[TheARUN]

This reminds me of the Mercedes and BMW fight. Few years ago, everyone said, if you sit in the back seat, get a Mercedes, if you drive, get a BMW, it was as simple as that. Today, Mercedes wants to be like BMW and BMW wants to be like Mercedes!

Same thing here, you have sedans that want to be SUVs and SUVs that want to be sedans. If it was me choosing, it's looks first, go with what fancies you, and then suitability to your needs, does not matter if it is a sedan or SUV

[avisidhu]

Originally Posted by TheARUN

If it was me choosing, it's looks first, go with what fancies you, and then suitability to your needs, does not matter if it is a sedan or SUV

Therein lies the rub, it's easier said than done

Ideally, one needs to have an extensive driving experience across segments, in order to make such an informed choice. And it's not just about facts, at the end of the day it boils down to what 'you' are comfortable with.

We have seen on this thread itself, people have come to diagonally opposite conclusions even when using similar set of vehicles!

Without such experience, I could have never imagined saying that Safari is more comfortable to drive than the city. Akshay too found the Scorpio to be more comfortable than his Linea. And a lot of people here might think we are nuts for even suggesting so

[lurker]

Driving stress-free can be comforting for some, without pesky autos and two-wheelers trying to jam into your space can be a redeeming feature in some eyes. Depends upon the user. As for me, driving an Endeavour or an Explorer always gave me some amount of shoulder pain after a while, say 50 kms. It never happened in a Sedan though on the same roads. Any sedan i.e. It could also be due to fact that the SUV's might have wrong wheel-alignment, but I doubt it due to it being new vehicles.

[the_joker]

Originally Posted by TheARUN

Same thing here, you have sedans that want to be SUVs and SUVs that want to be sedans. If it was me choosing, it's looks first, go with what fancies you, and then suitability to your needs, does not matter if it is a sedan or SUV

I agree completely. This reminds me of Jeremy Clarkson's statement which I'm paraphrasing here: Porsche Cayenne is the only SUV that can be driven like a sports car on the road and like an SUV off it.

[rajushank84]

I'm still struggling to "get" the SUV charm, I just don't get it. Here's my problem with them: I haven't driven a single SUV that doesn't give me the feeling that if something were to happen and I swerved, it would flip over.

The latest I drove were the Audi Q5 (drove pretty well until I came to a turn, and the vehicle reminded me of how to take a turn in an SUV - wiith passengers yelling ) and the BMW X1 (came closest to what I was looking for, which isn't very close).

Of course, I totally understand the offroad appeal. I am wondering if there is anything besides that, for on-road users.

[drsingh]

Originally Posted by rajushank84

I'm still struggling to "get" the SUV charm, I just don't get it. Here's my problem with them: I haven't driven a single SUV that doesn't give me the feeling that if something were to happen and I swerved, it would flip over.

The latest I drove were the Audi Q5 (drove pretty well until I came to a turn, and the vehicle reminded me of how to take a turn in an SUV - wiith passengers yelling ) and the BMW X1 (came closest to what I was looking for, which isn't very close).

Of course, I totally understand the offroad appeal. I am wondering if there is anything besides that, for on-road users.

Its okay! .You don't have to 'get' it. If everyone just liked one kind of vehicle,the roads would be boring! And these forums would be so lifeless . We've got people restoring Landcruisers and looking all over the place for that G-wagon and in some cases using them as daily drives instead of buying a fantastic sedan for the price.

Even in the 'Swift " territory ,Honda Amaze/Ecosport/Tata Sumo/Bolero/Verito/Fiat classic/Enjoy -- all can be a choice (at that pricepoint), and I love that.

The same guys enjoy the road hugging sedans and the Slower SUV dynamics.If you mean from a backseat perspective on the road,definitely sedans are a better choice to be driven around at triple digit speeds and swerving corners.

The title of the thread makes it kind of a confrontational thread ,I'd have preferred "would you buy an SUV?" instead of "Should you buy an SUV?"

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by rajushank84

Of course, I totally understand the offroad appeal. I am wondering if there is anything besides that, for on-road users.

Yes there are other advantages:

1. Ground clearance to tackle our potholed city roads and speed breakers.
2. Better visibility to negotiate traffic better.
3. Road presence ensuring a relatively stress free driving experience in choked roads.
4. Ease of ingress and egress, especially to the elderly.
5. Fatigue free long drives at sane speeds due to the armchair like driving position.

[shibujp]

I am pretty happy in a sedan or a peppy hatch, as I think SUVs are a big waste of space on our roads. Also their true capability is offroad and they do not give the kicks on road that a sedan or a hatch gives. Body control, handling all those finer aspect of on road driving.

However that said, I get the feeling that I too want an SUV when an SUV or an MUV like an Innova, lands up behind me on a two lane highway and then begin to show "road presence" sniffing up my car's behind and generally displaying the feeling that sedans or hatchbacks are inconsequential. In short expecting others to make way for them and if not trying intimidation tactics. Sorry to say but a large percentage of SUV owners do exhibit this behavior which paints every the considerate (yeah, once in a while I come across this species too) SUV owner in a bad light.

Drive on,
Shibu.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by n.devdath

4. Ease of ingress and egress, especially to the elderly.

@dev - While I agree with the other points that you've listed in favour of SUVs, this one seems contradictory (from the elderly perspective) - higher ground clearance can a lot of times be a hindrance to the elderly if they have joint/knee pain, no ?

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by NPV

@dev - While I agree with the other points that you've listed in favour of SUVs, this one seems contradictory (from the elderly perspective) - higher ground clearance can a lot of times be a hindrance to the elderly if they have joint/knee pain, no ?

My folks are Seniors and my mum has a number of age related issues, including the fact that she broke her hip years ago. She vastly prefers a vehicle with high ground clearance that she can get in and out of with minimum fuss. Hence my surmise that the higher seating position actually is appreciated by most seniors.

[B O V]

Practically speaking a large suv wouldn't be ideal, if not a major headache in our crowded cities.To cover potholes and all the other obstacle's our fine roads provide us with,a vehicle with relatively good clearance and adequate power would do IMO.For me I find the Suzuki SX4 to be excellent in this aspect.

The other "Real" SUV's would be quite a waste to move around in a city with.lugging all that excess weigh(If 4x4).

For me since I travel frequently between a city(Cochin) and a village.I use a car.If my petrol head instincts were let free to run amok I would rather be in a big bruiser of an SUV.

In the end its all about choice.Some people don't get the need of an SUV.Some people like having the space and the go anywhere ability.

[Carcrazy60]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

My folks are Seniors and my mum has a number of age related issues, including the fact that she broke her hip years ago. She vastly prefers a vehicle with high ground clearance that she can get in and out of with minimum fuss. Hence my surmise that the higher seating position actually is appreciated by most seniors.

I agree. My mother had a knee replacement done and a few days ago I took her for her first long road trip after the operation. The surgeon had advised against low sofa like seating positions. The rear bench of the Yeti keeps the knees almost level with the hip. She had no problems at all.

[TheTeacher]

Originally Posted by NPV

@dev - While I agree with the other points that you've listed in favour of SUVs, this one seems contradictory (from the elderly perspective) - higher ground clearance can a lot of times be a hindrance to the elderly if they have joint/knee pain, no ?

True, but this point is strongly counter-acted by the difficulty of having to lower oneself from standing position to the > 50% knee flex of sitting in today's sedans, and again having to raise oneself from the low seating position to standing erect position. This is very hard on older people. My parents were so used to Ambassadors and their optimal seat height that they almost rebelled when they had to sit in my Honda Civic when they visited me decades ago in the US. Of course too much height will also be a problem, albeit a lesser one, for these people.

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by NPV

higher ground clearance can a lot of times be a hindrance to the elderly if they have joint/knee pain, no ?

While the others have replied with other factors, one needs to keep in mind that an SUV into which elderly people can walk into is far easier than a sedan to slide into.

Also, this attribute is greatly appreciated when they need to get out of the vehicle since their knees and hips are far more comfortable than when they need to get up and out of a sedan/hatch.

PS: If you have elders at home and they find it tough to get into an SUV, a small stool can easily solve this issue.

[ACM]

Nope. I do have elders who are of varied heights to move around in an SUV and even the tallest preferred a sedan to an SUV. They were never comfortable with the safari and the Aria both even with the stool as far as getting in and out was concerned. Yep a vehicle like the civic too was found to be too short but the Laura was in the acceptable vehicle Zone along with currently the ecosportans earlier all tall boy hatch designs. That said on long journeys the comfort, ride and space comfort of the Aria and Inn ova journeys have not been matched by full fledged SUVs, sedans or even the micpath of the ecosport.