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SUVs provide the perfect blend of power, versatility and comfort drivers look for in a vehicle. These roomy rides offer the muscle needed to tow heavy loads and an elegant driving experience, all wrapped up in one stylish package. But what is an SUV, and what does ‘SUV’ stand for?
SUVs are adventure-ready vehicles built to travel through rough terrain. However, not all SUVs are created equal. In this article, we’ll explore everything you need to know about SUVs, including their key features, advantages and disadvantages. We’ll also discuss what you need to know before buying these vehicles.
An SUV is a vehicle type that combines the capabilities of off-road four-wheel-drive cars with the features of a regular passenger vehicle. The term ‘SUV’ stands for ‘sports utility vehicle’. These vehicles are popular among car manufacturers today due to their appearance, performance and variety of uses.
Modern SUVs date back to traditional SUVs, which began producing in the 1930s with the plan to make a vehicle that has a bigger and blockier appearance and that’s apt at on and off-roading. In 1984, the first Jeep Cherokee was considered the first sports utility vehicle in SUV history.
Today, the most popular car manufacturers for buying an SUV are Land Rover, Jeep, Ford, Subaru, Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Mercedes.
Key Features
Most SUVs are four-wheel-drive cars with great off-road capabilities. SUVs generally have:
- High-capacity engine
- Tall ground clearance
- Lengthier wheelbase
- High-seating positions
The Advantages Of An SUV
The advantages of an SUV are:
- Larger engine with a higher capacity
- Four-wheel drive
- Higher seating position
- Raised ground clearance
- Off-road capability on rough terrain
- Large boxy body
- Advanced safety features
- Raised suspension
- Great extra space
- Up to seven seats seating arrangement
Four-Wheel Drive Off-Roading
The wheels on SUVs are larger than those on standard cars, and they all receive power from the engine due to the four-wheel drive system. As a result, SUVs tend to be good for off-roading. They can easily navigate through hilly roads and rugged terrain. However, some mini SUVs have two-wheel drive instead of the standard four-wheel drive.
You can learn what a 4×4 car is on our site.
Raised Seating, Clearance & Suspension
Raised seating gives you an excellent view of the outside from the driver’s seat. Improved clearance underneath the vehicle makes it great in off-road usage, as does the raised suspension, giving you a smoother and safer ride on rough terrain.
The benefits of higher clearance and raised suspension are especially visible in larger SUVs, which are easy and fun to drive.
Sports Utility Vehicle Safety
The higher seating gives the driver a clearer view making accidents less likely despite the larger size. In the event of an accident, those in an SUV are far less likely to suffer injuries. The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) has crash-tested every kind of vehicle and recommends SUVs the most if your primary concern is safety.
Space
The term SUV is most prevalent when boot space is involved. SUVs have storage far exceeding the storage of smaller vehicles on the market. Even the smaller SUVs offer an excellent amount of boot space for luggage or extra seats, making SUVs great family cars comparable even to MPVs and estate cars.
See here to find out everything about estate cars.
The Disadvantages Of An SUV
The disadvantages of an SUV are:
- Poor fuel economy
- High price
- Bad manoeuvrability
- Negative environmental impact
- Parking issues
High Costs
SUVs are relatively expensive. A sport utility vehicle with similar features and specifications to a sedan will likely cost you thousands of dollars more. Fortunately, they cost less to insure, but other costs make it a more expensive vehicle. You will pay more for fuel due to the worse fuel efficiency. SUVs are less efficient because they’re heavier, demanding more fuel for the same mileage as regular cars. SUV parts run higher than sedan parts, increasing the cost further.
Problematic Manoeuvrability & Parking
While they’re easy to drive, SUVs have a problem due to their size, which makes them troublemakers on city roads and parking lots. Oftentimes, they can just barely squeeze in between the white lines on a road, making it more difficult to drive around town, especially in small streets where turning is common.
People often complain about how SUVs take over multiple spaces in parking, and there are chances that you can receive a ticket if you park poorly without paying attention.
Environmentally Unfriendly
SUVs are frowned upon due to their impact on the environment. Whether it’s a small SUV or not, they consume a lot more fuel per mile than a city car. Even if you’re not driving traditional SUVs but modern electric SUVs, that’s still not completely environmentally friendly due to the higher energy demand and CO2 emissions made during the vehicle’s manufacture, but it is surely better than using fossil-fuel vehicles.
SUV Vs Crossover: Are They Not The Same?
An SUV and crossover are not the same but do share some similarities. Both are larger than regular cars but were made with a different concept in mind. An SUV is based on a truck platform, while crossovers are based on a car platform. This means the SUV’s frame is a body-on-frame most of the time, while crossovers have a unibody frame.
A body-on-frame design style is more cost-effective and revolves around using different body part designs on a single vehicle. Unibody means that the vehicle’s body and frame are made with a single goal in mind, to build a single tightly connected vehicle.
That being said, SUVs are better at driving off-road and have a bigger size and better load capacity than crossovers, making them more expensive on average. The term SUV covers crossovers mostly due to their larger and box-like appearance, but a crossover is closer to a car than an SUV.
The Porsche Cayenne is a great example of a crossover sports utility vehicle with its unibody design and sporty feel.
SUV VS MPV: Which One Is Better?
Determining which one is better – an SUV or MPV – all comes down to personal preference. MPV stands for ‘multi-purpose vehicle’, and these cars are commonly known as people carriers. MPVs are favoured for their versatility and dependability. These vehicles are spacious, which allows them to carry people and cargo efficiently.
Some features of MPVs include:
- High seating capacity (between five and nine seats)
- Spacious boots
- Versatile interior with foldable seats
SUVs offer better off-road capabilities, which is something MPVs aren’t built for. Even a compact SUV is likely to navigate rough terrain better than a large MPV. SUVs also offer more safety than MPVs due to their thick bodies and large frames.
On the other hand, MPVs are far more fuel efficient and can accommodate more passengers than SUVs. They are also easier to maintain and cost less than SUVs, making them great for anyone on a tight budget. Furthermore, MPVs tend to be more eco-friendly due to their lower emissions and energy consumption.
Overall, SUVs are more suitable for drivers who prioritise off-road capabilities and a rugged exterior, while MPVs are better for those seeking comfort and versatility.
You can learn more about what an MPV is on our site.
Things To Consider Before Buying An SUV
When it comes to purchasing an SUV, the cost is a key factor. For starters, you’ll find some models to be thousands of dollars more expensive than their sedan counterparts. You’ll also have to spend more money on fuel, as SUVs offer 18 to 26 miles (30 to 42 km) per gallon, much less than a sedan’s 33 to 40 miles (53 to 64 km) per gallon. Also, the large size of an SUV car makes it difficult to manoeuvre when driving through tight city roads.
However, SUVs come with better four-wheel drive systems than other car types, which makes them perfect for off-roading. Due to their large size, they are also more spacious and comfortable than smaller cars. Generally, an SUV is great for anyone who drives through bad roads and rough terrain frequently, but it is not a great vehicle choice for inexperienced drivers.
Hire an SUV from SDVH today and navigate unfriendly terrain with ease. Our fleet contains a range of options to satisfy diverse needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is An SUV?
An SUV is a vehicle type classified as a car or truck (mostly light ones), characterised by its large body, high driving position and great off-road capabilities. The term ‘SUV’ stands for a sports utility vehicle. These vehicles often feature the four-wheel drive system, which makes them great for off-roading or driving through rugged terrain. Most SUVs also come with powerful engines, which allow them to accelerate quickly and drive at high speeds.
Is An SUV Considered A Car?
An SUV is often not considered a car in the UK and the US. Rather, it is considered a light truck. Vehicle manufacturers choose the classification, and they often put SUVs as trucks so that SUVs could enjoy the privileges of a more relaxed fuel economy standard. Also, they are often made with a body-on-frame design, typical for trucks. However, people usually consider SUVs cars in a common language.
What Is The Difference Between An SUV And An MPV?
The most significant difference between an SUV and an MPV is the capability to go off-road that the SUV enjoys. SUVs are more costly in price and fuel efficiency but are also safer and comfier than MPVs. Both vehicles usually go up to seven seats and are good city commuters, though, but some MPV even have nine seats.
What Is An SUV Crossover?
SUV crossovers are vehicles that combine the features of a passenger car and an SUV. These vehicles typically look like regular SUVs, but they aren’t as big and boxy. They tend to be more affordable than standard SUVs but cost more than sedans. Generally, an SUV crossover is a great vehicle for anyone who wants a stylish SUV with minor off-roading capabilities.
What Are The Most Popular Models Of An SUV?
The most popular models of an SUV are the Toyota RAV4, Tesla Model Y, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Volkswagen Tiguan and Mazda CX-5. The Toyota RAV4, which was released in 1994, is highly popular due to it being the first SUV to be sold worldwide. The popularity of these vehicles may, however, vary by country.
Conclusion
So, what is an SUV? An SUV is a vehicle that incorporates raised suspension and a high seating position into the design of a standard estate car or MPV. These vehicles have gained popularity over the years as car manufacturers look to create vehicles that are stylish and comfortable yet capable of driving off-road. There are numerous SUVs on the market with different features, so it’s important to take your time when selecting one.
