Sports Utility Vehicle
A sport utility vehicle (SUV) is a generic marketing description for a rugged automotive vehicle similar to a station wagon but built on a light-truck chassis.[1] Usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on or off road ability, some SUVs include the towing capacity of a pickup truck with the passenger-carrying space of a minivan. SUVs are considered light trucks and often share the same platforms of pickups and thus are regulated less stringently than passenger cars under two major laws in the U.S.—the Energy Policy and Conservation Act for fuel economy standards, and the Clean Air Act for emissions standards[2]
It is known in some countries as an "off-road vehicle" or "four-wheel drive", often abbreviated to "4WD" or "4x4", pronounced "four-by-four". However, not all SUVs have four-wheel drive capabilities. Conversely, not all 4WD passenger vehicles are SUVs. Off-road vehicles are a very different class of vehicles, being vehicles primarily built for off-road use. Although some SUVs have off-road capabilities, this is often a secondary role and they often do not have the ability to switch between 2WD, 4WD high gearing and 4WD low gearing. While automakers frequently tout a particular SUV's off-road prowess with advertising and naming, the daily use of SUVs is largely paved roads and urban areas.
Initially extremely popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the SUV's popularity has since declined, due to criticism regarding excessive gasoline consumption, pollution, cost, and poor safety. Due to high oil prices and a declining economy since the mid-2000s, manufacturers have responded to buyers' complaints. The traditional truck-based SUV is gradually being supplanted by a new vehicle type, the crossover SUV, which uses an automobile platform for lighter weight and better fuel efficiency, but is no longer designed or recommended by the manufacturer for off-road usage or towing.
History
Origins
Early Sport utility vehicles were descendants from commercial and military vehicles such as the World War II Jeep[3] and Land Rover.[4] SUVs have been popular for many years with rural buyers due to their off-road capabilities.
The earliest examples of longer-wheelbase wagon-type SUVs were the GAZ-61 (1938), Willys Jeep Wagon (1948), Land Rover Series II 109 (1958), and the International Harvester Scout 80 (1961). These were followed by the more 'modern' Jeep Wagoneer (1963), International Harvester Scout II (1971), Ford Bronco (1966), Toyota Land Cruiser FJ-55 (1968), the Chevrolet Blazer / GMC Jimmy (1969), and the Land Rover Range Rover (1970).
The transportation curator at the Henry Ford Museum, Robert Casey, contends persuasively that the Cherokee was the first true sport utility vehicle in the modern understanding of the term.[5] Marketed to urban families as a substitute for a traditional car, the Chrerokee had four wheel drive in a more manageable size (compared to the full-size Wagoneer), as well as a plush interior resembling a station wagon.[5] With the introduction of more luxurious models and a much more powerful 4-liter engine, sales of the Cherokee zoomed even higher as the price of gasoline fell, and the term "sport utility vehicle" began to be used in the national press for the first time.[5]
The increase in SUV sales was assisted by a legislative loophole. Created in the 1970s, the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards were established as minimums for passenger vehicles. Exceptions were granted business and farm vehicles. Car manufacturers utilized this loophole by selling SUVs as work vehicles.[6] In the last 25 years, and even more in the last decade, the popularity of SUVs has increased among urban drivers. Consequently, more modern SUVs often come with luxury features and some crossover SUVs have adopted lower ride heights and use unibody construction to better accommodate on-road driving.
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