What with the omnipresence of sport-utility vehicles these days – they are, indeed everywhere — it’s almost as if these rides have always been on the scene. In fact, car sales have been struggling to keep up with these popular vehicles. But when did SUVs first appear, and how have they evolved? Read on for a brief history of the SUV.
What is a Sport Utility Vehicle?
It may be helpful to start there. Really, these vehicles are traditionally defined as a four-wheel-drive ride that has the feel of a lighter truck but with off-road capabilities. The spectrum of vehicles that fall under this category is expansive. On the larger side, you have Jeep-like sport-utes, the Chevrolet Suburban, and the Range Rover. But these days, smaller vehicles that do not have four-wheel drive, and only have the scant off-road capability, also fall into the SUV category. We’re thinking of Honda’s CRV as well as so-called crossover SUVs.
And note that “sport-utility” means more than some technical specifications. The term also applies, at least from a customer’s point of view, to rides that can simply get things accomplished and have that “certain something” that bespeaks “outdoors.” As All Car Leasing describes SUVs, these vehicles marry the storage and hauling capacity of pickup trucks with station wagons’ comfortability.
How Much in Demand are SUVs?
Very. In 2019, for instance, SUV sales rose 2.6% while passenger car sales dropped by 1.3%. And so far for this year, sales of the top 25 SUVs are up a whopping 38 per cent.
When Did SUVs Get Their Start?
While the roads are rife with SUVs, driven by people of all ages, the segment’s early models were chiefly utilized commercially. Police and fire departments, along with the military, were among the first to tool around in them. Keep reading for a few of those first sport-utility vehicles.
1935 Chevrolet Carryall Suburban
Thanks to this early haulier, the Suburban has been in continuous use longer than any other marque. Back then, though, the Carryall was mainly used to transport people to and from train stations.
1944 Willys Civilian Jeep
That Jeep Wrangler that you enjoy propelling up rocks and through the mud? Why your parents or grandparents could’ve gotten their hands on the civilian version of the Jeep SUV in 1944. The CJ, as it was called, was a consumer iteration of the military Jeep used in WW2.
1946 Willys Jeep Station Wagon
One of the first rides to introduce four-wheel drive to the masses, the Willys Jeep Station Wagon gave the Average Joe the ability to get around much better in inclement conditions or remote areas.
1948 Land Rover Series I
Four years after the Willy’s CJ became available, Rover unveiled the four-wheel Land Rover Series I for farm and utility purposes. The initial models were two-door drop-tops.
1953 International Harvester Travelall
Introduced with two or three rows and two passenger doors, the steel-bodied Travelall was an anomaly in that, prior to 1952, IH station wagons mostly used wooden bodies.
1954 Toyota Land Cruiser
The first Toyota Land Cruiser was really modelled after the original Willys Jeep and were mainly used by cops and forest workers. Four years later, Toyota began selling a hard-top version.
1961 International Harvester Scout
These were conceived as rivals to Jeep’s CJ. In fact, until 1966, the Scout and the Land Cruiser dominated the small, two-door market.
1963 Jeep Wagoneer
This was the first real luxury SUV. Among other things, it had four-wheel drive, plenteous passenger and cargo space, and a bunch of other niceties. And guess what: the Wagoneer shared its platform with the Jeep Gladiator pickup truck.
With that brief history of the SUV, aren’t you inspired to pick up a Jeep Wrangler, Cherokee, Grand Cherokee, Compass, Renegade, or Gladiator? We thought so. After all, SUVs sit higher on the road than standard passenger cars and provide superior visibility and a sense of security. Long live the sport utility vehicle.
