The SUV: Long or short term trend?

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///M-Spec

///M-Spec

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Let's hear it. Is the SUV just a flash in the pan? or is it here to stay for a while?

10 years?
25 years?

Will the traditional body on frame, truck based SUV be the dinosaurs of the new millenium? Gone as soon as 30-50 somethings get tired of them and move on to the next trendy thing?

...or will our grandchildren be taking us to the nursing home in 20 ft long, 800 hp, 6,000 lb, 10 passenger behemoths? Discuss.


///M-Spec
 
Before they became as popular as they are now, they had existed for a long time in the form of the Trooper, Bronco, Blazer, Cherokee, Land Rover, Ramcharger, etc. Now there are Acuras, BMW's and even Porches (to mention only a few of the most ridiculous ones); these are a flash in the pan and will fade out over time. The real SUV's that people actually get dirty and take to the wilderness will endure, as they did before the fad started.

Vehicles like the Nissan Murano may well be around for good, and the concept and design further developed into the new family car, leaving the traditional station wagon to collectors.

Don't get me started on H2's.
 
They'll forever endure, sorry. Hell, they're still discovering major new segments. Think small luxury.
 
Well actually, a lot of the new Euro-SUVs are monococque construction rather than the ladder-chassis style.

Regrettably, this indicates that there is a simple trend to build bigger cars with greater ride height and call them something new. Something other than their proper description, which should be "Rubbish".
 
Well I rather like my Blazer and it seems fuctional to me. I don't off-road, so that is why I got the 2WD Xtreme model.

Some SUV's are pointless, any thing unibody isn't a true SUV or truck. These Japenese SUV's are trendy and so are the Euro ones. American SUV's are the only ones that will stay for a long time.
 
Here's my Dad's Hunting Utility Vehicle! :eek: It's IH Scout Traveler w/ 8000LBS Warn Winch, 4-inch Skyjacker Lift, 33x10.5x15 BFG A/T, 4.09 Gears in Dana 44 axles, Lock-Rite in the rear axle, Trakloc LSD in the front axle, 392CI V8, 727 TF 3 Speed Auto, Spicer/Dana 20 Transfer Case. It will go practically anywhere. :D

Kristof!
 

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Those things are so cool. My grandpa had one of them a while ago. I remember it when I was little.
 
Jeep Cherokees (XJ) are monocoque and are awesome offroaders and very popular. Not as popular as the CJ/TJ/YJ is offroad, but they're up there.

A Blazer Xtreme on the other hand is more like a car than a truck. Hell, the S10 replaced THE EL CAMINO. Blazers are still cool though, I like ZR2s.

I think the SUV trend will die down, but I don't think it'll go away completely like the classic american RWD V8 full frame car has.
 
the SUV craze is a flash in the pan, albeit a long one. already the popularity of car based SUVs shows that people dont really want a lumbering trcuk based type SUV. most people want a car that is smooth riding rather than agricultural. some will still want the land rover defender type go anywhere machine that is loud, crude and unrefined. most for ego, some for actual use.

anyway. i believe the popularity of SUVs is not for their go anywhere ability (thats just what the marketing men dreamed up and ran with IMO!) but rather for their usefulness; the higher ride height and increased capacity are boons to female drivers who tend to be the ones shepherding the kids everywhere. ride height is a "security" feature as they "feel safer" in a truck. even though a car plouging into a fixed object will likely fare better.

i think that more people are going to rediscover the station wagon. in fact the trend has already begun. the car based SUVs are just the best of both worlds.
 
Originally posted by neanderthal

anyway. i believe the popularity of SUVs is not for their go anywhere ability (thats just what the marketing men dreamed up and ran with IMO!) but rather for their usefulness; the higher ride height and increased capacity are boons to female drivers who tend to be the ones shepherding the kids everywhere. ride height is a "security" feature as they "feel safer" in a truck. even though a car plouging into a fixed object will likely fare better.
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I love these viewpoints - at least this one's stated as opinion not fact.

i think that more people are going to rediscover the station wagon. in fact the trend has already begun. the car based SUVs are just the best of both worlds.
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I agree - remember that the Subaru Outback is (here it comes) one of the top five most popular cars in every single major city west of the Mississippi River. You heard me!

Thing is, nobody's capitalising on what has to be the single most obvious trend in world history. Toyota and Honda don't even sell station wagons, let alone those with all-wheel drive. The only non-Subaru AWD wagons (not five-door hatches, but real wagons) for sale start at $38800 (A6), $33440 (A4) $39950 (Allroad Quattro), $32150 (3-series), $33600 (C-class), and $33210 (V70). The only real Outback competitor is the Passat GL wagon, starting at a still high $22550.

Edit - I'm wrong. The GLX is the only Passat with 4Motion AWD; it goes for $32375 - guess that leaves the Outback on its own, then, at $23245.

Not sure where the Camry AWD wagon is, but it'd better arrive damn soon.
 
Having spent the last 3 weeks shopping the lots for a 2-3 year old family hauler, I have to say that the SUV is in some ways already dying out. The new trend of "mammoth car" (Speed Racer reference) SUVs are taking the "pickup-truck-with-a-permanent-cap" 2-box SUV shape and gradually smoothing it into something entirely new... a big station wagon. They'll do it slowly enough that by 2006 none of the sheep will notice they are driving a facelifted 1996 Caprice Classic wagon that just happens to have too much electronic gadetry, full leather, 19" wheels, and a crappy AWD system. And that it cost $50,000.
 
Originally posted by frestkd
Yep, a real SUV has a 2 speed transfer case.
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...in your opinion.

And as long as we're stating our outdated opinions, in my opinion, a real sedan is a rear-drive V8 (gas guzzler or not, it's REAL!), and a real minivan has a sliding door on the driver's side only (practical? No. "Real?" Yes.) and fake wood paneling.

Come on - SUVs have evolved. You can move with the trends, or get left behind. I have a feeling you're choosing to do the latter.

Oh, and - by the way. This vehicle has all-wheel drive, a child seat recognition system, daytime running lights, an emergency assistance system, a navigation system, automatic climate controls, a power tilt/telescoping wood- and leather-wrapped steering wheel, 10-way power front bucket seats, heated front and rear seats, a front seat, mirror, and steering wheel memory system, heated power mirrors, keyless entry, a 6-CD player, rain-sensing intermittent wipers, an alarm, leather upholstery (with optional $6400 designer leather upholstery), automatic headlights with washers, and 18" wheels. The SUV?

02.mb.g500.r34.500.jpg


Oh yeah - it's also got a two-speed transfer case. Does that make it "real"?

:)
 
Hahahahahahah G-wagens hahahahaahehehehehehehehe hah hsshehsh what a joke.

10 years ago, when there were 15 of them in the country, and they had a gasoline-burning space heater in the cargo area, and a rev-limited top speed of about 47 mph, steel framed seats and no carpet, then they were a real SUV.

Those things are crawling all over north Wilmington. They're still the best device seen for separating a noveau-riche tosser from a large chunk of his ill-gotten and insanely huge salary.
 
Originally posted by neon_duke
Hahahahahahah G-wagens hahahahaahehehehehehehehe hah hsshehsh what a joke.

10 years ago, when there were 15 of them in the country, and they had a gasoline-burning space heater in the cargo area, and a rev-limited top speed of about 47 mph, steel framed seats and no carpet, then they were a real SUV.
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Hey! They apply to Kristof's one and only rule! The G55 AMG and the International Scout Traveler are officially in the same boat! :D

Those things are crawling all over north Wilmington. They're still the best device seen for separating a noveau-riche tosser from a large chunk of his ill-gotten and insanely huge salary.
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I usually adore examples of conspicuous consumption purely because I like to laugh at what they'll spend their money on (10-way power seats - what the hell? How many ways can it really go? Forward, backward, up, down - that's four), but in some cases it's so completely laughable you start to wonder if the people driving these things know that they're a cliche.
 
10 years ago, when there were 15 of them in the country, and they had a gasoline-burning space heater in the cargo area, and a rev-limited top speed of about 47 mph, steel framed seats and no carpet, then they were a real SUV.
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the G wagen has never had a space heater in its cargo area. they never had a rev limited top speed of 47 mph. you obviously have no clue about what youre talking about or you're really REALLY REALLYexaggerating.

originally designed in the seventies for the shah of iran, the gwagen was initially designed as a vehicle for the military and police. it has always been availble with steel framed canvas seats and no carpet no luxuries etc for military, police, fire depts, park rangers etc. some civilians have purchased them that way.

they have had some badly underpowered models like the 230G 2.3 liter carb fed four banger. i think it had 102 horsepower. the car weighs about 5000 lbs. some underpowered models (anything with a carb, non turbo diesel engines!) and some very capable (all fuel injected 6 cylinder or higher and turbo diesels.)

considering all models come with a two stage transfer case, three locking (on the fly) differentials, solid axles front and back, extreme approach and departure angles due to wheels at all four corners, available deep water fording kits, etc then i would say it has always been a "real" SUV.

only recently have they become playthings of the rich. in africa we used them as farm, military and police vehicles long before it became vogue for them to be luxury cars.
 
Originally posted by M5Power
...in your opinion.

And as long as we're stating our outdated opinions, in my opinion, a real sedan is a rear-drive V8 (gas guzzler or not, it's REAL!), and a real minivan has a sliding door on the driver's side only (practical? No. "Real?" Yes.) and fake wood paneling.

Come on - SUVs have evolved. You can move with the trends, or get left behind. I have a feeling you're choosing to do the latter.

Oh, and - by the way. This vehicle has all-wheel drive, a child seat recognition system, daytime running lights, an emergency assistance system, a navigation system, automatic climate controls, a power tilt/telescoping wood- and leather-wrapped steering wheel, 10-way power front bucket seats, heated front and rear seats, a front seat, mirror, and steering wheel memory system, heated power mirrors, keyless entry, a 6-CD player, rain-sensing intermittent wipers, an alarm, leather upholstery (with optional $6400 designer leather upholstery), automatic headlights with washers, and 18" wheels. The SUV?

02.mb.g500.r34.500.jpg


Oh yeah - it's also got a two-speed transfer case. Does that make it "real"?

:)
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Don't forget the front/rear remote locking diffs ..... That's a REAL SUV hehehe and Land Rovers Too!

Kristof
 

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