Spent a lot of time in the US on work, always with massive SUVs (Ford Explorer/Expedition and Chevy Tahoe/Suburban). Of them the Explorer was my favourite as it handled more like a car. I loved it actually, being high up felt incredibly safe given the vision it gave (not so much over other vehicles, but the surroundings). I always felt it wasn't any bigger on the inside than a mid-size hatchback. The flat loading however made life easier vs over and "down" into a boot. The Expedition was truly cavernous but felt like driving a truck. Didn't like the chevys at all, but then my UK car is a Mondeo so the Fords felt and were familiar in instruments etc.
Given where I was, I did a lot of dirt and rock road driving as well as blizzards - in 4x4 modes they took it all without missing a beat, again the high up position helped massively with visibility and pushing through snow on the ground.
Coming back, my Mondeo felt like I had to lie down to get in! But the ability to corner faster was a revelation, realising how much slower I'd been driving the SUVs.
US fuel usage was insanely low, I think we never had a vehicle over 20mpg even on cruising interstate journeys. The Explorer had a very small tank, never got more than 300miles out of it, which out there and where we were was a real planning headache. Compared to over 700 I get from my 2.0 TDCi Mondeo.
I think the high sitting position and vision is a massive selling point for them, it is certainly something I hear from every SUV owner, again, not so much over other vehicles, but all the surroundings and clutter.
The funniest were the pickups we had F150/250 and Dodge Rams. I've driven tanks, various armoured vehicles and HGVs - the pickups were worse! We were using the back for loads all the time, but when shifting personal kit there was the constant fear of theft/weather. Why you'd want one if you didn't want the back for load carrying is beyond me. I note most pickup owners have lockable boxes in the rear, which seems both necessary and ironic in defeating the object - just get a vehicle with a boot! The pickup seems more a US culture thing, (see Back to the Future for instance!) which has never been in the UK probably due to effects of weather and a more cramped environment leading to theft concerns.