Time to Foxtrot Oscar.....

[Sasquatch]

"Honest" opinion?
I hate the SUV with a passion, why are they always rented as a second vehicle to transport at most two tiny kids to a school less than a quarter mile from home?
Why are they driven by people who think the SUV is at least 2m wider than it actually is when trying to pass a parked vehicle and always take the outside lane as traffic approaches a merge/confrontation lane?
As you can see I've been scarred by many experiences at the hands of absolute Wayne Kerrs who probably did used to drive their previous Focus estate like a legend but now drive their 2.5 tonne chariot like a bell end, I am a tiny bit of a misanthrope but if only these people couldn't afford to buy such vehicles... yeah, right.

I hate the term 'SUV', particularly as most of them are absolutely no such thing. Still, if the public are that gullible you can't blame manufacturers for taking advantage of that.

The downside is that it's becoming harder to avoid the bloody things. Volvo, the favourite purveyor of transport for our family, no longer make a mid sized sensible hatch. Neither does Ford. Peugeot do, but you might as well give up and buy a bus pass if driving a Peugeot is what your life has reduced you to.

 

[Lubrown]

SUVs are pretty pointless. There is nothing wrong with an estate car. Capacious enough when you need to carry stuff, and uncompromised dynamics when you don't. We have a Tiguan and hardly use it. I think that's why after all this time, I still have the 5 series touring. I can't find anything else to replace it with.

Estate cars are underrated- generally they have bigger boots than SUVs, as you say they handle better as lower centre of gravity- this makes them safer too, SUVs cause more damage to anything or anyone they hit and to the roads, as they weigh more and are less aero they use more fuel (get through brakes and tyres quicker too).
Unless you go off road there is no common sense in getting one, I think they do well because people seem to like the style (each to their own) and I guess the slightly elevated driving position.
There is talk of parking charges and zone based charges going up for SUVs and I can see why.