See the proposed BMW SUV below. See SUV Alternatives. Eventually, people will tire of putting up with a harsh ride, tippy handling, poor acceleration, and gas costs just for a commuter vehicle. They'll trade in their SUVs for cars again, and little 16 year-olds will get to pilot these behemoths as they learn to drive. But for now, the SUV market is aimed right at poseurs.
Most people think that the hefty weight and sheer mass of SUVs benefits their safety.
This is a total myth. Most SUVs are tall and heavy for their size. Their portly weight and a high center of gravity are not condusive to handling around obstacles or other accident avoidance manuevers. This means that the SUV is much less adept at avoiding accidents, which of course is the best means of preventing injury. Some SUV drivers have responded by claiming that it is not so much the vehicle you drive, but the abilities of the driver that truly matter for safety.