why do suv·s get such a bad press? ihave an x-trail and it gets good mpg is very comfortable has a great drive

Question

i get fed up with bad press about suvs thehigh driving position allows more vision therefor more safety and diesel versions are economical sogive us a break

Answer 1

I don't think they should be singled out as Chelsea tractors when there are a lot of cars with big engines that pollute just as much and are in some cases larger and take up more road space.

But the X-trail probably does not fit the mold of the vehicles the Government is going for. A 2.2dci engine can get 39mpg Average. I think they are more after the 4 litre plus giants that chuck out loads of crap. like the Amazons and the Jeeps. The X-Trail is more a cutsie off roader. You also find the new MPV's like the Espace and the S-max offer the same ride and height advantage and are also safer for Drivers and passengers then most of these larger vehicles.

Answer 2

The High driving position may give the driver a good vision, but the big car gets in the way of other drivers.

They are also big vehicles, so when they're in a crash - it's messy for everybody else. They are relatively unsafe for all concerned. That goes for pedestrians, other cars users, etc.

And while any car crash hurts, because of the position of the bonnet, getting hit by a 4X4 is more likely to be fatal.

The MPG may well be comfortable to you - but does it get into the low 40's? The new Hybrid cars get between 50-70mpg - on petrol! I run a diesel Clio that got me from Leeds toTruro on a tank - with some to spare. On a good run driving conservatively 45mpg is no problem.

Then there's those who use them on the school run; big cars blocking streets and getting in the way.

In the big city; there's little (I won't say no) need for a 4X4. Even in the country - unless you lead a lifestyle that warrants that level of conspicuous consumption - you really don't need it.

Answer 3

This is down to the facts as well as a lot of over reaction not to mention some assumptions about how much environmental damge they actually do. Certainly many SUVs such as the Nissan X-trail are quite economical for that kind of vehicle. However compared to an economical car it is quite poor. A Diesel car can get up to 70mpg and even a 2.0 Diesel BMW will get 50mpg on the motor way. Your X trail will get low 30s at best.
It may have a high driving position which will probably give you the feeling of safety and in the event of an accident you will probably be safer, but the car you hit won't be. They'll probably be dead. Pedestrians are also much more likely to suffer serious injuries as well. SUVs are easier to roll so it may not be as safe as you think.

Why does anyone need a big 4x4 vehicle to drive around a town centre? Personally I just don't get it. Sure the high driving position is handy but in terms of enjoyment they leave me cold. They are slow (compared to an equivalent engined car), get worse mpg, cost more to run and are too big. Have you even been in a car park and had one park next to you? Not only are a lot of them too big for a standard parking space but it's impossible to see past them when you are trying to drive out. It's a lot more scary being tail gated buy a big 2.5 tonne SUV than it is by a car and as drivers of them have this feeling of safety a lot more of them tend to drive too close.

The reaction to them has been a bit over the top though. As you say, some, like the X trail, aren't much less economical than many petrol cars, and to be honest the X trail isn't that much bigger than a large saloon car anyway.
The whole environment issue isn't going to go away even if all SUV drivers sold them and bought economical diesel cars. As for Green peace chaining themslevs to Landrovers... idiots!

However, although I don't like them myself, consider them to be a bit antisocial (in terms of size not fuel economy) and I can't understand why people buy them (unless they tow a horse box or live on a farm), I would defend anyones right to buy one. After all if the tree huggers get their way attention will be turned to sports cars next and pretty soon anything that has an engine bigger than your average lawn mower will be banned. Would this do any good for the environment? No not a bit. You would have to convince china , India, russia, and the good old USA etc to do the same and even then transport only accounts for about 30% of CO2 emmisions anyway. So even if you reduced CO2 emmisions from transport by a factor of 2 world wide, which would be virtually impossible, you would only reduce emmisions by 15%. By the time this had been achieved climate change would be irreversible anyway. Of course that's if climate change is connected to man. Don't forget the earth has warmed up before. In the jurassic period there were no polar ice caps and the sae covered 4/5 of the earth surface. All millions of years before man.

So enjoy your X-Trail. It's one of the better ones. I wouldn't buy one but at the end of the day it's your choice.
But if you ever consider a range rover, consider this, for the same money you could buy and run Jag XJ, Top of the range 5 series or a Merc E class. Not only will it be much nicer to drive but it will also be much safer ofr other road users.

Answer 4

SUV's get bad press because they represent conspicuous consumption in a time when "green" conservationist ideals are gaining popularity.
I don't argue the comfort or driveability advantages of an SUV, but sometimes agree with the press' ragging on SUV's when I see Ford Excursions or Hummers on the road.
The fact is that gas is in limited supply and the prices are dictated by the demand. It seems irresponsible and unnecessary to consume triple the amount of fuel to get one person from A to B solely based on their choice of vehicle.

Answer 5

Yours may be one of the better 4x4s but when Range rovers and big Jeeps are getting less than 14 mpg in city driving, in or about schools, from old fashionned dirty engines you can understand peoples reactions.

If you need an SUV because of where you live thats your choice just as its peoples choice to drive a 200mph sports car but all are bad for the air we breathe and the remaining fossil fuels as compared to a 65 mpg small diesel or a hybrid. decide for yourself if you are being selfish

Answer 6

I couldnt agree more with you! I dont know why we get such a hard time over it - I mean all this crap about SUVs injuring people more if you hit them - my reply to that is

1- well obviously regardless of whether you get hit by a car or a jeep - youre still gona get bloody well hurt!
2- the majority of pedestrian involved accidents is down to the negligence of the pedestrian - not the driver - like what - people dont expect vehicles to be on the road when they step out in front of them without even looking!?

With regards to the fuel - yep I agree totally with you - I mean they crib about the emmitants from SUVS yet these shammed up cars with injectors and nitrus and all these added go faster things do twice the damage - but not a bit is said to those owners.

This crap about introducing a fuel tax or whatever now is just the final straw. I drive my jeep for the simple fact that I NEED one as Im involved with horses - why should genuine jeep users have suffer these penalites just because SUVS are now like a status and everyday car for other people?
I think the governments and media and ecologists etc should have FAR more important things to get on with in life that nag on about something as simple as a SUV!!!!

Answer 7

The high driving position of one person makes seeing difficult for everybody else,
SUVs are a waste of space and petrol/diesel,
all too often they are driven by people who should not be allowed on a tricycle, let alone the public road,
AND those people drive more aggressively because they feel "safe".
SUVs should be restricted to those people who need them, i.e farmers and builders etc.

Answer 8

Depends what you consider good gas mileage.
I get 28 to 33 mpg from mazda mini truck. I haul stuff around.
My motorcycles get from 40 to 60mpg they are faster and more fun. Most people driving SUV's shouldnt be allowed on the road in any powered vehicle.

Answer 9

Suv's are 3 time more likely to turn over at high speed, its driven by mommies dropping their kiddies of at school, and in Britain they drive them in London where the roads are the size of one of these cars...and a comment on that pedestrians, the driver is always fault, pedestrians have the right of way...

Answer 10

Unfortunately, the perceived extra safety means that often SUV drivers drive badly.

SUV drivers always seem to have a mobile phone glued to their ears.

SUV drivers also have their own parking spaces outside schools. These parking spaces are marked with yellow zigzag lines.

Need I say more?