SUV bashing seems to have become a popular fad among Tribune readers, cartoonists and writers. A cartoon appeared recently depicting an SUV in a parking lot towering above all the other vehicles. I frequently read the phrase “gas-guzzling monsters.” And in his Aug. 9 letter to the Tribune, James Breeling refers to “pollution-spewing” SUVs.
I would like to try to set the record straight on some of these points. When parked in a parking lot, my sport utility vehicle can be completely hidden behind a van, a mini-van or a pickup truck with a cap. It can usually fit in a garage parking space designated for compacts.
Every check I have made shows a gasoline consumption of between 21 and 24 miles per gallon. Although admittedly not as good as a compact or subcompact, I believe it is not out of line with most full-size passenger vehicles.
Regarding the “pollution spewing,” I only wonder where this notion originated. My SUV must pass the very same emissions test as any other passenger vehicle in order to obtain state license plates–and it always does, with ease. And I do not notice any more visible exhaust or odors coming from the tailpipe of an SUV.
