what’s your favorite suv? mine is the ford excursion diesel.
97 rav4!!!
I really like the Toyota 4Runner. My wife chose this suv back in 2003 because she needs to get to her job in any kind of weather. On the highway, we get 23-25 miles per gallon (it’s a V-6) and I really like the firm seats and stable ride.
I don’t have a favorite SUV. Unless it’s transporting a construction crew or pulling a boat I think it’s a waste of money that intrudes on the road rights and parking spaces of others.
Sorry, but you asked.
Yup, it’s a little like asking about your favorite sexually transmitted disease.
Craig, there actually people who need an SUV. In the Austalian Outback, the Toyota SR5 4Runner has cleaned up. It is by far the toughest affordable workhose there. It replaced first the basic Land Rover, then the Jeep. When I go to the Middle East I feel good going into the desert in a capable machine. The Saudis like either Toyotas or big Suburbans. Gas is 16 cents per liter, so fuel cost is not an issue. Their priorities are good air conditioning and ease of entry and exit with the kind of clothes they wear. You won’t see many sports cars there; too hard to get into and out of.
However, the vast majority of people in North America don’t need one and are wasting money and fuel. An acquaintance of mine is a soil engineer and goes into all manner of undeveloped terrain to get soil samples. He does not apologize for what he drives, but won’t let his wife drive one.
It was a joke.
I actually own an old POS jeep (redundant, I know) that spends 99% of it’s time sitting around leaking oil on my driveway and annoying the neighbors. I use it when I need a 4WD or when I need to haul something that I won’t put in a decent car. I consider it a necessary evil; actually I want to replace it with an old 4matic or something else a little more civilized that will still get around in the snow (I keep hoping the jeep will die).
OTOH, you should see the line of giant SUVs dropping of kids at my daughter’s school every morning, including one mom who uses her H1 hummer. I can’t imagine why anyone would drive a SUV if they didn’t have to, it’s almost as bad as driving a truck.
Craig; my response was tongue in cheek too. My brother-law is a farmer in the Great lakes snow belt area. He used to have a Jeep 4 wheel drive pickup truck. Now he says that’s redundant. There’s less snow and shorter winters, and a 3/4 ton rear whell drive only truck is sufficient.
Do you and your neighbors live within the boundaries of Rocky Mountain National Park? (joke)
That is what’s silly, denver weather is very mild most of the time with one or two big storms per year. However, everyone here seem to feel they need at least one serious 4WD vehicle, and they end up using those SUVs as commuter cars to avoid owning an extra vehicle. As a result, everyone’s “second car” is a SUV, so when dad takes the honda/toyota/whatever to work, mom uses the SUV to commute or to carry around the kids.
The alternative is to own a couple of “real” cars and keep the SUV for snow days only (like I do), or to do without the SUV altogether (which I can’t talk my wife into). The result is owning and maintaining at least three cars (not counting motorcycles and other toys).
To make things worse, my 17 year old wants a car. The most reasonable compromise I can think of is replacing the POS jeep with a AWD car (probably a benz 4matic) that will do double duty as my daughter’s car and the family snow/ski trip car. It will be safe/slow/big enough for a kid car, but will still be capable of handling moderate snow (with decent all-season tires). It’s still a PITA to own extra vehicles.
I think your daughter would be happy driving a red Suzuki SX4 AWD. It’s econmical, seats 4, is very popular with young people, and can get through almost any snow storm. The 3 position AWD can be automatic, manual, or 2 WD. I see a lot with ski racks on them.
Besides, the seats fold down and it can carry a 62" flat screen TV with the doors closed.
LOL, sorry but I don’t buy domestic/asian cars (the jeep was a mistake). She can buy whatever she wants when it’s not parked in my driveway.
My favorite SUV is the one that’s flipped over in the ditch after it passed you on the highway in a snow storm only to lose control. 
… and there are always plenty of those to choose from.
Well put!
During and after snow storms, I happily motor past scores of flipped over Jeeps, Explorers and Blazers sitting in the ditches adjoining the highways near my home. Meanwhile, I safely operate my Outback, equipped with Michelin X-Ice tires and driven at speeds appropriate for the road conditions, while the terminally machismo drivers of SUVs race to their own destruction on icy roads.
It is amazing how much safer one can be with a lower center of gravity, a superior AWD system, appropriate tires for winter conditions, and a sane approach to driving.
My response was not tongue in cheek.
While I recognize and respect that there are a lot of folks out there for whom an SUV really is the best choice, I’d bet that only 1% of those blocking up 1+ spaces in the mall parking lot are really more than soccer mom’s wanting the big vehicle to keep up the suburban image. I’d bet that less than 1% of SUVs bought are chosen for their utility value.
I respect and will fight for the rights of others to get what they want. But I didn’t get the impression from the original post that he likes the Ford Excursion Diesel for its utility value.
Ruben
I also have seen multiple SUV’s used to drop the kids off at school. My daughter has a honda minivan and her hubby drives a Caddy escalade about 20 miles each way to work at 13mph. WOW. I have a 98 mountaineer that I need for the snow at the cabin but would prefer a new subaru but only when my SUV dies or becomes to expensive to drive. Retired in Az
While I’m a anti-SUV person I do have soft spot for a few of them and realize that they have their place in the auto world for a select few people. First is the Land Rover LR3 HSE which is absolutely the most amazing SUV I’ve had the pleasure of driving. It seats 7 yet all the seats can fold into the floor, it has an enourmous amount of cargo room and is still a mid-size SUV, and the off-road capabilities put most SUV’s to shame.
After the LR3 I’ve always admired the Toyota 4Runners which seem to go forever and have reliability that astounds me. One of my relatives has a 2000 with around 210K miles on it and is upset because he’s had to do his first repair (a starter went bad on him) haha. He’s hoping for 400K miles before he gets rid of it and the way it runs and drives I don’t doubt he’ll get it
My 2005 Acura MDX is just about perfect to me. The acceleration and handling are good enough that I can do whatever I need to do on twisty roads and in passing zones. It has all the gadgets I want. It’s pretty capable in the snow. It’s mid-sized with decent gas mileage, but it can hold a lot of stuff when needed. The value for the price paid is excellent compared to the other luxury and near-luxury SUVs. So, it’s a great combination of features overall. I suppose my only complaint is that the styling could have been a little less plain.
wow what should we all drive when we have a family a geo metro how does it intrude on your road rights and parking
upside down one on the side of the highway.