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In reply to the discussion: Why do people drive SUVs? [View all]nadine_mn
(3,702 posts)118. We drive a Hyundai Santa Fe and I love it
We live in Minnesota so I like having a larger vehicle in the snow. We used to live in Iowa on an old farm and the only way in was a dirt road - that was when we first got our Jeep and fell in love with SUVs. We also have large dogs and they fit more comfortably in the SUV than any car.
Our Santa Fe gets decent gas mileage (its no Prius) but I like being high up.
We are not rich (I have been unemployed for a few years) and my husband takes the bus to work so we really don't drive much except to go to the Y and to run errands on weekends. Its not as expensive to fill up as some other SUV's.
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And a lot of them don't even know enough not to park those high things near a corner.
drm604
Jul 2012
#148
Insecurity. Big time anxieties are relieved by big wheels and lots of sheet metal.
leveymg
Jul 2012
#352
My Vue gets same MPG as a midsize sedan and its AWD is great in Chicago winters.
Gidney N Cloyd
Jul 2012
#2
I agree - also as a woman I don't feel like I am making up for any shortcomings
nadine_mn
Jul 2012
#122
I never question anyone driving an SUV in a rural environment that enjoys harsh weather.
MADem
Jul 2012
#197
What do you have? I'll tell you how it's categorized. I subscribe to Consumer Reports online. nt
Honeycombe8
Jul 2012
#44
Not all SUVs sit higher. Only some do. Not sure that the RAV sits higher. The Forester doesn't. nt
Honeycombe8
Jul 2012
#40
I just was following a Forester and the beltline is much higher than a sedan's
FarCenter
Jul 2012
#269
The Forester doesn't "sit" higher, seems to me. You don't have to step up to get in.
Honeycombe8
Jul 2012
#323
Not really. Rails can't get everywhere. Much of the country is off the beaten path,
Honeycombe8
Jul 2012
#383
Its a work vehicle for me. Big enough to haul feed, equipment, a two horse trailer etc
riderinthestorm
Jul 2012
#13
When its hauling a load or the trailer, its powered almost entirely by gas
riderinthestorm
Jul 2012
#265
The Prius now has a larger version. Saw one on the street. It looks great. nt
Honeycombe8
Jul 2012
#35
It was so pretty I looked to see what kind of car that was. It was the new Prius V! Here's Youtube
Honeycombe8
Jul 2012
#74
I did, too. Sadly, couldn't get a Prius with upgrades without getting leather seats, which I won't
Honeycombe8
Jul 2012
#77
When I lived in New York City, I was astounded by the number of SUVs. With very few unpaved
libinnyandia
Jul 2012
#16
Where i lived, in south Brooklyn, the parking wasn't too bad, if you didn't mind walking.
libinnyandia
Jul 2012
#117
My wife insisted on a SUV - so I chose the best possible SUV of its time in terms of mileage
Woody Woodpecker
Jul 2012
#17
Subaru has a couple of SUVs that have the best AWD system. Subaru is uber reliable, too.
Honeycombe8
Jul 2012
#82
SUVs come in all sizes. Check out Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV, and others at
Honeycombe8
Jul 2012
#33
It's quite possible that I haven't kept up with what the marketers now call an SUV
aint_no_life_nowhere
Jul 2012
#51
The small and medium SUV category is wildly popular. The Subaru Forester & Toyota RAV have been
Honeycombe8
Jul 2012
#63
SUVs combine some of the positives (and negatives) of both a van and a truck
SWTORFanatic
Jul 2012
#25
Because they don't think "small" things matter enough to tolerate the "inconvenience".
patrice
Jul 2012
#27
You don't know much about SUVs. Here's the skinny: (1) There are small SUVs;
Honeycombe8
Jul 2012
#28
No, it doesn't cost less, comparing cost for size. The Forester costs less, comparing capability...
Honeycombe8
Jul 2012
#60
Insecurity? Other countries don't have them, and the US scarcely had any before the 1990's.
NYC_SKP
Jul 2012
#34
You are right. And"Crossover" is a clever name for "Station Wagon" which became uncool in the 90's.
NYC_SKP
Jul 2012
#71
SUVs are the modern "wagon." Crossovers-not really a car category. It's a sales term, I think.
Honeycombe8
Jul 2012
#85
Yup. It would be a sales "kiss of death" to call a station wagon a "Station Wagon"...
NYC_SKP
Jul 2012
#129
Scarcely any before the 90's? You DO know that the Suburban is the oldest continuously
cherokeeprogressive
Jul 2012
#97
Interesting info. Even if you were a bit hostile sharing it with the group. IMO, no one
Honeycombe8
Jul 2012
#124
I've had 10 foot lengths of pipe and lumber, and a 10 foot kayak, fulling inside my Prius....
NYC_SKP
Jul 2012
#109
Ha! Loved the dulcet tones of "Jerusalem" at the finish when the kid swiped the fire lighters! nt
MADem
Jul 2012
#205
That's what the gun rack is for! Cheezitz, the Brits can be dense about some things.
leveymg
Jul 2012
#360
People think there are no guns in UK, but that's not true. They do their share of
MADem
Jul 2012
#361
I guess that America can still take comfort in the fact that Top Gear likes Russian trucks even less
leveymg
Jul 2012
#362
If Dick and Phil took a stroll, I wouldn't count on Dickie getting the best of PP!
MADem
Jul 2012
#364
Whether you arrive on the Raj's elephants or an armoured SUV, that's always been the way it's done
leveymg
Jul 2012
#365
Because people don't want to get squashed like a bug on the road when a big ole truck hits them
Raine
Jul 2012
#53
Just nail the garage to the exterior of the car and drive that down the road
aint_no_life_nowhere
Jul 2012
#101
I drive a Tahoe because I live at 7,000 feet. We've been known to get 30" of snow overnight.
cherokeeprogressive
Jul 2012
#81
"internal self doubt and discomfort" is the primary reason a person would care about such things.
boppers
Jul 2012
#304
Oh come on! Here I thought we were talking about penises and now you're talking about ASSHOLES?
cherokeeprogressive
Jul 2012
#203
It took 89 replies before the first "I'm going to change your behavior by trying to shame you..."
cherokeeprogressive
Jul 2012
#100
As a woman, I must have Vagina Envy because I pack so many big things in my SUV
nadine_mn
Jul 2012
#132
'Cuz owning 2 or 3 vehicles for the same driver can get crazy/impossible for several reasons
Mopar151
Jul 2012
#96
You've got me rethinking this. There are two approaches to a better country.
Gregorian
Jul 2012
#209
I have no choice but to drive this rig, what with the snow and the soccer team and boat....
NYC_SKP
Jul 2012
#146
I used to drive an SUV. It was a great ride over country roads and in the winter.
applegrove
Jul 2012
#167
Republican Vehicle-like to thumb nose at treehuggers- My mini-van has TWICE the cargo as any SUV.
ErikJ
Jul 2012
#173
About 80-90% of the folks posting in this thread (including the OP) didn't bother. nt
Romulox
Jul 2012
#182
You mean, kind of like interjecting a labor discussion into an unrelated thread?
primavera
Jul 2012
#190
Inconvenient Truth? Most definitely! Unrelated, my eye. Like I said, I care just about exactly as
Romulox
Jul 2012
#191
People in the know think Unions suck, yet they want us to accept their agenda
DainBramaged
Jul 2012
#394
All I've own since 1985 its a bus, a limo, a pickup truck, my file cabinet, its take me camping...
Historic NY
Jul 2012
#180
Well call me rare. 6 Cyl. Santa Fe with hitch, hit from behind by a corolla, hit me and landed at a
NotThisTime
Jul 2012
#204
Thanks, it's going to be a long road but I consider myself lucky, could have been so much worse.....
NotThisTime
Jul 2012
#244
Stop-THINK! Imagine gas tripling in price or worse-unavailable. VERY real possiblity.
ErikJ
Jul 2012
#227
Just as you pointed out there are reasons why people purchase certain types of vehicles...
Swede Atlanta
Jul 2012
#251
Los Angeles - folks driving around in Cadillac Escalades and other big fancy things alone
Liberal_in_LA
Jul 2012
#266
We drive an SUV because it's comfortable, gets reasonably good mileage, has lots of room for
ladjf
Jul 2012
#272
Then you admit to being a 'Nanny-Stater' who uses their sense of moral superiority to judge other's
Ikonoklast
Jul 2012
#310
Because they need the space and they worry about lack of protection in a car
DainBramaged
Jul 2012
#278
Because being holier than thou about people's cars is stupid. It's doubly stupid if your choices are
LeftyMom
Jul 2012
#327
Enough people have already made you look foolish in this thread. Your 'concern' is touching.
DainBramaged
Jul 2012
#345
What about the rest? What - can't defend wasting resources on inefficient heating/cooling, lights?
REP
Jul 2012
#359
You'd better get a Peeon the restof us electric and jack it up or don't go
DainBramaged
Jul 2012
#374
I always thought the giant tanks sized ones were hilariously stupid, but I found the smaller ones
octothorpe
Jul 2012
#390
Without doing any research, I think SUVs have taken over some of the minivan market share.
BlueCheese
Jul 2012
#392