New to SUV - nervous

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok this is very assuring
how about parking it in tight spots?

Tight spots are not for you. But any regular sized spot is fine.

I'm sure OP will do what 90% of SUV drivers do and just shove her vehicle into tight spots, park in "compact car" parking, etc. This is the way now.

[Anonymous]

OP, at least you are honest in saying that you might not be able to handle the vehicle. I see tiny, undernourished women driving huge Explorer/Tahoe type contraptions all the time and they obviously have not the faintest idea what they are doing. It is dangerous.

[Anonymous]

I agree that the Subaru's handle well. I got a Subaru Forester and then upgraded to the Ascent. I liked the handling much better than the Honda Pilot and the Subarus have nice big rear windows to see and rearview cameras.

Test drive different models and different brands and find the one that fits best for your driving style.

[Anonymous]

Why does your husband get to decide what car you buy? Tell him to stick with a sedan instead of an SUV which is an unnecessary luxury vehicle that most people have no need for and also is expensive, dangerous, and killing the planet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, why is your DH dictating an SUV if you are the one who will be driving it the most and you are nervous about it?

Maybe you could at least talk him into a cross-over vehicle or something. It seems weird he's pushing for a vehicle you aren't comfortable with.

Totally agree.

In addition, SUVs more dangerous (https://towardsdatascience.com/suvs-are-killing-people-de6ce08bac3d) to pedestrians. If you are not comfortable driving it, then definitely don't get one.

[Anonymous]

Do you need a full size SUV?

I have a CRV and it suits our family of 4 just fine. I have had a pilot before but found it was too big and not necessary.

[Anonymous]

I love my SUV. Much easier to see sitting higher up and my kids love sitting up higher also - they can see outside the car better. Make sure you have a back up camera (maybe it's mandatory now? Not sure) and make sure you're comfortable with the seat lay out (we always prefer bucket seat second row because it's easier to walk through to the third row) but you're going to be converted to SUV's - everyone I know loves theirs!

[Anonymous]

I was like that too but I got used to my Pilot within a few weeks and now I love driving it. I drove a rental minivan recently though - a Chrysler Pacifica - and that felt HUGE to me.

Protip for parking - pull into the spot, then briefly put your car in reverse so your backup camera turns on. If you can see both lines of the parking spot in your backup camera, you’re golden. Even if it’s a little uneven, you’re well in the spot if you can see both lines. I also don’t pull through parking spots in my SUV because it makes it too hard to get into the trunk if someone pulls up too close behind you.

[Anonymous]

I love my Mazda 2013 CX-9. Went from a Camry into it, and it handles SO much better. And it's not built on a massive truck base, so it handles more like a car.

[Anonymous]

I was initially resistant to the idea of switching from a sedan too, but love our Honda CRV.

[Anonymous]

I hate the blind spots driving out suv. I hate it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hate the blind spots driving out suv. I hate it.

Visibility in all vehicles has been reduced by the need to put airbags in the pillars (the structural supports between the windows).

Sedan visibility has gone way down because the "belt line" (the height of the top of the doors, where they meet the windows) has been brought much higher in order to get better safety scores. If you sat in a 1992 Honda Accord, you'd be absolutely amazed at how much you could see around you, and how comfortable it would be to rest your left arm on the door with the window down. Now you're much more in a tank, which is why a lot of people have switched over to SUVs, because their visibility is better. It's sort of a self-fulfilling cycle, because the prevalence of SUVs is why the beltines of sedans needed to be raised.

All that said, I doubt that the blind spot on your SUV is worse than it would be on a modern sedan. You might just be comparing it to older sedans.

Just make sure you have active blind spot monitoring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband is looking into getting a SUV- I have always driven sedans and at largest the mid size.
Please convince me it wont be hard to drive - I am very nervous! I will be driving it as he wont take it to work far away. Thanks.

You sound like public transportation might be more your speed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok this is very assuring
how about parking it in tight spots?

Tight spots are not for you. But any regular sized spot is fine.

this is not true. I park in tight spots in DC all the time. i have a Toyota Highlander BTW.

I also parallel park that beast like a boss.

I'm F and barely 5 feet tall if that matters.

[Anonymous]

I used to drive a fullsize sedan and now I drive a SUV (not the biggest SUV though)...honestly my SUV is easier to drive and it is the same length as the sedan, but sits higher up.