If this guy tells me how to fit my wife, two little kids and tons of luggage in a sports car, compact or even a limousine, he gets thumbs up for the article.
Just kidding.
The truth is: this guy doesn't have a clue what he's talking about. I always said that not cars kill people but people. Driver skills are very important and a SUV is a challenge for lots of people, like sports cars are a challenge.
The problem especially in the US is SUV advertisement, this is where I agree. A SUV usually is much more difficult to drive fast than a lightweight sedan for example. There are very good SUVs out there like the BMW X5 and the Porsche Cayenne who have an excellent driving habit on the street too. But they're still having a weight over 2 tons and it shows, especially regarding braking (not talking about braking distance) and extreme driving maneuvers.
Another problem in the US: tire pressure. People do not respect the recommended manuf. figures and don't understand that the tires are the most important part of their SUV. We had Ford Explorers with the same Firestone tires driving around in Germany at much higher speeds and as far as I know, not a single incident has been reported here.
Low tire pressure kills tires and especially on SUVs when they're fully loaded. People also don't have a clue about load indexes. Driving a Cayenne Turbo with 22'' wheels and a tire load index of 102? Fully loaded, the car isn't up to factory specs anymore. People spend much more money on looks than on safety and sports car drivers don't understand that lowering the tire pressure for the track can damage the tire (because it takes time until the tires heat up and pressure rises) and when they drive back on the street, a blown tire is pretty possible. Pros usually have two sets of wheels, one for the track and one for the street. Guess why?!
No, SUVs are not unsafe but the drivers are usually incapable or not used to them. I saw a soccer mom in the US trying to exit with the rear from a parking lot. She had a Ford Expedition, a pretty big SUV but not bigger than a Lincoln Navigator for example. She couldn't get out and asked me to do it for her (I was standing next to our rental Navigator). When she realized that I was a foreigner, she apologized and walked away. I wanted to help her but I knew it wasn't a good thing to go after her, people in the US, especially women, react pretty harsh and with fear (might be justified or not but Europeans usually aren't used to that fear) when foreigners approach them.
I love my ML55 and so does my wife. We bought it mainly because of luggage and passenger room and because we sometimes have harsh winters in Bavaria with lots of snow and a SUV is just great in snow.
Not to forget about our short ski trips to Austria from time to time.
Another reason: me and my wife hate station wagons which are very popular in Europe. They don't look good in my opinion and even if the have enough luggage room, the interior room for passengers, especially the head room, is pretty bad. Ever tried to change the diapers of an infant in such a car? Good luck.
Bottom line is: what this author is doing in his article is just sensational journalism to sell his stuff. Nothing based on real psychological, sociological or whatever scientific studies with thousands of participants. Does this guy have a wife and kids? I doubt it. And maybe he should drive a Cayenne to realize that 80% of his article is just 100% crap.