These 6 things about SUVs will only be known after you buy them
SUVs are very popular now, and sales are soaring. Before you buy an SUV, you may feel that it is very good. But after you buy it, you may find that it is not so good at all. For example: Most SUVs have very limited off-road capabilities.
Let’s see about what things you only know after buying an SUV.
01 SUV is expensive but has a lower value retention rate
First of all, the price of an SUV is a bit more expensive than a sedan in the same class.
When you buy a car, you think that an expensive car is more prestigious, but the value retention rate of an SUV is lower.
For example: the three-year average value retention rate of small cars is 54.8%, that of small SUVs is 51.1%, that of mid-size cars is 53.1%, and that of mid-size SUVs is 47.6%.
When you sell the SUV, you will be sad.
02 You think you can go off-road, but in fact you can’t do it most of the time
Some friends buy SUVs for the vehicle's passability and off-road capabilities. although it is indeed stronger than a car, it is only a little stronger. The off-road capabilities of most SUVs are limited.
If it is a front-wheel drive SUV, except that the chassis is a little higher than that of a car, other performance is basically the same, and there is no off-road performance at all.
If we talk about four-wheel drive SUVs, most of them are urban SUVs, and their off-road capabilities are not sufficient.
The driving conditions of most urban SUVs are mainly urban roads. They are designed around improving vehicle power, fuel economy, etc. They are not used for off-roading, getting out of trouble, or running on muddy roads.
For example, the timely four-wheel drive system is most commonly used in urban SUVs.
On normal roads, for the sake of fuel economy, the torque output is basically sent to the front wheels, which is equivalent to a front-wheel drive car. Some cars may be sent to the rear wheels.
Of course, when encountering a bad road that requires getting out of trouble, since there is no central differential, there is no way to achieve the locking function, and the effect of torque distribution is greatly reduced.
A slippery tire can still only cause slippage, and the ability to get out of trouble is not as good as we imagined, it is very limited.
03 Consumes more fuel than a car
The amount of air resistance has a relatively large impact on vehicle fuel consumption, and the higher the vehicle speed, the more obvious the impact.
Air resistance is proportional to the vehicle's drag coefficient and windward area. For example, every 10% reduction in the drag coefficient can save about 5% of fuel.
SUVs are tall and have a large windward area, and the body is not so streamlined, so their fuel consumption is higher than that of cars.
Of course, the weight of the vehicle will also have a slight impact. It is just a reference and is not so rigorous.
04 The control stability is not as good as that of a car
The tall and stable shape of an SUV will make us feel more stable and secure when driving. But in fact, SUVs have worse handling and are more likely to roll over.
SUVs are more prone to rollover accidents due to their high center of gravity. Just like a chopstick placed horizontally on the table, the center of gravity is very low. No matter how you move it, the chopstick will not fall over. But if you put the chopsticks upright on the table and they fall over with a slight touch, this is the difference in the center of gravity.
In double line shifting, large swings, and fishhook conditions, SUVs are more likely to roll over than cars.
conditions such as emergency lane changes at high speed, large-angle turns, and continuous changes in direction, there is a higher chance of a car overturning.
05 SUVs are more eye-friendly
I have talked about so many disadvantages of SUVs, but don’t think that SUVs are garbage. This is impossible. So many people buy them. In fact, SUVs have many good features that you did not think of before buying them.
The SUV shape is relatively more upright, which will increase the windward area and increase fuel consumption. However, at the same time, the upright windshield can reduce the irritation of light to the eyes. this is because the factors that have the greatest impact on glare intensity in the car are the angle of the sun and the angle of the windshield. However, the glass angle of an SUV is larger, so the impact of glare is smaller, and the eyes are less likely to fatigue.
06 Greater safety in a crash
SUVs are relatively safer in a crash. Although the risk of rollover will be higher, if the car does not roll over in a normal collision, SUV is still more advantageous in terms of safety. Because the SUV's higher sitting position allows the key parts of the head and chest of the people in the car to be further away from the collapse area during the impact. the impact will be smaller, and the passive safety will naturally be better.
According to the Automobile Accident Mortality Report released by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in 2017: the overall fatality rate of cars is higher than that of SUVs. For every 1 million vehicles, the average number of deaths per year is 62 for cars and 24 for SUVs.
