All About The SUV

Today, one of the most popular car types in the market is the SUV crossover. SUV stands for Sports Utility Vehicle. This vehicle features the best characteristics from other types of cars, such as luxury finishing, comfortable and ergonomic seating position, sportier handling, higher seating position in the traffic, and increased seating capacity - therefore, "crossing over" more than one of the traditional car segments.

SUV crossovers need regular maintenance as any other type of car would, that is, regular engine oil changes, alloy wheel refurbishment, replacing filters for oil, air and fuel, checking the fluid levels for the brake and the clutch fluids, and so on.

Learn more about alloy wheel refurbishment

People are buying these cars today due to a variety of reasons. The first reason is the practicality found in the increased passenger and cargo capacity. Larger models can carry up to 7 passengers due to an extra row of seats in the cargo area. When not carrying passengers, that area becomes a big cargo compartment for carrying bigger items. Also, crossovers offer increased safety due to being bigger, and should an unfortunate accident happen, the heavier car can absorb more energy from the impact and protect its occupants to a higher degree than a lighter car. Third, these SUVs offer a higher driving position, which increases a driver's field of vision, and also a higher roof, which makes the car occupants feel better inside.

Within the crossover market, there are subtypes of cars to choose from. SUVs are usually split into compact, mid-size and full-size models. As it is to be expected, the price rises with the size of the car. There are sportier crossovers, with a harder suspension and lower ground clearance. There are some other models that cater to offering plenty of comfort to the occupants with super comfortable leather seats, 4-zone automatic climate control, 9 and even 10-gear automatic gearboxes for better performance and increased fuel savings. Other SUVs cater to actual off-roading, and are build based on trucks, while others are more urban and based on cars. Most of them offer 4x4 transmissions.

Since the car market today is hungry for SUV crossovers, most brands out there offer multiple car sizes to choose from, at several price points.

In the UK market in 2019, the best small SUV is the Volkswagen T-Cross - it is practical and offers reasonable running costs. On the other end of the spectrum, the BMW X5 is the best large SUV because it offers superb interior build quality, plenty of space, and a 7-seat option. The best hybrid SUB on sale in the UK today is the new Toyota RAV4, because it is spacious and robust.

The best cheap SUV is the Dacia Duster, because it offers good space for 4 adults, a decent boot, and the diesel version is cheap to run. Opposite to that, the best luxury SUV in the UK today is the all-new BMW X7, a great driver's car with plenty of space for 7 people and a superb interior.