The Hard Truth About SUVs | 4K 

Funny thing is, the majority of SUV's I see on the road in Germany carry only one person and the small compacts are usually 2 or 4 people.

Another issue with SUVs is that ironically, as we buy them in the guise of safety, they seem to increase fatality for those we crash into, especially pedestrians, but also people in smaller cars. The latter ends up making more people buy SUVs and the cycle continues.

I hope the estate body type will make a come back. They are the most practical and aerodynamic. Not so great to package a large battery but engineers will eventually figure it out

At last, something both Petrolheads and EV fans can both agree on! Never understood the point or need for these Chelsea tractors unless you actually plan to use it off-road. As Rory has explained, estates are cheaper, lighter, just as/if not more practical most of the time, more efficient and faster but just feels like we’re fighting a losing battle sadly…

Rory you are without peer in motoring journalism. Always, engaging, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, thoughtful, open-minded, articulate. Massive fan.

I've never understood the SUV thing, really. Pay more for worse road handling, expensive tyres, higher fuel consumption, etc. And since I don't feel like I have something to compensate for, I'll stick to sedan and estate.

Wow! This has been true for 20 years but I never thought I’d see the day when a motoring channel would have the bottle to take on both the manufacturers and readers and say the unsayable. Well done Rory! You’ve got a lot of bottle. 👏🏽👍🏽👊🏽

Rory, I'm from Canada and don't normally subscribe to UK content (mostly because you get all of the good estates we can't have ;) ), but your videos are some of the most informative and well researched that I've ever seen! Seriously, half of the other outlets on RU-vid, may have dove into doing a direct comparison of models between SUVs and their non-raised counterparts (though maybe not a direct trim level [that's how I'd compare it]), but none of them would have actually compared them to what we as humans actually choose; let alone cite articles comparing them to a polluting nation... Keep up the good work!

Car purchases are emotional decisions. Doesn’t matter how impractical they are. Awesome video Rory!

Finally someone who is pointing out the truth about SUVs. I know there are some benefits in owning SUVs but the negative aspects are far greater!!! Anyway, as always, excellent video!

I had a shock when I saw the MPG figures of these cars, seemed impressive 39-43 MPG... But then I remembered this is the english MPG and not US MPG. I hate it because I'm neither of these 2 and I prefer the metric system with Liters per 100 km.

I have the new Subaru Outback on order. I do need 4WD occasionally due to where I live and what I do. With 8.5” of ground clearance and highly advanced 4WD control systems and a low centre of gravity it is a match or betters most SUV’s on the market but looks like an ordinary estate car. Tonnes of useable space and a very refined drive. A less “prestigious” badge? I certainly hope so.

This touched on one of the biggest misconceptions I hear from SUV owners about why they chose it. So many are convinced that by buying the bigger car they've got massively more cargo space, but when you compare the dimensions to the car equivalent (hatchback, estate/wagon, etc) the numbers are usually similar and sometimes are even in the car's favor. For example, the i30/Elantra GT has a full four cubic feet more cargo space than the Kona, but most when asked would believe it's the other way around

If you're living in the country dealing with gravel roads, snow etc then the increased ride height and AWD / 4WD makes sense - however the vast majority of SUVs do the school run in inner cities. My personal preference is the AWD versions of estates - Passat Alltrack, Volvo V90 Cross Country, A4 Allroad etc. You get better handling and comfort but still the ability to deal with rougher road conditions.

This video, or concept, should be known as a requirement by every car seller and he should let every customer know about this Thank you Rory

I like your clarity, honesty and charisma. People hate to be told that their SUVs and other excessively large cars are bad for the environment. But that's the truth. Keep up the good work

I enjoy the physics on smaller, lighter cars personally. I have no kids so I can't justify an SUV to myself. I chose the other end of the spectrum. I drive a SEAT Ibiza FR with a tiny 1 liter engine, which is only really fast when you think about the engine displacement. I agree. I am eagerly awaiting some cheap, agile electric Ibizas and Fiestas and Polos etc. Weight is even more of a performance killer on EV's than ICE engines it seems anyway. Bring on the e-hatchbacks for everyday folks! Accumulatively they also pollute a lot simply because there are so many of them. That's where we can really improve air quality. In the mainstream. And we already know that an efficient hatchback is often also a fun one to drive. Minimalism has its charms also.

Them ridiculous speed humps in London drove me to get a Q5 actually. Yes, speed humps slow us down but when they’re every flipping 50meters, it gets tiring fast. I do acknowledge that I’m a part of the problem though

I wanna see more of Japanese Kei car approach. With the efficiency of modern engines and EV I think that's a better answer to the issues..

Very interesting comparison, thank you sir! Though I bet if you compared SUVs with the most popular choice 10+ years ago, that was likely a family hatch rather than an estate and the environmental gap would be much bigger. How many of us really need the boot space of an SUV or estate? Some, sure, but most of us would be fine with a good hatchback.

Great video. I just don’t get the obsession with SUV’s. I drive a Land Rover because I live on a farm in the countryside. I drive through fields and I tow a trailer every now and then so I use my vehicle as it was designed for. Not because I want to sit up high. If I lived in a village or a town, I wouldn’t “need” an suv and would be more than happy with an estate or a hatchback.

I have owned all different types of luxury and performance cars over the years. I once had a lease on a Range Rover sport and couldn't wait to turn that thing back in and get another car by the time it was due. I see the appeal in owning one if you have a family, but they get boring. Its also weird to pay more on gas for something that is slow.

Brilliant video Rory. Absolutely essential to educate buyers SUV's are inherently flawed. I have one myself, so I'm as guilty as the next man, but it's going next year to be replaced by a hatch/estate EV.

One major, major point missing from this article, and that is the huge increase in pedestrian injuries and fatalities with SUV's over standard cars. Pedestrian fatalities are actually RISING, and according to latest report from the IIHS in the USA (please do your own research on this, there are LOADS of similar articles with similar results - this was just the top one from a quick Google search!), a pedestrian is 20% more likely to be killed when hit between 20-39mph by an SUV over a car, and nearly 100% more likely to be killed by an SUV over a car at speeds over 40mph (SUV - 100% fatalities, Car - 54% fatalities). Even more worrisome, is the increasing rate of injuries and fatalities to children, due to the higher SUV not being able to see kids walking behind (or in front!) when moving...... usually from an actual school where all these kids happen to be! I doubt many SUV owners will care about this though...... so long as they're safe, nothing else really matters.

Great input Rory! Here in Canada, we’re basically forced in to SUVs as almost all wagons are gone or are premium and therefore too expensive. My dogs fit comfortably in our AllSpace Tig, and it was the only one in its already large size of class that would work for us.

Give me the old school four door saloon and estate wagon every time. Practicality has become a dirty word amongst the feel good mob! Carry on sergeant major, carry on!!

Great video, and great topic of discusion. I've never seen the point of SUVs. Living in Australia we have this misconception we're all bush-bashing campers, ready to take the family onto rough dirt roads and sandy beaches every weekend. Some of us definitely are and yes NEED a propper four wheel drive.....but only occasionally. The vast, vast majority of SUVs here however never leave the bitumen. They're dearer, cost more to run, and aren't as comfortable....so, why have one?

Great article, plenty of food for thought here. I hadn't realised how much SUVs cost over a similar estate model. This will definitely influence my next car choice.

I would argue against the boot and interior space arguments. SUV's are usually wider, that's the only real advantage, if you're a ++ size. But it comes with disadvantage in exterior size and I find width being more constraining than length, when parking. The extra headroom is wasted, a Golf has enough headroom for a tall person. SUV boot size might be also comparable to a wagon, when measured in Liters, but it is less usable in real world, people never cram the boot full up to the roof. Usually only the below-cover space is used, leaving wagon with a large advantage

Rory. I'm an estate guy, practical with space. Great to see someone tell it like it is. Its an emotional thing that costs money and does not necessarily help the world. We'll keep on doing it until we can't me thinks. That's life, enjoy it when you can, 'cause you won't have it for ever.

It would be interesting to expand on the point Rory makes about cars being an emotional purchase. I agree with this as a car enthusiast, but I think a big chunk of the general population buy cars like they buy an appliance. For this reason, marketing must have done a hell of a job to convince these people that an SUV or any kind of jacked up hatchback is the car they should buy, even though they’re slower, more expensive, less economical, dynamically poorer to drive, and generally no more spacious inside. I don’t judge SUV fans who make emotional purchases at all, we’re all car fans for different reasons, but it seems the go to car style for your average motorist is now an SUV, and I can’t understand why this is the case, with the obvious few exceptions such as people with poor mobility.

I've always thought that SUVs looked like impractical, bulky hot hatch - essentially the opposite of what I love about hot hatches. I've always preferred Estates/SWs as "big" cars, given that the extended boot combined with the folding seats allows you to carry pretty much anything you want, or MPVs/minivans like the Fiat Multipla and the Renault Espace for carrying large groups, most of the family trips of my youth were done on a 1999 Chrysler Voyager back when the company was the property of Mercedes and they imported some of the American vehicles to Europe, and it was a fantastically practical car, able to carry up to 9 people with the weird folding seats in the boot. My aunt drives an Opel Mokka (or Vauxhall Mokka to our British fellows in the audience) and it's bloody awful to drive and ride in - I am a tall guy, but the seats of that car are minuscule compared to the ones in my family's Fiat Tipo Estate.

I've always preferred a sedan/wagon over SUV. I also think it's more comfortable in the long wrong, to not have a 90 degree bend in my knees. I know I'm one of the few, but yeah. And they drive better, a lot better actually.

Really like this approach on comparing cars. The next level would be to measure and check these numbers in real life, not just on paper (difference in the fuel consumption at the pump and also real weight of the cars) we know that even the WLTP figures not reflected the reality very accurately :)

Awesome clip. Great quality, and information. Couldn't agree more, I am myself an advocate for the same cause. Love my Legacy Estate, and even though it's not a small car, people call it "little" 😞 People's perception of cars has changed so much. Taller seating makes everyone feel more significant, looking at others downwards, I guess. Otherwise worse in every way. Humans are stupid. Sad times.

I'm definitely in the estate camp. I can't however claim it's for eco reasons, I drive an audi a6 avant v6 tdi quattro that spends most of its life with a roof box on... I simply prefer the looks and handling of an estate. To each their own I reckon.

My SUV is going in a few weeks to be replaced with an estate from the same manufacturer. The estate is 6 k cheaper, 10 mpg better, bigger boot 0.7 quicker to sixty and way better to drive. The big issue is that because SUVs are in such high demand the residuals for the estate are much worse so the payments are close.

Good points well made. Unfortunately forgot to mention one of the most important points about SUV ownership, you can take it off road. You can’t really take an estate car off road , not enough ride height.

Sold my X5 last July. I don't fancy another SUV because of it's handling abilities. Great family car.

Two things I feel I should say here. 1) Thanks to crossovers becoming so commonplace my grandmother could get in and out of one almost up until the day she died at 100 years old. With the mobility she had in her 90's this would have been almost impossible in a traditional hatchback. Same for my dad who, until his passing a few weeks ago, found it vastly easier to be in their C-HR than my Civic. A hell of a lot of people do genuinely benefit from those designs and that shouldn't be discounted. 2) Rather than blaming SUV's how about we look at the ridiculous rush to ever more powerful machines? Rewind to the 90's and an M3 made 300ish HP and did 0-60 in 5.5 seconds. Now a mid spec Merc or Bimmer isn't far off that and... why? Our roads are congested, most journeys are point a to b basic transport and the vast majority of drivers won't ever go looking for that sort of speed making it all overkill. Regardless of body style how much greener could cars be if we dialled performance back a touch in favour of economy? Oh and one small comment on electric cars: we're still waiting for the tech to mature. It's getting there remarkably quickly but probably needs one more generation to make small cars with decent range / charge speed a practical reality. Right now most EV's are still very much luxury goods so they target that end of the market, that'll correct itself soon enough.

For me the biggest drawback in SUVs is that they block the visibility for other drivers. Buying a SUV basically you trade of other people’s safety for your ego(debatable).

Well done Rory! Keep up the fantastic work 👊🏾

Been watching your videos for a while now, so proud of you Rory. Your knowledge is incredible, the baddest automotive journalist ever. Don’t stop!!! (Fire)

Rory, I think you have taken the lead in Automotive journalism. Your perspective on topics are usually spot on, it's nice to watch automotive content that is more than just flash and fluff. CHEERS

Great video as always Rory, I’m ex military and now disabled with spinal injury and pain, suv style cars are of the perfect height for people like me because it’s much less painful to get in and out when we can just rest against the seat and slide our legs round. I have the X1 and the economy comes second to a less painful entry, there’s also the boot floor being a good height to put things in and get them out without having to bend down to remove cumbersome items, flush load lip along with electric tailgate just makes life much easier and gives more feeling of independence to people in the disabled sector. Awesome work as always Rory, look forward to the next video 👍

As you get older, crossovers and mid-range SUVs make more sense because of the raised seat height which makes getting in and out easier. I would love a Peugeot 508 but having tried it, although it was 'okay' for me at 73, for my wife at 75 it was just too low. The result being that it will be either a 3008 or an electric 2008.

very helpful, thank you so much... makes so much sense in easy words, love your personality... bravo...

Best car reviewer. Ever. So compelling and insightful. Had this same debate before I bought my own E class estate several years ago. Estates are on the decline and SUVs are the popular choice. Why do people continue to buy SUVs when they are compromised? Peer presssure - a good motivator.

If you are interested in the history of SUVs the book High and Mighty is an eye opening read

Excellent content! Giving us numbers to think, will probably not hold us back, but at least will let us know how nonsense our choices usually are.

Brilliant video, Rory's stuff on Autotrader is fantastic

polution put aside, as a car enthusiast they objectively makes no sense: interior is not actually bigger than a wagon, they handle worse, range is bad, dyna;ically they are shit VS a sports wagon> Want an X3? get a 3 series wagon. etc.

That was one of the more insightful, efficient, and effective PSAs on estates v. SUV s that I've seen/heard. Thanks!

Bloody hell your content is good Rory. Nicely done.

Hey Rory, that was a great presentation. You're absolutely right about SUV's being inefficient compared to a station wagon. I know it's just a matter of time before there will be a demand for more efficient smaller electric cars vs the offerings we have today when the cost for charging goes up substantially.

I really do enjoy this consumer advise and the way in which Rory delivers it....Keep it up Rory and Team!

This is a great insightful video as an owner of multiple SUVs. Love to see more of these along with the car reviews!!

Great Video! Very informative!!!!

It's that high driving position that we love!

Not going to lie I was definitely expecting you to find there to be less of a difference between SUV's and Estates. I'm actually surprised at how great the difference is. I did some maths using the Merc GLE/E Class figures. Over 30,000 miles (3 years of average ownership) the SUV will produce 12,553kg MORE CO2 than the estate. Or, to put it another way, the SUV would need to tow 200 fully grown trees behind it in order to offset the extra CO2 it creates over the estate 🤯

Love your honesty and thoughts Rory. I'd also love some Engineers to literally dissect an SUV and reveal its inner wasted space ~ I know weight and perhaps Drag coefficients are easier measurements, but what are the benefits of that higher ride height other than ingress/egress and easier load heights? And perhaps visibility-for-safety ~ which by the time everyone owns an SUV is negated!

Eventually you touched on the issue. People feel safer when they are sitting higher, and I can see their point. In a parking lot with a F-150 on one side and a SUV on the other side, I literally can't back out safely even with a backup camera, preferably I have my passenger standing behind directing me. I think it started with seeing better by sitting higher, then it became sitting higher just to feel normal around a bunch of tall vehicles.

What a superb article, I’ve always felt this to be the case and always pity the fools who swallow the status BS and marketing nonsense. I’d love to see you extend this argument further and include less premium comparisons and to look at the perceived but false safety aspect. Expertly and humbly presented as well. Nice job.

SUVs are generally easier to get in and out of, particularly for us older folk.

I appreciate your depth in research and comparison between the SUVs and the estate (I think here in Malaysia, we call it station wagon more often). Well said; we are human, we want what we want. However, one should really look back at what we need. If the driver goes offroad a lot, then an SUV is more practical to own. Otherwise, they should look at other more sustainable alternatives that offer the same, if not better practicality.

You should put this on the One Show, get the message a bit more widely spread. Me, never had an SUV, I've got a 3 series hybrid, I don't need anything else.

Thorough research and engagingly presented. Great job. Food for thought.

Thanks for the great video!!

Here in Africa it’s SUV territory so we are very happy with SUVs . Love them to bits

Another excellent video. I’m glad you are out of the shadow of Top Gear, you always outshone Chris Evans and Matt Leblanc anyway , true journalism real reviews !

Great video... polished presentation! 😃

SUVs only make sense for me when they're truly utilitarian, that means that they can go offroad and carry seven people or a lot of luggage. If they can't do this, they are utterly pointless, it makes more sense getting a regular hatchback/sedan or minivan instead.

Can't imagin myself driving an SUV. I like to throw my car hard in a corner and get out of there without flipping over or wobbling inside the cabin during it

SUV EV’s have the much the same economy issues as ICE ones. My Mercedes EQC 400 manages an electron guzzling 3 miles / kWH at best on long runs in the summer. By contrast my Smart EQ manages nearer 5 miles / kWH.

Another superb vid. Thanks Rory 👍

What a great, engaging presentation. First time I've seen this guy, hopefully will catch more.

all valid points cant argue with but ... I'm 6' 7" tall and have just had a total knee replacement and my xc90 provides all the space and ease of access I need. Have spent a load of time this past month trying a load of cars hoping to mind something smaller/lower/more agile but I cant get into and out of anything easily or get a comfortable driving position while in there - there are no other options so what am I supposed to do?

Great, great video. Really well presented. A properly intelligent balanced contribution to the debate. I recently went from a 2 Series to a Z4 so my conscience is clean (ish). The X5 has to go !! New 3 series estate looks great, what are you waiting for?! Thanks for this 🙏

Great article Rory. Ive had SUV's and estates. the deciding factor for me is the back seats. I have 3 kids and SUV's are the only option with 3 full size rear seats, I find most others have the middle seat passenger straddling a transmission tunnel

Beyond car review, it is a great advocacy video on sustainability issues at the nexus of human nature and technological innovation. Once we understand how the automobile industry operate we can better understand how the world operate and learn how to smoothen our desires. Thank you Rory.

Well researched, well presented thought provoking video. SUV's take up considerably more resources in their production, the wheels are huge so more magnesium alloy, the tyres are huge so more rubber, the body is larger so more metal work and steel, the list goes on. But I understand the appeal, you get a commanding view of the road, people with disabilities or bad backs find them easier to get in and out of and many have air ride suspension which smooth out our terribly maintained roads here in the UK.

Rory nails it again! Managing to support both sides whilst raising the questions that need to be raised.

Excellent really enjoyable informative and interesting cheers

Brilliant review, great job 😃

I think if we thought about it we would have predicted this outcome but SUV's does feel better to drive even if it's just perception. Love your videos Rory!

"SUV, you love them, don't you?" "No. Next question." Also, between all those numbers you forgot to say that the extra weight of SUVs also translates in higher centre of gravity - 'cause they're higher - which means worse roadholding in general and particularly in emergency avoiding maneuvres. And worse braking too, obviously, having to stop more weight. Batteries on electric SUVs will give them a lower centre of gravity? Well, yes, but the same is true for other cars and SUVs' centre of gravity will always be higher than that of a comparable normal car. Advantages in towing capability or 7-seats availability are pretty ridiculous even to mention. I've probably seen one or two seven-seaters full of people in all my 44 years of driving. And what's the % of cars actually towing heavy trailers? Unfortunately, SUVs are also anti-Darwinian too. A moron or an inept driver in an SUV is more likely to survive an accident in which he/she kills a poor guy/girl in a normal car. Best part is at 7:50

I remember when a station wagon was the most uncool thing one could drive….

The catch is: individual transport is inherently compromised. Great video, however! Well done and more critical than much of what I've seen on RU-vid!

We don’t even get many estate/wagon models in the US. That we don’t get a CHOICE is BS!!

I love these videos that look at more than just car reviews. SUVs are very popular and people like the higher driving position and ease of getting in and out, it’s not just about prestige in my opinion. I don’t have an SUV but I have considered one as my elderly relatives find it difficult to get in and out of my small estate car, a higher seat would be much easier for them. What I think should be looked at is the rise of more and more powerful cars/SUVs, we just don’t need several hundred horsepower, and it’s not good for economy or emissions

Quality and very informative video 👌🏿

I live in an area with shit roads, bad winters, and regular spring floods. During bad weather (which amounts to maybe 3 months per year -- if you add up icy roads, mud roads, snow, and floods) there's often no good way to drive without an SUV. Some venture in cars, but they often get damaged. This spring in particular the floods were bad, and many cars had engine damage after going through water. So here, most people have SUVs because that's just the sensible thing to do. I'm increasingly planning on getting a non-SUV and keeping my SUV just for those periods with bad conditions only. SUVs are pretty bad on gas mileage and it just feels unnecessary doing my groceries in a large car. They're also not particularly comfortable on longer journeys.

Rory is the best motoring journalist. He should have his own telly show.

Not touching on depreciation on estates vs SUV. As long as the demand is there SUVs have far stronger residuals. Another factor is for families especially with babies it is easier to load them into taller cars. We have our first on the way and the Cayenne vs RS6 debate is raging. I had an RS6 before and loved it, wife thinks estates are like hearses.

Fascinating review. Thank you.

You have a lot more knowledge than just cars. Your channel is so damn sophisticated and every time I watch your videos I learn something new. What you are doing is AMAZING.

I have two children, aged 1 and 4. One of my friends has two children as well who are similar ages. I drive a Ford Fiesta and so far have not needed a bigger car. Yes, there are times when we have done a big shop and the stroller and child bike (they both fit in the boot, testament to the practicality of what is classed as a micro car) take up all of the boot space the shopping has to go in the footwell of the passenger seat (where my son sits). But even that's rear as what we'll usually do is remove the bike from the boot and both the shopping and stroller can fit fine. With that said, this friend got a Tiguan and pays over £500 a month to lease it. He's constantly trying to get me to buy a bigger car, sending me offers etc. I think he does so because he's sees me driving an 8 year old car which comfortably fits my wife and two kids and I don't have to pay anything a month for it. Don't get me wrong, I would love a bigger and fancier car but it's entirely a luxury yet people think it's a much needed thing as soon as they have a child.

clear about price and fuel efficiency, but what about the comparison on safety (crash against a compact/sedan/utility/etc.) and space (passengers and storage), from what I see these are usually the main reasons people buy SUVs or one of them.

Excellent presentation of the facts. Very open and honest.

Try putting my mobility scooter and wheelchair into a normal saloon. At 45 mpg my Peugeot 4007 is not too heavy on fuel. Who cares about 0 to 60 when what I need is 4 wheel drive with the ability to lock all diffs in snow and mud. There were times it was the only car to access the track on which I lived. It is now 12 years old. I've had it for 10 years with no plans to change. It is dealer maintained and totally reliable. The only problem was with a drive shaft which Peugeot paid for because they said the car was build to be tough and that should not have happened. Being elderly I now need the higher seat for ease of access. When the parents became less mobile it was a car they could get into easily. I have 7 seats when needed to save running two cars. It was listed at £11000 because it had not sold for a year and the dealership gave me a great deal because they wanted my Peugeot 407. Finally, I noticed that the disabled part of the car park at my local garden centre was 100% SUVs.