Why are SUV's so popular ??

[Ford Falcon XR6]

As the subject states why has the new car market all become about SUV's ??
No offence to people who own them but they don't really work off road and aren't the best thing to drive in the city. Are they really good for all that much or have we just been told by the media to like them ?? Again no offence to SUV owners it's just my opinion.

Cheers Lorenz

[FPVF6X201]

Have you driven any modern SUV's? Sure they are probably not "needed", but as i always tell the wife, i dont NEED anything, but i WANT everything lol.

Higher driving position equals perceived safety. Some, like Territories, drive like a car. Some have excellent space/seating options that you simply cant get in a sedan.

I'm sure there are other reasons.

[vanman_75]

Load height , access. Vision , and in the small to medium class = easy car to own . I love my falcons and own 1 but myprado is a better drive by far , even the Santa Fe we just sold is a very user friendly . As much as I want to replace my falcon with the new gt , as o have said before I am quite sure it will be replaced with a territory ...handles as good as I need and I'm not a burnout king , if I want speed I get on my bike ! Seriously don't have a reason to buy a low to the ground vehicle with all the available suvs / high ride cars we have today .

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Ford Falcon XR6

As the subject states why has the new car market all become about SUV's ??
No offence to people who own them but they don't really work off road and aren't the best thing to drive in the city. Are they really good for all that much or have we just been told by the media to like them ?? Again no offence to SUV owners it's just my opinion.

Cheers Lorenz

Sedans and station wagons don't work for people who want a vehicle with more versatility.
With a higher seating a lot of drivers including women, are less intimidated by arrogant drivers
in Falcadores trying to push them out of the way. My wife has a RAV4 and it is quite easy to
park because it has an excellent turning circle and tight steering lock.

Price for price, a small SUV = a mid sized sedan, a midsized SUV = a Large sedan,
so no wonder they are more popular than either of those segments...

Ford is missing out by not having an up to date small SUV in the market place,
the next Escape/Kuga cannot come quickly enough for Ford and those of us who want one.

[gtxb67]

our rav4 is much more comfortable than anything honda offers. it feels smaller than a yaris and corolla and it can carry more than most vehicles while being easier to load and unload than a boot

why not an suv

[cs123]

Seapking of SUVs. I think I may get one of these when they arrive. Was looking at a Freelander but have fallen for this little guy. It's for the Mrs though;)

http://www.landrover.com/au/en/rr/ra...FWdKpgodfgl81A

[FERG_51]

Originally Posted by cs123

Seapking of SUVs. I think I may get one of these when they arrive. Was looking at a Freelander but have fallen for this little guy. It's for the Mrs though;)

http://www.landrover.com/au/en/rr/ra...FWdKpgodfgl81A

I think this new Rover comes with the Ford ecoboost motor as well.

[IDT]

repeated post

[IDT]

My experience
Pro's- If you have kids of Car seat age they are a hell of a lot easier to strap in to their hanesses, the kids can see more as a result of ride height so are less bothersome to parents. The back of the wagon is a better height to work off, especially if your youngins are nappy age.

Cons- I don't think they handle well if comparing like with like. The teri doesn't handle as well as the same year make falcon in my opinion.
Terrible blind spots. I know this will get a lot of people disagree but to prove my point next time you see an SUV or 4x4 parked nose 1st against a wall see how far back it is. Infront of the vehicle and behind it are huge blind spots. If your thinking reverse camera. Do they have peripheral vision? 80% of people run over in driveways are hit by SUV and 4x4 drivers. So they are a huge danger to kids. Especially if the driver is a short person.

Body roll is an obvious problem. I also have to respectfully disagree with Van Man 75. I don't think Prado is a match for same age same k falcon on tarmac.

From other road user perspective they are a hinderence as they block visibility for other drivers. Many drivers get cocky beyond their ability just because they are in a percieved bigger vehicle.

[Dave R]

SUVs save the family man from buying a Tarago/minivan and all of the depressive thoughts that follow soon after. It's the big suckers like Land Cruisers and Pajeros that I see as pointless in the city. Having previously had a Territory, I think SUVs are great, they are so comfortable, roomy, practical, easy on the eye, commanding driving position, etc etc, that's why they are popular.

[Ben73]

Turning in an out of driveways without riping off your front or rear bumper is something I have liked about owning my SUV over my previous sedan.

Easier access for tall people like me.

AWD is helpful on the few dirt trails I drive on.

Seeing over traffic and other obstacles helps. Especially in car parks with walls and parked cars blocking your view at the end of every row.


Don't buy an SUV if you are trying to out steer a sedan over a mountain pass. When you own one, you are not going to be worrying about the handling too much because you clearly didn't buy it for that reason.
So yeah my SUV is probably a worse handler then a sedan, but that has never caused me any problems driving it. I just drive at a reasonable speed and take corners conservatively.

And if you do want a SUV that handles great, I hear the Mazda CX7/9 and BMW x5 are great handling SUVs.

[BrisVegas]

Strange as this may sound, we downsized to one car, the Pajero for all our needs. We go camping in the bush and on the beach and often take extra kids or family with us in the extra seats. I ride a bike or catch the bus to work and my wife drives the economical turbo diesel on the highway if she gets work relieving as a school teacher. We used to have two small cars, a Focus & Fiesta. Good cars, but they both had issues with front spoilers scraping and fragile alloy wheels. Neither was practical for us to go travelling in with our camping gear. Rego, insurance and depreciation on two cars, no matter how economical, still adds up.

I don't worry about curbs and potholes any more with the Pajero. The kids love being up higher so they can see what's happening and it's a much nicer height to step in to for me as I'm tall. I drive the Pajero much more sedately than a fwd hatchback and always drive in 4WD mode in the wet.

Most of our friends with multiple kids have SUVs and 4WDs for the versatility reasons.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by Ford Falcon XR6

As the subject states why has the new car market all become about SUV's ??
No offence to people who own them but they don't really work off road and aren't the best thing to drive in the city. Are they really good for all that much or have we just been told by the media to like them ?? Again no offence to SUV owners it's just my opinion.

Cheers Lorenz

They are way better then a Falcon to live with... If they still made a High output model I would have one again, I miss my Territory Ghia.

[Chopped]

I reckon they are a stupid vehicle.

They are nothing more than a hatchback with big suspension and wheels. They are just high enough that you can't see past them in traffic which is annoying.
They DO NOT handle like a sedan (unless it's a Cayenne or similar). A sedan will still go most places that an SUV will. How many SUVs do you see exploring in the bush ?!!

The "extra space" (perceived) is more vertical than useful. They cost more to run, harder on tyres, harder on brakes etc etc.

They are a "lifestyle" statement vehicle, people get them cause their neighbor has one etc. Marketing people made them "cooler".

How did we all survive the first hundred years of motoring with sedans, wagons and vans before SUVs came out ?!!

[Road_Warrior]

One thing I'm finding is that getting the little man out of his car seat in my BA sedan is a pain in the ****. And the neck. Literally.

An SUV with nice big, wide opening doors and no plunging roofline makes it much, much easier. Your back will thank you for it in later life. Being higher up makes it much easier as well and they have all the usual features you can get in other cars as well as cram more stuff in the back (ever tried fitting a decent sized pram, bassinet and all the shopping in the boot of a Falcon? That too is a pain in the ****). Wifey says she can manage for the time being, but if Ford don't get a move on with getting the Kuga here, then we'll be looking elsewhere as much as I hate to say it.

[wicksy]

i want a toyota tundra

[GTP owner]

Some of the criticisms here of the suv segement is pretty harsh. I used to feel the same, but after owning a couple of the bigger 4x4 vehicles i can certainly vouch for them. The negatives are actually not as bad as i first thought. The handling issue is one that doesn't come up: How often do you really push your falcon to the limit? How often do you drive it at 60%? If the answer is that you don't really push your vehicle, then it doesn't matter. My wife drives far more conservatively than me. The Pajero is her car, and so it is just fine. I find the traction control a pain because i always set it off around corners (I obviously drive closer to the limit than she does). As a result she laughs at me and says i can't drive because i am fighting the car!

The fuel consumption is pretty good for the size of the vehicle; 9.2L/100km in the pajero compared to the 11L/100km for the xr6t.

The performance is adequate: Once again - ask yourself how often you are at full throttle? In a modern nanna state I raraely give the turbo a boost, making all of it's power uneccesary.

The size inside is what counts. 3 kids, shopping, sports bags, school bags, our gym bags, and then we can still fit another kid or two in. You just can't do that with any sedan or wagon derivative.

The there are the roads. With every council erecting "traffic calming devices" every 100m, the suv all of a sudden comes into its own. If it were legal i would happily race any FPV down a selection of sydney back streets - the fpv would be comprehensively smashed trying to keep up over the humps and around the pot-holes.

And the final aspect is that we can take it off-road. There have been quite a few camp holidays in our xr6t that ended with horrible underbody scrapings that are not an issue in the pajero.

So I can see why people like them so much now that i have owned 2. The wife is very happy with ours, and i am tempted to trade my turbo for one of my own

[Rodge]

Good for :- carrying stuff around especially on holiday, taking your dog(s) to the beach, launching and retreiving small boats or jetski's, when you're carrying young kids and especially babies or grandkids still in baby seats, useful for a little light off road or off the beaten track use and some people like them because of the 7 seat thing. Also good visability is a plus and some people buy them because they think they look cool. Now that many are available with highly efficient diesel engines they can be reasonably efficient to operate too.

Lots of people are obviously prepared to accept the trade-off of inferior handling and performance compared to lower riding vehicle.

I had a current model Santa Fe diesel for a while a few years back and while it was a useful all purpose vehicle I simply couldn't stomach the compromises, sold after only 7 months.

[RAPID_BA]

This topic really makes my blood boil. Most suv drivers NEVER take them off road. When comparing a fairmont to a territory of the same year, they are about the same price new, the territory offers the same seats, dash and motor but is heavier, slower and thirstier to the fairmont sedan counterpart and offer no real extra space.

Then as a used car people pay $5k more (at least) for a territory with double the km too?? Insane. The fairmont does everything better. People are fooled into thinking a suv is better.

Come on is a rav4 or those little suvs a real suv? Those little motors can't make it up a hill let alone offroad duties. Have you driven a rav4, they sound like an old truck.

A territory is a slow falcon and wobbly around corners

[GTP owner]

Originally Posted by HULK_BA

This topic really makes my blood boil. Most suv drivers NEVER take them off road. When comparing a fairmont to a territory of the same year, they are about the same price new, the territory offers the same seats, dash and motor but is heavier, slower and thirstier to the fairmont sedan counterpart and offer no real extra space.

Then as a used car people pay $5k more (at least) for a territory with double the km too?? Insane. The fairmont does everything better. People are fooled into thinking a suv is better.

Come on is a rav4 or those little suvs a real suv? Those little motors can't make it up a hill let alone offroad duties. Have you driven a rav4, they sound like an old truck.

A territory is a slow falcon and wobbly around corners

So what if they never take them offroad? Most FPVs are never taken onto the track, and are grossly overpriced (heavier, thirstier, slower) compared to an xr6t. People still buy them though - must be something about choice.

Why do people buy cars? Because it suits their priorities and tastes. I have different needs depending on what i am doing, so i choose accordingly. If I have got the cash, why can't i choose an suv?

[flappist]

Originally Posted by HULK_BA

This topic really makes my blood boil. Most suv drivers NEVER take them off road. When comparing a fairmont to a territory of the same year, they are about the same price new, the territory offers the same seats, dash and motor but is heavier, slower and thirstier to the fairmont sedan counterpart and offer no real extra space.

Then as a used car people pay $5k more (at least) for a territory with double the km too?? Insane. The fairmont does everything better. People are fooled into thinking a suv is better.

Come on is a rav4 or those little suvs a real suv? Those little motors can't make it up a hill let alone offroad duties. Have you driven a rav4, they sound like an old truck.

A territory is a slow falcon and wobbly around corners

You mean like most performance car drivers never take them to a track, never travel long distances at high speed and just wander about in the suburbs wasting fuel when a hyundai or kia would do everything they do far more efficiently?

Of course the almost cliche reply is:

a) try and put 5 people/800kgs of gear in a hyundai
b) try and tow a trailer/caravan/whatever in a hyundai
c) some other fantasy

So saying that a person buying a SUV and then hardly ever going off road is no different from someone buying a V8 falcon and hardly ever carying 5 people while pulling a caravan on a long high speed trip to spend the weekend driving on a race track.

Of course everyone on here does those things don't they.........

[Carby]

Originally Posted by gtxb67

our rav4 is much more comfortable than anything honda offers. it feels smaller than a yaris and corolla and it can carry more than most vehicles while being easier to load and unload than a boot

why not an suv

"More comfortable than anything Honda offers" Wow those Accords must be rubbish!

I've news for you, the RAV 4 isn't smaller than a Yaris or Corolla, Is heavier, would use more fuel, have less tyre life, is more prone to rollover than a sedan - ohh but it does carry more!

[jimmyxr6t04]

Originally Posted by HULK_BA

This topic really makes my blood boil. Most suv drivers NEVER take them off road. When comparing a fairmont to a territory of the same year, they are about the same price new, the territory offers the same seats, dash and motor but is heavier, slower and thirstier to the fairmont sedan counterpart and offer no real extra space.

Then as a used car people pay $5k more (at least) for a territory with double the km too?? Insane. The fairmont does everything better. People are fooled into thinking a suv is better.

Come on is a rav4 or those little suvs a real suv? Those little motors can't make it up a hill let alone offroad duties. Have you driven a rav4, they sound like an old truck.

A territory is a slow falcon and wobbly around corners

Our territory can fit 2 baby seats in the rear, plus fit a large adult in the middle or side. Our BA falcon can't.... Our territory can fit prams, shopping, big esky etc all in one go, the falcon can't or at least not without a lot of planning in the packing...

As for being a slow falcon, my TT might be a tad slower around corners (nothing a few suspension mods won't fix)... But geez it's good fun, especially on the straights!

[Matty4]

Because the practicalities of them far outweigh the negatives.
As others have said, yes they don't handle as well as a sedan, but who drives their sedan at 10/10ths with the wife and kids in the car? I can pretty much guarantee that a sedan and an SUV driven over the same stretch of road fully laden with wife and 3 kids won't get there any later than the XR with the same load in it. The front seat passenger would see to that pretty quickly...hehe.

I have 3 kids and we regularly transport their friends around and as you can see in my sig, I have 2

When I bought my first Terri we had a list of requirements. It had to be capable of towing my 2200kg caravan, carry 7 and be reasonably economical to run and own. The Terri ticked all those boxes.

As an aside, the Volvo beats the Terri for day to day practicalities in every respect too.

We will always have at least one from now on.

To the OP, wait until you become a family man and have needs other than cruising from a car, priorities change.

[GT-E]

My Jeep can tow a 3,500kg Boat, I bet a Falcadoor cant.
I also prefer the high driving position and the ease of loading from a higher boot.
They are more of an practical all round car for city use.

[naddis01]

When we looked at buying our current car we first off considered a Mazda CX7. Until we looked at the room inside. We ended up buying a Mazda 6 wagon. It has more room inside (you can fit a 6'3" passenger behind a 6'3" driver), the boot appears bigger, the boot floor has not lip so its easy to put prams in the back, it handles better, it uses less than 6L/100km, IMO it looks better, we have no trouble loading 2 kids under 2yo into their seats, you don't feel like you are driving on a bar stool etc etc. Tell me why I would want an SUV again?

[Brazen]

Nowadays with Falcons and Commodores really low to the ground If I lived in the city I would want a SUV, high ground clearance, good visability, more practical and robust against kerbs, gutters etc. If we went back to the 90s ride heights I would then probably take a sedan or wagon instead.

Out in the country, I love my 2wd - it handles fantastic on the high-speed roads and gets fantastic fuel economy.

[2011G6E]

"Percieved safety" is a very telling statement. People buy them with the false idea that they are now "safer" than the plebs in ordinary cars around them, and unfortunately many SUV and fourbie drivers act exactly like the stereotypical idea of someone who believes they don't have to follow the same road rules as the rest of us...ignoring the annoying fact of higher roll-over risk and other very different dynamic properties to a "real car".

I remember a telling comment one time some years back on a radio talkback show on four wheel driving where someone rang up saying they were going on "the big lap" around Australia, and wanted to know what sort of four wheel drive they should buy to tow thier van. When asked how big their van was, it turned out to only be a little 14 footer for two people. Then they were asked how much off roading they would be doing, and they said "Oh none...we won't be going off bitumen".
The advice was to forget a four wheel drive and buy a Commodore or Falcon wagon and tow it with that...they'd get better fuel economy, cheaper tyres, easier to drive, and you can carry just as much gear inside the wagon.

I wonder how many people buy an SUV instead of looking at wagons or people movers for their real needs?

We traded in our 100 series Toyota Landcruiser because we realised that we just weren't doing enough off roading to justify the costs of running it...the huge cost of tyres, the staggering costs of servicing the big turbo diesel, and just general running costs. The G6E we own makes much more sense, and if we need to go to a rough area, the old WB V8 ute we just bought can be pressed into service for that.

I also think there is a big difference between a car-like Territory and a "genuine" four wheel drive. The problem starts when people see them as a "get out of my damn way" symbol...

[chevypower]

Does anybody really need many things they have? I don't need my vehicle to survive, or an HDTV, Blu-ray Player, satellite, Internet, computer, iPhone. All we really NEED is food, water and shelter, so unless you're living with the bare minimum (and you have the ability to have anything you want), stop criticizing others for having things you think they do not need.

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

The problem starts when people see them as a "get out of my damn way" symbol...

I have that attitude no matter what type of vehicle I am driving!

[Zero_PSI]

Originally Posted by chevypower

Does anybody really need many things they have? I don't need my vehicle to survive, or an HDTV, Blu-ray Player, satellite, Internet, computer, iPhone. All we really NEED is food, water and shelter, so unless you're living with the bare minimum (and you have the ability to have anything you want), stop criticizing others for having things you think they do not need.


I have that attitude no matter what type of vehicle I am driving!

^ I agree with this guy.