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Comment by dagw | Hacker News Reader

Safest and fastest seem possible, but I'm rather doubting its off road capabilities. Unless of course being capable of driving off road isn't something we expect from an SUV these days.

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You can tell from the photos you won't be taking this off road.

It's more akin to a people mover with the 7 seat option and the ground clearance being limited. If you look at the most popular SUVs i.e. BMW X3/5, Mercedes M, Land Rover they have a lineage in proper 4WDs.

But let's be honest almost nobody who drives an SUV actually takes it off road.

Right. SUVs in this category are going after the need-a-van-but-want-a-sportcar market.

The irony is that a van will often handle better than a SUV with a car based platform and a lower center of gravity.

My wife has a BMW X5 and it drives like a piece of industrial farm equipment. We also own a Honda Odyssey which IMO handles significantly better - it's basically an Accord with a taller roof.

The current X3, X5, and M-Class are all built on unibody car platforms. Only the Range Rover models have a remotely "proper" lineage in 4WD vehicles.

Do people actually go off road with SUVs? You just need to stand near any speed bump, pot hole filled road or construction zone for five minutes to realise that the cars that slow down the most are usually SUVs.

People with SUVs want a smooth and "safe" ride, not to throw themselves down a mountain and conquer nature like in TV ads.

Ugh this is the worst, I genuinely do not understand buying that huge car and being so incredibly afraid of a pothole.

This. There's a fine line between SUV and minivan. At best, the X is sitting on top of the line.

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