Reasons to Consider Small SUVs

The price of fuel today has many looking at downsizing their vehicle’s size. Although one may downsize, they still may not want to give up the ability to drive off road and through adverse weather conditions. This is where the compact SUV becomes attractive.

When compared to larger SUVs the smaller SUV typically uses less fuel. Buying a vehicle with a 4-cylinder engine will generally provide higher gasoline mileage per gallon than do bigger SUVs with larger engines. Some smaller SUV’s, typically hybrids, have a rating of 36 miles per gallon in city driving and 31 mpg on the highway for a two-wheel-drive model. Yes, the supplemental electric power helps boost city mileage more than highway mileage.

The second benefit of having a smaller SUV is that these vehicles are priced affordably compared to larger SUVs.

Smaller SUVs often have more nimble handling than do bigger SUVs. For instance, the turning circle of a Jeep Wrangler is 34.9 feet, which is less than that for a Toyota Camry sedan. Compare that to the 43-foot turning circle for a full-size Chevrolet Suburban SUV, which can make U-turns and some parking maneuvers a bit problematic.

Another benefit of the smaller SUV’s are the extra features. For open-air driving, the Jeep Wrangler has a foldable soft-top, The Saturn Vue wears dent-resistant plastic body panels, and the Honda Element can be easy to load because it has side cargo doors with no fixed pillar. The tailgate on the Element is a clamshell design for easy loading, too, while the RAV4 and Mitsubishi Outlander are now offered with three rows of seats, if needed.

The Nissan Xterra debuted with stylish, tubular-looking roof rails that can accommodate a range of storage baskets and kits now also includes a step integrated into the side of the rear bumper. The step gives owners a leg up, if you will, so they can more easily reach items stored in the overhead roof racks. Nissan officials said they added this step after watching Xterra owners at ski facilities slip their feet into the tops of the rear tires in order to reach their ski equipment atop the Xterra.

Compact sport utilities may bring memories of early, small, rollover-prone, four-wheel-drive vehicles, but in recent years the vehicles have increased their track, meaning the distance between the two front or two rear wheels, which contributes to better stability.

Further, electronic stability control is available on several models. It's standard, for example, on Toyota's RAV4.

Small SUVs are also adding more standard safety features. The Kia Sportage ranks as the lowest-priced SUVs that comes with standard anti-lock brakes, stability control, traction control and six standard airbags, including front seat-mounted side airbags and curtain airbags for both front and rear seats.

So what are the disadvantages of the smaller SUV? There is only a couple. Towing is one. Generally consumers can't expect to tow as much behind small SUVs as they might with larger sport utilities that have larger engines. For instance, the towing limit for a V8-powered Chevrolet Tahoe is 8,200 pounds—enough for a sizable trailer—while the much smaller Honda CR-V, which comes only with a four-cylinder engine, has a towing capacity of just 1,500 pounds.

Smaller SUVs also can't carry as much cargo. Generally, room behind the front seats for cargo ranges up to 72 cubic feet or so in compact SUVs, while large sport utilities offer more storage space. Maximum payload also is greater in the bigger SUVs.

So if you are thinking of downsizing in regards to size, rest assured, you won’t have to downsize in quality and safety, there are many choices out there to choose from, depending on the ‘size’ of your time to do the research.


Greg Chapman of Greg Chapman Motors is a knowledgeable and leading provider of used cars, trucks, and SUV’s. Since 1959, Chapman motors has supplied reliable used cars in Austin and the surrounding area and is known as one of the bad credit car dealers in Austin. For more information please visit http://www.gregchapmanmotors.com.