Complete guide to SUV buying 

Sports-utility vehicles are receiving great responses from the consumers and gradually, they are overtaking every other body style such as sedan or minivan.Available in an array of sizes and prices, car manufacturers are producing SUVs from a different application, from off-road driving to family-oriented vehicles.Whether you like SUVs for their all-wheel-drive capability or elevated driving height, there is a wide selection of vehicles you can choose from.  

What you should consider 

Seating  

All SUVs can accommodate five people. There are a few mid-size and full-size SUVs in the market which have the third row that extends the passenger-carrying capacity to seven or eight. 

The downside is, the three-row SUVs have less cargo-hauling capacity due to the last row. You can fold the third when it’s not in use. 

Cargo  

SUVs have the passenger area and truck area merged. This means, you can use the back seats (second and third row), when not in use. 

Some SUVs even come with a split design seating arrangement in the third row which makes it easy for you to fold down the seats and to keep cargo there while someone comfortably sits. 

One thing to consider is the cargo floor in SUVs is a bit elevated which can make it difficult for you to load cargo and stuff. On the contrary, vehicles which have low cargo floor such as minivans allow easy loading. 

There are a few SUV models that come with air suspensions which enable the driver to lower the SUV to load objects. However, these come in the luxury category and are a bit expensive. 

Some larger SUVs have generous loading capacities thanks to their truck-like structure. These even come with power-operated gates which make it easy for you to access the cargo area. 

Safety and Advanced Driver-Assist Systems Technologies 

While every brand offers a different set of technologies, there are a few which we consider necessary for your safety. These include: 

• Forward Collision Warning (FCW) 
• Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) 
• Technologies which help avoid crashes 

FCW anticipates a collision and warns the driver by providing a visual and audible alert. AEB triggers emergency braking predicting a collision if the driver does not respond. 

There are a few more advance telematics systems which alert emergency personnel: 

• Lane Departure Warning 
• Lane keep assist 
• Rear Cross-Traffic Alert 

You should look for these features in your car when buying an SUV. 

2WD vs. AWD vs. 4WD 

Now, this part can be a bit tricky if you don’t know about the drivetrain system. 

2WD is the most common drivetrain system around the world, however, AWD, due to its enhanced traction is grabbing the attention of consumers. 

2WD can be divided into two systems: 

• Front-wheel drive or FWD 
• Rear-wheel drive or RWD 

Front-wheel drive is the most popular drivetrain system which is usually found in most cars. It enhances traction on roads and highways. Rear-wheel drive is mostly found in high-performance cars. The two-wheel-drive means the power is provided to either rare or front wheels when the engine accelerates.  

All-wheel drive is an innovation in the drivetrain system. AWD delivers varying powers to all four wheels. The computer anticipates which tyre requires more traction and which needs less. This enhances the gripping power of the tyre and makes the car better equipped against harsh weather conditions. 

Four-wheel drivetrain system is engineered to provide equal power to all four wheels. These are designed for off-road conditions. When 4WD is active, the engine will deliver equal power to all four wheels. Some SUVs also have low-range and high range gearing system. Low-range is used to tackle harsh off-road conditions, while the high range is activated in moderate off-road conditions. 

Other cars like sedans and minivans don’t come in 4WD. You will hardly find any minivan in All-wheel drive, while there are a few sedans available in AWD. 

SUV tyres 

SUV tyres are available in a range of configuration, from highway truck tyres to mud truck tyres. Other passenger cars don’t leave you much choice since they cannot be driven on rugged terrains. 

There is a lot of variety of SUV tyres and you can find the best tyres for SUVs by doing a little bit of research. 

However, you must know there are three popular types of tyres in SUVs: 

• Off-road tyres 
• Highway tyres 
• All-terrain tyres