Today, many people want to buy, so to speak, a cool SUV. After all, it is known that this model of car gives the driver solidity, confidence, and in the end, in the cabin of such a car the whole family will fit. Thus, we constantly observe traffic jams, in which cute cars and SUVs of impressive size. Yes, today it is possible to see SUVs everywhere, but what is their true purpose? After all, their very name says that they are designed for impassable terrain, where an ordinary car cannot pass. Let’s find out what the pros and cons of the SUV!
SUV For the City
Surely, many will be surprised that such models of transport do not actually go outside the city. Thus, almost all SUVs today drive on asphalt, but not on hard-traveled areas, as they should. Thus, begs the question, “Why do our drivers need this cumbersome vehicle?”
Especially surprising when on the roads of the city you meet a “steep jeep”, which has big alloy wheels on low-profile rubber, and which is equipped with a sports dodger. In the relevant section of our website you can find an article about convenient options in modern cars. Of course, on such a car it is a pity to go out for fishing or mushrooms. Therefore, the purpose of such a car is that it should speak about the status of its owner. That is, you see on roads a big SUV with all, so to say, frills, and you understand, who sits in it.
Big cars undoubtedly look impertinent and intimidating for someone. But still, compared to conventional models of cars, such as cars, they have some disadvantages. Firstly, it is a huge amount of consumed fuel. Therefore, such cars are available only to solid people who can always splurge on gasoline, because SUVs eat up immeasurably. In addition, it costs a lot of effort to park such a machine, so this type of transport is better to choose drivers who have a certain level of experience driving such cars.
Crossover – the Solution to the Problems
All these disadvantages have been taken into account by the manufacturers of well-known automakers, and now they have developed an improved car of this type – the crossover. Thus, today many car dealerships offer compact crossovers. In principle, in its appearance, they are not inferior to SUVs, as stylish and beautiful. Still, their main advantage is that they are easy to cross the city streets.
- Firstly, they consume less gasoline.
- Secondly, they are easier to park. And it is possible to drive a crossover more comfortably and dynamically.
Disadvantages
Drivability
Do not overestimate the capabilities of crossovers – on the scale of permeability they are shoulder to shoulder with the cars. The majority of modern crossovers in the base variant are front-wheel drive, and if you want 4WD and automatic – bravely prepare a million (there are exceptions, but few). It is not even about money.
What is parquet four-wheel drive? It is not honest three differentials, locks and a “lowering”. It is the simplified scheme of connection of back wheels by electromagnetic or hydraulic clutch on demand. Such drive will facilitate ascent on icy slope, but will pass up in serious dirt. Triggering of muffs usually occurs with a delay, it is inclined to overheat – by standards of off-road cars it is not a drive, but a misunderstanding. Moreover, it is not cheap.
Crossovers have delicate abdomen: plastic fairings, aerodynamic skirts and dangling exhaust pipes make even moderate lack of roads torture: you are always afraid to tear something off. In addition, in difficult conditions are very important tires, and crossovers are almost always in highway rubber, which gives up at the first more or less serious mud.
Increased cross-country ability is not superfluous, but honestly, crossovers are more likely to add to the driver’s confidence, than to really help. The rule is: do not get in a crossover where you would not stick your head in a lighter car.
Comfort
Twenty years ago, SUVs (especially American) were considered more comfortable than other cars, and crossovers inherited part of this image. According to our observations, this is far from always the case. It is impossible to speak weightily here, because a crossover is not like a crossover. But quite often crossovers pester with bumpy suspensions, because at high center of gravity, engineers tried to give them lightness of steering. Money which the crossover spent for its drive, other cars use for better noise isolation. And so on.
Certainly, storming of virgin lands or driving in a snowfall will give a crossover a little bit easier (exactly a little bit), but how many times per year it happens? Three? Two? The rest of time the heavy transmission and a high body drive for hares. And here we come to the third minus…
Operating Costs
Any way you look at it, you have to pay for everything. Other things being equal, crossovers are usually 100-200 thousand more expensive than passenger cars and consume more fuel. Crossovers are inferior in other items, such as the cost of insurance. Risks of big breakdowns are also increased, because they often have more complicated suspensions (for example, with rare exception, the rear one is independent), and also a full drive may demand attention, besides a clutch we have “superfluous” differential, axles, joints…
When does it make sense to choose a crossover? If roads in your city are so bad, that every millimeter of clearance matters. If you regularly get out of town, and you like wild and dumb places. If you suffer from chronic inattention and for the last year 3 times tore a bumper off a curb (though whether the crossover will help in this case is a question). If we take an average city dweller, a crossover for him is often money down the drain. The difference in price can be spent for better equipment of a car or for gasoline – enough for about three years of “free” driving.
That’s It!
Thus, automakers have come up with an urban counterpart of the SUV – the crossover. This car is perfect for a trip around the city with the whole family. Of course, it will not take you far out of town, for example, fishing or into the woods, as in SUV, but you can be sure of a comfortable and safe trip within the city.