What are SUVs and What Are They For?

LTen years ago, you’d have likely turned your head and whistled when an SUV drove past – cool, stylish, and reserved for the fancy folk, their larger-than-life size is certainly felt by the hatchbacks of the world. These days, however, you’re likely to not even notice that an SUV’s driven past – you might even drive one yourself!

But what even are SUVs and why have they become so ubiquitous?

SUV = Sports Utility Vehicle

Utility vehicles used to be reserved for, well, utility purposes. The Land Rovers and Ford Rangers were almost exclusively for construction, agriculture, and land management – essentially the jobs that need large capacity, strong engines, and off-road capability. As such, most traditional utility vehicles are also 4x4s, or have switchable 4-wheel drive or 2-wheel drive for fuel conservation on-road.

But the key word in “SUV” is the “sports” part. Originally, Utility Vehicles were built to look much like the cargo they carried: big, sturdy bricks. And while this certainly has its charm, people jumped for the sportier, sleeker-looking models when they began to become available – especially for commuting between town and country.

Sports Utility Vehicles tend to be smaller than Utility Vehicles

The commute between town and country is an important thing to remember here. A significant portion of SUV drivers didn’t get one because they wanted to spend their weekends hauling logs, but because the state of country roads makes it quite tricky (and costly) to commute in a hatchback.

At the same time, the generally smaller size means that they’re much easier to navigate a town with, to find on-street parking, and to not have to avoid areas with size restrictions.

What are SUVs for?

So now for the main question. And this is a sort of “how long is a piece of string” question: what a vehicle is “for” is whatever you, as the driver, decide to use it for. Though this is within reason!

Clearly, people buy certain types of vehicles to suit their lifestyle and needs, and they buy certain brands based on perception of quality against cost.

The family estate car offers low-profile driving with enough space to carry family, luggage, and weekly shops. Hatchbacks offer easy city driving, lower fuel use, and low-cost maintenance – but at the cost of capacity. And a coupé gets you sleek, sporty looks and high performance – but the kids have to go on the roof.

So some of the main reasons for people getting SUVs are:

Increased interior space

While smaller than traditional utility vehicles, SUVs tend to use the larger overall size for extra seats, headroom, legroom, and boot space.

More visibility

SUVs tend to ride a lot higher on the road than most other car types, so this generally gives great all-round visibility.

Reinforced chassis gives greater safety

Some SUVs have reinforced chassis and body components, so you’re a lot safer in a crash than you otherwise would be. But it’s important to note here that this varies greatly between models; just as many SUVs simply give the impression of being reinforced.

Ability to tow

While many family cars can tow reasonable trailers these days, SUVs are especially capable. Their increased size and weight provides an excellent counterbalance to even large trailers – perfect for camping staycations!

Modernity

Last but not least, another key reason is that many SUVs have a huge wealth of modern gadgets, perks, and features added. While many newest-model cars have modern perks like parking sensors & connected infotainment, SUVs are the fastest growing segment so have a lot of investment included to make driving much more pleasant.

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