Plus the fact that people feel safer in a 4x4 vehicle. Even though cars can have AWD; most normal SUV's have better ground clearance = better in snow with or without 4x4.

 

I don't think traditional, truck based SUV's will ever go completely away. I do however see their market shrinking significantly with the flood of full size sedans, wagons, and cross-over vechiles. People will convert back to sedans and wagons for the superior gas mileage and better driving dynamics. A lot of people who are hung up with the SUV look/image will end up in a crossover/car based SUV, simply for the fact that they offer better driving dynamics and sometimes better utilization of space.

 

I dont think ill see much of this new craze up where i live....everybody drives a 4X4 truck or suv, and very few have a fwd car......me being the crazy *** i am. decided to have a formula firebird lowered on 19's that are 9.5" wide just to make the winter driving and the majority of the roads up here a challenge for me to get around....I love Montana!

 

Dishwasher is not that big. Could definitely do it in crossovers like the hhr and vibe. Definitely do it in the magnum. Not sure about the 300 or other sedans though.

BTW, the blazer is tiny for people and cargo.

 

1. Ground clearance means nothing in regard to ice and snow. If the crud is that deep, WTF are you doing out in it?

2. 99% of SUV production is 2WD.

3. Nothing, not even '60s vintage RWD cars are as bad in the snow and slick as 2WD trucks due to the gross forward weight bias.

4. SAFETY in the slick is a function of stopping power - NOT the ability to accelerate. 4WD or AWD or even FWD offers absolutely no SAFETY advantage. They slide into the car in front of them (the overwhelming collision mode) just as easily, if not easier, than anything else.

It has always amused me that the soccer moms rationalize their SUVs with the safety mantra. In fact, they turn over at an alarming rate and they can't stop worth crap. For me, give me a vehicle in which I can avoid a collision.

People may feel safer, but that is simply an illusion! Combine that with the gas mileage problem and the lack of interior room, and I say good riddance.

 

I disagree with the ground clearance issue. Thats why I have a truck for winter. People that live in places that dont get plowed for a while dont have the choice to just stay home. I live at the bottom of a mountian that I need to go up and over everyday, even if it's snowing. After a plow finally makes it lazy way through to us, awd, fwd and rwd with ESP would work fine. But realistically, this is not the case for the majority of people who live in urban areas. For those folks RWD with esp would do just fine.