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

Agree with molgrips that we could all show more concern for the environment, but it's a lot easier to do things like walk or cycle to the local shops, and chose a more efficient car than it is to promise never to fly abroad ever again.

I dislike SUVs. You may think "my SUV does 50mpg, great" but if it where smaller and lighter (like a traditional estate car) it would use less resources in construction, do more mpg, handle better. Energy use by society needs reduced at a level of urgency that people still aren't grasping.

I also think they are pretentious and generally ugly, but that is my subjective opinion.

Driving a large SUV is a very visible indicator that you are probably someone who doesn't care that much about the environment, other people's safety and convenience when driving/parking etc compared to your own - it's a stereotype yes and unfair in some cases but will also have a fair degree of truth to it.

If you drive an 'SUV' that isn't particularly large and is economical then I don't think that's really who we are talking about is it.

I've not read such a load of tripe in a long time - too many self righteous tossers with their half arsed ill informed opinions!
It's not up to you lot to dictate what people can drive - no wonder a large part of the population think that cyclists are all yoghurt knitting hand wringing self important tossers. So what if you want to pootle around in a clockwork pedal car - if thats what you want to do then go for it but don't go decrying those who choose to drive something different. Yes, I drive a big 4x4 with a bloody great V8 engine because I like it not because ive got a small package or have been brainwashed by advertising guff - and its not because I want to destroy the planet. It's 18yrs old and will last a long time unlike a prius or similar which uses up a huge amount of natural resources and energy to build. It also runs on LPG which is cleaner and cheaper than petrol. It's comfortable and does what I need it to.
As for the space taken up on the road - I don't read anyone giving the VW T4, T5 etc a hard time - they're vans ffs, they take up more room than my 4x4 and you can't see past them either. But, of course, T4s and T5s have status on STW alongside the beloved Audis and Skodas ( and the ugly as sin sMax)
Personally I don't like small modern cars - for me they are cramped and uncomfortable and generally made from plastic and tinfoil - why on earth would I chose that over air conditioned leather luxury?

If you are in an SUV and the othercar in an accident isn't an SUV, you are something like 20 times less likely to be injured.

I for one would be very interested to see where you found this statistic and the data to back it up

too many self righteous tossers

ill informed opinions!

It's not up to you lot to dictate what people can drive

Yes, I drive a big 4x4 with a bloody great V8 engine because I like it not because ive got a small package or have been brainwashed by advertising guff - and its not because I want to destroy the planet. It's 18yrs old and will last a long time unlike a prius or similar which uses up a huge amount of natural resources and energy to build. It also runs on LPG which is cleaner and cheaper than petrol. It's comfortable and does what I need it to.

Buzz your post is chock full of straw men.

Your car may be 18 years old, but there are plenty of economical cars that old too. My Prius is 10 years old and going strong. And it's a myth they take more resources to make.

As for not wanting a small car - fine. I'm not asking you to put on a hair shirt. You can get plenty of very nice big cars that will do 60mpg. You really can have air conditioned leather luxury. No need to piss fuel up the wall for the sake of it .

This is a bunch of nonsense, as usual on here.

It's just a vehicle that you buy because you want. Talk of inefficiency, marketing and status is pure junk

What you mean is (as per most people) you don't like the real reasons behind your purchasing choices being analysed and exposed... like most, you find it challenging to admit your need for status, which is fair enough IMO.

At the end of the day how many short men buying sports cars actually admit to desire for the status they feel they lack as being the reason? It would take a superhuman level of self-awareness and maturity...

I work in marketing and if you ever talk to an experienced market research team they will tell you that you never take people's articulation of their reasons for choosing one product over another, or even their decision to buy in the first place, at face value - few people have the self-awareness to really understand their real needs, decision-making processes and their basic psychology - almost all of it is subconscious and without a lot of therapy and self-analysis you won't ever get to grips with your own self-talk...

We will post-rationalise till the cows come home in a way which allows us to present ourselves as a caring, thoughtful 'nice' human being - but that's just post-rationalisation. Hence the 'it's for my kids safety' rather than 'my need for status/my need compete with my friends and neighbours'...

We managed mass car ownership and raising families from c1950s to the mid-90's quite happily without them so I'm sure we can manage with smaller cars again... and I'm sure we will eventually - they'll fall out of fashion eventually and you'll see plenty of people who felt they were essential magically change their minds when they do 🙂

Hey molgrips do you have car(s) in your household? Be interested to know what you drive.

I would have preferred to have a smaller car but lifting my wife in and out of our previous estate car was killing my back, and the estate was a necessity with lugging a wheelchair and all her other care equipment.
So we now have a Volvo XC60 (2wd) as it was the best blend of height/space etc.
I'm sure someone will be along in a minute to tell me I could have got a square box on wheels that would have done just as good a job, well it will probably come to that soon as I can see a Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle is the next step as her condition deteriorates and most of the WAV's are box on wheel units, so as a final flourish to enjoying a car it was my choice.
I did make sure it didn't have privacy glass so people didn't think I was an entitled parent 😉

It's totally about status and feeling good.. Whatever you need to feel manly man

I'd prefer a champagne coloured Golf with a tiger print interior cos I like to feel like Disco Stu..

If you don't do many miles then the efficiency penalty of an SUV is in the noise.

Yunki in the same way people bang on about n+1 and 2000 pound + mountain bikes when by the same logic some here are using, a 50 Raleigh bso would "do the same job"....

Hey molgrips do you have car(s) in your household? Be interested to know what you drive.

Either there's so much irony in this comment that It's broken my irony-meter, or you're new round here 😛

It's totally about[s] status and[/s] feeling good..

Probably true (and there's no reason why a glitterball can't fit into an SUV of choice) 🙂

Lot of hate in here. It always comes out in car threads. Hating other people's cars is one of the few things left that it's socially acceptable to hate. That and politicians.

All blokes need to feel manly.. I choose to do so by being quite effeminate and childish, thus proving that I am very comfortable with my masculinity..
Others prove their masculinity by making superior ethical choices and trying to encourage others to do so..
Some prove it with mockery, some with big cars and some with cash or success or sporting prowess..

I'm afraid that essentially, if we are man enough to be honest with ourselves about it, it's ALL just one big pissing contest

thisisnotaspoon - Member

Hey molgrips do you have car(s) in your household? Be interested to know what you drive.
Either there's so much irony in this comment that It's broken my irony-meter, or you're new round here

So he either doesn't live in a house, or he sells SUVs for a living. Can't see how I could be ironically asking what car or cars he has. Could you be more cryptic?

Driving a large SUV is a very visible indicator that you are probably someone who doesn't care that much about the environment,

No where near as damaging to the environment as having children though, that has to be the most selfish act, in terms of the environment.

...unless they grow up to save the world, eh?

I drive a BMW X1. I sometimes allow other oiks to use my road, however I can look down on them from my suprior driving position. It has indicators of course but my hands are far too busy to use such things....
So there.
(seriously, I like it. Thats why I bought it) haterz gonna hate. 🙂

Aphex we see the irony in asking Molgrips that question, as was mentioned it's all in the history (cough Passat)

Double post

Driving a large SUV is a very visible indicator that you are probably someone who doesn't care that much about the environment,

So he either doesn't live in a house, or he sells SUVs for a living. Can't see how I could be ironically asking what car or cars he has. Could you be more cryptic?

(Original thread lost to the sands of time)
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/molgrips-bloody-car-again-update
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/molgripss-car-episode-3-the-villain-revealed
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/molgrips-car-4-a-new-hope
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/molgrips-car-5-fixed
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/molgrips-car-6-its-over
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/what-colour-is-my-car

I caveated that in the other bit that you didn't bother quoting - it's a generalisation that doesn't apply in all cases but probably has some truth to it. Can you explain why you think that's pompous?

footflaps I don't have an SUV or children - what do I win? 🙂

Freedom of speech.

Driving a large SUV is a very visible indicator that you are probably someone who doesn't care that much about the environment, other people's safety and convenience when driving/parking etc compared to your own - it's a stereotype yes and unfair in some cases but will also have a fair degree of truth to it

There's also a fair degree of truth that you're talking total tosh.

What next from the self righteous of STW?

That everyone in an England shirt is a UKIP/NF supporter?

Guilty by association? Total cods wallop!

Stop getting your hair knickers in quite such a twist & stop crying so much about what other folks drive..

Can you explain why you think that's pompous?

Driving a large SUV is a very visible indicator that you are probably someone who doesn't care that much about the environment, other people's safety and convenience when driving/parking etc compared to your own - it's a stereotype yes and unfair in some cases but will also have a fair degree of truth to it.

Very defensive/passive-aggressive aren't we captainsasquatch. Touched a raw nerve?

mrlebowski there's only one of us getting our knickers in a twist and 'crying' here. Hint: it's not me.

No. Why? I just don't like seeing shite being spouted.

Hint: it's not me.

Nor me my good man - I like my SUV & am very happy with it....though my choice of wheels seems to bother you, so whose really upset?.....

First rule of passive-aggressive club (internet branch) is: first person to bring it up is probably most guilty.

The lack of self awareness of some people on this thread is ver ver amusing

It's amazing how contentious it apparently is to suggest that there might be some correlation between people who buy cars that are worse for the environment and cause more damage to others in a crash, and people placing less importance on environmental issues and other peoples' safety. How outrageous. 😕

There's several people in this thread who have admitted they just have a big SUV because they like it and they aren't too bothered about the issues with them. I have far more respect for that position than those getting all defensive.

Having a dog is probably environmentally worse though, how many of you SUV owners have dogs too (as well as children)? 😉

Ive always had a fascination with cars that look like Tonka toys. I suspect a childhood obsessively watching the Fall Guy may be to blame. Estate cars just don't hit that spot.

I also do very few miles, 3000 maybe, so the consumption thing is really a non issue. Plus it means I can drive it off road

2 and a half answers to the original question.

other peoples' safety

What about my safety? Should I drive a car that's unsafe just to please you? What about trucks? Lorries? Bigger cars than mine? Ban them too? Your point about safety has more holes in than a colander. Compared to whats out there on the road an SUV should be the least of your worries..

As for the environment? I'm very impressed that you can determine someones green credentials from the type of car they drive. That's some trick....

I have an SUV because 10 years in the Army has left me with a bad back & dodgy knees. I find it a thousand times easier to load stuff in & out of.

If you can't accept my reasons then you're not anyway near as compassionate & aware of others needs as you like to think you are..

On that note I'm off to chuck a load of super unleaded in my gas guzzler & then leave the engine running till it runs out......

I also do very few miles, 3000 maybe, so the consumption thing is really a non issue. Plus it means I can drive it off road

SUV vs truck may be of interest to the occupants of course, and it is clear this is a motivation for many.
However, since many are used in urban environments, what about SUV vs pedestrian safety?
Eg.

Or this

Scroll down to the last para in each case.

Modern softroaders show how things can be done to improve such as:

http://euroncap.blob.core.windows.net/media/4758/euroncap_nissan_x-trail_2014_5stars.pdf

Just a thought.

Can't see the obsession with cars, but amusing thread.

I try to take kids' 1L Peugeot out as much as possible. Drives well, easy to park and just filed it up for £30! Amazing

I try to take kids' 1L Peugeot out as much as possible. Drives well, easy to park and just filed it up for £30! Amazing

Big Kids now 😉

car size = 1/penis size 😉

Need units inches? Metres? 😯