Buying an SUV
An SUV, or sports utility vehicle, is a type of vehicle that has the roominess of a mini-van or station wagon with the hauling capacity of a pickup truck. Mid-size and full-size SUVs have 5 or more seats while a small SUV has fewer seats.
Who Makes a SUV?
Just about every car manufacturer now makes an SUV. SUV dealers include:
- Acura
- Audi
- BMW
- Buick
- Chevrolet
- GMC
- Hummer
- Ford
- Honda
- Isuzu
- Infiniti
- Kia
- Lexus
- Lincoln
- Land Rover
- Mercury
- Mazda
- Hyundai
- Pontiac
- Saturn
- Subaru
- Suzuki
- Toyota
- Mercedes-Benz
- Porsche
- Mitsubishi
- Nissan
- Oldsmobile
Why are SUVs so Popular?
An SUV is popular for many reasons:
- Large cabins and higher ride height create additional comfort and safety.
- A full-size SUV can tow trailers, RVs, and boats.
- More women are attracted to the styling of an SUV, which looks “cooler” than a mini-van while still allowing them to transport a lot of kids, groceries, and sports gear.
- The external size of an SUV makes driver feel safer on the road than in a small sedan or other type of passenger car.
Many of the SUV safety-related concerns – such as low gas mileage, rollovers, and size—have been addressed in recent years by manufacturers who are trying to maintain the popularity of their SUV models. The crossover SUV is lighter and has better fuel economy. This type of SUV is constructed on a platform similar to a mini-van, sedan, or station wagon. Manufacturers are also offering hybrid gas/electric SUV models.
