Should I Buy A Truck, Van, Or An SUV?

We all love that perfect combination of comfort and practicality that SUVs give us if we’ve got a growing family. For commercial customers, the space and flexibility that a van offers makes it an essential business tool. And if your lifestyle is more outdoors-focused, a solid pick-up truck with its go-anywhere, do-anything attitude is the perfect partner for those off-road adventures. But which one should you buy? Here are our top five tips to help you decide – truck, van, or SUV?

1. Family-friendly or best for business?

The top priority when deciding whether a truck, van or SUV is your best option is what you’ll be using the vehicle for. If you have a large family and you need to do that school run, shopping trips and everyday commutes, but still want something that will cope with long family road trips in complete comfort, then an SUV is our top pick. Entry-level Nissan Kicks with a 1.6L engine offer you the fuel efficiency you want, with a cabin that’s designed to carry people, rather than cargo.

If, however, you want something a little more robust and rugged then a van or truck is your best choice. The Ram 1500 is the pick-up truck of choice for those who expect more performance from their vehicle in all terrains and can also double up as a tough truck for contractors and engineers.

2. Cost – how much do you want to spend?

Your budget will determine what kind of vehicle you can afford. Do you buy brand new, or pre-owned? Vehicle depreciation means that even a relatively new pre-owned vehicle on a 2018 or even an early 2019 plate will be considerably cheaper than a brand new model.

Look for finance packages that will spread the cost of your repayments, or for pre-owned outlets that will take a good quality vehicle in part-exchange, saving you even more money.

3. Keeping your vehicle on the road

If you buy your SUV or truck from a dealership then you’ll usually find that servicing is easily available as and when you need it. And because you’re buying your vehicle from the dealership they’ll have an intimate knowledge of the vehicle’s service history, and what needs to be done to keep it running at its best.

You can even go for additional services to keep your vehicle looking better for longer. For example, Automall’s Car Paint Protection service uses nano-technology to create a transparent coating to protect the paint layers against scratches and chipping – ideal if you take your truck off-roading during the weekend but still need to use it to visit your business customers during the week.

4. Safety and comfort for you and your family

If family-friendly safety is at the top of your list, then our recommendation is to go for an SUV. They’ve been specially designed with robust cabins that offer plenty of protection for both the driver and all the passengers. With anchor points for child booster seats or chairs, even the youngest family members can travel in complete safety.

SUVs often have seats for up to seven people, so if you have a big family then they’re the ideal choice. As vans are designed more for practicality, you’ll find the cabins are smaller and while trucks such as the Ram can take four people quite comfortably, you are limited on space compared to the roomy interior of an SUV like a Chrysler Grand Voyager.

5. Resale – moving on to the next big thing

At some point you may want to upgrade to a newer model, or even change the type of vehicle you have from a van to a truck or a saloon to an SUV. Resale value plays an important part in your consideration, and the lower the depreciation level, the more attractive the vehicle.

Talk to one of the teams at Automall and they’ll be able to give you an honest, no-nonsense opinion on the resale value of a whole range of SUVs and trucks.