| Popularity of the SUV
SUVs were immensely popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s. In the mid 2000s, their popularity has waned considerably.
SUVs became popular in US for a variety of reasons. Owners pointed to their large, comfortable cabins (which approach the passenger and equipment-carrying capabilities of minivans), safety, and the recreational possibilities of the vehicles. Additionally, most large SUVs have far greater towing capacities than conventional cars, and in the case of trailerable boats have superior abilities to launch and retrieve those boats from slippery boat ramps (and, indeed, from many places where no made ramp exists). Critics argue that only a fraction of SUVs will be used for heavy duty work (and many SUVs have surprisingly low load capacities) that can't be done with a regular car.
Undoubtedly, though, some of their success is due to their supposed "powerful image", a substantial factor for many people who might more logically choose a more economical and cheaper car, van, station wagon, or hatchback. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, vehicle manufacturers sold the image of SUVs very effectively, with per-vehicle profits substantially higher than other automobiles. Historically, their simple designs and often outdated technology (by passenger car standards) often made the vehicles cheaper to make than comparably-priced cars.
Still, SUVs are, in general, more expensive than sedans. In time, the public's dislike of truck-like characteristics in SUVs brought about a more-refined current crop of SUVs. Newer SUVs take into account the prevailing usage patterns where the SUV is not expected to ever see any significant offroad usage. As such, newer SUVs have lower ground clearance and more comfortable suspensions.
One argument for SUV popularity in past years was cheap gasoline. After accounting for inflation, gas prices in the 1990s were cheaper on average than in any decade since the invention of the automobile. Gas prices have now increased, leading to lower resale values for SUVs and far lower numbers of SUVs being purchased in the mid 2000s. "Betting the farm" on SUV popularity has caused General Motors to consider bankruptcy as SUVs are no longer popular vehicles to buy new.
The most common reason for SUV popularity cited by owners was once the incorrect assertion that they confer a major advantage in a collision with regular cars. In fact, SUV drivers were more likely to perish in an accident with a smaller car than is the driver of the other vehicle. One reason for this was that SUVs are more than 16 times more likely to "roll over" in an accident, and this has become more publicized in recent years. Therefore, most SUV's have electronics to prevent a roll over.  | 
01-24-2006, 11:28 PM
Well Hi to all. 
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