Is car axle and shocks for SUV/pickups and sedans so different?

Question

Over here we have regular roads and highways, but there are tons of potholes everywhere. The potholes aren't huge (if I hit any of them, the car frame won't touch the road), but there are many.

Many people suggest that I should buy an suv or a pickup because they have a higher ground clearance. With my sedan (which is low), the frame doesn't touch the road when I hit a pothole, so I'm not sure if ground clearance is an issue.

They also recommend an suv or pickup because they have a tougher build for imperfect terrain, so potholes won't hurt the vehicle as much and it will last longer. Over here there are many potholes, but 99% are shallow so I'm not sure if that's a benefit in my case.

So my question is, given that we have lots of small potholes, is a pickup or an suv really necessary? The roads are definitely not off-road; they are just full of shallow potholes

Answer 1

An SUV or light truck may give you an easier time with potholes, but whether or not they're actually necessary depends on the specific condition of your roads, and whether you find driving around in a sedan uncomfortable. The design of SUV and truck suspension is about as different from sedans as they are from car to car, but the real difference is as you said: they have higher ride height, thus longer suspension travel. With longer suspension travel, the chassis has more distance to smooth out large bumps and potholes. They also have larger wheels, which can also help with abrupt/jagged bumps, like potholes.

However, if you don't feel that the roads are too bad, and you prefer driving a sedan, then you can just stick with your preference. If you'd like to feel the difference for yourself, you can also try renting an SUV or truck for a week.