Anyone whos ever driven a vehicle with low ground clearance will know that theres only one sound worse than fingernails being dragged across a chalkboard: the teeth-clenching graunching of a cars belly scraping across concrete (or any other type of rough surface that has no business coming into such close contact with your car).
Unless youre planning on actually drivingoverother cars - always a temptation during peak-hour traffic - theres no need to seek out a car with monster-truck ground clearance, but if youre in the market for anew SUV - whether its a comfortable family car or an off-road SUV - its definitely something youll want to take into consideration.
Although in recent years SUVs have become more popular with urban consumers who thinkoff-roadingmeans driving in a gravel car park, there are still those drivers who are interested in taking full advantage of their vehicles all-wheel-drive capabilities.
Comfortable and capable
Once upon a time, that might have meant making do with a tough-as-nails 4WD that was as pleasant to live with as a pair of hiking boots filled with thumbtacks, but these days all sorts of comfortableSUVs double as off-road family cars.
When referencingground clearancein relation to AWD SUVs, were talking about the measured distance between the ground and thelowest point of the vehicles undercarriage(often the rear differential, whichAmericans refer to as thepumpkin, due to its shape) at the vehicleskerbweight.
Obviously youre going to want this to be a reasonable height if youre rock crawling or powering through mud or sand, although there is a trade-off; greater height may be more practical for off-roading, but it will also make the vehiclescentreof gravity higher, causing it to become less aerodynamic.
The vehicles suspension capabilities are also important - youll want those wheels staying strictly earthbound while you are powering through undulating terrain.
There are also approach,departureand ramp-over angles to be aware of. An approach angle is the maximum ramp angle a vehicle can travel up from a flat surface without rubbing its nose; the departure angle is simply the same thingin regards tothe rear of the car. The ramp-over is the maximum ramp angle your SUV can travelover without the ramp apex touching the underneath of the vehicle.
How much is enough?
Like Subarus range of XV, Forester and Outback AWD SUVs, youll want minimum 213mmground clearance to be both comfortable and capable. Considering the average car has around 170mm of ground clearance, the increased clearance offered by Subarus SUVs is about all the average driver will ever need, with only the most ardent off-roaders requiring extra clearance.
Regardless of how high you go, one thing isfor certain: unless youre driving over concrete barriers, those eye-watering belly scrapes should, pleasingly, become a distant memory.
CarsGuide
Paid Partnership
21 May 2021
