SUVs Crossovers and Blends
The SUV originally comes from vehicles used in commercial and military use. The squared off look of early SUVs are due to the looks of Jeeps and the Land Rover that are the vehicles they were modeled after. The SUV was originally marketed to rural residents that needed a vehicle with the frame, power and stature of a light truck but wanted it to be more like a passenger vehicle or van.
In the 1990s people form other segments of the car buying public started to see other potential uses for the SUV and carmakers responded with their own versions that fit different markets. The SUV quickly became a new marketing strategy with models being made that fit many segments of consumers and business uses.
As all the new areas to market the SUV concept arose so did the Crossover SUV. The term Crossover SUV refers to the smaller station wagon like SUVs while the term SUV refers more to larger off-road vehicles. Crossover and standard SUV usually come in 2WD and 4WD versions.
The Earliest Crossover SUV were the AMC Eagle that was first seen in 1980. Since the Eagle we have seen Ford Ecosport, Subaru Forester, Honda CRV and Element hit car lots. None of these are anything like the early SUV that was more of a minivan on a truck platform. Nearly all the crossover SUV are station wagon bodies on light-truck platforms.
The first companies to offer crossover SUVs were getting sales and other companies that were known more for making luxury cars came out with their own. BMW came out with their X3, Cadillac SRX the Lincoln MKX were other cars that you might not expect an SUV from. The luxury blend with SUVs is usually seen in the crossover SUVs.
The Mini SUV is a sub-class of the crossover SUV and rarely incorporates any of the off-road capabilities associated with the SUV class. These are instead "fashion statement" SUVs that have an off-road appearance. They derive their SUV "look" with higher clearance, larger bumpers and other visual enhancements. You may pay more for insurance on the mini SUV without getting much benefit for it.
It is usually a matter of taste, need and finding a balance that is comfortable. You can buy a large truck with 4x4 or you could choose an SUV on the same platform or even a van. When you are shopping for a vehicle it is best to look for what you need and see what other vehicle classes offer those features. You can save money on the cost and insurance if you make small compromises. It may be worth it to own a sporty mini SUV but if you it is likely you did not choose it to go off-road.
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