Essentials For Buying A SUV

Let’s start with the basics; what is an SUV? Sport utility vehicle (SUV) is a category of motor vehicles that combine elements of road-going passenger cars with features from off-road vehicles such as raised ground clearance and four-wheel drive. These vehicles come in different sizes, shapes, and capabilities.

Earlier SUVs were little more than trucks, but now, in some countries such as the United States, SUVs have been classified as light trucks. Crossover is a marketing term used to describe car platform-based SUVs. They are becoming popular among people especially in the United States due to their practicality and functionality. The main reason is its design that is based on ensuring safety both to their drivers and to others.

Keep a number of things in your mind before making any purchase: Don’t rush into a new auto purchase, do the research first to find a SUV that meets your needs, style, and budget, and then compare prices others have recently paid. Know your credit first; Justin Lavelle, chief communications officer for BeenVerified, says, “Having a good idea of your credit report and credit score and the interest rates available can help you negotiate a good deal and save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.”

SUVs provide more room for passengers and luggage, so they can be your daily transporter and family car. SUVs have good seating capacity that’s why if cargo space is your top priority you should go for a more practical choice but remember not all cargo space is created equal.

With a high ground clearance and a rugged suspension system, SUVs have a good fighting chance in driving through floods, shallow rivers and rocky mountain pathways.

Kinds of SUVs:

X-Small
Small
Small 3-Row
Midsize (Toyota Fortuner and the Mitsubishi Montero Sport ride)
Midsize 3-Row
Large
X-Small Luxury
Small Luxury
Midsize Luxury
Midsize Luxury 3-Row
Large Luxury
Super Luxury

Before making any decision of buying a SUV, just go through this checklist of their features:

Performance

SUVs are bigger, heavier, and less aerodynamic than regular cars – what I really want to say is buying an SUV means you’ll be spending more at the pump and that is a tradeoff. Even a small SUV can put a big strain on an engine. That’s why small turbocharged engines are more in use nowadays. Moreover, the smaller size limits fuel consumption. If you often drive long distances with very little off-road time, a four-cylinder might be the best option.

Styling

One of the impressive features of SUVs is their exterior styling: you will get drawn to its chunky tires and elevated ride height, while others are city slickers with elegant lines with amazing dazzling LED accent lights and shiny chrome trim. You don’t want to end up with an SUV that you love looking at, but have trouble using on a daily basis.

Fuel Economy

SUVs are more fuel-efficient than ever, but they’re still larger and the trade-off for that additional utility comes at the pump. Some smaller SUVs do almost as well on gas as regular cars. As you all know, the most fuel-efficient SUVs are hybrids, but only a small number of automakers offer a hybrid SUV.

Safety

Many drivers prefer SUVs to sedans because of the elevated height and superior view of the road. But sometimes that’s where the SUV’s advantage ends. The design and styling of most SUVs mean it’s often hard to get a good look to the sides or rear, especially during a lane change or when parking.

Most SUVs today offer a blind-spot monitor as standard or at least optional, as well as front and rear parking sensors. Rearview cameras are a godsend in close quarters, especially those with 360-degree or top-down views. Rear cross-traffic alert, which warns when a vehicle is approaching or crossing your reverse path, is also a handy feature to look for and often comes bundled with blind-spot warning.

Off-Road Equipment

Go-anywhere adventurous spirit is fundamental to the appeal of classic, truck-based SUVs from Toyota, Jeep, and Land Rover to name a few. But today you can find impressive off-road capability even in smaller crossovers from Jeep and Subaru. Note that while most SUVs offer all-wheel drive, these systems are typically designed only for stability on slick pavement, not for serious all-terrain work.

There are still factors that you need to consider:

Parking and tight road frustrations.
The measurements of your car including, and not limited to, height.

REFERENCES:

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