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Have no need or desire for an SUV or CUV or anything else than a 4 door Toyota Camry sedan. I've leased one every three years for the past 22 years. I like 4 doors, like the styling, plenty of room in the car and in the trunk, plenty of pickup and power, smooth ride, it's mainly used with just one, sometimes 3 passengers.
While trucks and SUVs have certainly ballooned in size over the years, so have the family sedans. Nowadays the average sedan is ~ 192 inches long and 73 inches wide... that's both longer and wider than a 1990s Ford Explorer, the model that started the mainstream proliferation of SUVs. Back in those days driving an SUV meant driving a bigger, heavier vehicle, sacrificing fuel economy, comfort, and driveability, as they were all built on truck platforms. But with crossovers like the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV-4, etc. none of those sacrifices have to be made. The crossovers are all roughly 181 inches long and 73 inches wide yet have much more useful space despite being shorter lenghwise, since like hatchbacks they lack a trunk. Most consumers aren't going to invest in snow tires, so it's better to have AWD and higher ground clearance of a CUV than a sedan with FWD and lower ground clearance. It's also advantageous because it's easier to see from a higher ride height, and let's face it with more people than ever before driving 4500+ lb. vehicles as daily drivers nowadays, and more people than ever before driving distracted, when you inevitably get t-boned by an idiot in such a vehicle who blew a stop sign or traffic signal because they were text messaging text messaging, you'll be much better protected in a CUV than you would in a sedan or even worse a compact car. While the statistics show that CUV/SUV sales have surpassed sedan sales as of late, why do so many people still choose the sedan over the more functional CUV?
Until someone offers a CUV that is actually fun to drive, I'll stick with sedans. CUVs are the appliances of the automotive world. No thanks.
I run Bridgestone Blizzaks on my AWD sedan during the winter. Your high center-of-gravity CUV is much more like to flip over than my car.
I can't speak for a 2014 Honda CR-V, but my 2017 CR-V certainly rides as smoothly, or almost as smoothly as my old Camry.
Actually the Camry and the RAV4 don't have the same powertrain. The 2018 Camry has a new base 2.5L I4 and a new upmarket 3.5L V6, both coupled to an 8AT. The RAV4 powertrain is a generation behind with old 2.5/6AT with no upmarket engine option since 2013. The RAV4's powertrain is one of the many things that dissuaded me from replacing my Camry with a RAV4.
All of those things were true at one point, but CUVs have come along way since then. My CR-V rides as smoothly as most grocery-getter sedans. It was also cheaper (under $29,000) than a similarly equipped Accord or Camry and the interior is equally upscale i.e. heated leather seats with driver's seat memory, AC/heat vents in the back, leather wrapped steering wheel, dual zone automated climate control, etc.
Fair enough.
You could probably say the same thing about my Honda CR-V.
That's a bit of an apples to oranges comparison. I don't think anyone would consider a Dodge Hellcat a sedan, that's a performance car so there's obviously a big difference in driving experience. When I say sedan I mean grocery-getters like a Camry, Accord, Sonata, etc. This class of automobiles obviously drives nothing like a performance car, so it offers very little advantage in driveability over a CUV.
Perhaps, but I don't choose my car based on image, I choose it based on function. I choose my firearms the same way. You won't see a 2 1/2 ton behemoth parked in my garage, and likewise you won't find a .500 magnum hand cannon in my gun safe.
I do know that and I did said I traded in my sedan earlier this year. I know exactly what I got in the Hellcat. My kids are grown now and have their own cars, so I went back to muscle cars, something I always loved.
Performance - A comparable car will accelerate faster, stop quicker, handle better, and get better mileage than a CUV. For many people, being lower to the ground translates to a more fun to drive vehicle.
Style - CUVs are currently the most bland segment there is right now. They all generally have the same roundish shape/profile and they are a dime a dozen.
Status - In my opinion, the CUV is the new, less practical minivan. Tons of soccer moms drive them and they really aren't all that cool.
You may not agree with those reasons, but I can tell you that's why many of my friends and I still drive cars.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BirchBarlow
It's also advantageous because it's easier to see from a higher ride height, and let's face it with more people than ever before driving 4500+ lb. vehicles as daily drivers nowadays, and more people than ever before driving distracted, when you inevitably get t-boned by an idiot in such a vehicle who blew a stop sign or traffic signal because they were text messaging text messaging, you'll be much better protected in a CUV than you would in a sedan or even worse a compact car.
What is your basis for saying a CUV is safer than a sedan? CUVs weight approx. the same as a mid to full sized sedan and, while low, do have a greater chance of roll over due to the higher center of gravity.
why do so many people still choose the sedan over the more functional CUV?
Looks, pure and simple. There are a lot of sexy, sleek sedans out there. Some CUVs are "cute," but I'm long over wanting to drive a "cute" vehicle. Most CUVs are fugly.
JMHO -- YMMV. But I get 21.8 mpg on my 8-cylinder gorgeous 4-door coupe, so I'm pretty happy with my choice!
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