Current crop of SUV'S

For many of them, I think 'crossover' is a better description. Most are geared to passenger comfort and grocery gettin', not really tow machines. And for those of us that remember, most do look like the venerable station wagon of old, only sexier. It is all about marketing.

That said, we traded our 2018 Camry for a 2019 Highlander. Was tired of driving a car I had to fall into then climb out of, the seats were absolute torture, and the 8 speed tranny behind that 4 cylinder was an absolute irritation, constantly shifting. The Highlander? Absolute delight to drive, comfortable, and I'll be able to haul the Christmas tree home from Home Depot in a couple weeks.

Groover wrote:

colliehauler wrote:
Why do they call them SUV'S when then vast majority of them are glorified station wagons? To me a SUV is a truck based full frame vehicle. Got to love marketing.

Simple-SUV's sell, station wagons don't.

I used to have a Taurus station wagon and loved it but Ford couldn't sell those. Make a similar vehicle with a sexier name and it sells like crazy. Kind of like Chrysler couldn't sell Volare's but put a few hundred dollars worth of bling on it, raised the price $10,000, called it a 5th Avenue then and couldn't make enough of them. It is often about vanity.

I use to have a 03 Taurus wagon as well and liked it. I traded it in 04 for a new Diesel truck. I still have a couple of Excursion (7.3 and V-10) that I will hold on to. Won't be long before I can get antique tags for them, LOL.

I have thought about a Chrysler Pacifica for when I don't need to tow. The stow and go seats combined with rear A/C would make for a good Colliehauler.

Grit dog wrote:

toedtoes wrote:


By the way, the Durango is now back to body on frame.

Me no think so.

Ah, dang. They did it to me again. They keep whispering going back to the body and frame and then they release the unibody... Sorry, I hadn't looked at it in a few months.

toedtoes wrote:


By the way, the Durango is now back to body on frame.

Me no think so.

Back in the 80s, station wagons were losing selling power. Chrysler took a station wagon and raised the roof and bam the minivan was born!

As for the SUV, it used to be a truck to haul people (think suburban and power wagon). They were rugged so "the boys" could go huntin and not have to ride in a truck bed. Jeep, Land Rover, Toyota, etc., all started making a version. Truck to haul people.

In the 80s, the SUV became a more stylish version of a minivan. People liked being able to carry 6-8 people while still having an appearance of being "withit". This was when the modern Jeep Cherokee came into being.

By the late 90s, manufacturers started shrinking the SUV. These are what we really consider crossovers - they only hold 4-5 people and have lower roofs. They are the new station wagon. Mom and Dad up front, 2.5 kids in back, and space for groceries, etc.

By the way, the Durango started as body on frame, then went to unibody, and is now back to body on frame.

colliehauler wrote:
Why do they call them SUV'S when then vast majority of them are glorified station wagons? To me a SUV is a truck based full frame vehicle. Got to love marketing.

ok boomer

Groover wrote:

colliehauler wrote:
Why do they call them SUV'S when then vast majority of them are glorified station wagons? To me a SUV is a truck based full frame vehicle. Got to love marketing.

Simple-SUV's sell, station wagons don't.

I used to have a Taurus station wagon and loved it but Ford couldn't sell those. Make a similar vehicle with a sexier name and it sells like crazy. Kind of like Chrysler couldn't sell Volare's but put a few hundred dollars worth of bling on it, raised the price $10,000, called it a 5th Avenue then and couldn't make enough of them. It is often about vanity.

Maybe back in the day there were rvnet members sending carrier pigeon messages back and forth you know 1960s email.....saying
"Listen to this marketing cr@p...Station Wagon? Earl, that's just a carryall with a fancy name and looky there, it don't even have the springs of my pickemup truck. Useless, never will go over!"

Have a 08 Explorer, 12 F250,17 F350 Anda 18 Navigator, enjoy all of them

When all is said and done does it really matter what marketing classification it's called? Vehicles are like tools. Each one has different capabilities and fits different needs.

Does it work for you? Does it do everything you need it to do? If the answer to both is yes, then why worry about what it's called? Drive it and enjoy it.