Trucks, Vans and SUVs for Everyone

Which vehicle do you need to get ‘stuff’ from here to there?

Have you ever tried to pack two dozen mulch bags into the nooks and crannies of your Honda Civic? Or attempted to secure a six-panel door atop your Volvo’s roof? If so, you may have concluded that all of this hauling would be so much easier if you owned a vehicle that was built to, well, haul.

You’re hardly alone. Cargo vehicles account for four out of every 10 autos sold off the lot. That’s more than half a million nationally in August 2009 alone, according to Edmunds.com. With gas prices relatively stable, experts say these vehicles are primed for a comeback. 

“The economy doesn’t matter when hauling is something you have to do,” says Dan Edmunds, director of Vehicle Testing and Evaluation at Edmunds. “There are only so many things from Lowe’s that fit into a sedan.”

Cargo carriers aren’t necessarily gas guzzlers, either. The more fuel-efficient crossover utility vehicle is growing in popularity. Hybrid models are also emerging, like the Chevy Tahoe and Cadillac Escalade. The Tahoe averages about 21 mpg combined highway and city driving, Edmunds reports, as opposed to a non-hybrid’s 17 mpg. While it doesn’t command the same towing capacity as those two models, the Ford Escape is a more affordable option.

The federal government is beefing up safety requirements, too. Models will be subject to more stringent side-impact and roof-crush resistance tests, since rollovers are a cause of concern with SUVs especially.

Chip Perry, president/CEO of AutoTrader.com, says consumers who are concerned about the safety features of heavy-duty vehicles need to do their homework. “When it comes to safety, the following are must-haves: electronic stability control, side airbags, anti-lock braking systems and tire pressure monitoring systems,” he says.