What is a SUV?

Publised : November 21, 2013

Unsure what a SUV is or why you should consider buying one? I’m here to help. SUV is the short name for a sport utility vehicle or suburban utility vehicle. Vehicles in this class are similar to a station wagon or estate car. SUVs are usually equipped with four-wheel drive systems for on or off-road ability. Some SUVs include the towing capacity of a pick-up truck with the passenger-carrying space of a minivan or large sedan.

A SUV also goes by other names such as “four-by-four”, “off roader”, or brand names such as “jeep” and “land rover” are also used to describe a SUV.

Not all SUVs have four-wheel drive however, as some SUVs are designed to just be used in urban environments such as towns and cities; these vehicles usually come with a more town orientated set-up.

A typical set-up for an urban orientated SUV is  a shorter wheel base, two-wheel drive, or at least a system that allows you to change the amount of wheels used to power the vehicle. Two-wheel drive allows for better fuel economy; with less wheels being powered less fuel is being used to move the vehicle.

The benefits of purchasing a SUV over a car are that you have extra space for both cargo and passengers, a higher driving position so you can be more aware of what’s going on around your vehicle, the safety of a sturdier vehicle, and finally the added ability to drive in more extreme conditions with ease.

If you’ve decided that you need an SUV in your life, then click here to view our selection of reasonably priced used SUVs.