Suv Fuel Efficiency – Yes
In the last few years, interest in environmentalism has caused many Americans to cast a cynical eye to the Sport Utlity Vehicle. While the criticisms may be fair for may SUV drivers, there is a time and place for these beloved behemoths, and they aren't the pure evil many folks want you to think they are.
Most midsize vehicles are good for 4 to 5 passengers. Look at minivans and you can up the total to 6 or 7 passengers that can comfortably ride in your vehicle. If you have 8 passengers, you have two options available to you: full size SUVs (such as a Ford Expedition or Chevy Suburban) or 12 passeger vans. The former have a reputation for being gas guzzling behemoths, and the latter have come under scrutiny because of their high center of gravity and tendency to roll. There is little doubt based on safety ratings that the SUV's are the better option.
As for gas mileage, the SUV's win again. While the Expedition boasts an unspectacular 18 mpg, a well-tuned Suburban will get you 20 highway miles per gallon, again not impressive, but also not the low double digit mileage of many similar sized vehicles. And Suburbans also have the ground clearance and 4wd options that allow them to negotiate the ranch roads that many rural residents must endure.
The SUV also comes in handy for families who take frequent vacations. Instead of investing in an extremely inefficient motor home, a family can buy a nice bumper pull trailer and save gas by not having to put their RV in gear after they arrive at the campsite (to say nothing of the additional costs saved by not having to ensure an additional vehicle). The SUV has the pulling power to pull quite a bit, which makes it a rather versatile options.
But where the SUV really wins out is in a category few people consider: passenger miles per gallon. Let's take our hypothetical family of 8. Let's say they make a weekly trip of 120 miles round trip. In a 4 passenger car that gets 30 miles per gallon, they will be driving 2 vehicles, meaning they ill consume 8 gallons of fuel fo the journey. In an 8 passenger SUV getting an average of 18 miles per gallon, they will consume 6.67 gallons of fuel, a savings of 1.33 gallons. Over the course of the year, this will amount to nearly 70 gallons of gasoline saved by driving the SUV.
Is the SUV a choice for everyone? Certainly not; a suburban soccer mom might be better off with a more fuel efficient minivan. But for some families who live in rural areas and/or have large families, an SUV just might be the most responsible choice. Like many other things, th fault does not lie in the machine. If you treat an SUV like an expensive toy, there are better options, but if you use it as intended, it may be the vehicle for you.
