I thought the RAV4 and VW Tiguan were class leaders in the exterior looks departments (tho I was never a fan of the Rav4 interior). The CRV would easily have taken it in my books if not for the "gaping jaw" front end which they refuse to fix...er update.
But wow, yet another fantastic looking vehicle from Kia and a boost to the Sportage value equation with increased hp AND a significant boost to fuel efficiency. For me, it's not even close. If i was in the market for a CUV, it would be an easy choice in the Sportage.
You are hinting at a question I have - admitting that I have never driven much less lived with a vehicle like this. My question is: what is the usefulness of a CUV like this, the Tiguan, Rav, Tucson, or the small Acura model whose name I cannot recall, to name a few? They seem too small to actually offer much cargo space and while they do offer AWD that seems their only real distinguishing feature - and at that, many are not sold with that anyway.
I just don't get the appeal. Is it simply a matter of sitting up a bit higher?
@ Oldsguy
I think this is a valid question and off the top of my head, I think there are number of reasons why someone may opt for a SUV/CUV mini-ute or whatever they’re called these days..
1.) PULLING CAPACITY: Typically, the larger SUVs (Explorer, Escalade, Range Rover) offered more pulling power so if you needed to pull Seadoos/small U-haul units, these would appear to be a better fit vs most sedans.
2.) CARGO CAPACITY: Again, originally, SUVs offered more interior volume vs sedans with their raised roof; if you needed additional interior capacity without going to a minivan, the truth is, there were simply not a lot of station wagons to choose from (tho this appears to be changing over the past few years). Some offer 3rd row seating which is nice in a pinch.
3.) SUVs have had that “it” factor. Whether it was from Arnold roaming Cali streets in his Hummer to the pimped up Escalades/Mercedes G500’s/ Range Rovers in R&B and Hip Hop videos, the fact that you can put blinged up 24” shoes (rims) has kept these in favor among many celebrities…and it looks like the cool factor continues today, to a degree
4.) AWD: For those who live in snowy conditions, AWD coupled with good winter tires offers an advantage over non-awd vehicles and most SUVs have some derivative of AWD. Clerance a bonus for very snowy conditions. Aside from Audi/Subaru/Merc/BMW etc, limited choices, tho this too is changing significantly today
5.) OFF-ROADING: okay, a tiny fraction of SUV buyers will ever hit the dirt trails, but there are certainly a number that see trails to their cottages I’m sure. Makes sense for mountain bikers, hikers as well as clearance could be useful for getting to destinations sometimes.
6.) SAFETY: this is just simple physics. I’ll exaggerate to demonstrate a point but if a Hummer and Smart were to collide (both drivers wearing seatbelts), then there is a greater chance that the Hummer driver would sustain less damage due to mass of vehicle. You can also add in better visibility from the higher, commanding view (tho I don’t necessarily agree with this as backing up without cameras is not as safe in a SUV). Rollover was an issue in past SUVs but appears to be less so today.
THUS, if you believe the above makes sense, then a smaller SUV has carved a niche for those who don’t need quite as much space and want a more fuel efficient vehicle, but still want some of the benefits offered above.. This help?
