For those who love their SUVs

[Old Joe Soap]

Gets me away from people on the internet.

I'm surprised you need the Internet when you've got I5 4690k / MSI Gaming 5 / 16Gb Crucial Ballistix / Zotac Amp! GTX980Ti / MX100 256GB / EVO 250GB / EVGA G2 650W PSU / Phanteks Enthoo Pro to keep you occupied, whatever they might be. Have you tried having relationships with humans yet?

 

[Uther]

We have a small SUV, a Tiguan. Bough 5 years ago. I kind of like it, but certainly don't love it. Dislike the high driving position.

It was bought to replace a Passat Estate, as both kids had left push chairs behind (youngest was 3) and so we didn't need such a big boot. The head room was handy for doing up rear seatbelts, and it makes it less cramped feeling in the back.

The Passat used to bottom out a bit on the track to wife's parents' farm, so the clearance was a factor.

We also occasionally tow a horse box with it, though prefer to borrow father in law's Kia Sorrento as that's a bit more of an appropriate size.

Residuals have been impressive. Bought for £8500 five years ago, it's probably worth £5k now after adding 60,000 miles.

We've got a Tiguan, and it's ok, dsg with all the toys, but I've started looking at Jag XK8's again. Totally ridiculous but I sort of want one before they disappear for good and we're all whizzing around in electric boxes.

 

[chroniclard]

It's because the short owners like lording it over normal people and van style driving.

 

[jpaul]

article I'd read on suv uptake.

We are far less in control of the things that we buy, such as cars, than we think. In a new study, Mindgames on wheels we show how marketing created the demand for oversized, polluting SUVs and call on advertisers to “Drop the Brief” from major polluters.
Our research shows how when we make choices they have already been heavily edited - you could say ‘manipulated’ - beforehand in ways which our conscious brains are oblivious to - and then shocked to discover.
The extraordinary extent to which this is so was memorably demonstrated by the ‘triple dipped chicken’ experiment done for the youth campaign, BiteBack2030 to change the food system.
Consumption
In it a group of teenagers - unaware and stunned by the outcome - were successfully conditioned by advertising to all choose the same unhealthy dish from a menu of 50 options, when they arrived at a restaurant.
The conclusion was, that industry is frequently choosing for us, and that individuals are often not responsible for making so-called bad choices, because we have been manipulated by methods beyond our conscious control.

Greta , are you there ->
"Recommendation 1: An end to SUV advertising In keeping with its climate commitments, and as 2021 host of the United Nations climate conference COP 26, the UK government must initiate an immediate ban on advertising for at least the dirtiest third of most polluting vehicles. 1 New sales of diesel, petrol and hybrid vehicles are due to end by 2030 in the UK. An advertising ban would complement this policy measure; it would work to prevent a final surge in sales of these polluting vehicles in the 2020s which will then stay on the road for an average of 6 to 11 years after purchase. "

 

[Nasher]

It's because the short owners like lording it over normal people and van style driving.

That or the stereotypical, angry ham faced Range Rover driver

 

[eddiemcgarrigle]

I've got a Kia Sportage, nice big comfy car with plenty of room for taking my son to his athletics meets. Whole family like to attend and the legroom in the back ensures everyone is comfy during the long drives around the country.

 

[Rroff]

I have mixed feelings about them - personally I much prefer the ride height and an SUV which actually has some degree of better capability when not on smooth tarmac and/or actually makes use of the size to be more spacious inside is one thing but far too many are weirdly cramped inside and dare to go off-road they won't last 2 seconds.

For me ride height is quite a big deal as for some reason as a driver I'm always a bit less than comfortable when head height is much below my standing height (I'm basically 6 foot) I'm a much better and more confident driver in a higher vehicle. I've stuck with my pickup way longer than I intended as the ride height and visibility just makes driving so much better for me.

 

[SkodaMart]

I do tend to agree.
Utterly pointless vehicles for most - not all people.
They are usually driven by ******* in an aggressive manner.
Genuine uses include, tow vehicle, farm vehicle, work vehicle - rough sites etc.
For most a MPV would make more sense.
They are mainly a fashion statement - bigger is better.

We call them ‘Oofer’ mobiles & bully cars

 

[MrRockliffe]

People I know that have them, including my dad, like them because of their ride height and added presence on the road.

Easier to get in and out of and better visibility.

 

[SkodaMart]

People I know that have them, including my dad, like them because of their ride height and added presence on the road.

Easier to get in and out of and better visibility.

So has a Citroen Berlingo.
Not quite the same aggressive stance though..

 

[Relentless81]

I would take an estate over an SUV every time, they usually have bigger boots too.

Currently have a Civic Estate with 624L boot and brilliant loading area and doesn't have jacked up suspension so drives like a normal car.

Takes a family of 4 no issues and it's not hard to buy an estate either there are a fair few options but nothing compared to SUV's where the choice is almost infinite because manufacturers have gone SUV crazy with multiple versions

My wife wants an SUV next and ultimately it's up to her because it's her choice but I'll do everything in my persuasive power to talk her into another Civic or Jazz Hybrid

 

[LOAM]

Kids and bikes are an easy fit at the weekend and a massive boot with cover to transport all the dismembered bodies I need to get rid of during the week. Add into the mix a boot liner and it's near perfect.

 

[[TW]Fox]

I was looking at a 3 series touring but am now seriously considering an auto X1 25d M-sport. I want it for towing and the accessibility of the boot. Plus, I like them.

Please don't do this, the 3 Series is an excellent car and the X1 is a very dated car built on the Mini Countryman platform. It doesn't even get the brilliant 8 speed gearbox as it's an FWD platform.

Get an X3 instead if you must have an SUV but it does little the 3 Series touring doesn't do better.

 

[NathWraith]

For taking to Waitrose and parking badly on the high street mainly.

 

[Nasher]

For taking to Waitrose and parking badly on the high street mainly.

And on blind corners while doing the school run, from 100 meters down the road.

 

[Malt_Vinegar]

I would echo some of the above statements, estate vehicles are superior in almost every way that actually counts. It's frustrating how hard it is to find a decent estate nowerdays, since everything is trying to look like an off roader.
I mean SUV are mildly better at a couple of things that, frankly, most of the drivers will never actually do, and compromise on so much more to make them next to pointless in real terms
I mean driving down country lanes and seeing SUVs being driven as if they will snap if they so much as touch the edge of the road is one of the most infuriating things I see when driving.
I love fast estates, and it's sadly a dying trend

 

[jpaul]

The environmental (Cda) concerns of suv's have somewhat been addressed with the pure electric ones, the handling differential with saloons too, since both have the same heavyweight battery pack, and, visibility too, a traditional win for saloon has really declined over last 10-15 years with the additional steel for safety/crash requirements.

 

[Nasher]

Still causes a lot of emissions to make the things. I wonder at what point an electric SUV breaks even with the carbon footprint of a small petrol hatchback. Well over 100k miles I suspect.

Then you have the things which don't get factored in like the increased road noise and wear due to the weight of them. Tyres need to be bigger also, so more rubber, silicone and oil needed for that.

 

[Jonnycoupe]

Still causes a lot of emissions to make the things. I wonder at what point an electric SUV breaks even with the carbon footprint of a small petrol hatchback. Well over 100k miles I suspect.

Then you have the things which don't get factored in like the increased road noise and wear due to the weight of them. Tyres need to be bigger also, so more rubber, silicone and oil needed for that.

carbon isn’t really pollution so who cares about that. Fumes in towns are unpleasant.

humans buy new stuff regardless, don’t suggest electric cars have changed that behaviour.

 

[[TW]Fox]

carbon isn’t really pollution so who cares about that

Apparently everyone when everything possible was done to drive the market to diesel cars....

We'd have no diesel passenger cars if fuel duty wasn't so high and vehicle excise duty and company car tax wasn't dependant on co2 emissions....