During the past decade or two, the Sports Utility Vehicle, or SUV, has taken over where the traditional station wagon left off. Always known as the family car, the station wagon had room for everyone, with room for extras like groceries, the dog, or camping gear behind the rear seat. Nowadays, the SUV has assumed that role in American family life. The original SUV, although it wasn’t called that back then, was the Chevrolet Carryall Suburban that was birthed in 1935.
The SUV differs from the traditional station wagon in that it is higher off the ground as well as just plain different looking. Many of them, especially in the early years, were also four-wheel drives. The SUV gives the appearance of a more rugged vehicle, while the station wagon was merely an elongated car.
Larger Size Can Be Safer
The perception that because the SUV is larger and higher off the ground, it is a safer vehicle. People like the idea that they are in a vehicle that is significantly larger than many cars on the road today. Consider the size of the Smart Car, the Fiat, the Mini Cooper, and other cars of a similar size and a little larger, and riding in a full-sized vehicle becomes comparable to being inside a fort as compared to a cardboard cabin. Also, the larger size makes driving on bad roads a little more comfortable.
The newest Mazda SUVs are overcoming some of the stigma of the SUV’s poor fuel mileage by offering the 2.5-liter engine that averages 33 mpg on the highway. This savings in fuel makes the Mazda SUVs very attractive to potential buyers.
Mazda SUVs
There are three Mazda SUVs for Salem drivers to choose from, each with similar styling but different sizes and with features that build on each other. The CX-3 is a subcompact while the CX-5 is a compact and the CX-9 is typically considered midsize. The two smaller SUVs each have two rows of seats while the CX-9 has three rows and can seat seven passengers. Each of the three models is available as a Sport, Touring, or Grand Touring trim, while the CX-9 also adds a Signature version. You always get SkyActiv engines and transmissions for top efficiency and performance, and i-ACTIVSENSE safety and driver assistive features are available in all three SUVs.
You’ll be able to take a look at all the Mazda SUVs at Berglund Mazda in Salem, Virginia. Come in and let our friendly professional staff assist you in choosing the SUV that’s right for you.
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