how much do SUVs weigh? [ Solved ]

Last Updated on May 4, 2023 by Victor A

SUVs are known for being bigger than conventional cars, and that increase in size means that SUVs are heavier, what most people don’t know is how much do SUVs weigh.

In this article we will classify SUVs into three types (based on size), going from biggest to smallest we have full-size, mid-size, and crossover SUVs. We’ve also added a bonus section for electric and hybrid SUVs since they are becoming more common as time goes by.

Note that different variables may change the weight, for example, if the SUV is electric it will likely experience a significant increase in weight due to the weight of the batteries. The same applies to hybrid SUVs.

In the case of crossover SUVs, you should know that they have a similar size to passenger cars. Remember that these types of SUVs are usually produced on the same platform as conventional cars.

How much do full-size SUVs weigh?

Starting with the biggest and heaviest type, we predict that the weight will be significant since lots of full-size SUVs have three rows of seating and a lot of cargo space.

There aren’t many full-size SUVs in the market but we know them well since they exude personality and they are known for having a high markup on their price.

Find below a table with 5 popular full-size SUVs models with their weight in both lbs and kgs:

If we made an average out of these 5 vehicles we would get a weight of 5,642 lbs (2,559 kgs), so usually expect to find a full-size SUV weighing over 5,000 lbs.

Many automakers also offer an even taller, wider, and longer version of their already huge SUVs, that’s the case with the Jeep Grand Wagoneer which weighs 6,340 lbs (2,876 kgs), while the Wagoneer is limited to 5,960 lbs (2,703 kgs).

What about mid-size SUVs? Do they weigh a lot?

For the mid-size SUV, things get more complicated as we have them in more variations of sizes, also many sporty mid-size SUVs focus on weight reduction to improve the performance while others target customers that are looking for pure comfort.

In the table below there are some popular mid-size SUVs that we are sure you’ve seen a lot in the wild:

By taking the average of those five SUVs we get a weight of 4,678 lbs (2,122 kgs), which makes it roughly 1,000 lbs (454 kgs) less than full-size SUVs.

As you can see, mid-size SUVs often weigh between 4,000 (1,814 kgs) and 5,000 lbs (2,268 kgs), but as mentioned above, there are many exceptions due to the number of different styles of SUVs in this size.

And for the smaller SUVs? How much do compact crossover SUVs weigh?

The smallest type of SUVs is the crossovers, which right now are considered the most popular option since the segment has been growing over the years.

The crossover SUVs are designed to spend most of their lifetime in the city, they are usually used as a replacement for passenger cars since they offer the same features but with slightly higher ground clearance and sometimes with extra cargo space.

Below are some of the five most popular crossover SUVs:

In this case, making an average weight leads to 3,443 lbs (1,562 kgs). Again the same rule applies, it seems like there is a 1,000 lbs difference as well from mid-size to crossover SUVs.

Here we see how crossover SUVs weigh similarly to passenger cars, for example, an Audi A5 is rated at 3,450 lbs (1,565 kgs), and a Mercedes Class C at 3,564 lbs (1,617 kgs), those cars could easily be mistaken for a crossover SUV if we would only be looking at the weight, but they look way different than a crossover.

What about hybrid and electric SUVs, how heavy are they?

Obviously, the size of the SUV will vary, even if it’s an EV or not, for example, the Tesla Model X weighs 6,250 lbs (2,835 kgs), we could consider it a full-size SUV.

While a BMW iX weighs 5,657 lbs (2,567 kgs), which is a lot for a mid-size SUV, it basically weighs more than many full-size SUVs.

And for the crossover SUVs, we have the Ford Mustang Mach-E which weighs 4,394 lbs (1,993 kgs).

This shows us how heavy electric vehicles really are but we also have to take into account that we have hybrids as an alternative, and as you can imagine, the same applies to EVs, the batteries make the cars quite heavy.

Without getting into much detail, take the example of the Porsche Cayenne, as a mid-size SUV the Porsche Cayenne Coupe E-Hybrid weighs 5,148 lbs (2,335 kgs), while the Porsche Cayenne Coupe S weighs 4,464 lbs (2,025 kgs). 

That’s a huge difference that shows why we still have a long way to go in terms of battery technology.

It is clear that we are moving toward a future where batteries are smaller and lighter, and that will allow these big cars to weigh similar to their gas-powered counterparts.