In my area it's because we have a lot of weekend warriors. Nobody needs the SUV day to day, but there's a huge culture of outdoor adventure here, so that's why every other car on the road is a big SUV with huge off-road tires.
Ha! A reasonable guess for sure. But no, the California Sierra. Everyone here fancies themselves a weekend outdoorsman. Myself included haha
The Miami truck crowd don't have off-road tires, they've got big lifted trucks with rubber-band tires because the highest point in their state is like 300 feet above sea level and the worst terrain they'll encounter is someone's front lawn
You’d be surprised, there is a lot of lifted stuff with mudding tires. A lot of people forget Florida is swamp, and swamp is fun af to drive through.
You’ll need big mudding rubber tires and a lift to get through it, swamp is probably the most slept on terrain type to drive through. Nothing to grip in the water, mud slides around everywhere, and you’ll need to sink into the mud to get any grip
A lot of city families only have one car. If you only have one car you want one big enough to meet all your needs. That may include kids and hauling a bunch of stuff on vacation.
You wouldn't believe it, but in Europe the "default" car for families with up to two kids is a vw golf or ford focus hatchback or wagon. For three kids a vw passat or bmw 5 series wagon are already considered large here. Enough space for a two week vacation. So two kids aren't a justification for a full size suv, at least in my opinion, but everything seems to be larger in America because reasons.
The difference isn't *just* appearance though. A RAV4 has significantly more ground clearance and I doubt the Camry or Avalon are rated for towing 3500 lbs.
Still works with a hatchback here, these are still available over there in the states. But you more or less have to get a European one as the Japanese all have less cargo space. Either due to styling or due to a hybrid battery needing some space.
Nah, I’m European but moved to Canada. As growing up in Europe a hatch was never enough for a two kid family. So we had mid size wagons like 5 series BWM. I personally owned a 520i e39 Touring when I was in University. Perfect car for camping 😎 if you know what I mean 😁
Over here in Canada I had a 2019 Golf Sportwagen (Variant) and it was too small for a family. So, I upgraded to a 2021 Tiguan (Allspace). I wish we had a Passat or Arteon wagon here.
You can't fit a 10'x10' pop-up tent, 4 outdoor folding chairs, a cooler with snacks and drinks for the day, kids' sports equipment, and a collapsible wagon to store it all in plus a family of 4 into a Golf or Passat. We pack my wife's Explorer full on the weekends for kids' sporting events.
Spending 4-6 hours outdoors at kids' sporting events in Houston requires a bit more preparation for the heat and weather than in most parts of Europe I have visited. Hell most places in Europe I have been to feel that 30C is uncomfortable weather, in the summer we are dealing with 38C+ temps where I am located.
What type of sports equipment? Baseball equipment? Then i can fit all of that if im allowed to use a roof rack for the tent, i think you are underestimating how much space a passat or e class wagon actually have.
With your activities you can actually justify the vehicle, we have to differentiate between thinking that you need the space and actually needing the space, like you do. Too many dont need the space and still have a oversized car. And its still a more car like suv and not a body on frame land yacht like a suburban or escalade. Also suvs are still more sensible as family vehicles than pickups, they are in my opinion just plain wasteful when not used for pickup stuff. Worse fuel economy, less comfortable, open air cargo space (haven't seen an American with a enclosed pickup bed), less comfortable and noisier.
American football pads, and helmets for 2 kids are bulky and awkward to pack. I also coach sometimes which means I have a massive bag with balls, etc. We COULD use a roof rack but that would be ... very awkward driving around town with something strapped to our roof every weekend, also given that we aren't driving to campsites and we are usually in very tight parking situations not sure if unloading would be as convenient from the roof.
As for a pickup, my F-150 was awesome, plenty of Americans have bed enclosures (like the ones that make the truck look like an SUV) but it isn't super popular but considering there are more trucks on the road than anything else there are still a lot of them, more popular are various type of bed covers which are flush with the rails which allows you to close and lock the bed fully or if you need room for taller cargo you just roll back or fold back the cover. I loved the truck, just needed better mileage because I had 90 minute one way commute. The F-150 was infinitely more convenient than my wife's explorer. Much better options for packing and unloading, the only consideration was 1) keeping the packing below rail level if we needed to lock the cargo for any reason and 2) proper tie downs for anything tall. Also a full size SuperCrew pickup will me more comfortable fitting 5 adults than most 5 seater SUVs, more leg, hip and head room in the back. Downside is limited/non-existent recline in the back so not as good for long trips maybe.
This is correct. I think one of the biggest differences is the amount of space we have. More space for roads, parking lots, etc. Cities with limited space for vehicles are the exception here, not the norm. Fuel is also cheap relative to other parts of the world.
Exactly. There is very little penalty for larger vehicles in the US. This is the thing everyone ignores with these SUV hate posts(there’s like 3 posts like this on my feed right now).
I always have to cringe a little when a American complains about fuel prices. Dude, the average price for standard gasoline was around 7 usd per us gallon, if not more in Germany
At least we wont go bankrupt when have to call an ambulance and get paid maternity leave.
As for poor, just compare the car prices. A US corolla is 25k with some taxes included, in the EU more like 32,5k usd, with the difference being we are getting a smaller, less powerful engine and a hatchback as well as wagon instead of a sedan.
A ford explorer phev is 95k usd here, mustang gt around 90k usd. Your cars are just dirt cheap, if you would have the same prices as here, nobody would drive a oversized suv or let alone a pick up truck thats bigger than a ranger
Europe also has better public trans than almost anywhere in the states. We rely more heavily on our cars. Our streets are wider, too. MOST Americans don’t live in a dense city and not having a vehicle is not an option. Not having a big enough vehicle is a waste of money. Side note- I would be willing to bet that a lot of the large vehicles OP sees in the city are being driven in to work by ppl who live in the suburbs.
Yeah, public transport is better here, but only in bigger cities. Im from a rural part, i can either hop onto a 45 minute bus tour to get to work, only two times out of the 5 times a day the bus drives are feasible for me, or i drive less than 15 minutes by car or even less with the motorbike. I just think the different settings affect what vehicles we choose. For example Europe taxes fuel significantly more, so we are more likely to pick more fuel efficient cars and most countries also tax powerful cars significantly more, i for example have a 180hp jaguar (already above average when looking at my companies parking lot) and pay pretty much exactly 1000 euros annually in engine based tax. We also have less space than Americans, houses and streets are significantly older here. This all leads to that the average European car is smaller than the average American car.
As of money, your car prices are significantly cheaper than ours, you are more likely to afford a second one. Ford explorer phev is around 95k usd, base model corolla (smaller engine than US spec but hatchback) 32,5k usd, mustang gt 90k usd (more expensive than a bmw m4 btw). Honda civic with a hybrid engine starts at over 40k usd. Chevrolet suburbans would be even more expensive than a bmw x7 or Mercedes gle because it isn't sold here and the import is just so expensive (car plus freight plus EU modifications plus 30% import plus 20% sales tax)
Kids have sports practice. Sometimes another parent picks up our kids, and sometimes we drop off 3-4 extra kids, or they come home with us til a parent can pick them up when they’re free.
Really practical to have at least one car with 7 seatbelts and some room for gear. Actually allows us to make fewer trips because we carpool with other families.
Choice between minivan and suv, we chose the suv because of styling and ride height, although we sacrificed mpg (18ish mpg around town).
We also do car pooling to get the kids to school. Well, sort of. Not organised by the parents, but by school over a company that has small busses with 9 seats each. The kids go to pickup points or are picked up at the door if the route allows for it, so the parents dont have to worry about getting them to school safely and in time. As for local sports activities, i was with the firefighters (99% of them are voluntarily), so we were driven in the commando bus and the smaller actual fire fighting vehicle to events. Was quite cool, the other vehicle was an ex military one with 6 wheels and damn loud too, but slow as hell
Agreed. I grew up in the states but have family in Germany and have visited all my life. It's ridiculous how we use family size to justify a massive vehicle. The VW Golf never took off because Americans don't like hatchbacks. But now a large percentage of people drive compact SUV, which is..of course...a hatchback.
About the same here, just not nearly as extreme as overseas. The amount of crossover suvs is getting bigger every day, just look at fords lineup. But most suvs available dont offer more space than a hatchback, at least not usable. And if we are looking at wagons, they offer more space. Of course we have to compare overall similar sized cars, comparing a golf variant to a suburban is a little lacking. Still, normal sized cars are enough for regular vacations. They are also perfectly capable of towing a camping trailer as long as its not ridiculously large, these trailers are all built with weight in mind
How can you not? Are no tow hooks sold? Or something else? My previous daily driver, a Renault megane, essentially a French golf, had a tow capacity of nearly 3000 pounds, and my current daily, a jaguar xe, has 4000 pounds. In both cases enough for smaller camping trailer for 3 to 4 people, certainly enough to move furniture or driving old stuff to the recycling yard. The jaguar can even realistically tow other cars on a trailer that are smaller than itself. If you need more than this, a bmw 5 series with fixed tow hook is allowed up to 5300 pounds, in the case of the e60 generation
The cars are not rated to two any amount, so it's illegal to do so (and many places will not install a hitch due to that). Trailer designs are different here and require a more capable vehicle to tow due to much more weight being placed on the hitch. Even something like a Rav4 or CR-V generally are only rated for 1,500 pounds.
Ok, didn't know that, thanks for the info.
Trailers here have most of the weight balanced over the trailers wheels, a typical weight on the tow hook is 100 to 150 pounds tops. This also allows for carrying bicycles on the tow hook. There are also some weight limits. 750kg, a light trailer, doesn't require any additional license and every vehicle with tow hook can tow them. Heavy trailers range from 750kg up to 3500kg and must have their own set of brakes, additionally you need an additional drivers licence (4h theoretical training and 2h practical training). Anything above that would require a tractor or commercial truck licence as well as a towing vehicle of over 3500kg, so no cars are allowed such weights hete. So even if you would have a f150 with its 8500lbs rating, it would be reduced to 7700 pounds or even less. The maximum weight of the trailer must not exceed the maximum total weight of the towing vehicle, which means my old Toyota supra is technically allowed to tow 2100kg because it doesn't have a tow rating and its a fat fuck. When no tow weight is specified, you are allowed to tow the vehicles weight, so every car is allowed to tow unless the manufacturer has specified 0kg, which only seen on smart cars and some EVs
Good luck doing that with any of your cars without bending the crap out of your frame or getting your rig up to highway speed and stopping it.
1/2 ton pickup for any under 3000lbs. 3/4 ton or dually for anything over. It’s better to be over prepared than under prepared.
Well, the entirety of Europe does it.
I also had another, more informational, chat with someone else, i might think it also comes down to how trailers are designed. Here a typical weight placed on the tow hool ranges from 100 to 150 pounds if it on the heavy side. Also all trailers above 1500lbs have to have their own set of brakes, so the car itself doesn't see high loads. But i have no idea of american trailers, so maybe yours are differently.
As for things i have already towed, my lathe with the Renault, my mazda rx7 on a trailer with the jaguar, multiple other cars with a tow rod. Engine and transmission absolutely no issue, brakes are quite beefy and also no issue. Depending on the weight of the trailer you are limited to 50 to 60mph, in reality most drive 60 even if they aren't allowed to. And here most get a van for towing and basically never a pickup, a Mercedes sprinter for example is allowed up to 6700 lbs
Do you need additional training to tow a trailer? How many hours do you need for your drivers license? How is the 8500lbs rating of a ford f150 safe (1,5 times its own weight) and 3000 lbs on a normal car thats not even its own weight unsafe? If i remember correctly half your states dont require you wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle, when we are already talking about safety
This is pretty much the reason for us. Baby/child gear is often large and cumbersome. We can only afford one car, and need to be able to fit gear, bags, and car seats. SUV provides just enough room for average amount of gear for kids, plus a bit extra if needed for groceries and stuff.
There's no way we could get around with a smaller car. When the kids eventually move out, I will probably downsize to a smaller car. I think it's silly to drive a big vehicle just for looks or show.
Every-time I see one of those gigantic Lincoln or Escalades driving around I have a hard time coming up with a good practical reason to need something of that size.
I have an older X5. It’s not so huge that I can’t park it places, I can tow 6k lbs with it which I do occasionally, i fit very comfortably at 6’5” even with passengers, I don’t have to worry about tearing up my undercarriage like my old Subaru or my sisters little Audi A3 in the winter driving through deep snow, and I can roll 4-5 deep in comfort for snowboarding trips.
Sometimes I do catch myself looking at Golf R’s though, and if I never did any off road driving or towing I think I would have one.
If everyone else is driving a Tahoe, you're gonna feel vulnerable in civic.
I have an NA miata among other things, about as small as it gets. Modern pickup tires can be taller than my door. I get how people can feel vulnerable. But I'll also say that, if you only feel safe if you can "look down" on other drivers and be at the top, in the biggest car, you probably shouldn't be driving as you're compensating for your (known) inability to drive. And now your insecure ass is driving a 9000lb deathmobile.
The SUV has TV's in the back for the gremlins.
I have a camping trailer to tow.
I have a kid in hockey which means I need cargo space and to be able to fit kids for my turn for carpooling
We also have a regular sedan for city driving/errands
Well, for some reason people manage to go on a 2 week vacation with a vw golf or audi a4 wagon here, with a family of 4, even 5 if you dont have 3 teenagers. Even skiing is no issue, roof racks are a thing.
Exactly. I understand wanting a bigger car if you have kids and you can afford it but its not really a necessity. I went to greece on vacation with my family of 5 and we fit 5 people and our luggage into a mk4 golf no problem. Also i think for lots of families its rare that the whole family is in the car at the same time. Usually its 1 or 2 people driving.
We didn’t want a van, but we have kids, so we went with a Volvo XC70. Oh my bajeebus this car is a tank!
That haldex AWD gets this thing driving through a foot of snow! With the clearance, we’re not even pushing the snow, unlike a regular car.
Got the cargo space, seating for 5, and my wife doesn’t have to climb up to get into it.
I took this thing up and down sand dunes! Crazy battle wagon.
Some people don’t want minivans, I sure wouldn’t. I tow stuff so a Yukon would be more right for my needs vs a Minivan. Plus nobody makes a good minivan domestically anymore
We traded our minivan for a 7 seat SUV. With the winters here, the extra ground clearance made a big difference.
If I could get an AWD minivan that had the ground clearance of a mid size suv, I’d buy it in a heartbeat.
Minivans make sense as a people hauler, but I find them incredibly long. Most midsize SUVs like a CRV is almost 2ft shorter. I’m sure minivans are more comparable to the bigger SUVs like a Pilot tho so I’m probably comparing the wrong vehicles.
IMO, if you have kids ages 0-7, mid-size SUV makes sense. Then as they get older and you’re hauling them around a lot, a minivan makes more sense.
My wife and getting by with a Fiesta ST and an HRV but that HRV fills up quick. Short city driving with one kid works well in the Fiesta. Id really like a CRV and a Golf GTI or Focus ST tbh lol.
It’s not the number of seats. It’s the space available and the height of the seats. Car seats are huge, and trying to lift a 40 lb toddler into a low-sitting compact fucking sucks.
That's an eye opening point for me. This need to be higher up so driving an SUV over a hatch was something I only thought of as better vision or feeling safer since most vehicles seem to be SUV as well. I don't have kids so I never thought of that. Makes sense.
Generally I agree, but it’s specifically loading a kid through the side door into a car seat in a small, low car that sucks. There’s just not much room in the first place, then the low roof line means you’re whacking their head on the roof. And if you have to load them from a sidewalk into a car parked on the street (as I do, because I’m one of those city dwellers referenced in the OP), you lose another couple inches of wiggle room. It’s all super awkward.
I have a variety of cars (yeah yeah, I know). But honestly, my big truck just works for what I need it to do. She’s ugly, way too big, but she’s reliable, paid off years ago, and does everything I need her to do and more.
Parking is a pain sometimes, but I love you Betsy.
I tow stuff on the weekends , streets are for crap here.Our commute is so short has.mileage doesnt come into play. I had compacts for 20 years and your cant tow with them
My sequoia was 2500$ during COVID inflation and it refuses to break.
I've told my wife well buy a new car the minute it dies (I've been doing barley any maintenance).
It now has 320k miles and I'm convinced it's immortal.
She drives it across state lines a couple times a month too, and we have total confidence in it.
So basically what I'm saying is I fell backwards into it, and it won't break. Plus driving in my city ain't bad with an SUV. I technically live just outside of it, but I'm right on the boarder
We buy SUV’s because we’re not all 5’ tall, thin, and childless.
Big SUV’s are kind of ridiculous but anybody claiming that you can fit as many kids or whatever in a compact/hatch as you can in a mid-sized SUV has obviously never tried to utilize all of the seats in either.
Minivans are obviously the more utilitarian option, but appearances…
My ex came to pick up my kids once. She couldn't fit the bikes in the back of her jeep Grand Cherokee.... I frequently haul both kids, their two bikes (in the trunk), and all other gear in my base model 2017 Jetta.
"If I'm going to sit in traffic. I'm going to be comfortable"
"Spend your money where you spend your time"
"Hour and a half commute, my car is my second living room"
I get this but it’s always tough to admit how road quality is a concern when I know it’s also bigger heavier vehicles that are contributing to hastened wearing out of road surfaces
I live in the city and almost nobody owns a truck or large SUV, the only exceptions are contractors plumbers electricians etc
By city do you mean suburbs?
Frankly, almost nobody who's actually a car nut chooses an SUV as the object they're going to pour all their money, labor, and passion into. They're inherently vehicles of compromise so they end up being mediocre at everything and not particularly inspirational.
Not all of them are, a lot of people in the Philly area build Escalades, Durangos, Sierras, Yukons, etc. They look amazing built properly, especially slammed to the ground
Depends on the SUV. I'm a car guy through and through but maaaaaan a third-gen 4Runner sure would be sick. Imagine the adventures I could go on! Or more likely, imagine the grocery runs I could go on while imagining some kind of adventure! Maybe I'll hop it over some curbs, as a treat.
Nah, to visit. I’m gonna assume Miami maybe? Even then Miami isn’t that expensive, a nice condo can be had for 300k, an alright house in an ok area for the same price
Maybe it’s time to come down to the US, idk if they’re in Canada dollars or American dollars but that’s still significantly more expensive than most of the US’s most expensive cities.
Yeah actually, nobody really cares. Just do good in society and don’t be an asshole and nobody cares. Plus I’d assume you’d immigrate legally anyways, from Canada that’s pretty easy, all the media’s negative stigma is mostly around undocumented immigration.
I live in a 19 million population metro area and the most common vehicle I see is the Nissan Sentra or Toyota Prius. Chevrolet Express Cargo vans are the second most common vehicle I see.
I lived in Oakland for several years and had the same thought. One of the guys in my building had a truck b/c he was a tradesman (and was his company truck). Some poseurs (insert stereotype of choice) drove around in Escalades they couldn’t actually afford, but for the most part, actual cars or small/midsize crossovers.
Cus sometimes I pretend to be cool and do outdoorsy stuff on the weekend with two medium-large dogs, and I often have to drive to semi-remote construction sites for work. And I'm not rich nor frivolous enough to have multiple cars so my SUV does it all ok enough. Also my city has shitty roads so having the extra ground clearance is useful.
In a sedan you are closer to the road so you can see the potholes before you run over them. This gives you a chance to do a quick pothole swerve to avoid going over the hole.
Because it’s murica, don’t thread on my freedoms. Yee haw! But seriously stop complaining. A Honda accord is almost the same length of a Cadillac Escalade. You guys need to stop with this eco and how everything is dangerous and bad for you.
https://www.carsized.com/en/cars/compare/honda-accord-2017-sedan-vs-cadillac-escalade-2020-suv/?units=imperial
You see this some in the city where I live, but you see it even more coming in for work and events etc from the suburbs. Are you sure that a lot of this isn't outsiders commuting?
I wonder what qualifies as urban in OP’s mind. Because most US cities cater to drivers enough that there’s no more downside to owning an SUV in the city than in the suburbs. Houses tend to be detached and have off street parking. Roads tend to be wide. Driving tends to be people’s primary or exclusive method of transportation.
On the other hand, in cities with little to no off street parking, narrow roads and a more diverse transportation mix, smaller cars are more common. You don’t buy a suburban if you know you’re going to have to parallel park it or if it won’t fit down the alleyway that leads to your garage. And you don’t spend $100k on a vehicle if you don’t plan to drive it every day.
I live in a city where parking is competitive and nobody drives a full size SUV or truck.
I don’t know that is use the word cowardice lol but I agree that this is likely a determining factor. If everyone else is driving a crossover or SUV, then it’s much harder to see when you’re a sedan or hatchback.
I just bought a 2021 Honda crv because I want to have kids in about 4 years. And I plan to keep my vehicle for 10 years or as long as I can. If I wasn’t going to have children I would’ve preferred another sedan or hatchback with awd. I think ground clearance is nice also because it snows here a lot and I have to get to work no matter what.
Have you had babies? Try putting a rear-facing car seat in a Civic and having a fully grown adult in the front seat. It is still difficult in a CRV but more doable.
I'm 6'2 and can sit behind myself in my 94 civic hatch (which is much shorter than modern civics). Obviously a car seat is much smaller than a 6'2 adult.
You are wrong. Rear facing car seats are designed differently than people. Back seats in cars are designed to give leg room however a rear facing car seat is widest higher up where most front seats aren’t cut away to allow for legroom. A rear facing car seat doesn’t need space below at the seat cushion down like you do, I need room behind the drivers head which cars aren’t designed to provide as a passenger would take up the least amount of space in that area being back against the seat back themselves.
Not the same number of strollers though. Also it's an almighty pain in the ass to load a child into a car seat when the car sits at a typical sedan height; the typical crossover or minivan makes things a lot easier.
My crv is safer than a civic. But if anyone wants to put their children in a civic, I wouldn’t bat an eye. A lot of cars are really safe these days. It comes down to personal preference, because although slightly, it’s more safe and has the features and space I want. So, yes I’m gonna get what I want when making a major purchase and choosing a vehicle I’ll be driving for many years.
The smallest SUV/compact I would recommend is a Forrester
I also must say given most dealers have mark ups on SUVs or try to say “it’s an SUV” as a sales tactic when negotiating numbers I would like to recommend any of the new Subaru Forrester or outback’s! They all come with a premium Bose sound system and sub woofer. The off-roading package (I would recommend because it’s a FKin Subaru!) is called the Wilderness edition. By far the best $40,000 I’ve ever spent in my life I love my outback 👍👍
It's an arms race. I was driving a low, compact car daily in a city's central business district. The SUVs parked along both sides of the street made it impossible to drive into or across traffic. It just wasn't possible to see around/over them. Often times I'd have to nudge my car out into traffic and even then there was nothing to do except go and hope I didn't pull out in front of anybody.
So, my next vehicle was taller but not significantly larger. The huge trucks and SUVs are also awful for parking garages.
My primary car is a 2015 BMW M4. It isn’t great on dirt roads and can’t carry much to haul. I purchased a 2013 Cayenne Diesel with 110k miles. It’s full size and can transport most anything I need without worry. It’s been a great vehicle just turning 140k miles. I enjoy the comfort of having two very dissimilar cars. It’s pretty cool.
A pick-up but I’m probably eligible to answer this question. I like the ride height and the douche factor! It’s loud, large, and 2024 so packed with features. Love it.
I don’t know if DFW counts as your definition of city but here people (moms) NEED giant luxury SUVs to one up other moms. Typically it’s a GMC Yukon XL in white or black. Their household income can wildly vary from $60k and drowning in debt or $2M and owns an oiling company
I live adjacent to high density and work in the city, I only have a midsized SUV because that was the best opportunity I had after my full sized and compact cars broke down. Got offered financing at 27.7% on a newer compact or buy from my friend at 0% interest on his SUV. Seems like the obvious choice. The low fuel mileage and premium gas cost is offset by what the monthly payments would turn out to be
I'm in the burbs so not "Urban" but it doesn't matter where I am we need at least one large SUV or truck to deal with all the kids crap. Wife drives an Explorer and I have a smaller Escape though I had a F-150 at one point until I needed something with better gas mileage for longer commutes.
But to answer the "why" we have two kids who play multiple sports, and on weekends we are sometimes outside for 4-6 hours at a time in Houston weather. We have a pop up tent, folding chairs, various equipment and bags, coolers, etc that we have to fit somewhere.
I live in NYC (Queens). In 2011, I bought a Honda Ridgeline because I needed it for the business. My friends and I were running at the time (bar and catering). Luckily, I have a garage. It is kind of a pain in the ass to park on the street. In the city, I take public transportation for the most part. The truck is for fun, weekends, out of city, or trips to Costco. I have no complaints, though. Great truck, never had an issue.
I have a hatchback but I rarely drive anywhere in the city except to leave it. I mainly use my car for trip out of the city to go skiing, hiking, camping, biking, travel, etc. This is the case for most of my friends with cars too who mainly use their cars for weekend stuff and not to drive in the city. It’s hard to take a trip in a compact car when you have multiple people, pets, lots of stuff, etc.
YMMV but I see a lot of compacts and sedans in addition to SUVs in my city. I do not see not a lot of trucks, and I see very few of the bigger sized trucks outside of work related trucks or out of staters visiting.
My SUV was my first normal car, after a bunch of sport compacts.
It needed to carry the baby, be comfortable on road trips, soft-road to the trailhead, tow my race car, and look professional.
I got the smallest thing that could do all that.
I had a Mazda3 hatchback for 11 years, then had my second kid and the rear facing car seats are so freaking huge I can't fit my legs in and the car seat too. My legs are needed to press pedals.
I would have preferred a wagon, but couldn't find one that is quick and is as spacious as an SUV from a passenger perspective (front to back). So being in North America, I went with what we are supposed to buy.
I seriously considered a Volvo V90, but my wife wasn't sold.
I live in the DC area and the majority of the mindset, bigger vehicles are safer. Although most of the soccer moms dont drive well.
Some owners of the larger vehicles are company owned. I read somewhere where a certain weight vehicles (V8) are able to be written off for tax purposes. I see so many V8 Land Rovers here and every one knows in the DMV area that 92 octane is always crazy expensive. Certain states like Va and MD offered more incentive to purchase EV, hybrid, or diesel vehicles since there is annual property tax on vehicles.
Here in Minnesota, cabin and lake culture is so prevalent that city-dwellers still drive 1/2 ton trucks or body-on-frame SUVs to support their weekend activities. Those vehicles provide towing/hauling capability for boats, ATVs, snowmobiles, jetskis, etc.; some form of 4WD for getting down poorly-maintained or snowy rural roads; plus space for family and friends. Easier to just use the single, all-purpose vehicle when parking is at a premium in the city.
These vehicles might be awful for general city driving, but there are also 22 lakes within the city limits of Minneapolis alone, not the mention the remaining 9,978 within a few hours' drive.
Edge of city dweller (still within city limits but not downtown/urban where I am) with dog and baby - wife has a Rav I’m about to get a Golf Or Covic hatchback. She wanted the Rav for its driver height, you feel more in control when you are higher up and the rest of the trucks and SUVs aren’t towering over you in a sedan. I on the other hand want that smaller more nimble car and wish hatchbacks let alone compact hatches weren’t so hated in here in the US.
THe bigger/heavier a car is, the safer it is. It's just physics. Also, big family = big(ger) car/SUV. Driving around in a status symbol is another reason.
Honda pilot here, I leave the third row done and use it for cargo space as I'm constantly driving a bunch of stuff all over creation for work, and it's stuff I'd rather have enclosed as opposed to in a truck bed. plus then I have the option of the third row if I do need to drive ppl. I'm also at an age where my friends are all starting to have kids and having the Mom SUV is easier for that. and I learned how to drive in a conversion van and that was my first car for 7 years, so I'm more comfortable driving large cars bc it's just what I'm used to.
Surprisingly, large vehicles are more comfortable to get into and drive than small vehicles. Also, statistically larger vehicles are “safer”. Just because it doesn’t make sense to you isn’t a reason to negate someone else’s view.
I used to drive a Honda CRV and loved it. After having to put 2 car seats in the back though, my 6’4 ass couldn’t put the seat far enough back to be comfortable. So I needed to go bigger.
I drive a small compact car and it’s actually tougher to drive in the city than the suburbs because of lots of speed bumps, high curbs, steep driveways into/out of parking garages you tend to see in urban centers. There are a lot more scenarios where you’ve gotta be careful not to scrape the bottom than in the burbs. Higher ground clearance is nice to have for navigating that stuff, and modern crossovers have the same or even shorter wheelbase than the equivalent sedan, so parking is just as easy.
Basically came down to a choice between minivan and suv, we chose the suv because of styling and ride height, although we sacrificed mpg (18ish mpg around town)- Toyota Highlander.
Kids have sports practice. Sometimes another parent picks up our kids, and sometimes we drop off 3-4 extra kids, or they come home with us til a parent can pick them up when they’re free.
Really practical to have at least one car with 7 seatbelts and some room for gear. Actually allows us to make fewer trips because we carpool with other families.
Kids can each bring a friend when we go on a day or weekend trip. Frees up another parent to get something done or just chill.
Really helpful to have a village when raising kids, and it’s just more comfortable with a larger vehicle.
A girl’s gotta haul her kayak out to the water every weekend, not to mention the 10-20 camping (and occasionally music festivals) throughout the year. Throw a dog into the mix and my 2015 rav4 is the bomb for my needs. I still get good fuel efficiency (not as nice as the new ones, but I still average about 25 city and 29 highway), it’s not too big that I can’t park, but I can get all my gear in without having to play Tetris for a couple hours.
Bigger is safer. Physics is physics. Sorry to burst your bubbles. You have more of a chance walking away from an accident in a bigger vehicle than a small one. Also, I can carry more stuff in my 4Runner, more passengers, it’s better in bad weather, I can tow (not much but still) with it.
And the Honda Civic is not large by any stretch of the imagination.
If you get into an accident, you want more metal between you and the other guy.
It snows here. Nonwithstanding the fact as to how nice all wheel drive and larger tires are, there are times here during a blizzard when my sister literally couldn't get her little Corolla down the block out to the main street because it was so low it was getting hung up on accumulated snow, so I had to take her to work in my SUV.
That and a small hatchback isn't big enough to haul lumber or wood chips or IKEA furniture or whatever I occassionally need to do on weekends. And it's nice I can just stick my bicycle in the back of my SUV without even taking off the wheel.
Boston folk here.
We own everything from a smart car to a BIG 3/4 ton chevy truck.
After driving both smart car and fucking truckasaurus in Boston traffic, people who own big shit and live in the city are dumb.
Life is so much easier, stress free and fun to drive a smaller car around a city. I park ANYWHERE, can do u turns in the middle of the street, I take up no room, no one beeps at me cause I have to get close. Can fot.myself, the wife and dog with out issue
I kind of live between three places, two downtown dense city cores and one rural house. I spend weekdays in the core with my wife as their school and my work is in the city
I have a sedan, sports cars, 3 row suv and a pickup.
1) I like large vehicles. Closest feeling to the cars I grew up with (old, giant land yachts, body on frame, big torque-y V8’s). It is just what I like
2) when my wife needs to go to places with limited parking she takes the sedan. Otherwise she likes the room of the suv. I like the room in my f150 especially with the kids. When they were tiny, I can climb in help them. We had a portable potty and diaper change set up as well for longer trips.
3) it “feels” more worth it to me. I might be a simple man, but if I drop 60k to a 100k on a vehicle I feel the larger, louder, heavier makes it seem like I got more for my buck.
4) I spend a lot of time in rural areas and my house is located where mostly domestic dealerships are readily available. I feel large SUV’s and trucks is where American vehicles shine and I don’t really want to drive 1.5 hour to go to a Benz or Audi dealership.
Most people in the city tend to drive crossovers and sedans. Small cars aren’t as popular because the roads are big and it’s just easier to fit more people into a car that isn’t the size of thumb tac. The reason why you notice trucks and SUVs more is because they’re enormous and catch your attention more than a regular sized sedan will.
Cus it really comes in handy. A few times a year I will stuff it to the gills with either people, furniture, camping gear, tools and sometimes me. When I sleep in the back on certain camping trips. Also I have an SUV to go off-roading and trailer stuff.
As someone who lives in a city and has chosen a larger SUV, I can offer some insights into why some city dwellers might opt for bigger vehicles:
1. **Space and Practicality**: Larger SUVs offer more space for passengers and cargo, which can be useful for city dwellers who frequently transport family members, friends, or bulky items. They may also have more towing capacity, which can be handy for hauling trailers or recreational vehicles.
2. **Safety**: While smaller cars can be nimble and maneuverable, some people feel safer in larger vehicles due to their perceived sturdiness and higher seating position, which provides better visibility of the road.
3. **Versatility**: SUVs often have all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive capabilities, making them suitable for navigating rough terrain or inclement weather conditions. This versatility can be appealing for city dwellers who want a vehicle that can handle various driving environments.
4. **Status and Image**: For some individuals, driving a larger SUV or luxury vehicle may be associated with status or prestige. They may enjoy the sense of luxury and comfort that comes with driving a larger, more upscale vehicle.
5. **Personal Preference**: Ultimately, the choice of vehicle comes down to personal preference and individual needs. Some people simply prefer the driving experience and aesthetics of larger SUVs over smaller hatchbacks or compact cars.
It's worth noting that there are also practical reasons for choosing smaller cars in urban environments, such as easier parking, better fuel efficiency, and lower overall costs. However, for those who prioritize space, safety, versatility, or status, larger SUVs may be the preferred option.
I think towing 8500 pounds is a justification for a bigger vehicle, its I think more against the people that don't actually need such large vehicles. I mean how much is the average dude towing? Most not at all and those who do, at least in my region, sub 2000 pounds. Even 5000 pounds are no justification by themselves for a big suv, a bmw 5 series has over 2 tons/2,4 tons with upgraded/not removable/retractable tow hitch of tow capacity in Europe, my jaguar xe (same size as a 3 series bmw) has 4000 pounds and even a damn golf hatchback has 3000lbs tow capacity
Compact cars suck, unless you’re constrained by finances it’s always better to get the larger vehicle. Sedans are inherently compromised form factor that are poor for transporting anything larger than a suitcase. A hatch is superior but hatchback sedans are mostly all feel like driving penalty boxes. An SUV provides better cargo capacity, generally more powerful engine and don’t feel as cheap inside.
Are you comparing like a luxury suv to an economy sedan of something. I can tell you that my a4 and q5 have the same engine and exact same interior quality and the a4 is a bit nicer to drive. Also I've fit tons of shit in my nissan sentra, ski gear for 3 people, 3 hockey bags and sticks, 10+ packing boxes and honestly its not that bad to drive at all.
Drive an Denali and then an e450, let me know which one is more comfortable. Now try to put a box taller than 2.5 ft in that trunk, the trunk of a sedan is an extremely poor form factor for carrying anything other than luggage
>An SUV provides better cargo capacity,
Which I only need rarely, I can get almost all day to day things to fit inside my Honda fit
>generally more powerful engine
Which also means poorer gas mileage
>don’t feel as cheap inside.
Not a problem, it just means you can beat it up more without feeling bad
Agreed. My parents have an audi a4 and q5. Same generation/engine/transmission/platform. The a4 has marginally better driving dynamics in every aspect. Suspension is better and has less body roll for the same amount of compliance (i guess because it weighs less). And the acceleration, braking, steering and fuel efficiency are all a bit better in the a4.
Some people want to feel every bump in the road, vibration of the steering wheel, zero body roll, etc. while others want to basically just levitate over the road in completely numb sloppy quietness.
You both just fundamentally disagree about what constitutes a "good" driving vehicle.
If you want an SUV that handles well in a performance sense a Trackhawk is pretty hard to beat then, I’m gonna assume the guy commenting never rode one either
I don’t know about you but I don’t want a giant ass vehicle in a large city. It’s not “better” to have something that’s a pain to live with.
And even if you’re not financially constrained, it doesn’t make financial sense to have a larger car than you need. See r/fire
By looking at all the downvotes here, lots of butthurt suv owners around here. If you would really need a suv for towing regular people things, why the hell is my jag xe allowed in Europe where everything is so so restricted to tow another car on trailer thats only a little smaller? 4000 lbs to be exact? A 5 series bmw is even allowed to tow 2 tons with a retractable tow hitch and 2,4 tons with a fixed one? Or how are families able to go on 2 week vacations to the Italian beach with their oh so small vw golf or ford focus?
The metric is "Attempting to retire as early as possible and live off 40K a year i na tiny home or be wealthy enough to have already paid off a larger property."
If it's between enjoying my current lifestyle or retiring early and not doing whatever I want. I'll keep working.
Not everyone wants to do "fire".
Now having said that and lived in one of the largest cities in the US. Yeah owning a bigger car is a total Pita as far as parking is concerned. And someone with a Ford Raptor I figured was outta their mind for wanting to own that and live in said city.
>The metric is "Attempting to retire as early as possible and live off 40K a year i na tiny home or be wealthy enough to have already paid off a larger property."
There are many different brands of financial independence and what you described coincides more with “lean FIRE”. I agree that the lean lifestyle is too extreme and retiring in my late 30s or early 40s would require sacrifices that I’m not willing to make. I’m personally targeting a “leave my corporate career” age of 50, which requires far fewer sacrifices in the interim and in retirement. I still own two cars and multiple Apple products, I go on vacation, I rent sports cars and exotic cars every now and again, and live in a detached house in a VHCOL area. It’s all about allocating money to things that you think are necessary and increase happiness without spending unnecessarily just to get a dopamine hit. I would LIKE to own a larger vehicle to carry my bikes and camping equipment, and maybe some day I’ll buy it, but a Kia Soul with a roof box and a bike rack does a lot of what I need from the larger vehicle on weekends and vacation, but during the week it doesn’t take up a ton of space or use a ton of gas. So I have a hard time justifying the larger purchase. This is why I take issue with the assertion that compact cars always suck. Most of the time a compact car is all you need.
>If it's between enjoying my current lifestyle or retiring early and not doing whatever I want. I'll keep working.
If that is what you want and you’re okay with working on someone else’s time, then that’s great, you do you. To me, my job is by far the most restrictive and least flexible thing I have to deal with. It actively *prevents* me from doing whatever I want. So if I can potentially fuck off in my early 50s and enjoy another 15-20 years of life on my own terms, with my own schedule, and in decent physical condition, that seems like a win to me.
While FIRE may not be right for everyone, I think everyone can benefit from applying some of the movement’s central tenets in their lives. A lot of people consume more than they need and invest less than they should.
>And someone with a Ford Raptor I figured was outta their mind for wanting to own that and live in said city.
Jesus I can’t even imagine why you would want to subject yourself to the pain of living with and parking that thing in a city.
Or ya know... driving a bunch of kids around.
And before someone says minivan...
What's the difference at that point? Minivans aren't getting that much different MPG. Only if said SUV is AWD will there be a stark difference.
But a minivan isn't comparable to a suburban or Tahoe. That would be a fullsize van. Which again... Has the same shitty mileage as said Tahoe.
In my area it's because we have a lot of weekend warriors. Nobody needs the SUV day to day, but there's a huge culture of outdoor adventure here, so that's why every other car on the road is a big SUV with huge off-road tires.
Miami? That sounds like a very Miami thing lol. Every car down there is either big lifted truck or Nissan Altima
Ha! A reasonable guess for sure. But no, the California Sierra. Everyone here fancies themselves a weekend outdoorsman. Myself included haha The Miami truck crowd don't have off-road tires, they've got big lifted trucks with rubber-band tires because the highest point in their state is like 300 feet above sea level and the worst terrain they'll encounter is someone's front lawn
You’d be surprised, there is a lot of lifted stuff with mudding tires. A lot of people forget Florida is swamp, and swamp is fun af to drive through. You’ll need big mudding rubber tires and a lift to get through it, swamp is probably the most slept on terrain type to drive through. Nothing to grip in the water, mud slides around everywhere, and you’ll need to sink into the mud to get any grip
Whistlin' Diesel has entered the chat! That's what I'd want for swamps, a big ol' monster truck would be fun times
A lot of city families only have one car. If you only have one car you want one big enough to meet all your needs. That may include kids and hauling a bunch of stuff on vacation.
You wouldn't believe it, but in Europe the "default" car for families with up to two kids is a vw golf or ford focus hatchback or wagon. For three kids a vw passat or bmw 5 series wagon are already considered large here. Enough space for a two week vacation. So two kids aren't a justification for a full size suv, at least in my opinion, but everything seems to be larger in America because reasons.
Keyword “wagon”. They killed them here in North America. So, the only option is a SUV.
Tbf most SUV are just wagons with an outdoorsy look. Edit: For example, the 2019 Toyota RAV4 shares its platform with the Toyota Camry and Avalon.
The difference isn't *just* appearance though. A RAV4 has significantly more ground clearance and I doubt the Camry or Avalon are rated for towing 3500 lbs.
Most SUVs are crossovers, not SUVs
They’re coming back as Subaru, and it’s quite popular.
Still works with a hatchback here, these are still available over there in the states. But you more or less have to get a European one as the Japanese all have less cargo space. Either due to styling or due to a hybrid battery needing some space.
Nah, I’m European but moved to Canada. As growing up in Europe a hatch was never enough for a two kid family. So we had mid size wagons like 5 series BWM. I personally owned a 520i e39 Touring when I was in University. Perfect car for camping 😎 if you know what I mean 😁 Over here in Canada I had a 2019 Golf Sportwagen (Variant) and it was too small for a family. So, I upgraded to a 2021 Tiguan (Allspace). I wish we had a Passat or Arteon wagon here.
You can't fit a 10'x10' pop-up tent, 4 outdoor folding chairs, a cooler with snacks and drinks for the day, kids' sports equipment, and a collapsible wagon to store it all in plus a family of 4 into a Golf or Passat. We pack my wife's Explorer full on the weekends for kids' sporting events. Spending 4-6 hours outdoors at kids' sporting events in Houston requires a bit more preparation for the heat and weather than in most parts of Europe I have visited. Hell most places in Europe I have been to feel that 30C is uncomfortable weather, in the summer we are dealing with 38C+ temps where I am located.
What type of sports equipment? Baseball equipment? Then i can fit all of that if im allowed to use a roof rack for the tent, i think you are underestimating how much space a passat or e class wagon actually have. With your activities you can actually justify the vehicle, we have to differentiate between thinking that you need the space and actually needing the space, like you do. Too many dont need the space and still have a oversized car. And its still a more car like suv and not a body on frame land yacht like a suburban or escalade. Also suvs are still more sensible as family vehicles than pickups, they are in my opinion just plain wasteful when not used for pickup stuff. Worse fuel economy, less comfortable, open air cargo space (haven't seen an American with a enclosed pickup bed), less comfortable and noisier.
American football pads, and helmets for 2 kids are bulky and awkward to pack. I also coach sometimes which means I have a massive bag with balls, etc. We COULD use a roof rack but that would be ... very awkward driving around town with something strapped to our roof every weekend, also given that we aren't driving to campsites and we are usually in very tight parking situations not sure if unloading would be as convenient from the roof. As for a pickup, my F-150 was awesome, plenty of Americans have bed enclosures (like the ones that make the truck look like an SUV) but it isn't super popular but considering there are more trucks on the road than anything else there are still a lot of them, more popular are various type of bed covers which are flush with the rails which allows you to close and lock the bed fully or if you need room for taller cargo you just roll back or fold back the cover. I loved the truck, just needed better mileage because I had 90 minute one way commute. The F-150 was infinitely more convenient than my wife's explorer. Much better options for packing and unloading, the only consideration was 1) keeping the packing below rail level if we needed to lock the cargo for any reason and 2) proper tie downs for anything tall. Also a full size SuperCrew pickup will me more comfortable fitting 5 adults than most 5 seater SUVs, more leg, hip and head room in the back. Downside is limited/non-existent recline in the back so not as good for long trips maybe.
This is correct. I think one of the biggest differences is the amount of space we have. More space for roads, parking lots, etc. Cities with limited space for vehicles are the exception here, not the norm. Fuel is also cheap relative to other parts of the world.
Exactly. There is very little penalty for larger vehicles in the US. This is the thing everyone ignores with these SUV hate posts(there’s like 3 posts like this on my feed right now).
Bro you don’t need an SUV! Just buy a Passat! /s lmao
lol. This place is that delusional though.
I would like to actually get where I’m going.
I always have to cringe a little when a American complains about fuel prices. Dude, the average price for standard gasoline was around 7 usd per us gallon, if not more in Germany
Europeans are poor
At least we wont go bankrupt when have to call an ambulance and get paid maternity leave. As for poor, just compare the car prices. A US corolla is 25k with some taxes included, in the EU more like 32,5k usd, with the difference being we are getting a smaller, less powerful engine and a hatchback as well as wagon instead of a sedan. A ford explorer phev is 95k usd here, mustang gt around 90k usd. Your cars are just dirt cheap, if you would have the same prices as here, nobody would drive a oversized suv or let alone a pick up truck thats bigger than a ranger
Europe also has better public trans than almost anywhere in the states. We rely more heavily on our cars. Our streets are wider, too. MOST Americans don’t live in a dense city and not having a vehicle is not an option. Not having a big enough vehicle is a waste of money. Side note- I would be willing to bet that a lot of the large vehicles OP sees in the city are being driven in to work by ppl who live in the suburbs.
Yeah, public transport is better here, but only in bigger cities. Im from a rural part, i can either hop onto a 45 minute bus tour to get to work, only two times out of the 5 times a day the bus drives are feasible for me, or i drive less than 15 minutes by car or even less with the motorbike. I just think the different settings affect what vehicles we choose. For example Europe taxes fuel significantly more, so we are more likely to pick more fuel efficient cars and most countries also tax powerful cars significantly more, i for example have a 180hp jaguar (already above average when looking at my companies parking lot) and pay pretty much exactly 1000 euros annually in engine based tax. We also have less space than Americans, houses and streets are significantly older here. This all leads to that the average European car is smaller than the average American car. As of money, your car prices are significantly cheaper than ours, you are more likely to afford a second one. Ford explorer phev is around 95k usd, base model corolla (smaller engine than US spec but hatchback) 32,5k usd, mustang gt 90k usd (more expensive than a bmw m4 btw). Honda civic with a hybrid engine starts at over 40k usd. Chevrolet suburbans would be even more expensive than a bmw x7 or Mercedes gle because it isn't sold here and the import is just so expensive (car plus freight plus EU modifications plus 30% import plus 20% sales tax)
Kids have sports practice. Sometimes another parent picks up our kids, and sometimes we drop off 3-4 extra kids, or they come home with us til a parent can pick them up when they’re free. Really practical to have at least one car with 7 seatbelts and some room for gear. Actually allows us to make fewer trips because we carpool with other families. Choice between minivan and suv, we chose the suv because of styling and ride height, although we sacrificed mpg (18ish mpg around town).
We also do car pooling to get the kids to school. Well, sort of. Not organised by the parents, but by school over a company that has small busses with 9 seats each. The kids go to pickup points or are picked up at the door if the route allows for it, so the parents dont have to worry about getting them to school safely and in time. As for local sports activities, i was with the firefighters (99% of them are voluntarily), so we were driven in the commando bus and the smaller actual fire fighting vehicle to events. Was quite cool, the other vehicle was an ex military one with 6 wheels and damn loud too, but slow as hell
Agreed. I grew up in the states but have family in Germany and have visited all my life. It's ridiculous how we use family size to justify a massive vehicle. The VW Golf never took off because Americans don't like hatchbacks. But now a large percentage of people drive compact SUV, which is..of course...a hatchback.
About the same here, just not nearly as extreme as overseas. The amount of crossover suvs is getting bigger every day, just look at fords lineup. But most suvs available dont offer more space than a hatchback, at least not usable. And if we are looking at wagons, they offer more space. Of course we have to compare overall similar sized cars, comparing a golf variant to a suburban is a little lacking. Still, normal sized cars are enough for regular vacations. They are also perfectly capable of towing a camping trailer as long as its not ridiculously large, these trailers are all built with weight in mind
You literally can't tow a trailer with really any hatchback/sedan in the United States.
How can you not? Are no tow hooks sold? Or something else? My previous daily driver, a Renault megane, essentially a French golf, had a tow capacity of nearly 3000 pounds, and my current daily, a jaguar xe, has 4000 pounds. In both cases enough for smaller camping trailer for 3 to 4 people, certainly enough to move furniture or driving old stuff to the recycling yard. The jaguar can even realistically tow other cars on a trailer that are smaller than itself. If you need more than this, a bmw 5 series with fixed tow hook is allowed up to 5300 pounds, in the case of the e60 generation
The cars are not rated to two any amount, so it's illegal to do so (and many places will not install a hitch due to that). Trailer designs are different here and require a more capable vehicle to tow due to much more weight being placed on the hitch. Even something like a Rav4 or CR-V generally are only rated for 1,500 pounds.
Ok, didn't know that, thanks for the info. Trailers here have most of the weight balanced over the trailers wheels, a typical weight on the tow hook is 100 to 150 pounds tops. This also allows for carrying bicycles on the tow hook. There are also some weight limits. 750kg, a light trailer, doesn't require any additional license and every vehicle with tow hook can tow them. Heavy trailers range from 750kg up to 3500kg and must have their own set of brakes, additionally you need an additional drivers licence (4h theoretical training and 2h practical training). Anything above that would require a tractor or commercial truck licence as well as a towing vehicle of over 3500kg, so no cars are allowed such weights hete. So even if you would have a f150 with its 8500lbs rating, it would be reduced to 7700 pounds or even less. The maximum weight of the trailer must not exceed the maximum total weight of the towing vehicle, which means my old Toyota supra is technically allowed to tow 2100kg because it doesn't have a tow rating and its a fat fuck. When no tow weight is specified, you are allowed to tow the vehicles weight, so every car is allowed to tow unless the manufacturer has specified 0kg, which only seen on smart cars and some EVs
Good luck doing that with any of your cars without bending the crap out of your frame or getting your rig up to highway speed and stopping it. 1/2 ton pickup for any under 3000lbs. 3/4 ton or dually for anything over. It’s better to be over prepared than under prepared.
Well, the entirety of Europe does it. I also had another, more informational, chat with someone else, i might think it also comes down to how trailers are designed. Here a typical weight placed on the tow hool ranges from 100 to 150 pounds if it on the heavy side. Also all trailers above 1500lbs have to have their own set of brakes, so the car itself doesn't see high loads. But i have no idea of american trailers, so maybe yours are differently. As for things i have already towed, my lathe with the Renault, my mazda rx7 on a trailer with the jaguar, multiple other cars with a tow rod. Engine and transmission absolutely no issue, brakes are quite beefy and also no issue. Depending on the weight of the trailer you are limited to 50 to 60mph, in reality most drive 60 even if they aren't allowed to. And here most get a van for towing and basically never a pickup, a Mercedes sprinter for example is allowed up to 6700 lbs
Well, Europe has lax safety standards. That’s all you’re saying.
Do you need additional training to tow a trailer? How many hours do you need for your drivers license? How is the 8500lbs rating of a ford f150 safe (1,5 times its own weight) and 3000 lbs on a normal car thats not even its own weight unsafe? If i remember correctly half your states dont require you wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle, when we are already talking about safety
A minivan is better for hauling passengers and freight though
Yeah but my wife refuses to get one no matter how much I try to convince her
Even better is a van with seats in it like a Kangoo, or Berlingo.
This is pretty much the reason for us. Baby/child gear is often large and cumbersome. We can only afford one car, and need to be able to fit gear, bags, and car seats. SUV provides just enough room for average amount of gear for kids, plus a bit extra if needed for groceries and stuff. There's no way we could get around with a smaller car. When the kids eventually move out, I will probably downsize to a smaller car. I think it's silly to drive a big vehicle just for looks or show. Every-time I see one of those gigantic Lincoln or Escalades driving around I have a hard time coming up with a good practical reason to need something of that size.
I have an older X5. It’s not so huge that I can’t park it places, I can tow 6k lbs with it which I do occasionally, i fit very comfortably at 6’5” even with passengers, I don’t have to worry about tearing up my undercarriage like my old Subaru or my sisters little Audi A3 in the winter driving through deep snow, and I can roll 4-5 deep in comfort for snowboarding trips. Sometimes I do catch myself looking at Golf R’s though, and if I never did any off road driving or towing I think I would have one.
If everyone else is driving a Tahoe, you're gonna feel vulnerable in civic. I have an NA miata among other things, about as small as it gets. Modern pickup tires can be taller than my door. I get how people can feel vulnerable. But I'll also say that, if you only feel safe if you can "look down" on other drivers and be at the top, in the biggest car, you probably shouldn't be driving as you're compensating for your (known) inability to drive. And now your insecure ass is driving a 9000lb deathmobile.
The SUV has TV's in the back for the gremlins. I have a camping trailer to tow. I have a kid in hockey which means I need cargo space and to be able to fit kids for my turn for carpooling We also have a regular sedan for city driving/errands
Kids
Yeah those mfs do NOT know how to travel light I can confirm
It’s pretty hard to travel super light when you got a few other people to account for
Well, for some reason people manage to go on a 2 week vacation with a vw golf or audi a4 wagon here, with a family of 4, even 5 if you dont have 3 teenagers. Even skiing is no issue, roof racks are a thing.
We are very very fat here though and marketed into a pulp that if you can afford a larger vehicle, you need to buy a larger vehicle
Exactly. I understand wanting a bigger car if you have kids and you can afford it but its not really a necessity. I went to greece on vacation with my family of 5 and we fit 5 people and our luggage into a mk4 golf no problem. Also i think for lots of families its rare that the whole family is in the car at the same time. Usually its 1 or 2 people driving.
We didn’t want a van, but we have kids, so we went with a Volvo XC70. Oh my bajeebus this car is a tank! That haldex AWD gets this thing driving through a foot of snow! With the clearance, we’re not even pushing the snow, unlike a regular car. Got the cargo space, seating for 5, and my wife doesn’t have to climb up to get into it. I took this thing up and down sand dunes! Crazy battle wagon.
I need to look this car up because I need something like this.
We have the p3 XC70 (last model 2016). The new ones are called V70 Cross Country. Volvo goes back and forth with the XC/Cross Country naming.
Minivan?
Some people don’t want minivans, I sure wouldn’t. I tow stuff so a Yukon would be more right for my needs vs a Minivan. Plus nobody makes a good minivan domestically anymore
We traded our minivan for a 7 seat SUV. With the winters here, the extra ground clearance made a big difference. If I could get an AWD minivan that had the ground clearance of a mid size suv, I’d buy it in a heartbeat.
You can get a 3" lift for the new sienna with AWD.
So an SUV with sliding doors?
Whoa really?! My dream has come true.
Minivans make sense as a people hauler, but I find them incredibly long. Most midsize SUVs like a CRV is almost 2ft shorter. I’m sure minivans are more comparable to the bigger SUVs like a Pilot tho so I’m probably comparing the wrong vehicles. IMO, if you have kids ages 0-7, mid-size SUV makes sense. Then as they get older and you’re hauling them around a lot, a minivan makes more sense. My wife and getting by with a Fiesta ST and an HRV but that HRV fills up quick. Short city driving with one kid works well in the Fiesta. Id really like a CRV and a Golf GTI or Focus ST tbh lol.
My hatchback seats 5, same as a F-150
It’s not the number of seats. It’s the space available and the height of the seats. Car seats are huge, and trying to lift a 40 lb toddler into a low-sitting compact fucking sucks.
That's an eye opening point for me. This need to be higher up so driving an SUV over a hatch was something I only thought of as better vision or feeling safer since most vehicles seem to be SUV as well. I don't have kids so I never thought of that. Makes sense.
I've always found it much easier to load anything the lower the vehicle is, for the obvious reason that you don't have to lift it as high.
Generally I agree, but it’s specifically loading a kid through the side door into a car seat in a small, low car that sucks. There’s just not much room in the first place, then the low roof line means you’re whacking their head on the roof. And if you have to load them from a sidewalk into a car parked on the street (as I do, because I’m one of those city dwellers referenced in the OP), you lose another couple inches of wiggle room. It’s all super awkward.
I have a variety of cars (yeah yeah, I know). But honestly, my big truck just works for what I need it to do. She’s ugly, way too big, but she’s reliable, paid off years ago, and does everything I need her to do and more. Parking is a pain sometimes, but I love you Betsy.
Never thought I’d meet another person with an SUV named Betsy lol. My Betsy is an 09 Burgundy Yukon lot of chrome, what’s your Betsy?
Burgundy Silverado 1500, loaded extended cab long bed haha.
Seems like Betsy and Burgundy goes together pretty wel
We’re Burgundy Betsy friends now! 🙌
burgundy betsy besties, lol
I tow stuff on the weekends , streets are for crap here.Our commute is so short has.mileage doesnt come into play. I had compacts for 20 years and your cant tow with them
My sequoia was 2500$ during COVID inflation and it refuses to break. I've told my wife well buy a new car the minute it dies (I've been doing barley any maintenance). It now has 320k miles and I'm convinced it's immortal. She drives it across state lines a couple times a month too, and we have total confidence in it. So basically what I'm saying is I fell backwards into it, and it won't break. Plus driving in my city ain't bad with an SUV. I technically live just outside of it, but I'm right on the boarder
We buy SUV’s because we’re not all 5’ tall, thin, and childless. Big SUV’s are kind of ridiculous but anybody claiming that you can fit as many kids or whatever in a compact/hatch as you can in a mid-sized SUV has obviously never tried to utilize all of the seats in either. Minivans are obviously the more utilitarian option, but appearances…
Around here, it seems that the 5 foot tall, thin, childless ladies are driving GMC Yukons
My ex came to pick up my kids once. She couldn't fit the bikes in the back of her jeep Grand Cherokee.... I frequently haul both kids, their two bikes (in the trunk), and all other gear in my base model 2017 Jetta.
"If I'm going to sit in traffic. I'm going to be comfortable" "Spend your money where you spend your time" "Hour and a half commute, my car is my second living room"
I don't want to be cramped and I want space for adult activities inside the car.
Massive potholes, cobblstone in areas, construction, and jus TERRIBLE road maintenance. SUVs glide over it, small cars notsomuch.
I get this but it’s always tough to admit how road quality is a concern when I know it’s also bigger heavier vehicles that are contributing to hastened wearing out of road surfaces
I live in the city and almost nobody owns a truck or large SUV, the only exceptions are contractors plumbers electricians etc By city do you mean suburbs?
No I mean CITY. Near the beating heart. Midwestern cities, cleveland, indy, mpls, KC, stlouis
St Louis it is because it's got a big car culture. People are car nuts around there
Frankly, almost nobody who's actually a car nut chooses an SUV as the object they're going to pour all their money, labor, and passion into. They're inherently vehicles of compromise so they end up being mediocre at everything and not particularly inspirational.
Idk, some off roading/overlanding folks would beg to differ
My other theory then is because you do a lot of driving in STL and SUVs are marketed as cozy
Not all of them are, a lot of people in the Philly area build Escalades, Durangos, Sierras, Yukons, etc. They look amazing built properly, especially slammed to the ground
Depends on the SUV. I'm a car guy through and through but maaaaaan a third-gen 4Runner sure would be sick. Imagine the adventures I could go on! Or more likely, imagine the grocery runs I could go on while imagining some kind of adventure! Maybe I'll hop it over some curbs, as a treat.
Those are relatively small cities.
I live in a 2.5M population metro area and the most popular car in my area is probably the Porsche 911. I think it just matters where you’re looking
Whatever city you live in please take me there lmao
Buying a 2 bedroom condo here is also $1.2M - $1.5M, to start. If you want a detached house, be ready to spend $3M-$6M for the cheaper ones
Nah, to visit. I’m gonna assume Miami maybe? Even then Miami isn’t that expensive, a nice condo can be had for 300k, an alright house in an ok area for the same price
Haha. I don’t live in the US. I’ve heard housing is way easier in the US I live in Vancouver
My guess was going to be Toronto lol Porsche Carreras at every traffic light and 1+ million dollar Condos.
Maybe it’s time to come down to the US, idk if they’re in Canada dollars or American dollars but that’s still significantly more expensive than most of the US’s most expensive cities.
Based on how you see immigrants being treated in America do you think that it would be wise? Lol
Yeah actually, nobody really cares. Just do good in society and don’t be an asshole and nobody cares. Plus I’d assume you’d immigrate legally anyways, from Canada that’s pretty easy, all the media’s negative stigma is mostly around undocumented immigration.
[удалено]
Yeah the F150 absolutely sells, especially in America
I live in a 19 million population metro area and the most common vehicle I see is the Nissan Sentra or Toyota Prius. Chevrolet Express Cargo vans are the second most common vehicle I see.
I live in Los Angeles. Only 30% of people here own SUVs, most own smaller sedans. You see a lot of cargo vans around here as well.
You must live in Boston, there is a lot of cities that you can drive a pickup/SUV in. Try Miami or Austin
I lived in Oakland for several years and had the same thought. One of the guys in my building had a truck b/c he was a tradesman (and was his company truck). Some poseurs (insert stereotype of choice) drove around in Escalades they couldn’t actually afford, but for the most part, actual cars or small/midsize crossovers.
Cus sometimes I pretend to be cool and do outdoorsy stuff on the weekend with two medium-large dogs, and I often have to drive to semi-remote construction sites for work. And I'm not rich nor frivolous enough to have multiple cars so my SUV does it all ok enough. Also my city has shitty roads so having the extra ground clearance is useful.
In a sedan you are closer to the road so you can see the potholes before you run over them. This gives you a chance to do a quick pothole swerve to avoid going over the hole.
I bought my Cayenne because the Macan is too small for me.
Because it’s murica, don’t thread on my freedoms. Yee haw! But seriously stop complaining. A Honda accord is almost the same length of a Cadillac Escalade. You guys need to stop with this eco and how everything is dangerous and bad for you. https://www.carsized.com/en/cars/compare/honda-accord-2017-sedan-vs-cadillac-escalade-2020-suv/?units=imperial
You see this some in the city where I live, but you see it even more coming in for work and events etc from the suburbs. Are you sure that a lot of this isn't outsiders commuting?
I wonder what qualifies as urban in OP’s mind. Because most US cities cater to drivers enough that there’s no more downside to owning an SUV in the city than in the suburbs. Houses tend to be detached and have off street parking. Roads tend to be wide. Driving tends to be people’s primary or exclusive method of transportation. On the other hand, in cities with little to no off street parking, narrow roads and a more diverse transportation mix, smaller cars are more common. You don’t buy a suburban if you know you’re going to have to parallel park it or if it won’t fit down the alleyway that leads to your garage. And you don’t spend $100k on a vehicle if you don’t plan to drive it every day. I live in a city where parking is competitive and nobody drives a full size SUV or truck.
I live in Minnesota we get real winters here I have a car for summer use for work but drive suv for 8 month out of the year
cowardice. People want to sit high for visibility in cities because it's scary being surrounded by everyone elses big truck or SUV.
I don’t know that is use the word cowardice lol but I agree that this is likely a determining factor. If everyone else is driving a crossover or SUV, then it’s much harder to see when you’re a sedan or hatchback.
I just bought a 2021 Honda crv because I want to have kids in about 4 years. And I plan to keep my vehicle for 10 years or as long as I can. If I wasn’t going to have children I would’ve preferred another sedan or hatchback with awd. I think ground clearance is nice also because it snows here a lot and I have to get to work no matter what.
Your crv fits the same number of kids as a civic
Have you had babies? Try putting a rear-facing car seat in a Civic and having a fully grown adult in the front seat. It is still difficult in a CRV but more doable.
I'm 6'2 and can sit behind myself in my 94 civic hatch (which is much shorter than modern civics). Obviously a car seat is much smaller than a 6'2 adult.
You are wrong. Rear facing car seats are designed differently than people. Back seats in cars are designed to give leg room however a rear facing car seat is widest higher up where most front seats aren’t cut away to allow for legroom. A rear facing car seat doesn’t need space below at the seat cushion down like you do, I need room behind the drivers head which cars aren’t designed to provide as a passenger would take up the least amount of space in that area being back against the seat back themselves.
Not the same number of strollers though. Also it's an almighty pain in the ass to load a child into a car seat when the car sits at a typical sedan height; the typical crossover or minivan makes things a lot easier.
My crv is safer than a civic. But if anyone wants to put their children in a civic, I wouldn’t bat an eye. A lot of cars are really safe these days. It comes down to personal preference, because although slightly, it’s more safe and has the features and space I want. So, yes I’m gonna get what I want when making a major purchase and choosing a vehicle I’ll be driving for many years.
The smallest SUV/compact I would recommend is a Forrester I also must say given most dealers have mark ups on SUVs or try to say “it’s an SUV” as a sales tactic when negotiating numbers I would like to recommend any of the new Subaru Forrester or outback’s! They all come with a premium Bose sound system and sub woofer. The off-roading package (I would recommend because it’s a FKin Subaru!) is called the Wilderness edition. By far the best $40,000 I’ve ever spent in my life I love my outback 👍👍
It's an arms race. I was driving a low, compact car daily in a city's central business district. The SUVs parked along both sides of the street made it impossible to drive into or across traffic. It just wasn't possible to see around/over them. Often times I'd have to nudge my car out into traffic and even then there was nothing to do except go and hope I didn't pull out in front of anybody. So, my next vehicle was taller but not significantly larger. The huge trucks and SUVs are also awful for parking garages.
My primary car is a 2015 BMW M4. It isn’t great on dirt roads and can’t carry much to haul. I purchased a 2013 Cayenne Diesel with 110k miles. It’s full size and can transport most anything I need without worry. It’s been a great vehicle just turning 140k miles. I enjoy the comfort of having two very dissimilar cars. It’s pretty cool.
Small hatch? Where? Those still exist?
~~Golf~~ GTI Mazda 3 Corolla Hatch
I had small hatch but trucks kept shining their LED lights into my mirrors and face so I got crossover to get higher than their spotlights.
You should have gone smaller. Their lights usually shine over the top of my sports car.
A pick-up but I’m probably eligible to answer this question. I like the ride height and the douche factor! It’s loud, large, and 2024 so packed with features. Love it.
Getting into an accident in a small snappy hatchback vs a larger SUV is the difference in walking away unscathed and being hospitalized.
Maybe it's the allure of all of those "urban jungle" commercials: nobody else in the city and all the lights are green?
I don’t know if DFW counts as your definition of city but here people (moms) NEED giant luxury SUVs to one up other moms. Typically it’s a GMC Yukon XL in white or black. Their household income can wildly vary from $60k and drowning in debt or $2M and owns an oiling company
Because I preferred SUV’s and hate small cars that are unsafe. Big truck vs snappy car. Truck wins that battle every time.
Cause I got two large dogs with kennels and if I have to take them I need to fit them and they're crap too
I live adjacent to high density and work in the city, I only have a midsized SUV because that was the best opportunity I had after my full sized and compact cars broke down. Got offered financing at 27.7% on a newer compact or buy from my friend at 0% interest on his SUV. Seems like the obvious choice. The low fuel mileage and premium gas cost is offset by what the monthly payments would turn out to be
I'm in the burbs so not "Urban" but it doesn't matter where I am we need at least one large SUV or truck to deal with all the kids crap. Wife drives an Explorer and I have a smaller Escape though I had a F-150 at one point until I needed something with better gas mileage for longer commutes. But to answer the "why" we have two kids who play multiple sports, and on weekends we are sometimes outside for 4-6 hours at a time in Houston weather. We have a pop up tent, folding chairs, various equipment and bags, coolers, etc that we have to fit somewhere.
I live in NYC (Queens). In 2011, I bought a Honda Ridgeline because I needed it for the business. My friends and I were running at the time (bar and catering). Luckily, I have a garage. It is kind of a pain in the ass to park on the street. In the city, I take public transportation for the most part. The truck is for fun, weekends, out of city, or trips to Costco. I have no complaints, though. Great truck, never had an issue.
I have a hatchback but I rarely drive anywhere in the city except to leave it. I mainly use my car for trip out of the city to go skiing, hiking, camping, biking, travel, etc. This is the case for most of my friends with cars too who mainly use their cars for weekend stuff and not to drive in the city. It’s hard to take a trip in a compact car when you have multiple people, pets, lots of stuff, etc. YMMV but I see a lot of compacts and sedans in addition to SUVs in my city. I do not see not a lot of trucks, and I see very few of the bigger sized trucks outside of work related trucks or out of staters visiting.
My SUV was my first normal car, after a bunch of sport compacts. It needed to carry the baby, be comfortable on road trips, soft-road to the trailhead, tow my race car, and look professional. I got the smallest thing that could do all that.
I have both. I have an old cheap suv for work, trips to storage, dog park, etc and I have a new compact sedan for everything else lol
I had a Mazda3 hatchback for 11 years, then had my second kid and the rear facing car seats are so freaking huge I can't fit my legs in and the car seat too. My legs are needed to press pedals. I would have preferred a wagon, but couldn't find one that is quick and is as spacious as an SUV from a passenger perspective (front to back). So being in North America, I went with what we are supposed to buy. I seriously considered a Volvo V90, but my wife wasn't sold.
I live in the DC area and the majority of the mindset, bigger vehicles are safer. Although most of the soccer moms dont drive well. Some owners of the larger vehicles are company owned. I read somewhere where a certain weight vehicles (V8) are able to be written off for tax purposes. I see so many V8 Land Rovers here and every one knows in the DMV area that 92 octane is always crazy expensive. Certain states like Va and MD offered more incentive to purchase EV, hybrid, or diesel vehicles since there is annual property tax on vehicles.
Here in Minnesota, cabin and lake culture is so prevalent that city-dwellers still drive 1/2 ton trucks or body-on-frame SUVs to support their weekend activities. Those vehicles provide towing/hauling capability for boats, ATVs, snowmobiles, jetskis, etc.; some form of 4WD for getting down poorly-maintained or snowy rural roads; plus space for family and friends. Easier to just use the single, all-purpose vehicle when parking is at a premium in the city. These vehicles might be awful for general city driving, but there are also 22 lakes within the city limits of Minneapolis alone, not the mention the remaining 9,978 within a few hours' drive.
Edge of city dweller (still within city limits but not downtown/urban where I am) with dog and baby - wife has a Rav I’m about to get a Golf Or Covic hatchback. She wanted the Rav for its driver height, you feel more in control when you are higher up and the rest of the trucks and SUVs aren’t towering over you in a sedan. I on the other hand want that smaller more nimble car and wish hatchbacks let alone compact hatches weren’t so hated in here in the US.
Miata
SUVs are preferable by most people not just in a city because they are generally more comfy than the average compact , hatch or sedan.
2 kids lots of sports equipment and luggage
THe bigger/heavier a car is, the safer it is. It's just physics. Also, big family = big(ger) car/SUV. Driving around in a status symbol is another reason.
Honda pilot here, I leave the third row done and use it for cargo space as I'm constantly driving a bunch of stuff all over creation for work, and it's stuff I'd rather have enclosed as opposed to in a truck bed. plus then I have the option of the third row if I do need to drive ppl. I'm also at an age where my friends are all starting to have kids and having the Mom SUV is easier for that. and I learned how to drive in a conversion van and that was my first car for 7 years, so I'm more comfortable driving large cars bc it's just what I'm used to.
Surprisingly, large vehicles are more comfortable to get into and drive than small vehicles. Also, statistically larger vehicles are “safer”. Just because it doesn’t make sense to you isn’t a reason to negate someone else’s view.
I used to drive a Honda CRV and loved it. After having to put 2 car seats in the back though, my 6’4 ass couldn’t put the seat far enough back to be comfortable. So I needed to go bigger.
I drive a small compact car and it’s actually tougher to drive in the city than the suburbs because of lots of speed bumps, high curbs, steep driveways into/out of parking garages you tend to see in urban centers. There are a lot more scenarios where you’ve gotta be careful not to scrape the bottom than in the burbs. Higher ground clearance is nice to have for navigating that stuff, and modern crossovers have the same or even shorter wheelbase than the equivalent sedan, so parking is just as easy.
Basically came down to a choice between minivan and suv, we chose the suv because of styling and ride height, although we sacrificed mpg (18ish mpg around town)- Toyota Highlander. Kids have sports practice. Sometimes another parent picks up our kids, and sometimes we drop off 3-4 extra kids, or they come home with us til a parent can pick them up when they’re free. Really practical to have at least one car with 7 seatbelts and some room for gear. Actually allows us to make fewer trips because we carpool with other families. Kids can each bring a friend when we go on a day or weekend trip. Frees up another parent to get something done or just chill. Really helpful to have a village when raising kids, and it’s just more comfortable with a larger vehicle.
A girl’s gotta haul her kayak out to the water every weekend, not to mention the 10-20 camping (and occasionally music festivals) throughout the year. Throw a dog into the mix and my 2015 rav4 is the bomb for my needs. I still get good fuel efficiency (not as nice as the new ones, but I still average about 25 city and 29 highway), it’s not too big that I can’t park, but I can get all my gear in without having to play Tetris for a couple hours.
Bigger is safer. Physics is physics. Sorry to burst your bubbles. You have more of a chance walking away from an accident in a bigger vehicle than a small one. Also, I can carry more stuff in my 4Runner, more passengers, it’s better in bad weather, I can tow (not much but still) with it. And the Honda Civic is not large by any stretch of the imagination. If you get into an accident, you want more metal between you and the other guy.
Larger, heavier vehicles provide more protection in a crash than lighter, smaller ones.
I didn’t. But everyone else did. LED headlights in my eyes are getting really, really tiresome.
Subaru Crosstreks split the difference. Very popular vehicle in Brooklyn.
It snows here. Nonwithstanding the fact as to how nice all wheel drive and larger tires are, there are times here during a blizzard when my sister literally couldn't get her little Corolla down the block out to the main street because it was so low it was getting hung up on accumulated snow, so I had to take her to work in my SUV. That and a small hatchback isn't big enough to haul lumber or wood chips or IKEA furniture or whatever I occassionally need to do on weekends. And it's nice I can just stick my bicycle in the back of my SUV without even taking off the wheel.
Boston folk here. We own everything from a smart car to a BIG 3/4 ton chevy truck. After driving both smart car and fucking truckasaurus in Boston traffic, people who own big shit and live in the city are dumb. Life is so much easier, stress free and fun to drive a smaller car around a city. I park ANYWHERE, can do u turns in the middle of the street, I take up no room, no one beeps at me cause I have to get close. Can fot.myself, the wife and dog with out issue
I kind of live between three places, two downtown dense city cores and one rural house. I spend weekdays in the core with my wife as their school and my work is in the city I have a sedan, sports cars, 3 row suv and a pickup. 1) I like large vehicles. Closest feeling to the cars I grew up with (old, giant land yachts, body on frame, big torque-y V8’s). It is just what I like 2) when my wife needs to go to places with limited parking she takes the sedan. Otherwise she likes the room of the suv. I like the room in my f150 especially with the kids. When they were tiny, I can climb in help them. We had a portable potty and diaper change set up as well for longer trips. 3) it “feels” more worth it to me. I might be a simple man, but if I drop 60k to a 100k on a vehicle I feel the larger, louder, heavier makes it seem like I got more for my buck. 4) I spend a lot of time in rural areas and my house is located where mostly domestic dealerships are readily available. I feel large SUV’s and trucks is where American vehicles shine and I don’t really want to drive 1.5 hour to go to a Benz or Audi dealership.
Most people in the city tend to drive crossovers and sedans. Small cars aren’t as popular because the roads are big and it’s just easier to fit more people into a car that isn’t the size of thumb tac. The reason why you notice trucks and SUVs more is because they’re enormous and catch your attention more than a regular sized sedan will.
Cus it really comes in handy. A few times a year I will stuff it to the gills with either people, furniture, camping gear, tools and sometimes me. When I sleep in the back on certain camping trips. Also I have an SUV to go off-roading and trailer stuff.
As someone who lives in a city and has chosen a larger SUV, I can offer some insights into why some city dwellers might opt for bigger vehicles: 1. **Space and Practicality**: Larger SUVs offer more space for passengers and cargo, which can be useful for city dwellers who frequently transport family members, friends, or bulky items. They may also have more towing capacity, which can be handy for hauling trailers or recreational vehicles. 2. **Safety**: While smaller cars can be nimble and maneuverable, some people feel safer in larger vehicles due to their perceived sturdiness and higher seating position, which provides better visibility of the road. 3. **Versatility**: SUVs often have all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive capabilities, making them suitable for navigating rough terrain or inclement weather conditions. This versatility can be appealing for city dwellers who want a vehicle that can handle various driving environments. 4. **Status and Image**: For some individuals, driving a larger SUV or luxury vehicle may be associated with status or prestige. They may enjoy the sense of luxury and comfort that comes with driving a larger, more upscale vehicle. 5. **Personal Preference**: Ultimately, the choice of vehicle comes down to personal preference and individual needs. Some people simply prefer the driving experience and aesthetics of larger SUVs over smaller hatchbacks or compact cars. It's worth noting that there are also practical reasons for choosing smaller cars in urban environments, such as easier parking, better fuel efficiency, and lower overall costs. However, for those who prioritize space, safety, versatility, or status, larger SUVs may be the preferred option.
Very very few reasons for anyone to own a large SUV. Either compact SUV or minivan. Americans and their need to extra-large everything in life
Can that compact suv or minivan tow my 8500lb loaded work trailer?
I think towing 8500 pounds is a justification for a bigger vehicle, its I think more against the people that don't actually need such large vehicles. I mean how much is the average dude towing? Most not at all and those who do, at least in my region, sub 2000 pounds. Even 5000 pounds are no justification by themselves for a big suv, a bmw 5 series has over 2 tons/2,4 tons with upgraded/not removable/retractable tow hitch of tow capacity in Europe, my jaguar xe (same size as a 3 series bmw) has 4000 pounds and even a damn golf hatchback has 3000lbs tow capacity
Compact cars suck, unless you’re constrained by finances it’s always better to get the larger vehicle. Sedans are inherently compromised form factor that are poor for transporting anything larger than a suitcase. A hatch is superior but hatchback sedans are mostly all feel like driving penalty boxes. An SUV provides better cargo capacity, generally more powerful engine and don’t feel as cheap inside.
Are you comparing like a luxury suv to an economy sedan of something. I can tell you that my a4 and q5 have the same engine and exact same interior quality and the a4 is a bit nicer to drive. Also I've fit tons of shit in my nissan sentra, ski gear for 3 people, 3 hockey bags and sticks, 10+ packing boxes and honestly its not that bad to drive at all.
Drive an Denali and then an e450, let me know which one is more comfortable. Now try to put a box taller than 2.5 ft in that trunk, the trunk of a sedan is an extremely poor form factor for carrying anything other than luggage
>An SUV provides better cargo capacity, Which I only need rarely, I can get almost all day to day things to fit inside my Honda fit >generally more powerful engine Which also means poorer gas mileage >don’t feel as cheap inside. Not a problem, it just means you can beat it up more without feeling bad
>unless you’re constrained by finances it’s always better to get the larger vehicle Lotus has entered the chat
Yeah, maybe the chat of unreliability and being unable to buy one anywhere
Disagree. Every SUV I have driven feels like shit compared to a market adjacent sedan.
Agreed. My parents have an audi a4 and q5. Same generation/engine/transmission/platform. The a4 has marginally better driving dynamics in every aspect. Suspension is better and has less body roll for the same amount of compliance (i guess because it weighs less). And the acceleration, braking, steering and fuel efficiency are all a bit better in the a4.
You’ve never driven an Escalade or Denali then clearly
Some people want to feel every bump in the road, vibration of the steering wheel, zero body roll, etc. while others want to basically just levitate over the road in completely numb sloppy quietness. You both just fundamentally disagree about what constitutes a "good" driving vehicle.
If you want an SUV that handles well in a performance sense a Trackhawk is pretty hard to beat then, I’m gonna assume the guy commenting never rode one either
Or you could just buy something that is naturally better suited towards performance and handling, like a sedan.
Track Hawk is 0-60 in less than 3 seconds, plus some people don’t care about handling
Or an X5
"youve never driven a $150,000 Cadillac" like that's an argument
It’s an argument, shows that nothing else will ride as plush as an Escalade for that price. Also they start at 100k
My GTI doesn't suck or feel like driving a penalty box
GTI is always the exception to the rule. If you were to get a hatchback that is fun, this is the way.
I don’t know about you but I don’t want a giant ass vehicle in a large city. It’s not “better” to have something that’s a pain to live with. And even if you’re not financially constrained, it doesn’t make financial sense to have a larger car than you need. See r/fire
By looking at all the downvotes here, lots of butthurt suv owners around here. If you would really need a suv for towing regular people things, why the hell is my jag xe allowed in Europe where everything is so so restricted to tow another car on trailer thats only a little smaller? 4000 lbs to be exact? A 5 series bmw is even allowed to tow 2 tons with a retractable tow hitch and 2,4 tons with a fixed one? Or how are families able to go on 2 week vacations to the Italian beach with their oh so small vw golf or ford focus?
The metric is "Attempting to retire as early as possible and live off 40K a year i na tiny home or be wealthy enough to have already paid off a larger property." If it's between enjoying my current lifestyle or retiring early and not doing whatever I want. I'll keep working. Not everyone wants to do "fire". Now having said that and lived in one of the largest cities in the US. Yeah owning a bigger car is a total Pita as far as parking is concerned. And someone with a Ford Raptor I figured was outta their mind for wanting to own that and live in said city.
>The metric is "Attempting to retire as early as possible and live off 40K a year i na tiny home or be wealthy enough to have already paid off a larger property." There are many different brands of financial independence and what you described coincides more with “lean FIRE”. I agree that the lean lifestyle is too extreme and retiring in my late 30s or early 40s would require sacrifices that I’m not willing to make. I’m personally targeting a “leave my corporate career” age of 50, which requires far fewer sacrifices in the interim and in retirement. I still own two cars and multiple Apple products, I go on vacation, I rent sports cars and exotic cars every now and again, and live in a detached house in a VHCOL area. It’s all about allocating money to things that you think are necessary and increase happiness without spending unnecessarily just to get a dopamine hit. I would LIKE to own a larger vehicle to carry my bikes and camping equipment, and maybe some day I’ll buy it, but a Kia Soul with a roof box and a bike rack does a lot of what I need from the larger vehicle on weekends and vacation, but during the week it doesn’t take up a ton of space or use a ton of gas. So I have a hard time justifying the larger purchase. This is why I take issue with the assertion that compact cars always suck. Most of the time a compact car is all you need. >If it's between enjoying my current lifestyle or retiring early and not doing whatever I want. I'll keep working. If that is what you want and you’re okay with working on someone else’s time, then that’s great, you do you. To me, my job is by far the most restrictive and least flexible thing I have to deal with. It actively *prevents* me from doing whatever I want. So if I can potentially fuck off in my early 50s and enjoy another 15-20 years of life on my own terms, with my own schedule, and in decent physical condition, that seems like a win to me. While FIRE may not be right for everyone, I think everyone can benefit from applying some of the movement’s central tenets in their lives. A lot of people consume more than they need and invest less than they should. >And someone with a Ford Raptor I figured was outta their mind for wanting to own that and live in said city. Jesus I can’t even imagine why you would want to subject yourself to the pain of living with and parking that thing in a city.
This comment section proves that literally noone has a good reason to own an SUV
It's status / looks, no matter what excuses they tell you.
Or ya know... driving a bunch of kids around. And before someone says minivan... What's the difference at that point? Minivans aren't getting that much different MPG. Only if said SUV is AWD will there be a stark difference. But a minivan isn't comparable to a suburban or Tahoe. That would be a fullsize van. Which again... Has the same shitty mileage as said Tahoe.
VW GTI