Criticism of SUVs

A Ford Excursion SUV next to a Toyota Camry

A Defender, an off-road utility vehicle

Safety

One source of SUVs' popularity is the perception of significant safety advantages over smaller vehicles,. To this, critics note that SUVs are more likely to roll over, more likely to be in a single-car accident and more likely to cause harm to other road users. On the other hand, overall, SUVs are safer for their driver than small cars made by the same manufacturer. But if the analysis is made on a pound-for-pound basis (or even dollar-for-dollar basis), lower cars are safer.

Rollover

A high center of gravity makes a vehicle more prone to rollover accidents than lower vehicles, especially if the vehicle leaves the road or in emergency maneuvers. Figures from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that most passenger cars have about a 10% chance of rollover while SUVs have between 14% and 23% (varying from a low of 14% for the AWD Ford Edge to a high of 23% for the FWD Ford Escape). Many modern SUVs are equipped with electronic stability control (ESC) to prevent rollovers on flat surfaces, but 95% of rollovers are "tripped" - meaning the vehicle strikes something low, such as a curb or shallow ditch, causing it to tip over.

According to NHTSA data, SUV's and pickups are at a disadvantage in single-vehicle accidents (such as when the driver falls asleep, or loses control swerving around a deer), which comprise 43% of fatal accidents, with more than double the chance of rolling over. This risk relates closely to overall US motor vehicle fatality data, showing that SUVs and pickups generally have a higher fatality rate than cars of the same manufacturer.

Construction

Heavier SUVs are typically built with a truck-style chassis with separate body, while some newer, lighter or cross-over models are more similar to car construction, which are typically built with a monocoque unitary construction (where the body actually forms the structure of the car). Separate chassis style designs have typically a higher center of gravity than a vehicle of unibody construction.

The British television Fifth Gear program staged a 40 mph (64 km/h) crash between a first generation Land Rover Discovery, which features a separate chassis and body, and a modern Renault Espace IV, which features unitary construction. The 1989-98 Discovery offered less driver/passenger protection than that in the 2003 multi-purpose vehicle with unitary construction from Renault.

Risk to other road users

Because of greater height and weight and rigid frames, it is contended by Malcolm Gladwell writing in The New Yorker magazine that SUVs can affect traffic safety. This height and weight, while potentially giving an advantage to occupants inside the vehicle, may pose a risk to drivers of smaller vehicles in multi-vehicle accidents, particularly side impacts. In 2003 and 2004 in the US, passenger cars were involved in 1.65 and 1.58 fatal crashes per 100M miles respectively compared to 2.14 and 2.05, nearly 30% more, for light trucks (SUVs pick-ups and vans) In 2004, light trucks were involved in fatal, two-vehicle crashes with passenger cars (4,765 total, 0.435 per 100M miles) at nearly 3 times the rate as passenger cars (2,422 total, 0.149 per 100M miles). In the same year, light trucks were involved in fatal, two-vehicle crashes with motorcycles (869 total, 0.079 per 100M miles) at a nearly 75% greater rate than passenger cars (738 total, 0.045 per 100M miles). The same year, light trucks were involved in fatal, two-vehicle crashes with large trucks at a 3.9% greater rate than passenger cars. Fatal crashes between two light trucks occurred at nearly the same (but greater) rate as fatal crashed between two passenger cars.

In parts of Europe, effective 2006, the fitting of metal bull bars, also known as grille guards, brush guards and push bars to vehicles such as 4x4s and SUVs is only legal if pedestrian safe rated plastic bars and grilles are used). Bullbars are often used in Australia and parts of the United States to protect the vehicle from being disabled should it collide with wildlife.

The Ford Excursion pioneered the use of the blocker bar, a kind of under-vehicle roll bar designed to keep the vehicle from rolling over anything hit by it. Some other manufacturers have also added car-level bumpers to reduce the possibility of the other vehicle(s) sliding under the SUV in a collision.

Visibility and backover deaths

Larger vehicles can create visibility problems for other drivers by obscuring their view of traffic lights, signs, and other vehicles on the road, plus the road itself. Depending on design, drivers of some larger vehicles may themselves suffer from poor visibility to the side and the rear. Poor rearward vision has led to many "backover deaths" where vehicles have run over small children when backing out of driveways. The problem of backover deaths has become so widespread that reversing cameras are being installed on some vehicles to improve rearward vision.

While SUVs are perceived as having inferior rearward vision to regular passenger cars, this is not supported by controlled testing. Australia's NRMA motoring organisation found that regular passenger cars were more likely to provide poor rearward vision than SUVs, largely because of the prevalence of reversing cameras on modern SUVs and the high-tail 'wedge' shape of many passenger cars. In NRMA testing, of the 31 vehicles awarded the lowest rating (>15-metre blind spot), 29 were regular cars and two were SUVs. Of the 19 vehicles that received a perfect 0-metre blind spot rating, 11 were SUVs and 8 were regular passenger vehicles. In percentage terms, 50% of SUVs and 5% of passenger cars received the perfect rating.

Wide bodies in narrow lanes

The wider bodies of larger vehicles means they occupy a greater percentage of road lanes, leaving less room for error and for other road users. This is particularly noticeable on the narrow roads sometimes found in dense urban areas or rural areas in Europe. Wider vehicles may also have difficulty fitting in some parking spaces and encroach further into traffic lanes when parked alongside of the road.

Psychology

SUV safety concerns are affected by a perception among some consumers that SUVs are safer for their drivers than standard cars, and that they need not take basic precautions. According to G. C. Rapaille, a psychological consultant to automakers (as cited in Gladwell, 2004), many consumers feel safer in SUVs simply because their ride height makes "[their passengers] higher and dominate and look down (sic). That you can look down [on other people] is psychologically a very powerful notion." This and the height and weight of SUVs may lead to consumers' perception of safety (Gladwell, 2004). but the additional visibility, afforded by an elevated driving position, can have a beneficial effect on safety only if the driver uses the extra visibility, .

Gladwell also noted that the SUV popularity is also a sign that people began to shift automobile safety focus from active to passive, to the point that in the U.S. potential SUV buyers will give up extra 30 ft (9.1 m) of braking distance because they believe they are helpless to avoid a tractor-trailer hit on any vehicle. The four-wheel drive option available to SUVs reinforced the passive safety notion. To support Gladwell's argument, he mentioned that automotive engineer David Champion noted that in his previous driving experience with Range Rover, his vehicle slid across a four-lane road because he did not perceive the slipping that others had experienced. Gladwell concluded that when a driver feels unsafe when driving a vehicle, it makes the vehicle safer. When a driver feels safe when driving, the vehicle becomes less safe. Gladwell's findings were published in The New Yorker which is not a peer reviewed scientific publication (Gladwell, 2004).

Stephen Popiel, a vice-president of Millward Brown Goldfarb automotive market-research company, noted that for most automotive consumers safety has to do with the notion that they are not in complete control. Gladwell argued that many of the 'accidents' are not outside driver's control, such as drunk driving, wearing seat belts, driver's age and experience, so a vehicle's safety also depends on the driver itself.

Sense of security

Study into the safety of SUVs conclusions have been mixed. In 2004, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released results of a study that indicated that drivers of SUVs were 11% more likely to die in an accident than people in cars. These figures were not driven by vehicle inherent safety alone but indicated perceived increased security on the part of drivers. For example, US SUV drivers were found to be less likely to wear their seatbelts. and showed a documented tendency to drive more recklessly (most sensationally perhaps, in a 1996 finding that SUV drivers were more likely to drive drunk). Actual driver death rates are monitored by the IIHS and vary between models. These statistics do show average driver death rates in the US were lower in larger vehicles from 2002–2005, and that there was significant overlap between vehicle categories.

US Driver Death Rates from 2002–2005 in recent models (per million registered vehicles)

• small 4 door cars (14 models): 45-191
• mid-size 4 door cars (17 models): 14-130
• large 4 door cars (11 models): 57-118
• mid-size luxury (8 models): 11-54
• large luxury (11 models): 14-85
• large mini-vans (5 models): 36-97
• very large mini-vans (6 models): 7-54
• small SUVs (13 models): 44-132
• mid-size SUVs (34 models): 13-232
• large SUVs (16 models): 21-188
• very large SUVs (6 models) 53-122

The IIHS report states, "Pound for pound across vehicle types, cars almost always have lower death rates than pickups or SUVs." It should be noted that these rates are per million registered vehicles and do not account for driver profiles and thus do not include such factors as driver ability, age, climate, gender, miles driven per year, and traffic conditions. The NHTSA recorded occupant (driver or passenger) fatalities per 100M vehicle miles traveled at 1.16 in 2004 and 1.20 in 2003 for light trucks (SUVs, pick-ups and minivans) compared to 1.18 in 2004 and 1.21 in 2003 for passenger cars..

Marketing practices

Under criticism are the marketing techniques used to sell SUVs. Advertisers and manufacturers alike have been assailed for greenwashing. Critics have cited SUV commercials that show the product being driven through a wilderness area, even though relatively few SUVs are ever driven off-road. Even the model names have been criticized for connoting exotic wilderness areas (Chevrolet Tahoe, Dodge Durango, GMC Denali) and ruggedness (Ford Explorer, Chevrolet Blazer, Ford Expedition, Jeep Commander) that have little to do with the typical daily use of an SUV (i.e. transportation on paved roads).

Tax benefits

In the United States, Section 179 depreciation deduction, sometimes known as the 'SUV subsidy' allows small-business owners to deduct up to $25,000 of the cost of a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of over 6000 lb (2722 kg) from their income for income tax calculation. Small-business owners may deduct $10,610 of the cost of a passenger automobile. This provides a slight tax incentive for businesses to purchase larger / commercial vehicles, such as SUVs, which is criticised on environmental grounds. However, the cost of both SUVs and automobiles is fully deductible over future years using normal depreciation. In previous years, this deduction reached $120,000 and was the subject of much criticism. When the vehicle is eventually sold, the difference between the sale price and depreciated value must be claimed as income and is subject to taxation.

Fuel economy

The recent popularity of SUVs is sometimes given as one reason the U.S. population has begun to consume more gasoline than in previous years. SUVs are generally, mile for mile, less fuel efficient than comparable passenger vehicles. Additionally, SUVs are classified by the U.S. government as light trucks, and thus are subject to the less strict light truck standard under the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations. The CAFE requirement for light trucks is an average of 20.7 mpg (US), versus 27.5 mpg (US) for passenger cars (11.4L/100 km and 8.6L/100 km, respectively). This provides less incentive for U.S. manufacturers to produce more fuel efficient models.

As a result of their off-road design SUVs may have fuel-inefficient features. High profile increases wind resistance and greater mass requires heavier suspensions and larger drivetrains, which both contribute to increased vehicle weight. Some SUVs come with tires designed for off-road traction rather than low rolling resistance.

Fuel economy factors include:

• High masses (compared to the average load) causing high energy demand in transitional operation (in the cities) ${P_{accel}=m_{vehicle}\cdot a\cdot v}$ where $P_{accel}\,\!$ stands for power, $m_{vehicle}\,\!$ for the vehicle mass, ${a}\,\!$ for acceleration and ${v}\,\!$ for the vehicle velocity.
• High cross-sectional area causing very high drag losses especially when driven at high speed ${P_{drag}=A_{cross}\cdot cw_{vehicle}\cdot {\frac {v_{air}^{3}\rho _{air}}{2}}}$ where $P_{drag}\,\!$ stands for the power, ${A_{cross}}\,\!$ for the cross-sectional area of the vehicle, ${\rho _{air}}\,\!$ for the density of the air and $v_{air}\,\!$ for the relative velocity of the air (incl. wind).
• High rolling resistance due to all-terrain tires (even worse if low pressure is needed offroad) and high vehicle mass driving the rolling resistance ${P_{roll}=\mu _{roll}\cdot m_{vehicle}\cdot v}$ where $\mu _{roll}\,\!$ stands for the rolling resistance factor and $m_{vehicle}\,\!$ for the vehicle mass.

Average data for vehicle types sold in the U.S.A:

Type	Width		Height		Curb weight		Combined fuel economy
	in	cm	in	cm	lb	kg	mpg (US)	l/100 km	mpg (imp)
SUVs	70.5	187	69.7	180	4442	1924	19.19	12.26	23.05
Minivans	75.9	193	67.2	178	4075	1939	20.36	11.55	24.45
Family sedans	70.3	179	57.3	146	3144	1426	26.94	8.731	32.35

Drag resistance (same drag coefficient) for SUVs may be 30% higher and the acceleration force has to be 35% larger than family sedans if we use the figures from the above table. This gives a 40% higher fuel consumption (even for parallel hybrid electric SUVs) using the given formula for the power demand.

Addressing fuel efficiency, several manufacturers now offer hybrid gas/electric models of SUVs, offering improved fuel economy over conventionally powered SUVs. With some hybrid SUV models, the added power generated from the hybrid systems is used some times to give vehicles added performance (increased power). SUVs with hybrid engines can therefore experience gas mileage similar to that of gas powered family sedans.

Pollution

Because some SUVs can use more fuel (mile for mile) than cars with the same engine type, it is sometimes suggested that generate higher volumes of pollutants (particularly carbon dioxide) into the atmosphere. Various eco-sabotage groups, such as the Earth Liberation Front or Les Dégonflés have targeted SUV dealerships and privately-owned SUVs because of concern over increased fuel usage. Acts can range from criminal damage (such as arson or deflating the vehicle's tires) to more passive attacks (such as fake 'parking tickets').

In the U.S., light trucks and SUVs are held to a less-strict pollution control standard than passenger cars. In response to the perception that a growing share of fuel consumption and emissions are attributable to these vehicles, the Environmental Protection Agency ruled that by model year 2009, emissions from all light trucks and passenger cars will be regulated equally..

However, total mileage over time must be taken into consideration when considering total emissions volume and there has been investigation in 'Dust to Dust' environmental impact; considering factors other than fuel economy.

Top Gear Magazine, in an article to find the "greenest car", placed the Land Rover Defender alongside the Honda Insight including the claim that "70% of all the Land Rovers built are still on the go today" with the inference that a longer working life has less environmental impact.

The British national newspaper The Independent reported on a study carried out by CNW Marketing Research which suggested that CO₂ emissions alone do not reflect the true environmental costs of a car. The newspaper reported that: "CNW moves beyond the usual CO₂ emissions figures and uses a "dust-to-dust" calculation of a car's environmental impact, from its creation to its ultimate destruction. The newspaper also reported that the CNW research put the Jeep Wrangler above the Toyota Prius and other hybrid cars as the greenest car that could be bought in the US. However, it was noted that Toyota disputed the proportion of energy used to make a car compared with how much the vehicle uses during its life; CNW said 80% of the energy a car uses is accounted for by manufacture and 20% in use - Toyota claimed the reverse.

The report has raised controversy. When Oregon radio station KATU asked for comment on the CNW report, Professor John Heywood (with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)) saw merit in the study saying "It raises in the rest of us some good questions" but "I can only guess at how they did the detailed arithmetic. ... The danger is a report like this will discourage the kind of thinking we want consumers to do - should I invest in this new technology, should I help this new technology?"

The Rocky Mountain Institute alleged that even after making assumptions that would lower the environmental impact of the Hummer H3 relative to the Prius; "the Prius still has a lower impact on the environment. This indicates that the unpublished assumptions and inputs used by CNW must continue the trend of favoring the Hummer, or disfavoring the Prius. Since the researchers at Argonne Labs performed a careful survey of all recent life cycle analyses of cars, especially hybrids, our research underlines the deep divide between CNW's study and all scientifically reviewed and accepted work on the same topic.".

A report done by the Pacific Institute alleges "serious biases and flaws" in the study published by CNW, claiming that "the report's conclusions rely on faulty methods of analysis, untenable assumptions, selective use and presentation of data, and a complete lack of peer review."

For his own part, CNW's Art Spinella says environment campaigners may be right about SUVs but hybrids are an expensive part of the automotive picture; the vehicle at the top of his environmentally friendly list is the Scion XB because it is easy to build, cheap to run and recycle and carries a cost of 49 cents a mile over its lifetime.

"I don't like the Hummer people using that as an example to justify the fact that they bought a Hummer," he said. "Just as it's not for Prius owners to necessarily believe that they're saving the entire globe, the environment for the entire world, that's not true either."

The June 2008 release of the "From Dust to Dust" study now places the Prius cost per lifetime mile fell 23.5% to $2.191 per lifetime mile while the H3 cost rose 12.5% to $2.327 per lifetime mile -although as it is still dependent upon the distance driven during the vehicle's life, is still subject to dispute.107 08 Models Cost Per Mile From Low to High at cnwmr.com

Weight

The high gross vehicle weight rating of some full-size SUVs (like the Ford Excursion and Hummer H2) technically limits their use on certain roads. These laws are rarely enforced for SUVs as they are classified as passenger vehicles instead of commercial trucks. Fortunately these small rural roads are a rare occurrence for most drivers. In addition many of these rural byways are giving way to more efficient and larger two lanes which support vehicles up to medium weight trucks.

The weight of a passenger vehicle has a direct statistical contribution to its driver fatality rate according to Informed for LIFE, more weight being beneficial.

Size

The length and especially width of large SUVs is controversial in urban areas. In areas with limited parking spaces, large SUV drivers have been criticized for parking in stalls marked for compact cars or that are too narrow for the width of larger vehicles. Critics have stated that this causes problems such as the loss of use of the adjacent space, reduced accessibility into the entry of an adjacent vehicle, blockage of driveway space, and damage inflicted, by the door, to adjacent vehicles. As a backlash against the alleged space consumption of SUVs, the city of Florence, has restricted access of SUVs to the center, and Paris and Vienna have debated banning them altogether.

High vehicle excise duty (UK)

In the United Kingdom where most on-road motor vehicles (except very low polluters) are subject to yearly vehicle excise duty payments, the government is actively attempting to deter people from using high-CO₂ vehicles by taxation. The average family sized car would cost around £175 GBP annually (2009), whereas more polluting vehicles (including some SUVs) cost up to £440 GBP based on the CO₂ g/km emissions with further increases planned in the future.

However, by selecting a pick up truck, which are similar in all other respects to SUVs, the high taxes can be offset by the reduction in VAT and company car tax each year.

Declining Profits for Detroit Big Three Automakers

The business model of focusing on SUVs and light trucks is blamed for declining sales and profits among Detroit's Big Three automakers since the mid-late 2000s.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Big Three could enjoy profit margins of $10,000 per SUV, while losing a few hundred dollars on a compact car. Consequently, these companies focused resources and design on SUVs over small cars (compact cars were sold mainly to attract young buyers with inexpensive options and to increase their fleet average fuel economies to meet federal standards). As a result of the shift in the Big Three's strategy, many long-running compact and midsize cars like the Ford Taurus, Buick Century, and Pontiac Grand Prix eventually fell behind their Japanese competition in features and image (relying more upon fleet sales instead of retail and/or heavy incentive discounts), some eventually being discontinued.

With soaring gas prices in the mid-late 2000s, followed by a weakening economy, SUV and light truck sales have declined significantly. The Big Three were unable to adapt as quickly as their Japanese rivals to produce small cars and crossovers to meet growing demand for fuel-efficient vehicles; the US offerings were also considered less competitive than their Japanese counterparts. This was due to inflexible manufacturing facilities, and the high wages of unionized workers in the United States and Canada (members of the UAW and CAW, respectively) compared to non-union workers such as that of Toyota, make it unprofitable to build small cars

Slang

• In the United Kingdom, SUVs are often referred to in derogatory terms as "Gas Guzzlers" or "Chelsea Tractors," due to their popularity among affluent people living in central London areas such as Chelsea. The term SUV is occasionally used in the UK, although such vehicles are often referred to as 4x4s more commonly.
• In Sweden, a country where SUVs are not considered a status symbol, they are often spoken of as "Stadsjeepar", meaning "City Jeeps". In official communication from Swedish insurance companies, governmental organizations, and environmental movements, SUVs have been endowed with this epithet. However, a BIL Sweden survey also shows that SUVs in Sweden are predominantly not bought by people in the city, so the term "City Jeep" makes little sense.
• In Norway SUVs were very popular among affluent people in the Western suburbs of Oslo (Bærum and Asker), especially in the years 2005-7. During this time, the term "Børstractor" meaning stock-exchange tractor was coined to reflect the irony of buying such cars but never using them off the tar. The initial success of the SUVs, however, coincided with a peak in the focus on outdoors activities and fitness, and driving an SUV was commonly thought to indicate an active life. Being outdoorsy, however, required no less luxury than anything else, as reflected in the preference for the SUV models from premium car makers BMW, Volvo and Audi. Although the sale of SUVs has decreased dramatically - to less than 10% of its peak in 2006 for some models - SUVs are still very common in Asker and Bærum, and significantly more so than in other areas of Norway.
• In Australia, where the term SUV is rarely used, expensive 4WDs that do not venture offroad are sometimes referred to as "Toorak Tractors" or "Mosman Shopping Trolleys". In New Zealand, the same type of vehicle is described as a "Remuera Tractor".
• The term SUV is used as an acronym for "Super useless vehicle" or "Suddenly upside-down vehicle" in reference to criticism of SUVs generally.

See also

• Air pollution
• Automobile safety
• Environmentalism