If you're in the market for a new vehicle, there are many decisions you need to make before going with the right one to fit your lifestyle. This is especially true if you are considering sport utility vehicles (SUVs). When it comes to owning large cars such as SUVs, here are some things you need to keep in mind:
- SUVs are not a great choice for cities. They are difficult to drive through clogged streets and tricky to park in snug spaces. SUVs are also hard to maneuver in parking garages and tight corners.
- If you are concerned about gas prices or are on a tight budget, SUVs are not the best option. They have poor gas mileage when compared to small cars and even come out losing when compared to larger cars such as the Honda Accord.
- Despite what people are prone to believe, SUVs are not the safest cars to drive. Because of their large size, SUVs are more likely to roll over during high-speed turns. They are also more difficult to bring to a complete stop quick, which means braking in high-risk situations may not be 100 percent effective. SUVs are safer than small cars, but not so different to mid-size or large vehicles.
- While SUVs may look larger and offer more cargo capacity than regular-size cars, they are not always more comfortable. Some SUVs are notorious for offering a bumpy ride to back-seat passengers, and many present difficulties to shorter people or to drivers with disabilities. Some SUVs have wide blind spots that make driving more difficult for inexperienced owners.
- SUVs are expensive to insure. Insurance companies take into consideration the likelihood of accidents, the higher repair costs, and the fact that an SUV will damage another car greatly if involved in a crash. On average, insuring SUVs will cost owners about $100 US Dollars more than ensuring small-size cars.
- Maybe the most important complaint about SUVs is the fact that they have a great impact on the environment. SUVs release about 34 percent more carbon monoxide into the air than standard-size cars. Because they are considered small trucks, SUVs are also exempt of the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards set by the federal government. This means they are legally allowed to have poor gas mileage and produce more residues.