Are SUV drivers the monsters some people claim them to be or are they simply buying a vehicle to match their needs? Paddy Comynfinds out
SUVs are a much-maligned species these days. They are criticised for being heavy polluters and their owners are criticised for driving what can be unnecessarily large vehicles.
But what sort of SUVs do we really drive? And how necessary are they to the people that drive them?
According to figures from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI), up to the end of May there were 13,912 passenger SUVs registered in the State so far in 2007. That means that one in every ten passenger cars now bought is classified as an SUV. And of the 28,821 light commercial vehicles registered here, 3,611 or 12 per cent of these are commercial SUVs.
Sales of this type of vehicle are showing no signs of slowing down, but with proposed changes to the VRT system due to come into effect in January next year, will the SUV boom, just like the housing one, become a thing of the past?
While it remains unclear whether or not the Government will change to a VRT system based solely on CO2 emissions or one that includes a VRT element to the already existing tax bands, it seems likely that vehicles that have larger engines and emit high levels of CO2 are likely to be more expensive than "regular" cars.
Figures produced by the Department of Finance prior to this year's budget showed that 64.29 per cent of all cars sold in 2005 produced between 146 and 190 grams of CO2 per kilometre. Just 13.73 per cent were in the "high" pollution category, producing more than 190 g/km. Only 3.85 per cent were in the very low category, producing less than 125 g/km.
Of the top-ten selling SUVs in Ireland, seven of these produced less than 190 g/km of CO2 and all of them were available with diesel engines, which traditionally use less fuel than their petrol equivalent and are the overwhelming choice for Irish buyers in this segment.
So if, as has been suggested by many interested bodies including the Automobile Association, there were eight tax bands based on CO2 emissions, six of the top ten SUVs would lie in the Category D range of 176-195g/km of CO2, one would be in the Category B range of 136-155g/km, two in the Category C range of 156-175g/km and one in the category H of over 255g/km.
It should also be noted that these top-ten sellers make up some 63 per cent of the overall passenger SUV market. Regular cars such as the VW Passat 1.6 and new Ford Mondeo 1.6 would also reside in the Category D range.
So we know what kind of SUVs people are driving, but what about the people who own them? Are they really the ignorant, environment-bashers that they are often portrayed to be, or just people who have bought a car based on their needs?
For Dermot MacConnoran and Paul O'Neill of the Drogheda Coast Guard, an Isuzu D-Max, as well as a few Toyota Hi-Lux and Land Cruisers are an essential part of their job.
"We operate around lakes and rivers and very muddy areas, so without the likes of this vehicle we would be lost. It tows boats to different launching areas in the Louth and Meath area and the other benefit is that we can carry a full crew with the double cab pick-ups.
"Anywhere along the coast we would need a four-wheel drive as we could not launch a boat with an ordinary vehicle," says MacConnoran.
But away from their job, would they drive one themselves? Officer O'Neill chose a Land Rover Freelander for his family. "I feel safer having my wife and child out in it. I hear of and have seen so many bad crashes on the road, so I feel better having my family in something solid."
Some SUV facts
•One in 10 passenger vehicles sold in the state are classified as an SUV
•Seven of the top-ten best-selling SUVs in Ireland produce less than 190g/km of CO2
•Top-ten best-sellers make up 63 per cent of total passenger SUV market
•Necessity, versatility or a sense of security reported as main reasons for purchase