All about SUV’s

The late 1990’s and the early 2000’s were witnesses to the surging sales of SUV’s or Sports Utility Vehicles. The popularity of the vehicles was due to two factors. First was the low cost of fuel during those years. The second factor was due to the large frame of the vehicle that brought more safety to its passengers.

SUV’s is not a term known to all countries. Sometimes, the vehicles are called four-wheel drive, four by four, and off-road vehicles that led to the coined term 4wd and 4x4. These terms are most commonly used in North America. To call it a four by four is a little misleading though because not all four by four vehicles are considered SUV’s. The same is true with calling it an off-road because this term refers to another category of vehicles designed primarily for off-road use. The differences between the terms are seldom acknowledged by consumers up to this time because SUV’s have most of the capabilities present in for wheel drive and off-road vehicles.

The popularity of SUV’s can also be attributed to the vehicle’s multi-faceted designs and capabilities. Aside from being equipped with most of the functions found in four wheel drives and off-road vehicles, SUV’s also have the towing capability likened to a truck’s. Aside from this, the passenger capacity of the SUV’s is similar to a mini van and even to a large sedan. These features make the SUV’s very attractive to people who search cars for family use and to people who frequently hit the road, be it short or long distance trips.

The engineering of SUV’s can be likened to those of trucks and the platform of pick-up trucks. Because of this huge similarity in engineering, SUV’s are also considered as light trucks. Nevertheless, SUV’s receive less stringent standards compared with other light trucks and other passenger cars as far as the US laws are concerned. They enjoy less strict regulations when it comes to the emissions standard of the Clean Air Act or CCA and also less stringent regulations for the fuel economy as stipulated in the Energy Policy and Conservation Act.

Interestingly, the first SUV’s can be traced to military vehicles that include the popular Land Rover and the World War II Jeep. It has been said that the JEEP Cherokee (XJ) is considered to be the first ever sport utility vehicle true to its name. The original Cherokees were categorized as four wheel drive and mainly used in place of the much older and traditional family cars. The Cherokees also evolved to be more powerful with the introduction of its 4L engine and with more luxurious materials and designs.

Traditionally, the very first SUV’s were marketed as middle-size passenger cars and showcased chassis that were very closely resemble that of light trucks. Nowadays, the designs vary but there are standard features present even in the most up-to-date version of the vehicles. Even with the full-size SUV’s, eh design includes an engine compartment and another shared compartment meant for passengers and the cargo. These vehicles generally have high center of gravity that enables them to ‘roll over’. The vehicles are also admired for their high standard H-point and high ground clearance.

It is very interesting to note that SUV’s have come to be associated with strength and road safety by consumers. To explain this phenomenon, social scientists would often refer to the traditional folklore where stories depict mothers saving her kids from armed robbers by speeding away using an off-road vehicle.

In some parts of the world, the popularity of SUV’s is contributed to by the low import duties imposed. Most of the SUV’s enjoy lower import taxes than the regular sedans. Also, in the 1990’s these vehicles were introduced at a very low cost. The vehicle’s sales, however, dropped after 2000 because of the rising prices for fuel. Because of its bulky size and other capacities, SUV’s also consume more fuel than its counterparts and is never considered as fuel efficient.

Despite the decrease in sales, SUV’s remain to have a nice good share in the market as consumers still opt for enjoying the vehicle’s features in spite of having to pay for higher fuel costs. This explains why the presence of the vehicle remains strong up to this day despite the rising fuel pries. As a testimony to its strong presence, car manufacturers are in the process of designing luxury SUV’s that incorporate comfort and superb performance with the technology of pick-up trucks.