What's All the Hype For And Against SUVs?
By Teresa Ambord
Even though sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) are enormously popular these days, it has also become popular to hate them. Like anything in life, SUVs have an upside and a downside.
Here’s the upside:
SUVs provide better visibility because the driver’s seat tends to be higher. These vehicles provide an abundance of room for seating and for cargo. This extra space contributes to the overall comfort and smooth ride of the automobiles. SUVs come in a variety of sizes from monstrous to the smaller versions, such as Dodge Durango. Durangos provide all of the advantages of the large sport-utility vehicle without feeling too big.
In general, SUVs make it possible to navigate any weather conditions, on road or off, with optimum traction thanks to their four-wheel drive options. And in routine driving, sports-utility vehicles are easy to maneuver. SUVs, even smaller ones like the Durangos have towing capacity of several tons. Some SUVs tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) earned the Five Star frontal impact rating.
To see how the NHSTA rates various sport-utility vehicles, log onto the Website below, and choose “SUV.”
Tax Benefits of SUVs
Until recently, business owners or self-employed people who purchased SUVs for business were entitled to huge tax benefits. Much of that benefit vanished near the end of 2004. But purchasers who qualify can still take a depreciation credit of up to $25,000 on the purchase of an SUV for mostly business use.
So what is the downside of sports-utility vehicles?
Some people have difficulty stepping up into the larger SUVs. If you’re getting in and out of the vehicle a lot and you find it difficult, the climb might get old fast. In an emergency, while SUVs generally provide a great deal of safety for its occupants in a collision, they also tend to be somewhat clumsy at times. You may have heard that sports-utility vehicles are more likely to tip over than other vehicles. There is some evidence from Consumer Reports that larger SUVs may be tippier than cars.
SUVs are generally quite expensive because of their size and construction. And the most popular complaint among foes of sports-utility vehicles is that they get low gas mileage.
The bottom line is, it’s a matter of choice. Many opponents of SUVs would like to see them taken off the road and made illegal, largely because they use more gas than other vehicles. On the other hand, they provide increased safety for the occupants.
