One of YouTube’s most popular motoring personalities has urged drivers not to buy an SUV, stating that there are many similarly priced cars that offer better value for money in the long run.
Scotty Kilmer has been a mechanic for more than 55 years, and regularly posts videos to his YouTube channel showing how drivers can save money and avoid mechanical faults.
In a recent video, Scotty suggests why, despite being a popular choice, SUVs are not always the right vehicles to buy, particularly if it is a seven-seater.
He explained: “Generally, to get a third row, you pull a little lever which opens a space for you to slide into the third row. The problem starts once you throw something like a car seat in the mix, which is something you commonly see in a family-sized vehicle like this.
“With a car seat in the way, to get to the third-row seating, you have to either go in from the other side or crawl over it then walk through the centre pass-through area. I know this isn’t the end of the world, but for vehicles that reach up to $80,000 (£63,000) you’d expect much less of a hassle.”
A part of the motoring landscape since the early 1970s, SUVs (sports utility vehicles) offer the capabilities of an off-roader alongside the comfort and convenience of a typical family hatchback.
As the SUV trend continues to grow, many of the largest models sold in the UK, including the Volvo XC90 and Skoda Kodiaq now feature seven seats.
Whilst this is done to make them more practical for large families, Scotty suggested that the folding middle and rear seats are not so convenient to get past if items such as child seats are fitted.
Later in the video, Scotty also highlighted that, whilst many motorists buy the latest SUV models because of their trendy styling, they often don’t hold their value as well as other types of cars do on the used market.
He added: “If you’re entertaining the thought of getting any of these full-size SUVs, it’s pretty simple. Don’t – it’s just not worth it. Sure, they might look hip and trendy but they depreciate quickly.
“Plus, if you’re not a regular off-roader and your real need is a roomy cabin and cargo space, you don’t want to lie to yourself. The truth is it’s better to get a minivan.”
Instead of buying an SUV, Scotty urged viewers to consider a minivan or MPV, stating that most models are more affordable to buy and run, and typically feature more passenger and boot space.
He continued: “Minivans are generally a much better deal than full-sized SUVs. They offer ample cabin and cargo space, they’re way cheaper and more reliable.
“Minivans have low floors and deep cargo wells behind the third row. That means, even with a full load of passengers, you can still fit groceries, strollers, suitcases and other gear inside.”
