7 Reasons SUVs Last Longer Than Cars (Explained)

SUVs continue to be one of the most sought-after vehicles regardless of their flaws. The general pros of owning an SUV are the space, comfort, and performance they offer on any terrain.

However, asides from these advantages, they typically last longer than other cars. We’ve already covered how long SUVs last, in this article, you’d find out the main reasons they last longer.

1. They Have Superior Body Quality

All things being equal, the longevity of any vehicle depends on maintenance and usage. Its durability can also vary depending on the make and model of the vehicle.

However, most SUVs are produced with more costly parts. As you’d guess, these top-notch parts end up being more reliable because they’re stronger.

This gives SUVs an edge over sedans because they’re less likely to break down and can endure more wear and tear in the long run.

A regular car is more likely to fail off-roading than an SUV because its body parts are not designed for such drives. The average SUV however, would outlast the average sedan.

Further, one hidden reason SUVs may last more than cars is that many SUV owners today don’t use their cars for off-road drives often.

This makes the journey even easier for such ‘lucky’ cars because they avoid the toughness of off-road tracks and last even longer.

2. SUVs Have High-Performance Engines

An SUV’s engine is far bigger than that of a regular car. This implies that their engines have a greater capacity and can carry more torque while having fewer engine problems like overheating or leakage.

These engines are also built to last because they have to endure off-road driving conditions. The major downside to the power produced by the engine is the amount of fuel it consumes.

For instance, if an SUV uses a 2 or 3-liter engine, it will most likely come with six, eight, or even 10 cylinders. To meet up with this great mass of power, an incredible amount of fuel will be used.

Additionally, with the larger engine of an SUV, there’s a likely risk of emission which is more likely to violate federal safety laws. Ultimately, the running cost of an SUV is great.

3. Enough Ground Clearance and Cabin Space

The additional room you get in an SUV is significantly more than in a sedan. This leaves extra space to carry more passengers. In summary, there’s more structural toughness in SUVs.

Sedans are not designed to carry over 5 passengers.

Overloading a sedan will definitely put a strain on its tires and the engine. In the worst cases, blowouts would occur and the vehicle could bottom out. We’d explain more about the effects of load on SUVs and sedans soon.

SUVs also have higher ground clearance, which reduces the risk of undercarriage damage and bottoming out.

This ultimately increases the longevity of the vehicle as underbody damage will always be minimized.

4. More Durable Original Equipment Tires

Automakers design the tires that come with an SUV differently from the ones in smaller passenger cars.

They are built with more versatility and thread blocks that make it easier to drive through hard terrains or poorly maintained roads.

If a regular car constantly has to drive through bad roads, the tires would wear out faster than an SUV’s. The thread designs on smaller cars only serve well for smooth rides.

However, it’s noteworthy that drivers also use tough tires in their sedans when the weather gets harsh. SUVs, however, usually have an aggressive tread pattern that offers excellent traction and grip.

Now you know that their high ground clearance isn’t the only reason for their superb off-road abilities.

Below are some types of SUV tires

• Highway tires: They are built with an all-season thread to handle heavy loads and engineered with thread patterns that are resistant to uneven wear
•  All-terrain tires: These kinds are tougher, built with bigger thread-locks, and have more voids for increased traction
• Mud terrain: We only used Mud terrain tires for off-roading. 

All-terrain tires can handle almost all ground conditions. Sand, gravel, or mud are no threat to this type of tire. They are more stable, noise resistant, and more comfortable than highway tires.

However, they only deliver an average performance on any kind of terrain and that’s their limitation.

Driving on pavements with mud terrain tires can be very uncomfortable because they have oversized thread blocks. They have more traction in mud or sand but if used on smooth roads, expect road noise.

5. Higher and Stronger Suspension System

SUVs often have better and stronger suspensions than other cars. This gives them an edge in durability because they can absorb shocks better than cars.

Note that a vehicle’s suspension comprises its shock absorbers, tires, springs, and even tire air pressure. We’ve already talked about their tires and how they ride higher.

This makes the suspension system in an SUV even more protected than in regular cars that ride too low. Ultimately, a stiff and durable suspension will fare better under heavy usage and exposure to dust and dirt.

While smaller cars feel more stable on highways, SUVs would usually outlast them.

Also, be sure to find out if SUVs have a high or low center of gravity.

6. They’re Better Load Bearers

SUVs will last longer because they handle weight far better than regular cars can. Automakers do not build regular cars with enough stamina and strength like SUVs.

If over five passengers sit in a sedan, the car is more likely to drag. Its engine would end up working harder than usual to meet up with this weight.

Constantly overloading a sedan weakens the car’s performance over time. However, for SUVs, weight is hardly ever a problem. They can contain between 5 and 9 people depending on the type of SUV.

Sub-compact and compact SUVs both seat about 5 passengers usually while mid-size and full-size SUVs accommodate from 6 to 9 people.

7. Resistant To Bad Weather

SUVs are safer to drive in extreme weather because they have stronger body parts and they carry more weight. Sedans on the other hand are not so resistant to snow, wind, heat, or frost.

Body parts may get damaged or the car may get stuck. While as an SUV will beat this obstacle because of its design. This still leads us back to durability because of superior materials.

For more emphasis, these are three major benefits of driving an SUV in snow that a sedan may not offer.

All-Wheel Drive

Most SUVs come with all-wheel drive which makes it easier to put the vehicle under control because it sends power to the four wheels of the car.

AWD allows for traction and grip to the vehicle, especially in situations where the car slides on the ice. It also gives all wheels power when the car is stuck in the snow or mud.

Still, no automaker can guarantee safety in all weather conditions. You should also explore some possible reasons SUVs are harder to drive.

Body Protection

Given the durability of an SUV, accidents are less likely to be fatal. With an SUV, you get more body protection better than with other vehicle types.

Smaller cars used to offer more body protection than SUVs because of unibody frames that offered more crumple zones.

Today, automakers design SUVs with unibody frames with crumple zones as well so they can compete with sedans. 

Generous Visibility

Good visibility is one hack for driving in snow victoriously because you have to constantly be on the lookout for obstacles like fallen trees. Sedans and their low driving position do not offer that luxury in visibility.

However, SUVs are large vehicles with elevated seating positions that give drivers the privilege of seeing better and avoiding obstacles in time.

Final Thoughts

While SUVs are very durable, sedans and smaller hatchbacks are still better off in other ways.

For example, despite their awesome safety ratings, SUVs are more likely to roll over in an accident because of their heights. 

Sedans, however, offer a more planted ride. Learn more about this by reading our article about whether SUVs flip over more easily.

Sources

Do SUVs Last Longer Than Cars | Motor Biscuit

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