What really sucked about about the SUV (besides the obvious) is nobody invested the effort into fuel economy. There was alot of stigma with SUVS as status symbols. They were luxury sedans made to tame the wilds of the suburban parking lot. If there was a clean deisel HUMMER introduced years ago, or models with respectable milage for thier size they probably wouldn't be on the brink of extiction now.

Sure we have them now but people are fleeing them like fleas from a flaming cat.

Oil is dropping on the market like crazy, but you won't find me running back to any vehicle getting less then 25+ mpg. And like some cruel cosmic hand bitch-slapping USA auto makers, they can't afford to make or sell fuel efficient models in thier own country of origin.

What really gets me is people spend so much money on them, then fuel goes up so they sell them to cut down on the cost of fuel.  But then end up loosing a lot of money when the sale it.  Fuel prices drop a doller and then the suvs pop up again.

There is nothing wrong with owning an SUV if its something you put to work.  Say maybe your some one that tows a lot, maybe likes having 4 wheel drive option in the winter, however would rather have a few extra seats over a bed.  Okay I can understand that.  What I don't get is people go out and buy the biggest SUV (may or may not have 4 wheel drive) think its sports car, and then turn around and complain that they get bad milage.  Or better  yet complain the man told them it would get 20 but they only get 12......

I can say this now is the time to buy SUVs and Pickups since everyone is trying to get rid of the trade ins you can get some good deals.  But I would not bother unless its something your going to use.

Uhh... the entire purpose of the SUV class of vehicle is to circumvent fuel efficency standards. Prior to the fuel standard legislation of the late 80s, everyone drove vans, minivans, and station wagons. Car manufacturers weren't willing to make more efficient engines, so they started selling reworked light trucks as passenger vehicles under the name SUV - the law left a specific exception to the fuel standard law for sport and utility vehicles. This was intended so that a Winebago didn't have to meet the same standard as a passenger van, but car manufacturers jumped at the loophole.

I got an old Mitsubishi montereo V6 SUV and its more truck then any other suv and some trucks.

So if the SUVS can get around this standard then how is it they get the same gas milage as the the passanger vans when they are in a lot of cases more powerful and heavier?  Its one of those things I have been trying to understand.  How something as big as the suburban can get the same milage as smaller passanger van.

A lot of that is market forces, belive it or not. Most people simply won't buy vehicles that get the milage that used to be the norm. The engine technology is available, but only in the past 5 years or so has it been cost effective to actually use it. People are willing to pay an extra $1000 or more to get a vehicle that gets double the gas milage. Also, emissions standards are important - the less fuel you're buring, the less your exhaust system has to handle. Basically, there is a balance point where fuel costs will meet increased cost of the unit (more expensive components, tighter tolerences, etc) - and current fuel prices are shifting that balance.

The thing to understand is, market forces would likely have changed fuel standards on their own - the government was simply trying to speed the process.

People are also willing to spend a boat load more to get better fuel milage, even loose a considerible amout of money on a trade in.  Not knowing by the time their gas milage saving pays it self off the car is likly to be replaced. 

About emmisions standards.  They are very good to have but it only reduces emmisions it does not mean it burns more fuel.  Infact all the emmisions stuff we have increases the amout of fuel the engine burns to get to the same rpm.  They need to work on the emmisions control devices we have.