True, but the RAV4’s gas mileage (30mpg highway) is almost as good as my Neon’s, which is one of the things i really like about it. Not that i got on the internet and did crazy mad research on it or anything. :)
It was also a “best pick” for both front and side-impact crash test ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
I never thought I’d consider an SUV until I got this loaner…
You must have the 2WD version, which obviates the usual justification for having an SUV. We picked up a Prius last night, which gets double the gasmileage of the Rav4.
Is that important? I have little doubt that we will be seeing $3/gal gas later this year. And it will fluctuate after that, mostly in a steady climb. http://www.peakoil.com/
Safety is an interesting subject when it comes to SUVs. First, crash statistics show that SUVs are NOT more safe than cars.
“The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a research organization for the insurance industry, has conducted crash tests of SUVs. The results have been mixed, at best. In a test designed to show how well vehicles protect the driver and passengers in a crash, midsized SUVs were given a rating of “good”, “acceptable”, “marginal” or “poor”. None of the 13 SUVs tested was rated “good.” Five were rated as “acceptable,” three as “marginal,” and five as “poor.” Popular models including the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Nissan Pathfinder earned “marginal” ratings. “Poor” ratings went to models such as the Chevy Blazer, GMC Jimmy and the Isuzu Rodeo. The tests measured how well head restraints and bumpers performed and damage to the vehicle’s structure.
In addition, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety looked at driver death rates. The largest SUVs had fewer driver deaths than average. However mid-sized and smaller SUVs – like the Nissan Pathfinder, Suzuki Sidekick, and Jeep Wrangler – had driver death rates substantially higher than average. In examining deaths per million passengers, SUVs had nearly the same death rates in accidents as small cars, but substantially more fatalities than mid-sized or large cars.”
On top of that, they are far more dangerous to the rest of the community.
This doesn’t even begin to touch on our foreign trade deficit (oil imports), resource depletion, climate disruption, energy dependence, and funding of terrorists.
In Ginny’s defense, she survived her accident last year for exactly two reasons:
1. she was wearing her seatbelt properly; and
2. she was driving an SUV (Jeep Cherokee Sport, to be exact).
If I were in her situation I’d probably feel safer in an SUV too.
And while I agree that SUVs continue to have some safety issues and many of them are gas guzzlers, that IIHS information you quoted is outdated (the footnote cites 1999). Auto manufacturers have gone a long way in improving safety and continue to do so.
Lil SUVs will do that to you …
chicks dig suvs, for sure.
I was once given a Mitsubishi Montero Sport as a loaner. Man oh man was I sad when I had to give it back.
SUVs totally rock but the price of gas totally sucks.
True, but the RAV4’s gas mileage (30mpg highway) is almost as good as my Neon’s, which is one of the things i really like about it. Not that i got on the internet and did crazy mad research on it or anything. :)
It was also a “best pick” for both front and side-impact crash test ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
I never thought I’d consider an SUV until I got this loaner…
Do you think they’d mind very much if I just kept it?
Nah.
You must have the 2WD version, which obviates the usual justification for having an SUV. We picked up a Prius last night, which gets double the gasmileage of the Rav4.
Is that important? I have little doubt that we will be seeing $3/gal gas later this year. And it will fluctuate after that, mostly in a steady climb.
http://www.peakoil.com/
ads AND suv’s?
soon you’ll be using dispoable mops while washing your entire house with paper towels and reading oprah’s newest book selection.
I don’t mind paying 40 a tank for gas for my environment wrecking Jeep Liberty.. beacuse it’s cute.. and I feel safe in it!
Safety is an interesting subject when it comes to SUVs. First, crash statistics show that SUVs are NOT more safe than cars.
“The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a research organization for the insurance industry, has conducted crash tests of SUVs. The results have been mixed, at best. In a test designed to show how well vehicles protect the driver and passengers in a crash, midsized SUVs were given a rating of “good”, “acceptable”, “marginal” or “poor”. None of the 13 SUVs tested was rated “good.” Five were rated as “acceptable,” three as “marginal,” and five as “poor.” Popular models including the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Nissan Pathfinder earned “marginal” ratings. “Poor” ratings went to models such as the Chevy Blazer, GMC Jimmy and the Isuzu Rodeo. The tests measured how well head restraints and bumpers performed and damage to the vehicle’s structure.
In addition, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety looked at driver death rates. The largest SUVs had fewer driver deaths than average. However mid-sized and smaller SUVs – like the Nissan Pathfinder, Suzuki Sidekick, and Jeep Wrangler – had driver death rates substantially higher than average. In examining deaths per million passengers, SUVs had nearly the same death rates in accidents as small cars, but substantially more fatalities than mid-sized or large cars.”
On top of that, they are far more dangerous to the rest of the community.
http://www.suv.org/safety.html
This doesn’t even begin to touch on our foreign trade deficit (oil imports), resource depletion, climate disruption, energy dependence, and funding of terrorists.
In Ginny’s defense, she survived her accident last year for exactly two reasons:
1. she was wearing her seatbelt properly; and
2. she was driving an SUV (Jeep Cherokee Sport, to be exact).
If I were in her situation I’d probably feel safer in an SUV too.
And while I agree that SUVs continue to have some safety issues and many of them are gas guzzlers, that IIHS information you quoted is outdated (the footnote cites 1999). Auto manufacturers have gone a long way in improving safety and continue to do so.
2004 release about, specifically, the RAV4: http://www.highwaysafety.org/news_releases/2004/pr072504.htm