The automotive industry seems to find different ways to continually capture our attention. When cars first started to be mass produced there were very few models to choose from but as time went on we saw large steel shells built and different body styles that were made to offer a variety of actual capabilities. After that the industry convinced us we wanted fins, wider bodies, lower riding and longer cars which were what we saw through the 1940s and 1950s. As we have come through other generations and forgetting the awful 80s and early 90s you can be sure the automotive industry has worked to learn what we want next.
An SUV is not a new concept by any means, models have been around nearly as long as trucks themselves, but the older SUVs were ones that were built just like the truck as a box on frame and offered great capabilities but certainly much less comfort. Now that so many of us spend so much time on the road the need to have a huge and rugged machine seems to be unnecessary. When the first unibody SUV was introduced we were instantly in love with the machine and started to buy them up quickly.
A unibody SUV, like the Buick Enclave, rides smoother and is more car like than a box on frame one, making it easy to enjoy the drive. This build offered more comfort and easier handling which allows even those who could not drive SUVs previous to be able to do so. Once the unibody form had been perfected the crossover came about and now compact crossovers are flooding the dealer lots around the country, one dealer in Fort Scott KS says, giving us SUVs that probably would have been classified as sport wagons in a previous life but are now simply called SUV because that is what we as buyers are looking for.
For anyone who worries that we are being offered more car that we can handle or need the reality is this might be partially true, but that’s actually up to us as the consumers. Yes SUVs are more expensive than sedans built on a similar platform, but the added ride height, capabilities and space make a huge difference in the overall drive in an SUV even though we don’t get the same fuel efficiency or handling as a sedan or coupe can offer.
We love our SUVs of all sizes, especially the crossover and below SUVs which are much easier to drive and park. What is the next big trend in automotive styling that is going to make us want something else? It seems the SUV is having a long heyday, mostly because it’s such a versatile category to make several different styles and models. We may eventually want to turn back to our sedans or to a coupe but it sure looks like SUVs of all sizes will continue to be some of our favorites to purchase for a long time as they offer everything many of us want and need in a vehicle.