Pickup Truck vs. SUV – How they Measure Up

A large, reliable vehicle is a must for many drivers, including families and workers who haul cargo. There are several different options within what was once known as the "light trucks" category, including pickups, SUVs, and full-sized vans. If you're in the need for a large, powerful vehicle, you'll probably want to choose between pickups or SUVs. It's helpful to take a closer look at the pros and cons of these different vehicles, to find out which may best suit your needs.

Pros and Cons of Pickup Trucks

A pickup features a large rear cargo bed with an open top, along with an enclosed passenger cabin. In most cases, this cab is smaller than what you would find in a regular car. It may only have one row of seats, although some models offer more room in the cabin. For example, if you take a look at this new Mitsubishi Triton review you'll see that it can comfortably seat five adults, making it suitable for families as well as solo passengers. One advantage of the pickup truck is its storage bed, which is easy to access and reasonably sized. This makes the pickup ideal for those working in construction or other jobs that require the ability to haul materials conveniently. Another advantage of pickups is that they are more durable than most other vehicles, capable of withstanding heavy loads. Most come equipped with four-wheel drive, allowing them to handle rough terrain in a variety of weather conditions.

However, due to their size pickups can be difficult to manoeuvre on the road and may also require more fuel than smaller SUVs. Even the more spacious models won't offer as much room for family members as SUVs, and many are incompatible with child safety seats. In most cases, they're far more suitable for work purposes than for families.

Pros and Cons of SUVs

Like pickups, SUVs may have a less than ideal fuel economy and can be difficult to manoeuvre in tight parking spaces or crowded traffic conditions. Yet because they come in a wider variety of shapes and sizes than pickups this isn't true for all models. Fuel efficiency has also been vastly improved over the past few years, and many SUVs now rival sedans in this department. This is particularly true if you're looking at compact SUVs. For example, if you read Motoring's Toyota RAV4 review, you'll see that the Active model offers a fuel economy as high as 57 mpg. There are also more hybrid SUVs available than hybrid pickups for added efficiency.

Another potential downside to SUVs is that they can have a tendency to roll over if taking turns at a high speed, which is less likely for pickups due to their shape and size. It can take new drivers some time to get used to the feel of an SUV. For this reason, SUVs tend to score lower in crash tests than large sedans, although they do top mid-sized or small cars. One area where the SUV excels is in cargo and passenger space. This makes them ideal for families, who can fit up to seven passengers in certain models.

There are pros and cons to both pickups and SUVs. In the end, it's best to compare different models in both categories if you're in need of a sizeable vehicle, as features and value will vary widely.