[Closed] why are SUV's so much more popular than estates ?

it's an image thing

Maybe for some, personally I hated the 'image' of SUVs, but two herniated discs in I'm not taking any chances.

Although have a soft spot for those massive Volvo estates, CX70s are they?

Americans tend to drive pick-ups.

http://online.wsj.com/mdc/public/page/2_3022-autosales.html

'crossovers' (soft-roaders, whatever you want to call them, as distinct from SUV which is reserved as a term for actual 4x4's in the US) outsell pickups 2:1. And cars still outsell pickus 3:1.

Safety?? How much of that is a myth?

Dunno, but it's a bloody enduring one if it is. Brings to mind a conversation with an erstwhile friend's wife when I was ripping the piss over them buying a RAV4 years (we're talking well over ten, when SUVs weren't such a thing) ago. (At the time there was a bit of hoo-ha over who's safest...the high seated occupants, the owners of smaller cars hit by SUVs, the child's face that gets hit on the zebra crossing, etc etc.) Her last comment was along the lines of "Well, when it comes down to it, what I really care about is MY safety and the safety of MY kids. Everybody else's is not that important to me." Incredibly selfish I thought, but probably far more common in people's minds when choosing cars than we'd like to admit. So...if the perception that they're safer is out there, and it is, and probably perpetuated by car salesmen, then the uninformed will make their decisions based on myths.

higher seating position gives better view of the road, however this is offset by higher CoG which ( physics would suggest ) gives reduced ability to corner or stop.
guess the upshot is that if you're paying attention and/or nothing too unexpected happens too quickly you're just fine, but if things go really sideways fast you might have the skills of a scandinavian rally driver, but you're more likely to hit something.
i guess the thinking goes that if you hit something smaller you'll be better off, and hit something same size or bigger and the results will be much the same.
personally i'd rather not have the accident at all, but i drive a van.

iainc - Member
CaptainSlow - Member
OP. just to point out in BMWs case, the X series cars are bigger than the non X
Eg 320 tourer boot 495 v x3 550

yes, but an X3 costs the same as a 5 Tourer, which has loads more space. The 3 Tourer is similar price to an X1.

The X models are generally a chunk more money than the same sized estates.

The 5 series tourer has a 520 boot v the x3s 550...

dragon - Member
Blame women...

It's a euphemism for Fatcher, KB

I reckon the volume figures for the boots are larger as the roof is higher. I imagine the actual boot footprint is smaller.

Went for an estate over an SUV as it had more usable space, faster, more economical, looked nicer, didn't want everyone to think I was a trophy wife, in that order. Plus, as everyone wants SUVs, the used estate market is great at the moment!

I expect the bulk of it is because "that's what the manufacturers are building"

We have a Passat estate for commuting and a Caravelle as a family car so it's all about dull practicality for me, but it's only good stuff that other people not so incumbered can choose from more interesting and stylish vehicles.

Selfishness is increasingly lauded in our society - ergo SUVs are more and more popular.

Safety??

Safety for the passengers - less safety for everyone else.

Usual STW forum response to just about every problem from Isis to the smell of whatshisname's police car.

It's more a typical Dragon response.

I drive an SUV because I want too, deal with it.

Safety for the passengers

But not necessarily, that's my point.

Strip away the badge and which maker has the best looking combination?

IMO - VW, the Toureg had the best proportions IMO and the version parked next to me yesterday looked very nice inside. Plus the Passat is always agood looking if under-rated estate. Nice combo...

Strip away the badge and which maker has the best looking combination?

Humvee? 😀 (Or is Hummer...can't remember...)

I drive an SUV because I want too

At last a sensible reply.

Not to the OP's question.

I'm "in the trade" this week I have sold 2 cars we took in [s]chop[/s] PX, one was an X1, awful looking thing, open the bonnet & you can see how they use spacers to bulk the body away from a standard chassis to give it it's size, the other a year old RR sport 5.0V8, it was just shy of £100k new, 7 seater my arse, the Zafira I owned 15 years ago had better & cleverer rear seats (barring the electric bit), best bit is someone payed over £30,000 to own it for a year & do 7000 miles, they should of just hired a chauffeur!

At last a sensible reply.

Maybe Larry is the trend setter.

Captain slow boot volume is a bit misleading. The x is bigger because it's got a higher roof which doesn't translate really to usable space, in terms of floor area.

This is a windup surely?

Badly put.

I mean if something is so popular/common it ceases to become exclusive enough to be fashionable.

Image? The only image they suggest to me is that the driver is daft;* choosing a car which is fundementally less capable at almost everything (except entering a field apparently, [i]if[/i] it's even actually 4x4) than its 'normal' estate equivalent, and paid more for the privilege, both up front and in fuel economy. My (half baked) theory is that people like them because they look like tonka like, and are almost cartoon caricature versions of 'normal' cars, all big wheels and fat curves. This appeals to people on an almost subliminal level, I reckon. They look like real life versions of those car cartoons that used to be all the rage.

*medical reasons excluded. I totally get that reason, but it's quite rare I reckon

I think it's more telling like that it would even bother one individual that someone else would choose a car that suits them.

Fashion and marketing for god's sake. I've heard it all. All new cars are subject to these factors.

I think I will just start disliking cars with a sunroof.

I bought a yeti to replace my octavia estate because it's easy to get the bikes inside after having bikes stolen off the roof of the car. So far I've done 3 bikes and the bike trailer with just the front wheels out and three people in. The additional height in the roof makes it more versatile. The removable seats make loading easier and packing with seat down safer for the person in the back seat.

It is easier to put a child in and out of a car seat, wasn't hard in the octy but easier in the yeti.

It is also cheaper due to higher residuals and is only doing about 10% less in terms of mpg. The difference in fuel cost is less than the difference in finance cost.

Interesting Mr Hoppy I got a yeti 'cos it was a good lease deal for a lot of car however I will concede for me putting the bike on the roof is hard work and this scores it down a bit over an estate.

It is however a much nicer drive than either my previous Octavia and Fabia, and much cheaper to insure.

he other a year old RR sport 5.0V8, it was just shy of £100k new, 7 seater my arse, the Zafira I owned 15 years ago had better & cleverer rear seats (barring the electric bit), best bit is someone payed over £30,000 to own it for a year & do 7000 miles, they should of just [s]hired a chauffeur[/s]

@mrhoppy - top post 🙂

I guess one important point is whether you are prepared to put your bikes on the outside of the car. Personally I am not as I don't want the bike jet blasted at 70mph by dirt and water.

Image. Simple as that. "Look at me up here. I'm better than you"

"Look at me up here. I'm better than you"

There does seem to an SUV version of all models now though.

[img] [/img]

And I really dislike the image/ styling. I'd much rather have bought another estate but the SUV body style is far more practical.

Fashion and marketing for god's sake. I've heard it all. All new cars are subject to these factors.

Really? I drive a Berlingo. 😀

We bought a Touareg to replace an A6 estate. It goes better, bigger boot, handles almost as well, more room across the back seat (room for 1 adult I between the kids seats) and importantly will drive across a muddy field that'll have and 4x4 estate floundering. How often is that used? I'd guess a couple of times a week, but clearly that wouldn't be the case if I lived in London! Oh, and it'll tow 3 ton trailers which comes in handy when your other half is into horses and you have a penchant for gliders. So for me, it's a practicality thing but why are quite so many? Fashion. I also suspect that the typical Chelsea tractor driver isn't going to give too much of a toss what people on a cycling forum think about what it says on the style front....

To balance it out, I got a 1 series today....

What exactly is an SUV?

Really? I drive a Berlingo.

I don't think he understands how fashion works. How can all cars be fashionable?

Selfish upstart's vehicle?

Image. Simple as that. "Look at me up here. I'm better than you"

Seriously?

I can't imagine why anyone would think this. It's an SUV, there are loads of them. They're not exclusive at all.

It's just possible that people might actually like them.

Not all are good but some are.

"Look at me up here. I'm better than you"

Yes, I am better than you. Deal with it.

andy8442 - Member
Image. Simple as that. "Look at me up here. I'm better than you"

Nah, higher seating is a bonus, no matter what car you drive.

Never had an SUV, as I don't need four wheel drive - but I do have a Doblo:
Almost exactly the same size as a Disco, has the same sterling levels of reliability, same high seating position, but without the stupidly expensive tyres and unnecessary transmission and drivetrain components.
More interior space, cheaper and even uglier than most SUV's too.
🙂

andy8442 - Member
Image. Simple as that. "Look at me up here. I'm better than you"

Nah, higher seating and better visibility is a bonus, no matter what car you drive.

Never had an SUV, as I don't need four wheel drive - but I do have a Doblo:
Almost exactly the same size as a Disco, has the same sterling levels of reliability, same high seating position, but without the stupidly expensive tyres and unnecessary transmission and drivetrain components.
More interior space, cheaper and even uglier than most SUV's too.
🙂

I like my Ford Kuga mk I.
Yes it's taller & wider than the 9-3 SW and the 3 series Touring I've had in the past. But it's no longer.
Yes it's bigger inside. Will get my drum kit, a Marshall 4x12 cab and amp, two or three guitars AND their owner in it. Couldn't manage all that including the 4x12 in a 3 Series Touring.
No, it doesn't use any more fuel than either of them. 42mpg beats both the Saab and the Beemer.
Yes I'm higher in the car so I get a better view of the road ahead.
Yes my aging M-I-L can get in it much easier than she can into a lower car.
And yes it has 4WD on demand, so on the very rare occasion that it does snow, I'll be able to drive in conditions that would put my old BMW out of action.
No, I don't think of it as 'better' than you. It's a Ford, remember

No, it doesn't use any more fuel than either of them.

Uses more fuel than a decent modern estate though. I'd be horrified with 42mpg

Uses more fuel than a decent modern estate though. I'd be horrified with 42mpg

My 1.3 Doblo gets 42mpg round here.
Over 50 anywhere flat though.

Big car, small engine, big hills.

Awful cars for awful people. Britain is full of awful people these days; I mean the Tories are in power FFS.

Liking Larry_Lamb's contributions here. 🙂

Higher seating position.