Are SUVs On The Decline?

[MJS]

Cars are expensive. People generally can afford to keep just one, or even two if in a dual-income household. So you have to envision all the possible uses you are going to have for this one car, and that means getting the larger size for moving furniture or packing the kids off to grandma's house.

Meanwhile, daily use tends to be primarily single-occupant commute to work with very little extra stuff to haul, which means that the Chrysler LeBehemoth is sucking down crazy amounts of fuel for a job it is not best suited for.

I wish someone would design a cheap, lightweight, single-person vehicle that one could buy as a secondary vehicle for commuting purposes. Seems like even with the new electronic or hybrid cars they want to make them just like the older cars, which either makes them unfeasible or greatly reduces the environmental or economic benefits of owning them.

There's nothing wrong with owning an SUV/pickup/Hummer, it's just that in preparing for the times where you need that much vehicle you end up with an uneconomical choice for regular usage.

Good points. I'll use myself as an example. As I said above, my wife and I each have SUVs, and I listed the reasons why I prefer them. Now, if we were to go with a more economical car, we'd need to get 2, one for each of us. Obviously any travel that did not require more than 2 of us or taking the dog or transporting large items, the car would suffice. But, now I would have to go out and buy 2 cars, which would leave me with a total of 4 vehicles. Is that the best option for people to take?

 

[Ceicei]

Good points. I'll use myself as an example. As I said above, my wife and I each have SUVs, and I listed the reasons why I prefer them. Now, if we were to go with a more economical car, we'd need to get 2, one for each of us. Obviously any travel that did not require more than 2 of us or taking the dog or transporting large items, the car would suffice. But, now I would have to go out and buy 2 cars, which would leave me with a total of 4 vehicles. Is that the best option for people to take?

One SUV and one car instead of four?

 

[Bester]

Hummers are going extinct, the SUV is in a decline, Station wagons just aint cool anymore. What oh What! will the soccer moms do now?

 

[girlbug2]

On a recent fillup, we neared the $50 mark, and I'm sure it'll happen soon enough.

that's all??? Dude, you don't have a "real" SUV if you've been paying under the $50 mark up until now. What you have is a car chassis that has been built up taller. The main difference between your vehicle and others (aside from height) is that you have 4wd. That would be an advantage I wouldn't give up if I lived where it snowed.

For those who have truck chassis SUVs, 75 dollars a fill up is not uncommon. Yes, I am sure that those SUVs will indeed be extinct in 1-3 years.

In short, your vehicle is not one of those dreaded gas-guzzlers, and you have 4wd, so if I were you, I'd stop feeling guilty.

 

[Kacey]

that's all??? Dude, you don't have a "real" SUV if you've been paying under the $50 mark up until now. What you have is a car chassis that has been built up taller. The main difference between your vehicle and others (aside from height) is that you have 4wd. That would be an advantage I wouldn't give up if I lived where it snowed.

For those who have truck chassis SUVs, 75 dollars a fill up is not uncommon. Yes, I am sure that those SUVs will indeed be extinct in 1-3 years.

In short, your vehicle is not one of those dreaded gas-guzzlers, and you have 4wd, so if I were you, I'd stop feeling guilty.

That's what I have - a built-up car (Toyota RAV4). I bought it last year because my last car was heavily damaged in a hit-and-run, and I do a lot of hauling - things for the house, and my 85-pound dog - but I get better gas mileage than many of my friends who drive more traditional cars; I usually average around 25-6 mpg - my mother just bought a Toyota Avalon that only gets 21 mpg, and it's bigger than my SUV too.