we live at the end of a dirt road on top of a huge hill in southwestern new hampshire. we have a log cabin in the woods which is about 3/4 of a mile up a heavily wooded, rocky road on a steep grade. my father runs a secondhand shop, so he spends a lot of time driving to other people's houses to pick up couches, television sets, etc. if they're unable to drive them to the store.

he drives a nissan pathfinder but he'd rather be driving an Audi Allroad or similarly beefy AWD station wagon. IMHO, a wagon will accomplish the same things as an SUV but do so with better fuel economy, a lower center of gravity and less bulk. If you really need the extra space afforded by a tall SUV, buy a trailer..

-adam