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• Sunday, January 4, 2009 08:27 PM

  "SUV" vs mini-van

  Maybe everyone should get over the three letters "SUV" and realize that not all SUVs (or cars, or even hybrid cars) are created alike. (As just one example, why would this particular "SUV" cause more road damage than any other car in its weight class? Answer: It wouldn't.)

  Why are you guys jumping all over this poor guy? If I do a side-by-side with the 2WD Outlander he bought, it gets better fuel economy than the Toyota minivan (17 city, 23 hwy), and the same fuel economy as a Honda minivan (20 city, 25 hwy). In fact, the only one that gets better gas mileage than the car (which is what a crossover is, guys, despite the "SUV" label) Mark Benjamin bought is the Mazda 5. Is that what you all drive?

  If Mark Benjamin really rides his bike most places, and only uses the "SUV" to haul the whole family around when they go wherever -- camping, or to visit the grandparents -- then he really is doing less damage to the planet than he was when he was driving his Volvo, and honestly, isn't that worth something?

  P.S. I hate to mention this, because it reflects more poorly on people like me (who commute 50+ miles to work), but the real number to focus on is MILES DRIVEN PER YEAR. MPG is meaningful mostly for the person paying for the gas in the tank; the environment could care less.

  —Juniper J Read Juniper J's other letters
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