Pickup truck owners have shown a unique loyalty to the brands they trust. This loyalty is often mocked or admired, but it’s been part of the truck world for generations. Are SUV owners nearly as loyal to their vehicles? Let’s find out.

SUV owners are loyal to SUVs

A study from S&P Global Mobility found that SUV owners are the most loyal drivers when it comes to the body style. Unlike pickup truck owners, who often don their favorite truck brand on a jacket or hat, SUV owners aren’t specifically loyal to a brand or make.

S&P found the owner loyalty figures to be 73% for SUV owners that would buy another SUV when it came time to trade in the old model. In fact, over the past 11 consecutive quarters, this loyalty rating has exceeded 70% for SUVs.

As much as we’ve been told about the loyalty of pickup truck owners, the report found that only 48.8% of owners would buy another truck. The figures are even lower for sedan loyalty at 35.6%, but that could be related to fewer traditional sedans in the market.

Why do people love SUVs?

SUVs offer a unique blend of spaciousness, practicality, and sportiness. These vehicles come in many shapes and sizes, from models that aren’t much larger than a hatchback to full-size behemoths riding on truck platforms. In America, SUVs overtook sedans as the most popular vehicle segment, pushing most sedans out of the market.

SUV owner loyalty ends with driving an SUV

The report tells us that most SUV owners are loyal to the body style but won’t necessarily return for the same vehicle upon trade-in. Among most SUV segments, returning owners never made up more than 50% of the sales for any SUV model. Could this be why many brands now have multiple SUVs in the lineup, covering different sizes and price points, attracting a wide range of drivers? It’s certainly possible.

Why do most people drive SUVs?

The desire for SUVs comes with the increased ride height, which brings a good view of the road. The larger size brings the feeling of safety to many drivers. The IIHS says a larger, heavier vehicle provides better crash protection than a smaller, lighter one, especially if all other factors are equal.

Although this added feeling of safety and security is present in most SUVs, the subcompact crossovers aren’t much bigger than hatchbacks. Still, most modern SUVs are larger, sit higher, and have more advanced safety features than sedans, giving these vehicles an advantage in crashes.

The pros and cons of owning an SUV

If you’re still unsure about why so many SUV owners are loyal to this vehicle type, here are a few pros and cons for you:

Pros

• Comfort and cabin space
• Versatility
• Storage capacity
• Grip and handling
• Ruggedness
• Road visibility
• Ground clearance

Cons

• Price
• Fuel costs
• Cost of parts
• Weight and bulk
• Parking

If you can get past the cons, which many owners can, it’s easy to see the advantages of SUVs and why so many owners show incredible loyalty to this vehicle type.