What are the benefits of an SUV over a minivan though? They seem objectively worse in practically all regards: worse fuel efficiency, worse doors, less cargo space, worse visibility.
Not all "SUVs" are equivalent. The best ones have AWD and are basically just a beefier sedan/wagon.
They more or less have the capabilities of a small pickup truck, but exchange the bed for more passenger space and inside cargo room. A minivan does have more space, but cannot tow and would immediately get stuck in the first mud patch it sees.
I have no idea why people in the city buy them though (other than snowy regions).
Despite the fantasy manufacturers are selling, large pickups and SUV are terrible off-roaders. Visibility, weight, and approach, break-over, and departure angles are almost universally atrocious. Most don't even have live front axles, and the vast majority of SUV are unibody. I'm convinced locking differentials only continue to exist because the vehicles are so corpulent they'd be unable to move off-road without them.
