My SUV, which I hope never goes off road, serves the earthly good of being able to transport several children and large amounts of equipment on the trips I make to my shore house every other spring/summer/fall weekend - and the much longer trips I make when bringing my kids to see relatives in other states every month or so.
Not only is it sufficiently roomy, its large and fully boxed frame enhances safety while I am transporting my family.
Were one of the morons who believes that the Garden State Parkway is a drag racing strip to hit me, I would likely win.
If you’re not gonna use the SUV for the reason God created it, buy a damn station wagon.
Not only is it much less roomy and contains space for only two child carseats, a station wagon would not win in the scenario I described. At best it might tie, which is no comfort.
A little over a week ago, while we were all driving home from the beach, a drunk guy (9 am) driving a full sized van crossed the center line of a four land highway and hit the Land Rover two cars in front of my daughter and her family. The Land Rover flipped several times. The driver and one passenger were killed instantly. Two passengers were injured but survived. The drunk guy was treated and released -- to the custody of the police and charged with two counts of murder.
When the law requires that all drunks must drive mini-hybrids, then I might go smaller. As it is, my 9 passenger Suburban suits me fine. We all drive SUV's or trucks, Tahoes, Suburbans, F150's, and son-in-law normally drives a big diesel double axle Ford.
They were in the Tahoe that day - my son-in-law pulled the ten year old out of the Land Rover. He says he's driving the diesel to the beach next time.