It’s not really though is it, not what I’ve found when I drove a Q7 but then again I’ve driven larger vehicles since I was 18 on a daily bases.

You’re so awesome I couldn’t find a You’re Awesome image to fit your awesomeness.

It’s Ok I have a T-Shirt.

Whilst looking for a suitable t-shirt to use as further ridicule I stumbled across this and was put off my stride…

Anyway, as you were with the car stuff…

Pandering to the ‘merkins?

I don’t think so. Mid size trucks wont sell in the US unless they see a *huge* increase in gas prices again. Not even Ford have brought back the Ranger yet as all mid size truck sales hit Toyota’s Tacoma and any domestic hold outs the Colorado/Canyon.
Trucks are completely impractical for family life as it is, no right minded Mercedes soccer mom is going to want truck bed impracticality when they lap up their SUV’s

It’s not really though is it, not what I’ve found when I drove a Q7 but then again I’ve driven larger vehicles since I was 18 on a daily bases.

All relative, innit.
A good mate of mine spent quite a few years driving car transporters, so what?
Thing is, up until twelve months ago, since passing my test in 1976, I’d never driven anything bigger than my Octavia.
Anything up to 3.5 tons is huge by my standards.

Yup that is kind of my point, if you’re use to drive big vehicle and SUV poses no problems. If you drive and original Fiat 500 and Modeo Estate will feel like driving a tanker.

Even as a Merc fan (we’ve had a few, own two now and are swapping one for a new one soon) I find this sort of badge engineering a little depressing for a company that can make some very good cars (as well as so less impressive ones in the past) I guess it’s all about chasing profits.

Driving a big suv along the road isn’t a big deal, even oretty narrow roads vs a normal car. The only place its an issue is in say toght multi story car parks and in my experience my A6 Avant was more of a handful than a lwb Shogun in that regard. I never once thought the various large 4×4’s Ive had where much different from the Yaris on narrow tight country roads.

Aren’t Alfa selling an SUV now? And Maserati? FFS!

Great more angry & aggressive looking vehicles for me to be frightened of on my bicycle.

& Lamborghini… unfortunately it looks like all the other angry bars of soap on the roads and not like the old boxey 4×4 they did.

Aren’t Alfa selling an SUV now? And Maserati? FFS!

That Jag though.. stunning!

Alfa SUV was on display as part of their sponsorship of a revent sailing event I was at, looked rather bland. The little 2 seatsr sportscar however was lurvely if rather ridculously priced at £70k.

As fas as sales go SUVs are where the market is hot. As a long term 4×4 owner I can see why. The height makes for great family cars and kids love the high seating position to look at the view and adults like the superior vision for road safety. The 4×4 part people are willing to sacrifice for fuel economy and lower cost.

Old Mercs are great!

W124 300CE as a daily driver, plus a spare one to fix, W123 280CE still going strong…

Not so much into MB’s current offerings, but MrsJA’s older E-Class is lovely.

CFH will know what I mean. Email me if you read this, Captain…

Oh, and Volvo P1800s were nice…

Well, I think so, anyway!

Old Mercs are about as good as it gets for perverse Teutonic over engineering, wonderful things.
Still want a 190 Estate.

Much better looking than the 928 or Aston wagons.

I don’t like sporty SUV’s because I don’t like ugly, inefficient cars.
I can cope with either, but not both at the same time.
🙂
Cost is irrelevant, it’s a matter of engineering and personal taste.

But people seem to like them and it would be churlish to deny Mercedes a slice of the cake.

And I don’t care who you are, I bet everyone has secretly fancied a pickup or ute at some point.

I like old American stuff, odd Euro stuff and wanted a Hilux back when Top Gear was good.

Yup, thanks to this thread, have now been staring at classic pickups for far too long.