SUVs have gained more popularity over the past few years and now hold the top rank as the most popular new cars. Customers adore SUVs; therefore, automakers are producing more and more variations of them in response. If you’re looking for a new or used car, you may probably hear the term ‘SUV’, but do you know what does SUV stand for in cars? SUV stands for Sports Utility Vehicle, which describes a class of vehicle that has a high center of gravity, frequently comes with four-wheel drive, and has a dynamic rugged design. This article will bring you up to everything about SUVs as what is an SUV car, what is SUV car means, are SUVs safer than cars, and what are the best SUV cars.
What Is A SUV Car?
The abbreviation “SUV” is a car industry term that term typically refers to a stylish, sleek-looking vehicle that provides classy city driving while also handling rough terrain because they have conventional 4×4 capabilities. An SUV is often tall, has a large interior, and constructed with the latest mechanical components that especially suited for difficult terrain. The vehicle is similar to a station wagon but built on a light truck chassis.
What SUV Means In Cars?
The term “SUV” originated in America and originally used to describe large and roomy vehicles with ample boot space that could drive off-road and over difficult terrain. They aimed at people who want to spend their weekends doing outdoor sports activities.
Within that wide spectrum, SUV is a car that has suspension raised from the ground to provide a high driving position than a saloon or hatchback. Most of them have comparatively tall bodies with a spacious interior and large boot space, many are offered with four-wheel drive. The term is now applied to a much broader range of vehicles that can be taken off-road and have the feel of a lighter truck. While the term SUV can be applied to some very small vehicles that have a minimal capability of going off-road like the Ford EcoSport and crossover SUVs. It can also apply to large luxury cars, such as the Range Rover, Chevrolet, and Jeep-like SUVs.
Is An SUV A Car?
What do you think is SUV a car? SUV is a type of car that is similar to a minivan or a station wagon, but with a much-rugged look, more suited for off-road driving. An SUV is usually longer with a lot of interior space and usually built with mechanical components that specifically designed for rough use. SUV has frequently included in the RV (Recreational Vehicle) category, although it is occasionally used in place of RVs.
History Of SUV:
Since the history of the SUV is somewhat different and a little unusual, must begin with criticism, here are some viewpoints about SUV’s production history. According to Cars.com, In 1955 the Gaz-M20 was the first mass-produced four-wheel drive passenger automobile with a unibody frame. A relatively small SUV-style car featuring a coil-sprung independent front suspension in addition to a unibody design was the 1977 Lada Niva. According to AutoList, SUVs with unibody construction remained rare until the commercial success of the 1984 Jeep Grand Cherokee XJ. The 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee was the first Jeep SUV model to use unibody construction, after that, all Jeep SUV models began using unibody construction.
Types Of SUVs by Size:
There are three different types of SUVs according to their size.
1.Small SUVs:
A small SUV is a class of small sport utility vehicles that is smaller than a mid-size SUV and simpler to park and drive. The handling and steering of these vehicles are sportier in nature such as the Nissan Rogue and Hyundai Tucson. Some small SUVs are compact crossovers.
2. Mid-Size SUVs:
A medium-sized SUV is a class of sport utility vehicles that is larger than small SUVs, and shares platforms with some passenger cars, some of them based on mid-size and compact pickup trucks. This mainly attributed to the vehicle’s all-wheel drive, quiet interior, and great storage. E.g Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot.
3. Full-size SUVs:
The full-size SUV is a class of largest-size sport utility vehicles that either sold as luxury vehicles or marketed for their off-road skills and have an extended-length body to provide more room for passengers and goods. The 2020 Cadillac Escalade and the 2019 GMC Yukon are two examples of full-size SUVs.
Is An SUV A Car Or A Truck?
Now that you know what is a SUV and its types, it’s time to understand is an SUV a car or a truck. The SUV has categorized as a light truck rather than a car in several countries in the world. This gives the SUV a more comfortable fuel efficiency rating. The SUV feels and looks resemble a combination of a truck, minivan, and the average American family car. SUVs were initially constructed on truck chassis before transitioning to a unibody frame, where the chassis, body, and floors were all on one structure.
Are SUV Safer Than Cars?
SUVs with the sheer size of the exterior casing becoming not only a more popular choice but also proving to be the safer option due to their raised position and higher driving position. The drivers of SUVs are safer than those of sedans and other smaller cars because there is more protection between vehicles and the road. SUVs often outperform smaller vehicles in terms of safety while both has equipped with similar safety features such as side airbags and anti-lock brakes. In fact, researches show that chance of surviving the SUV occupants in a collision without incurring serious injuries is at least 50% higher than the passengers in other vehicles.
