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Sport-utility, SUV or sport-ute is an automotive classification, typically a kind of station wagon or estate car with off-road vehicle features like raised ground clearance and ruggedness, and available four-wheel drive. Many SUVs are built on a light-truck chassis but operated as a family vehicle, and though designed to be used on rougher surfaces, most often used on city streets or highways. In recent years, in some countries the term SUV has replaced terms like Jeep or Land-Rover in the popular lexicon as a generic description for light 4WD vehicles.
Many SUVs have an upright built body and tall interior packaging, a high seating position and center of gravity, and available all-wheel drive for off-road capability. Some SUVs include the towing capacity of a pickup truck with the passenger-carrying space of a minivan or large sedan. The traditional truck-based SUV is more and more being supplanted by unitary body SUVs and crossovers based on regular automobile platforms for lighter weight and better fuel efficiency. In some countries, notably the United States, SUVs are not classified as cars, but as light trucks.
SUVs overtook lower medium segment cars to become the world’s largest automotive segment, accounting for 22.9 percent of global light vehicle sales, or 36.8 percent of the world’s passenger car market – Q1–Q3. World-wide sales of SUVs grew from 5 million units in 2000 to 20 million and are forecast to hit 42 million units by 2031. Becoming popular in the late-1990s and early and mid-2000s, SUV sales temporarily declined due to high oil prices and a declining economy, SUV sales around the world were growing again, in spite of gasoline prices. The market has overwhelmingly come to prefer 4 or 5-door models in favor of historically popular 2-door off-roaders.
SUV market segment classifications –
1. Mini SUV
A mini SUV, also called subcompact SUV or subcompact crossover is a class of small sport utility vehicles. The term usually applies to crossovers based on a supermini B-segment cars in Europe platform.
2. Compact SUV
A compact SUV is a class of smaller SUVs that are commonly built with less cargo and passenger space, and often with smaller engines resulting in better fuel economy, the term is often interchangeable with crossover SUV.
3. Mid-size SUV
A mid-size SUV is a class of medium-size SUVs whose size typically falls between that of a full-size and a compact SUV. This term is not commonly used outside North America, where fullsize and midsize SUVs are considered similar.
4. Full-size SUV
Full-size SUVs have greater cargo and passenger space than midsize SUVs. Full Size SUVs are usually given higher safety ratings than their smaller counterparts.
5. Extended-length SUV
An extended length SUV, also sometimes called a long-wheel based SUV, are vehicles that are similar to a full-size SUV, except that these vehicles have a larger cargo area of around 130 in and passenger space that can seat up to 8 or 9 people with the available third row seating that when folded or removed adds more cargo space. Although these extended length SUVs are mostly sold in North America because of their size and the roads are made and designed differently, they can also be found in other countries, exported to such places like The Philippines and The Middle East. The vehicles are 221 in to 223 in in length and can be distinguished by the rear wheel area not touching the rear doors.
6. Luxury SUV
Numerous luxury vehicles in the form of SUVs and pickup trucks are being produced. Luxury SUV is principally a marketing term to sell fancier vehicles that may have higher performance, comfort, technology, or brand image. The term lacks both measurability and verifiability, and it is applied to a broad range of SUV sizes and types. Nevertheless, the marketing category was created in 1966 with Kaiser Jeep’s luxurious Super Wagoneer. It was the first SUV to offer a V8 engine, automatic transmission, and luxury car trim and equipment in a serious off-road model.
It came with bucket seating, air conditioning, sun roof, and even a vinyl roof. Land Rover followed suit in 1970 by introducing the Range Rover. The trend continued with other competitors adding comfort features to their rudimentary and truck-based models. The production of luxury models increased in the late-1990s with vehicles such as the Lincoln Navigator and Cadillac Escalade. These luxury SUVs generated higher profit margins than non-luxury SUVs did. For some auto makers, luxury SUVs were the first SUV models they produced.
Some of these models are not traditional SUVs based on light truck as they are classified as crossovers. The luxury SUV class encompasses both smaller 5-passenger SUVs and larger 7-passenger SUVs, with luxury features both inside of the cabin but also in the outside. Buyers looking for a luxury vehicle that offers more cargo capacity than a sedan may prefer a luxury SUV. This is also a vehicle aimed for those who prefer an SUV with a little more style.
Luxury SUVs typically offer the most expected safety features including side airbags, ABS and traction control, and many of them also come with electronic stability control, crash resistant door pillars, dynamic head restraints and back-up sensing systems. The U.S. News & World Report Rankings and Reviews ranks premium midsize SUVs and crossovers based on an in-depth analysis by its editors of published auto ratings, reviews and test drives. Ranking is based on the score on performance, exterior, interior, safety, and reliability obtained by the vehicles.
