Not as they look
IF YOU like to drive, the success of the sport-utility vehicle (SUV), otherwise known as 4x4s or off-roaders, needs explaining. Lumbering and heavy, despite their engine power, they are no fun to handle. There are plenty of better road cars on which would-be Fangios or Schumachers with $50,000 or more to spare can indulge their fantasies. No, dreams of speed are beside the point when accounting for the appeal of SUVs. What they really offer is a sense of unbreachable protection from other drivers: the SUV is meant to make you and your family feel secure.
This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “Not as they look”
From the October 26th 2002 edition
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