maniax

iTrader: (3)

isnt it funny how the majority of SUV drivers are females who's no taller than 5'4"

and i'm not talking about just any SUV.....talking about those SUV-size SUV's like ESCALADE, EXPEDITION, NAVIGATORS, RANGE ROVERS, etc

RXGS

iTrader: (2)

my mom is 5'2 and drives the lx, she is also the reason i am short 5'6, damn lol

Lexmex

"They often lack confidence in their driving skills."
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Call me selfish as the article states, but I have heard much to the contrary, even a few at my track calling me the best driver of an SUV they have ever seen.

-J-P-L-

So what is this fascination with sitting high. You want to be "King of the Road" or something? You want to feel unstable during cornering? And why to people think it's easier to climb way up into an SUV instead of simply sitting down in a car? Just curious.


So true. Look around at all the biggest beasts on the road and it's almost always ONE petitte woman in it trying her best to manuver it. Very nice - 13MPG's to transport 125 LBS.

-J-P-L-

For clarification, I'm not saying big SUV's such as the Escalade or Suburban should not excist. They have their place with some people. But for many of the buyers, it's just an overly excessive buying decision that they don't really need.

Nextourer

Pretty much. Don't blame them esp. if they've been on the short end of short jokes all their life, they buy the biggest thing they can afford.

Ditto but the GS450h was meant to be a performance hybrid anyway. I'd look to an ESh for an "economy" Lexus hybrid that focuses on FE.

It's called the Camry Hybrid . V6 power (187hp), 3.0 litre 0-60 times (~8 sec) but FE that's better than a Yaris.

mmhmm... cause basically it's their fancy way of saying we'll be making turbocharged cars. I mean VW has had their 1.8T (now 2.0T) cars all the while. How's the mpg on those? Also, don't turbos quite premium?

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

How tall are you? I'm 6'3" and I have to sink down into EVERY sedan. In my Explorer I sit up a little bit. The RX300 I had was actually perfect height for me. Open the door - slide in sideways. But it lacked front seat leg room for me.

As for wanting to be 'king of the road' no that isn't it, but if around you are big pickup trucks and tractor trailers, it's definitely easier to see about and is less intimidating if you're in an SUV. And it's SAFER because you're more visible. When I'm in my MX-5 (Miata) behind a big tractor-trailer, a big SUV, or a big pickup, it's pretty obvious that often the driver doesn't even know I'm there! So I keep my distance and drive defensively, until I can go around 'em.

Let's just say that's not what I "almost always" see on the road.

-J-P-L-

I'm 6'1" and and drive my low SC which is perfect to get in and out for me.

As far as other big vehicles not seeing you, that's only true if your right on their butt. Otherwise, you're just as visible as anything else.

See, I like something like an RX or other car based SUV, but Escalades, Hummers, and Expeditions are like climbing on a jungle gym.

T0ked

iTrader: (2)

Well, as a new SUV owner, I must say that it does give you an empowered view of things. Never really understood it. I've been anti-SUV for such a long time. But the FJC just looked so cool, I had to have it. I looked for excuses to not get it, but I eventually bought one and I love it. So many things I would constantly worry about with my SC, no longer a worry. Driving in NYC, I don't get jarred by all the potholes and manhole covers. Door dings? Sliders that stick out to protect the doors. Worried about bumpers when parallel parked? Light bar up front, tire and rear hitch bumper. Gas mileage? My FJC gets BETTER mileage than my SC... (17mpg for SC vs 18mpg for FJC in mixed city/highway) on regular gas vs premium. I did buy the FJC because I loved the styling and for an SUV its a bit impractical (suicide rear doors are cool, but PITA in tight parking lots) but it is a better DD for me than my SC was. Now I can drive my SC on the weekends and pamper it the way it should be...

Everything they said about SUV drivers could be said for luxury car buyers, BMW drivers, exotic car owners, blah blah blah. Empowered, privileged, insecure, etc. Someone previously posted that that article could be written for any car owner except Camry, Accord, Corolla owners. So true.

And I do plan on going offroad with this thing in the summer. I know, more environmental destruction, but I gotta use this thing how it was meant to be used, no? LOL. Either way, the SUV is here to stay and for most, the newer car based SUVs are actually not that bad. Yes, the truck based ones are not as efficient (slade, navigator, LX, GX, 4runner, and my own FJC) but more are being replaced with models with car underpinnings (Sequoia, Highlander).

lexusrott

The reason I love driving an SUV , actually a Lexus LX is very simple;
comfort is number one , safety is number two , third you can see above some vehicles and anticipate when they are braking.
I buy Lexus mainly because I think they make the best SUV's
I don't like the X5 or the RR or the GL or the Escalade or Hummers, etc..
Yesterday loaner was a Lexus RX350 very uncomfortable front seats.
As soon as my budget improve I'll be replacing my LX470 with the LX570.
I am neither selfish nor insecure.
We are extremely generous.

ShowGSLuVv

Wow I don't know why everyone hates people who drives SUV and complain about how much gas they use? The person who owns the SUV is paying the gas bill. I have a truck and a car and now I am going to buy an SUV for my wife.

It isn't the easiest thing trying to travel with kids in a car. We have 3 baby bags 2 car seats a double stroller. With a car you can't fit that stuff and have room for anyone else. SUV's are the best vehicle for families.

4TehNguyen

iTrader: (1)

If you arent towing or off roading what does an SUV have over a minivan

ShowGSLuVv

Because if I am going to spend 40-50 grand on a vehicle Why get something you don't like? If thats the attitude why not just make every car into a honda and ban sports cars. I personally hate minivans I think they look ugly as ****

SLegacy99

Since we are on the subject of neccessity versus superfluosness, I think that SUVs are now fully capable of reducing their fuel consumption/carbon footprint and have an advantage over some passenger cars. Why? Because you can house the batteries of a hybrid drive system without taking up trunk space like it would in a car. We have the technology, it just needs to be incorperated into more SUVs.

mmarshall

That's because a lot of women have been sold a line of goods that you have to be riding in 2-3 tons of metal for crash safety. This stereotype is also enforced by a lot of the driving instructors in the over-55 driving courses. That's why you see so many seniors in the Crown Vic, Grand Marquis, and Town Car.

What the instructors DON'T tell you is that high-stance SUV's are unstable in cornering and that smaller, lighter cars, because of their better manuverability, can often AVOID accidents that traditional large cars would plow straight into.