Why do people drive SUVs?

[Honeycombe8]

28. You don't know much about SUVs. Here's the skinny: (1) There are small SUVs;

(2) There are SUVs that are not big and heavy;
(3) There are SUVs that cost the same as hatchbacks and sedans;
(4) There are SUVs that get the same mileage as sedans;
(5) There are SUVs that are built on CAR chassis, so they are not classified as trucks.

Examples (check these out on consumereports.org):
Subaru Forester
Hyundai Tucson
Mitsubishi
Toyota RAV
Honda CR-V
Mini Cooper Countryman
Ford Escape or Ford Escape Hybrid
Nissan Rogue
Nissan Juke
Mazda CX-5

I had a Subaru Forester for 14 years. It was the best, most reliable vehicle I've ever owned. It held a lot of stuff, including some long items like house molding. It was great for toting dogs around. It was only 175 inches long, so fit into my tiny garage. The gas mileage was about 20mpg, which was good for when I bought it. It was built on a car chassis, so was classified as a wagon by my insurer.

Since I bought that Forester in 1997, small SUVs have come a long way. While once there was ONLY the Forester, there are now many competitors. They are sometimes called crossovers.

I always wonder why anyone would own a sedan. They are so impractical. I will buy only hatchbacks and SUVs and vehicles with a cargo area (not a "trunk&quot . I need to be able to put a 10' rolled up rug into my car and return it to the store, or put a chair in that I buy at a store, lots of bags of mulch from the nursery, etc. I don't need that often, but I do occasionally, so I need to buy a vehicle that accommodates the things I need it for.

Currently I have a Honda Fit....a great little hatchback that holds a TON of stuff, is fun to drive, gets great gas mileage, seats fold down flat for even more storage, and looks awesome and oh-so-cute. Schwing! But I'll replace it by a larger SUV-type vehicle that gets good gas mileage and fits in my small garage, and has proven reliability.