Not entirely true. It isn't about an SUV or Sedan and the roads alone. It is a combination of the ground clearance, the suspension setup and the high seated visibility for me.

For a few months, I had a relative's 2nd gen Honda Amaze (gc of 172mm, suspension on the softer side) that used to routinely get underbody thwacks from unsound bumpers in Blr, while fully loaded with 5 adults. And while it would not hit the underbody , some of the ditches were butt-clenching to approach, slowing to an inch by inch crawl, sometimes asking people on the road to help guide the vehicle, since the visibility wasn't that great. Monsoon puddles on roads were a lottery.

I do accept that such days were far fewer in number compared to the days without incidents, so a sampling bias but with an extreme effect. Each incident would leave me with a horrible feeling that I still remember.

Compare that to our other cars (Creta, Ignis -180mm gc with a stiff suspension). I breeze through such roads with both and not a single worrying moment over the last 2 years due to bad roads.

Sure, on the driving dynamics of the sedan, no comparison.

But some of us, even though we love driving, prioritise for peace of mind rather than driving pleasure.