Another factor is that you get often more space in cabin and boot compared to a "regular" car of the same length. I.e. you get more comfort for passengers while still able to fit in the same parking space. It's not just fashion. There are real reasons why families purchase SUVs. SUVs nowadays are not just Range Rovers and BMW X5s, there are myriad smaller vehicles starting from 4m length. Even France's own Renault, Peugeot and Citroen have half of their models in SUV shapes of all sizes.