a X5, why?

1. It's comfortable
2. It's as economical as an 525d
3. It's powerful for it's weight
4. It's nice to look over people's cars
5. It's roomy, and has good headspace
6. I liked it

I don't go off road with it, it's good on the motorway and country roads.

I don't give a flip about what other people want to drive that's their prerogative, I chose my mine. And it uses diesel, which is going to kill lots of people and destroy the world.

[Hungrymc]

heebeegeetee said:

It is a curious topic though. In the UK we have the most benign weather and the most benign terrain, yet the road are awash with SUVs. I was in the Central Massif a few years back once, in proper snow, and there were *no* SUVS - everyone is in ordinary hatchbacks, on winter tyres. And when you think of the cost of set of tyres compared to a 4x4...

What we do have in the UK though still is eye watering levels of debt, and I' reading that we're headlong onto another financial crisis underwritten by our car purchasing habit.

I can only speak for myself, I'm certainly not going to project my tastes or biases onto others. I use one as a daily plodder because its "nice" I like the driving position, I like the weight of controls, I like the view, I like the interior and I like the features it has. I certainly don't need it, and the only benefit to it being 4wd is probably that it offsets some of the negatives of its heft and road biased tyres. Its all a compromise of course but overall, for plodding through traffic and dumping in a car park every week, its just "nice". Maybe I'd make a different choice if it were my only car, who knows.

I'm not sure we can blame SUVs for the UKs economic state of health. I can say with a degree of certainty that if it wasn't SUVs, it would be something else (as it was before SUVs and it will be afterwards - M-sport and S-line cars etc). Finally, the cars that people drive really don't give any insight into their financial situation.

[Zippee]

I do tend to agree with the OP but this is despite my wife and I both owning an SUV.
I guess the main reason we bought them is we liked them, no other reason at all.
My wife has an Evoque, so a little bit of image there as well but she loves it, feels comfortable in it and therefore I think that’s enough justification.
I drive a new shape Jeep Grand Cherokee, a huge monster of a car, doesn’t handle as well as an equivalent estate car (2nd choice was an A6 Avant) but is very well equipped, exceptionally comfy, has loads of space to load the bikes into, would be extremely competent off road if I were that way inclined (I’m not) but again it’s personal choice. Can I truly justify either of these cars? No! But on the same thread do I care what anyone else thinks of my choices? No.

[anonymous-user]

swerni said:

Just cause you drive a kit car.

How much stuff can you take to the tip in it?

Useless

[Hungrymc]

RobM77 said:

For me at least I was just pointing out a few misconceptions and myths. I'd rather people all bought different cars as it makes the roads more interesting. What I find curious is that I'm that guy in the SUV adverts who surfs, tows big things and carries bikes around, but I find that a car suits my needs much better.

Also, as per the poster above, I've noticed an absence of SUVs in snowy areas. We visit the alps regularly and most of the tiny hamlets and farms on the slopes have small hatchbacks. The contrasts with my village in rural West Berks, which is full of SUVs. Nobody's pointing any fingers, we're just curious. Perhaps SUV owners are aware of how odd their choice of car is and they get really defensive really easily?

I think that's the error in your reasoning Rob. You are actually pointing the finger which is evident from your in the "how odd their choice of car is " comment. I've explained several times why I like to have one and I haven't seen an explanation why its odd.

What I have seen is the claim that they're an "odd choice", that its all about image, that its the cause of issues in the UK economy, that its the cause of environmental problems, that they're only driven by orange people and are all on finance ..... They don't say "just curious" to me.

I've driven one of my other cars to work today, its a pain in the arse for this journey, I'll be in my SUV tomorrow.

[nickfrog]

Buy a Qashqai, go bankrupt.

Edited by nickfrog on Tuesday 13th June 14:14

[RobM77]

Hungrymc said:

RobM77 said:

For me at least I was just pointing out a few misconceptions and myths. I'd rather people all bought different cars as it makes the roads more interesting. What I find curious is that I'm that guy in the SUV adverts who surfs, tows big things and carries bikes around, but I find that a car suits my needs much better.

Also, as per the poster above, I've noticed an absence of SUVs in snowy areas. We visit the alps regularly and most of the tiny hamlets and farms on the slopes have small hatchbacks. The contrasts with my village in rural West Berks, which is full of SUVs. Nobody's pointing any fingers, we're just curious. Perhaps SUV owners are aware of how odd their choice of car is and they get really defensive really easily?

I think that's the error in your reasoning Rob. You are actually pointing the finger which is evident from your in the "how odd their choice of car is " comment. I've explained several times why I like to have one and I haven't seen an explanation why its odd.

What I have seen is the claim that they're an "odd choice", that its all about image, that its the cause of issues in the UK economy, that its the cause of environmental problems, that they're only driven by orange people and are all on finance ..... They don't say "just curious" to me.

I've driven one of my other cars to work today, its a pain in the arse for this journey, I'll be in my SUV tomorrow.

I can't speak for others, but for me it is just curiousity, yes.

[Hungrymc]

RobM77 said:

I can't speak for others, but for me it is just curiousity, yes.

Fair enough and good :-)

I've explained my reasoning, I'm not claiming to be typical or otherwise, I can only speak for myself... Feel free to ask questions if you wish.

[Timbergiant]

Lets all just agree to only drive a white Ford Focus ecoboost from now on, then no one will be upset at someone driving a 4X4 or an SUV or a supercar or an MX5 because we will all drive the same car, in the same colour and then everyone will be happy and nobody will be struggling to see the point in something.

Choice is bad, conformity is good.

[Sheepshanks]

heebeegeetee said:

It is a curious topic though. In the UK we have the most benign weather and the most benign terrain, yet the road are awash with SUVs.

With big sidewall tyres, speed bumps / cushions and potholes become pretty irrelevant.