Simviation Forums

Could someone explain to me why Americans and Europeans ( recently) are so into those huge SUV's?

Where's the common sence? Huge trucks, huge engines, huge petrol consumation, high prices for tires...

And all that to roam nice highways ( at least here in Europe).

I just don't understand it. What happend to the nice and elegant berline?

once upon a time suv's were actually for off road work and fun. As they advanced so did the look of them, they got nicer and famous people decided they wanted to own them as a sign of status, as hey bought them, the general public followed suit, and bought them, as a sign of their status,(much like BMW's Mercs and so on) problem is much like BMW's they have become very common as prices have come down. Now they are no longer as high a status symbol, and i dont even think most can go off road even slightly so the world is then left with many SUV's clogging up the small roads, causing serious pollution, and generally causing a problem.

Im not into them, I prefer the smaller vehicles

Get a real 4x4 or get an estate, but NEVER get a SUV...

Women like them for the school run ....so they can intimidate other drivers .... and crash without hurting themselves  ;)

OHHHH the joys of being controversial  ;D

Get a real 4x4 or get an estate, but NEVER get a SUV...

Right, there was a show on belgian television, called Peking express. 6 couples hitch-hike from Moskou to Peking. Along the road they could race with Ural-trucks! Now THATS what i call a 4x4!

SUV - Surely Useless Vehicles.

mentallity:

big cargo space
mine is bigger than yours
and if hit will do more damage to the other guy (i.e. an excuse to be a bad driver)

and if hit will do more damage to the other guy (i.e. an excuse to be a bad driver)

LOL that one is easily proven wrong...my ex Jeep vs. Suburban, Jeep ownd it, taking little damage.......all steel vs. plastic......steel wins.. Jeep still alive just not owned by me anymore

getting in accidents just because you have a jeep is a bad thing mkay...

We have large SUV's but that is because we have a family of 6 and things like horse trailers to tow. I personaly detest cars, I couldn't see myself driving a car. An SUV is more usefull, durable, safer, and easier to use. I guarantee when you hit an elk or a deer, or whatever you guys have in Europe, you are going to be wishing you were in an SUV than a car.

Where I'm from, nobody drives a car except for the little old ladies.

If someone can afford to put gas in it than why are you knocking them?

problem is, the cost of gas here is now almost $6 a gallon, maybe more i havent checked exact costs:)

We have large SUV's but that is because we have a family of 6 and things like horse trailers to tow. I personaly detest cars, I couldn't see myself driving a car. An SUV is more usefull, durable, safer, and easier to use. I guarantee when you hit an elk or a deer, or whatever you guys have in Europe, you are going to be wishing you were in an SUV than a car.

Lets put this straight. If you hit an elk in any sort of vehicle your going to wish you hadn't. A two ton elk is going to decimate anything short of a tank if you hit it.

As to SUV's being safer, this is a load of rubbish. No vehicle is easier to flip over than an SUV. When people drive them they think they're invinicible, so they drive recklessly, and so they're more likely to have an accident. Modern SUV's are not made of the same stuff as the old Jeeps and Land Rovers. They are not nearly so durable and safe either.

Personally I believe that the only true off roading vehicle in production today is the Land Rover Defender. And even these arn't as good as their forebearers. All these American SUV's are just oversized gas guzzling excuses for a 4x4.

An SUV is more usefull, durable, safer, and easier to use. I

useful in the sense of towing and cargo space, I can see, but majority of vehicles seem to be on the same level of safety, durablility, and ease of use.


some people (at least in N. Indiana) have a false sense of security while driving in slick winter conditions with SUV 4wd, ulimited traction wow!,

but aint it a shocking experience when they start sliding when slowing for a red light.

I really don't have any beef with people who actually use their SUV, but if you have it just for mostly driving solo, cruising the hood' for chixorz, and generally for having a bigger vehicle to compensate for something ,

I hate dealing with these almost tank sized vehicles and rice racers also, , but I cant type anymore right now taking a break

problem is, the cost of gas here is now almost $6 a gallon, maybe more i havent checked exact costs:)

Yeah well thats G.B., I wouldn't want to drive one there either. right now it's a $1.77 for unleaded, even less for the diesel our truck takes, so "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damm" if my truck sucks gas.

useful in the sense of towing and cargo space, I can see, but majority of vehicles seem to be on the same level of safety, durablility, and ease of use.

You answer me this: head on collision between a sedan and a Suburban, or even a small SUV Vs our Ford F-350. Who is going to come out the winner, or better off than the other?

He he, just wait a month till we have bash bars on it too......


Woodlouse,
You will be wishing less in an SUV.

A two ton elk is going to decimate anything short of a tank if you hit it.

Also 1 ton=2000lbs. Aveage weight of elk=400-700Lbs. If you know of

Personally I don't really understand it myself.  SUVs don't seen to be that useful except for hauling a lot of people-they are a good vehicle for larger families.

Other than that-they seem pretty useless.  I can't image myself buying one anytime soon (Perhaps thats why I own 2 Camaros).