Driving an SUV

For years, I have detested SUVs at the very sight of them, but quite recently I was out of luck to have to sit behind the wheel of an oversized vehicle. Since that fateful day, I detest SUVs even more.

In 2023 my employer, underlining its unwavering greenwashing commitment, replaced the upper part of its fleet (of roughly 1,000 vehicles in total). It swapped Toyota Camrys (aged 2 - 4) for brand-new RAV4s. Nearly two tonnes propelled by a 2.5 litre petrol-fuelled engine with aid of electric power generator, definitely falls into an idea of low emissions.

On my way back from a site visit to a customer somewhere in southern Małopolska it was my turn to sit behind the wheel drive the team back to Warsaw.

Sitting high and looking from above is one of most often quoted merits of SUVs, which I totally don't hold with. I don't feel secure sitting with my thighs more vertical than horizontal. I don't feel safe finding it hard to estimate the vehicle's dimensions (despite the aid of rear camera and sensors) and not seeing well what us going on around. 

The least secure I felt due to gravity load laid much higher than in a traditional passenger car. Sensing how a vehicle holds the road and its stability is crucial for the comfort of driving. An SUV lacks it. Air resistance feels more severe. This impacts traction, noise inside and fuel consumption.

On a motorway the hybrid engine is not as frugal as in town and the accursed car drinks nearly 9 litres per 100 kilometres at the speed of 130 kmph and with 4 people on board. My Octavia in comparable conditions consumed recently 6.7 litres per 100 kilometres with westerly headwinds on.

The claim RAV4 with a hybrid engine is good for driving around town is not what I fall for. One should move around town on foot, by bike, by public transport, once a blue moon if the aforementioned ways are impossible, by a small or compact car, not an oversized vehicle dangerous for more vulnerable traffic participants.

Hence I drove it, but with unhidden disgust.

Back somewhere at the outskirts of Warsaw I was glad to sit behind the wheel of my Skoda Octavia estate (pure internal combustion engine with allegedly outdated manual gearbox I adore), which amid the fuel crisis and perfect weather for cycling, sits in the garage and is taken for a proper (30-kilometre) run roughly once a week (156 kilometres driven in total since returning from a business trip on 3 March). The car keeps fuel consumption close to 5.5 litres per 100 kilometres, a frugality beyond reach of any oversized vehicle.