Reasons to Buy a Full-Size Suv

Towing: Crossovers just can’t tow like a full-size SUV. For example, the Chevrolet Tahoe with its 5.3-liter V8 tows up to 8,600 pounds with its trailering package, but a crossover like the Traverse maxes out at 5,000 pounds.

Height: SUVs offer a much more commanding driving position than crossovers. They also have higher ground clearance and provide better visibility and are excellent in uneven terrain.

Off-road: No passenger car can beat the off-road capabilities of a true SUV with four-wheel drive. SUVs have amazing ground clearance, low-range gearing, locking differentials, and modern traction systems that allow them to go anywhere.

Long-wheelbase: If you need to maximize interior space, long-wheelbase SUVs are the only way to go. Good examples include the Chevy Suburban, Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, and Cadillac Escalade.

Power: Real SUVs are powered by powerful V6 or V8 engines. This also makes these big, heavy vehicles faster than the lighter crossovers, which are mostly powered by puny four-cylinder engines.

Reasons to Buy a Crossover

Fuel Economy: This isn’t really a surprise, but crossovers offer fantastic fuel economy. It’s a little extreme, but the Toyota Highlander’s gas version offers 21/27mpg city/highway, and its hybrid version offers 29/27mpg. In comparison, the Sequoia only gets 13/17mpg.

Affordability: Three-row crossovers start at price points that are much lower than that of full-size SUVs. If you go for a crossover, you’re likely to save thousands of dollars on the purchase. Crossovers are more efficient, so running costs are lower too.

Handling: Crossovers are much easier to handle than full-size SUVs. Because they’re based on car unibody platforms, they’re lighter, more agile, smaller, and easier to handle in tight urban areas.

Ride Quality: The unibody platforms used in crossovers help make the ride quality very smooth. SUVs are excellent off-road, but their rough-terrain tuned suspension offers poor comfort levels on the road.

Ease: Switching from a sedan to an SUV requires a lot of effort just because these two vehicles are radically different. However, switching to a crossover is much easier as sedans, wagons, and crossovers are built on the same platform.