SUVs - Whats the point?
Discussion
sonnenschein3000 said:
Sten. said:
Image
Its most probably this I'm gathering. Again, nothing wrong with it. Its like buying a nice watch, its purely cosmetic, and in a capitalist society its important to have "carrots"/aspirations to encourage entrepreneurship / hard work in general. Its what creates employment for others, creates exports (hopefully) and ultimately the economy moving.
I was just asking from a sort of 'pure petrolhead' point of view, in terms of hard solid arguments. But I also appreciate that not everyone is an engineer or a petrolhead.
- has a smaller footprint and is therefore easier to park but interior space is similar
- offers a higher driving position, which is brilliant for us from a visibility/safety POV, particularly when touring
- provides easier access both for people and cargo
- attracts a negligible mpg penalty (if any?)
- is not being used on track but for family duties at probably no more than 4/10ths (it's a surprisingly good handler)
- is very comfortable courtesy of longer travel and taller sidewalls (not to mention the lower risk of kerb damage)
- works out cheaper because of the better residual
Very difficult to find a reason not to prefer one compared to an estate, particularly as I am not too bothered about other people's motivations for choosing a car.
OK... I don't know if it qualifies as an SUV as you describe it and I'd say the spec we have it in even less so (but it says it is on the manufacturer website, to me it's a high up small estate).
It's a Jeep Renegade Limited 1.4 multiair.
Why, well:
1) It's not that big, but being pretty square makes good use of the room it does have.
2) It wont go off road... maybe bump up a curb so a 2wd petrol is fine.
3) It gives fairly good fuel efficiency for local journeys (90% under 10 miles) considering it's a big old box on wheels.
4) My wife likes the high seating position and good visibility from the big windows.
5) My parents can get in and out of it no issues, even with sciatica.
6) The doors open nice and wide and again because of the height make it very easy for us to get our son in and out of the vehicle.
7) It was a good price for the spec we got (wipe clean leather for a messy toddler).
8) It came in a fun colour, yellow. OK so we look like the AA or Noddy, but at least they made an effort with choice not many other cars come with a reasonable option for a "different" colour.
9) You can't misplace it and it warns everyone she is driving (bright yellow is a great safety feature).
10) My wife likes the looks.
I genuinely can't think of another car/SUV/vehicle that would have met all of those requirements. I also think based on my complete made up experience of randomly driving around, I see so many of them on the road in the UK that I reckon this must be Jeeps most popular model ever sold here and if it isn't it will be.
Laugh all you like at it, but it meets our requirements and despite what people say hasn't missed a beat or rattled itself apart in 2 years so it's great.
"SUVs - Whats the point?", well as above...
It's a Jeep Renegade Limited 1.4 multiair.
Why, well:
1) It's not that big, but being pretty square makes good use of the room it does have.
2) It wont go off road... maybe bump up a curb so a 2wd petrol is fine.
3) It gives fairly good fuel efficiency for local journeys (90% under 10 miles) considering it's a big old box on wheels.
4) My wife likes the high seating position and good visibility from the big windows.
5) My parents can get in and out of it no issues, even with sciatica.
6) The doors open nice and wide and again because of the height make it very easy for us to get our son in and out of the vehicle.
7) It was a good price for the spec we got (wipe clean leather for a messy toddler).
8) It came in a fun colour, yellow. OK so we look like the AA or Noddy, but at least they made an effort with choice not many other cars come with a reasonable option for a "different" colour.
9) You can't misplace it and it warns everyone she is driving (bright yellow is a great safety feature).
10) My wife likes the looks.
I genuinely can't think of another car/SUV/vehicle that would have met all of those requirements. I also think based on my complete made up experience of randomly driving around, I see so many of them on the road in the UK that I reckon this must be Jeeps most popular model ever sold here and if it isn't it will be.
Laugh all you like at it, but it meets our requirements and despite what people say hasn't missed a beat or rattled itself apart in 2 years so it's great.
"SUVs - Whats the point?", well as above...
BricktopST205 said:
A SUV offers nothing over an estate if you do not go off road but you have to drive something horrid whereas unless you look in the rear view mirror a estate drives exactly the same as a saloon.
Yes it does. Often a smaller footprint, more usable space, more enjoyable driving position, increased safety and better looking (in my opinion)
I'm intrigued about this argument about being taller and therefore being able to see more = more safety?
If you're not tailgating the car in front then you get a pretty good view of the road ahead anyway? And if you're sticking to the 2 second rule (/4 second rule in rain) then you should be able to safely stop in an emergency regardless of vehicle height in the scenario where the vehicle in front comes to a stop quickly
I must stress that I'm still talking about city driving and not country driving
If you're not tailgating the car in front then you get a pretty good view of the road ahead anyway? And if you're sticking to the 2 second rule (/4 second rule in rain) then you should be able to safely stop in an emergency regardless of vehicle height in the scenario where the vehicle in front comes to a stop quickly
I must stress that I'm still talking about city driving and not country driving
sonnenschein3000 said:
What's the point of a SUV if you're not going off road in it?.
When the road isn't as good as it should be (eg covered in snow) I need to know I can get where I had contractually agreed that I would be. Also, I've already damaged the wheel lining and front wing of a car while driving off road to access a venue so my life definitely dictates I need a 4x4 on stilts. 4x4s are basically estate cars on stilts. And more or less as practical. Can't hide my kit away in the boot of a normal car - I carry too much.However, you're right - most people could manage with a family car. I would (I did consider an MPV for humping stuff around).
sonnenschein3000 said:
I'm intrigued about this argument about being taller and therefore being able to see more = more safety?
If you're not tailgating the car in front then you get a pretty good view of the road ahead anyway? And if you're sticking to the 2 second rule (/4 second rule in rain) then you should be able to safely stop in an emergency regardless of vehicle height in the scenario where the vehicle in front comes to a stop quickly
I must stress that I'm still talking about city driving and not country driving
Try driving on the motorway in an SUV (or a van) compared to a normal car. Big difference. 2 second rule or not, longer visibility is always going to be an advantage.If you're not tailgating the car in front then you get a pretty good view of the road ahead anyway? And if you're sticking to the 2 second rule (/4 second rule in rain) then you should be able to safely stop in an emergency regardless of vehicle height in the scenario where the vehicle in front comes to a stop quickly
I must stress that I'm still talking about city driving and not country driving
BricktopST205 said:
A SUV offers nothing over an estate if you do not go off road but you have to drive something horrid whereas unless you look in the rear view mirror a estate drives exactly the same as a saloon.
An estate only offers downsides IME, even if I don't go off-road. I don't care if it looks horrid as I am not too fussed about appearances - the SUV offers a better driving experience than an estate IME, for family duties. But they're rubbish on track, granted, like most estates/saloons anyway.BricktopST205 said:
A SUV offers nothing over an estate if you do not go off road but you have to drive something horrid whereas unless you look in the rear view mirror a estate drives exactly the same as a saloon.
An SUV offers height over an estate, that's it's biggest advantage and why mums love them. If they don't have to bend as far to get a 15kg toddler out of a child seat when they are passed out asleep at the end of the day then it is worth every penny/compromise.OK so that's not very PH as driving dynamics or 4wd for offroad/towing isn't why they are purchased, it but I reckon that's why the class has become so popular.
My wife's got a SUV so she can take my daughter horse riding. If she had a normal car she'd have to park on the road and walk the last few hundred yards up a dirt track to get to the stables.
I mean, why have a car and then have to walk? Defeats the object of vehicle ownership doesn't it?!?
I mean, why have a car and then have to walk? Defeats the object of vehicle ownership doesn't it?!?
I use to have a similarly negative view of soft-roaders/SUVs.
Then I had kids. I'd give anything not to have to bend down to put them in their car seats. I'd put up with crap handling, worse MPG, worse performance, a less useful load space, etc etc etc just for getting them in and out more easily.
Sadly, bought an estate and I'm stuck with it.
SUVs do have a place in the world. I see that now.
Then I had kids. I'd give anything not to have to bend down to put them in their car seats. I'd put up with crap handling, worse MPG, worse performance, a less useful load space, etc etc etc just for getting them in and out more easily.
Sadly, bought an estate and I'm stuck with it.
SUVs do have a place in the world. I see that now.
Rawwr said:
nickfrog said:
Sadly impossible to comply with, at least at rush hour in SE England - leave a gap and it'll quickly fill up with cars!
Then you re-establish the gap.I shall now await the inevitable, incorrect response
Of course the correct answer is to give main beams to the driver who has pulled in whilst mouthing 'thunder
' as clearly as you can so he can read your lips via his/her rear view mirror......alternatively, chill the f
k out and realise than a 1-2 minute delay in your journey will not kill you, but might stop a stress induced heart-acheRawwr said:
nickfrog said:
Sadly impossible to comply with, at least at rush hour in SE England - leave a gap and it'll quickly fill up with cars!
Then you re-establish the gap.I shall now await the inevitable, incorrect response
As soon as the gap is re-established...it's filled again. Actually, it's probably filled before you have had a chance...
Basic fluid dynamics in a saturated network sadly, so the theory is obvious but the reality somewhat different.
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