Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) are light trucks that serve as family wagons. They gained popularity between the late 1990s and early 2000s in the United States, Canada, India, and Australia. They can also be used as pickups and delivery vans as they offer larger cargo capacities than regular passenger vehicles. SUVs can also handle off-roading and rough road conditions. The design of SUVs was inspired by the commercial and military vehicles from World War II.

The earliest SUV

Russians state that the possible earliest SUV could be Chevrolet Carryall Suburban or Willy’s Jeep Station Wagon, which was designed by Brooks Stevens.

According to the transportation curator of the Henry Ford Museum, the Jeep Cherokee happens to be the first SUV, complete with a 4-wheel vehicle with a decent size and styled interiors.

Loss and gain of market

These vehicles experienced a drop in their sales for a short span of time as an outcome of rising oil rates and a poor economy.

But 2010 saw a change in the graph of the SUV sales that showed a jump across the global market ironical to the high gas rates.

In the year 2016 SUV sales were seen growing recording 27.1 million units globally.

Types of SUVs

SUVs come in large varieties, offering a list of cars to choose from based on an individual’s preference for the journey, size, shape, etc.

• Sub Compact Crossovers or mini SUV comes with a 4200mm length.
• Crossovers Utility Vehicle (CUV) steals its looks from the hatchbacks hence are also called the car-like SUV and are meant for a light off-road journey. Some of these types of vehicles are BMW X6, Honda Accord Crosstour. This is a new concept in the market for automobiles.
• Truck-like SUVs have the appearance of a usual SUV but with a much sturdy body. Some of them are Land Rover LR4, Ford Explorer, Ford Expedition, Nissan Xterra.
• Taking up the off-road challenges calls for the Off-Road SUV. These include cars like Mercedes Benz G550, Toyota 4 Runner, Mitsubishi Pajero, Jeep Wrangler Unlimited.
• Large or Full-Size SUV are the biggest in this segment perfect purchase for a big family. Consider Toyota Sequoia, Chevrolet Suburban.

Topping the lists

To find a spot amongst the top-rated SUVs the vehicle should be well compiled with strong performance, luxurious interiors, comfortable drive and user-friendly features.

• The 7-passenger SUV that crawled its way in the top-rated SUVs is the Audi Q7 that got an entire redesign.
• Another vehicle that can be spotted in the best SUV list is the Jaguar F-Pace.
• The BMW X5 gained popularity for its powerful engine line up and extremely comfortable seat.
• Porsche Cayenne has sports car handling making it highly reliable and a better performer in comparison to its rivals.
• The Tesla Model X ranks No. 1 as luxurious SUV all credited to its user friendly features and being environmentally friendly.

The best of the rest

Below the best SUV vehicles have been briefly discussed.

• The Suburban Forester is considered to set a benchmark for small SUVs being spacious, fuel efficient and reliable.
• From the mid sized SUV Toyota Highlander finds itself in the group of top rated SUVs for it comes as a family friendly vehicle in terms of its functioning, perfect for all weather, 3-row seating.

New arrivals

SUV is generally purchased by those who prefer a perfect combination of expanded space, available at an affordable price, versatility at performance that suits all weather conditions. Several new SUVs will be launched anytime in the coming year available at different prices, sizes and suiting the customer capacity. However, the best SUV vehicles will be posed to tough competition from these new players.

• Alfa Romeo Stelvio is a luxury compact SUV offers high end performance. As per critics this new SUV’s acceleration and vehicle handling goes far beyond the expectations. Its design and interiors add to its style quotient and will be seen in the market soon.
• Next in line is the Audi Q5 which is a solid vehicle with a good base engine and easy to use infotainment.
• Another member of the new SUV list is the BMW X3 that is expected to hit the floors by November.
• For the upcoming year Chevrolet’s mid-sized SUV Traverse gets a growth. It will be seen taller, wider and larger.
• The Ford Eco-Sport will also be seen among the new SUV.
• Hyundai’s Kona is a sub-compact SUV that also joins the new SUV pact with its spacious and styled interiors.
• The compact SUV Volvo XC60 is receiving a redesign for the coming year which will be available for purchase by August.