When it comes to vehicles, bigger seems to be the way to go. For the first time ever, 2020 saw pickup sales exceed the car. Meanwhile, SUVs outsold cars two-to-one as the trend favoring sports utility vehicles over sedans kept apace.
The trend toward bigger vehicles shows no signs of slowing down. Sales of new and used SUVs continue to rise. If you haven’t owned an SUV before, you might be looking around you on the road and wondering what the appeal is. Below are five of the most common reasons drivers decide to buy a used SUV when it’s time to replace their vehicle.
#1 More Seating Capacity
One of the biggest factors when people are looking for a car is passenger seating. The superior size of the SUV has made it a favorite for families. There’s plenty of room for kids, pets, friends, and everything else you need to bring with you.
SUVs make everything easier, whether you’re taking the kids to school, shopping, or taking the family up to the cottage for the weekend. Everyone gets more personal space and can stay out of each other’s hair. It can also make work carpooling viable with plenty of legroom.
A standard SUV has plenty of room for five passengers, and some even offer third-row seating.
#2 Extra Cargo Space
Sometimes there’s more to haul than just passengers, and SUVs don’t skimp on the cargo space. SUVs simply offer much more space than your standard sedan, and that goes for the trunk as much as it goes for passenger seating.
Even more compact models and crossovers beat out sedans for cargo space. In some cases, cargo space may not be as deep as the station wagon, but it is taller, which can be great for transporting long or cumbersome items, from lamps to hockey sticks.
#3 Safety
If you feel like suddenly all the drivers around you are outsized, upgrading to an SUV can make you feel a lot safer when you’re on the road. The taller seating can provide some psychological security, and the vehicles are larger and heavier.
#4 Visibility
The higher driving position afforded by an SUV gives you better visibility, especially in a world where all the vehicles around you have gotten taller as well. SUVs also offer larger surrounding windows and back windshields, giving you more space to look around.
#5 Winter Driving & Capability
All-wheel drive has become standard in SUVs, while many sedans don’t have the same feature. An SUV can make it easier to drive around in rough and sleety conditions. If you live in a city that gets a real winter, it can feel a lot more comfortable. Better handling on icy roads can make a huge difference getting around, whether you’re going out of town or just running everyday errands in poor weather conditions.
Buying a used SUV means space, safety, and better visibility. Keep them in mind the next time you need a new vehicle.