What is your main complaint re; SUV's?
Mileage?
Size?
My daughter has a Honda Element SUV, it's ugly but gets 25mpg. Would you have a problem with this SUV?
Just trying to figure out where you're coming from.
not quite sure about his complaint against SUV's but mine is this. While the Honda element may get 25mpg, many many others do not get that good on gas mileage and many get much less. They are not held to any minimum standard for gas mileage as a regular pickup truck, for instance. The more 8-10mpg Dodge Dakotas and GM Hummer H2's sell, the more we are dependant on Saudi Oil. from most motor companies you can get a mini-van with better mileage and more cargo space for less money. It is a status symbol, mostly. And a psychological advantage to women and men who fear being on the road against other people in bigger vehicles. They can see the road better, and feel more protected now that theirs is just as big. Status symbol, protection, etc fall as minor reasons compared to their larger gas consumption.
I don't know about the original poster, but my main complaint is that I feel like I need to have a periscope installed in my car so I can see what's past the wall of SUVs, vans, and big ass pickups surrounding me. If I have sedans around me, I can look through their windows to see what's ahead. I have the same problem in parking lots. I can't see a thing until I have pulled all the way into the aisle because I can't see through the big vehicles.
My general rule of thumb: if your vehicle is going to completely block my line of sight, don't expect me to let you merge in front of me.
The mileage on SUVs is bad, but if one has the wherewithall to pay for the gas, go for it!
I do find that your daughter's Element with only 25 MPG isn't much of a fuel miser-but it's not a hog either. I have a 318 CUIN Dodge Ram that will get 20 MPG on the highway and I had to get a "go-to-work" car that has about 34 MPG because I drive over 100 miles every day.
I do find it ironic that I see housewives out in 4000-6000 lb behemoths with 10-12 MPG, 4 wheel drive, all the off roadability stuff, and the only time their tires have been off the road is when they back over the grass off the driveway at home...god bless em!
What element is that Honda made of? Butt-uglium?
My complaint is that it seems as though many of the drivers of SUVs thinking driving a larger, allegedly safer vehicle absolves them of the responsibility of not driving like an a@@hole.
I think those elements are so ugly...I didn't realize they got such good gas mileage though.