When buying a new vehicle, there are many things people need to decide on. Brand, colour, budget, whether you want to have the same car as your BFF. One of the biggest choices a consumer needs to make is the kind of vehicle they need. With options like coupes, sedans, trucks, SUVs and new classifications coming out all the time, it can be overwhelming seeing all the options out there. Today we’re going to try to make things a little easier by comparing an SUV to a Sedan. I know it seems like they’re very different types of vehicles, and they are, but it’s a debate that rages on. Do you want the sleek sedan or the functional SUV? Let’s break down a few categories that might help make your decision easier.

Design

Because I’m a shallow person, I often pay a lot of attention to the looks of a car, and I’m not alone. A sleek looking car is always going to turn heads when it drives down a road. When was the last time you watched an SUV drive down a road and thought to yourself “that is a sexy looking car”? Sedans will often have the advantage when it comes to design just because of the nature of the vehicle. When you sit a 2018 Camry beside almost any SUV, the Camry is the one that will be getting the compliments.

Safety

Cars today are safer than they have ever been in history. Manufacturers are building vehicles that are getting better and better at protecting you and your family. But while having 7 airbags may sound great, when a 6,000 lb SUV hits a 3,000 lb sedan, guess which one wins? Even without looking at just size and weight, SUVs are designed for families, where sedans are designed for a much more general group. SUVs will always be safer than a sedan (unless you’re James Bond).

Size

As mentioned, SUVs are designed for families. Majority of them have at least 6 seats, and even the 7-seater is becoming more popular. Heck, there are 8-seaters like the Honda Pilot and even 9-seaters that exist! I think it goes without saying that if size matters to you, the SUV is the way to go (but size isn’t everything).

Technology

Technology in today’s cars is starting to get ridiculous. In addition to the development of self-driving cars, the technology that already exists in vehicles includes built-in wifi, voice controls, wireless charging for your phone and automatic braking for all you Tommy-Texters. (PSA: Don’t text and drive) But which vehicle class has the best tech? Well, it’s actually about even. Sure there are some things that are class specific (The 2018 Honda Odyssey has a PA system in it) but in general, the tech you find in a sedan you’ll also find in an SUV.

Performance

Performance is a tricky thing to compare when it comes to sedans and SUVs. While there are sedans like the Camry that have over 200 horsepower, there are also sedans like the Ford Focus that only have 160 horsepower. The same issue comes up with SUVs. The Hyundai Santa Fe has 290 horsepower, but the Nissan Rogue only has 170 horsepower. Regarding acceleration however, the Lexus ES 350 sedan does 0-60mph in 5.8 seconds while the Lexus RX 350 SUV does it in 6.8 seconds.

Mileage

There’s a term that’s often thrown around when describing SUVs called “gas guzzler”. This means that SUVs use a LOT of gas. But SUVs have gotten much better in recent years regarding mileage. For example, the 2018 Toyota C-HR only uses 8.7 L/100 km in the city. That’s not quite as good as the 2018 Toyota Corolla which uses 8.4 L/100 km, but it’s very close. Overall we still see worse mileage from the SUVs, but they’re getting better.

Cost

This is where the sedans really come out on top. The MSRP of a 2018 Honda Civic is $16,690 whereas the MSRP of a 2018 Honda CR-V is $27,090. Since the gas tank and mileage are larger with the SUVs, it costs more to fuel them as well. If you’re on a smaller budget, the sedan is the way to go.

Conclusion

Obviously, there are many factors to consider when deciding what kind of vehicle you want to purchase. Whether it be budget, space, safety or new technology, you really need to do your research on which vehicle works best for your needs. No matter how picky you are, there is a vehicle out there that will be perfect for you