::Barloworld ::New cars for sale
The new cars for sale today carry many descriptions. There used to be very few classes of car. One could choose between a sedan, a hatchback, a station wagon or a bakkie, really. Let us look at two of the newer types of cars for sale, the MPV and the SUV.
Since the ‘80s the MPV (Multi-Purpose Vehicle) has appeared. This is typically a people mover with seven seats, each of which can fold or be removed completely and left at home. Some MPVs offer the advantage of seats that fold into the floor that never need to be taken out. However, most seven-seater MPVs have a rather small boot when all seven seats are in use, unless the vehicle is very long. This means that one can carry seven people with very little luggage or one would have to fold or remove the rearmost two or three seats to end up with a four- or five-seater with a large boot. Some manufacturers offer two rows of three and a large boot.
The SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle) is usually just a large station wagon with 4x4 ability. They can usually seat five people, like a normal car, or up to seven people, like an MPV. However, increased ground clearance and the addition of a 4x4 transmission mean that they can transport their passengers off the beaten track and where normal cars and MPVs cannot go. In truth, most people buy SUVs because of the high seating position and feeling of perceived safety. Yet, SUVs handle worse than cars, fall over more easily and take longer to stop. They might be useful for crashing into smaller cars, but they are often no better at crashing into solid objects. And chances are they will, eventually, because they are worse at avoiding an accident than a car.
Over and above the MPV and SUV, there are a myriad other niches that have appeared and the lines have been blurred by crossover vehicles that span different classes. The array of new cars for sale today might be very confusing, but there certainly is one for every need.
