Criticism of sport utility vehicles is an expression (made by various groups, organizations or individuals) of disapproval of sport utility vehicles (SUVs). Criticism may focus on risks posed to other road users or to the environment by the larger SUVs, and often asserts that benefits to the vehicle owner are illusory or exaggerated.

Safety

One source of SUVs' popularity is the perception of significant safety advantages over smaller vehicles,. To this, critics note that SUVs are more likely to roll over, more likely to be in a single-car accident and more likely to cause harm to other road users. On the other hand, overall, SUVs are safer for their driver than small cars made by the same manufacturer. But if the analysis is made on a pound-for-pound basis (or even dollar-for-dollar basis), lower cars are safer.

Rollover

A high center of gravity makes a vehicle more prone to rollover accidents than lower vehicles, especially if the vehicle leaves the road or in emergency maneuvers. Figures from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that most passenger cars have about a 10% chance of rollover while SUVs have between 14% and 23% (varying from a low of 14% for the AWD Ford Edge to a high of 23% for the FWD Ford Escape). Many modern SUVs are equipped with electronic stability control (ESC) to prevent rollovers on flat surfaces, but 95% of rollovers are "tripped" - meaning the vehicle strikes something low, such as a curb or shallow ditch, causing it to tip over.

According to NHTSA data, SUV's and pickups are at a disadvantage in single-vehicle accidents (such as when the driver falls asleep, or loses control swerving around a deer), which comprise 43% of fatal accidents, with more than double the chance of rolling over. This risk relates closely to overall US motor vehicle fatality data, showing that SUVs and pickups generally have a higher fatality rate than cars of the same manufacturer.