These improvements will be welcome, but it's hard to overestimate the importance of the general packaging of these vehicles to their buyers, but particularly their Boomer buyers.
There is the issue of where to put all that stuff they like to own and haul around with them, and on that score the SUVs do better than sedans if not as good as minivans. It helps that they can carry kids and, increasingly in recent years, aging parents.
SUVs also look more aggressive and all-conquering than sedans or anything else (the GMC Terradyne looks like it should have a place to load bullets), which underscores the power positions Boomers now hold and intend to keep against all comers.
Also, because they have high h-points and big doors, SUVs are easy to access; low-slung sedans require more effort to get in and out of, and who wants a vehicle that reminds them they're getting older and, it must be noted, bulkier?
And if none of these reasons speak to the average buyer, there is always the pressure to follow the pack or protect yourself from it in a crash by getting a bigger and heavier vehicle. After all, mass still rules.
As a result, there are countless new vehicles that reflect this new ethic. Even sedans and regular station wagons are getting taller and offering more room between the sills and the roof. Focus versus Escort is a great example of that.