> Can't figure out why folks in Suburbia with one or two kids would choose an SUV

It’s a mixture of status and an erroneous belief that people are going to be performing the tasks that necessitate an SUV more often than they actually will. Many also have a preference for sitting high (because it makes them feel powerful maybe?) and think SUVs are safer (which they are for their occupants, but to the detriment of everyone else on the road). But mostly status.

Minivans and estate cars aren’t “cool” in the US so people won’t consider them despite the fact that they frequently serve drivers' use cases better in non-rural areas.