Looking for a SUV that would be good for commuting

gardengnomeo

I am looking for a bit of advice - I hope that I have come to the right thread! I am having to travel more and more for work and I am driving a nice 2L Diesel car which is great, good MPG etc - but I find that a lot of people pull in on top of me in lanes and I have been in two collisions since the start of the year where people crashed into my car - during my commute(!)

I think that by getting a larger car/SUV I would be more visible to other drivers and hence safer. I want to stay diesel and love getting good MPG. Public transport is not an option, unfortunately. I don't really want to spend more than 10,000 on a new car. Any advice on what to look at?

Thanks!

NIMAN

Sounds very strange.

I don't quite understand what you mean by people pulling in on top of you? Were the accidents their fault or your fault?

What car are you driving now that is so small people aren't seeing you? (I assume thats what you are hinting at?)

gardengnomeo

One was a person ran a red light, the other was a person puling in from one lane (outside lane) into the other (inside lane) - without checking for other cars. That is what I mean by people "pulling in on top of me" - from the other lane. I just find that people "lane surf" going from one lane to the other without seeming to check - as I find myself dodging these situations regularly. I don't drive a small car, but maybe a larger car would help?

BoJack Horseman

An SUV won't necessarily make you safer, or more visible as most 'crossovers' are only a few inches taller than a normal saloon.

That said, our Skoda Yeti averages high 40's mpg on our commute.

munchkin_utd

do you overtake people on the inside, in a place where people wouldnt expect a car to be overtaking?

Also, do you drive with your headlights on? In countries where you need to do driver instruction, this is what is instructed in order to be as visible as possible. So, if people dont see you, maybe its cheaper to turn on your lights and not spend 10grand on a car ?

gardengnomeo

I always follow the rules of the road, wouldn't dream of passing on the inside - and I always drive with lights on at all times... I want to be safer on the road - hence this post. If I was reckless myself, I wouldn't be here looking for advice.

Gumbo

gardengnomeo wrote: »

I am looking for a bit of advice - I hope that I have come to the right thread! I am having to travel more and more for work and I am driving a nice 2L Diesel car which is great, good MPG etc - but I find that a lot of people pull in on top of me in lanes and I have been in two collisions since the start of the year where people crashed into my car - during my commute(!)

I think that by getting a larger car/SUV I would be more visible to other drivers and hence safer. I want to stay diesel and love getting good MPG. Public transport is not an option, unfortunately. I don't really want to spend more than 10,000 on a new car. Any advice on what to look at?

Thanks!

Do you drive aggressively?
Do you drive with your lights on?
Would an SUV have prevented the previous two collisions?

SUV & good MPG don't really go hand in hand. I get 21MPG on my commute long term (Merc ML).

Carawaystick

If you think people can't see you in the car you have, why not paint it yellow and add fluorescent retroreflective stripes on ?

ba_barabus

I can't see how an SUV would prevent the 2 situations above.

If you just want an SUV that's different but I wouldn't buy one expecting to be in less crashes.

foggy_lad

gardengnomeo wrote: »

I always follow the rules of the road, wouldn't dream of passing on the inside - and I always drive with lights on at all times... I want to be safer on the road - hence this post. If I was reckless myself, I wouldn't be here looking for advice.

All you can do is be proactive and where people start to move across into your space use your horn, long and loud and send them back to the lane they were obviously falling asleep in. A yellow or strange coloured vehicle might also help.

nameIwanted

Maybe a fully kitted out Defender or Hummer might help?

bmwguy

As some have said that's not a good justification to change from saloon to suv. Some people think they need justification to change so if you want one go for it. I suggest watching the fifth gear video on YouTube about suv's overturning when taking sudden evasive manoeuvres if that's what's happening to you.