What Are Sports Utility Vehicles?

Sports Utility Vehicles are bulky, four-wheel drive vehicles which have become popular with consumers in urban settings, particularly in America, where the concept originated. The inspiration for the creation of Sports Utility Vehicles came from an American law which imposed strict fuel-efficiency requirements on passenger vehicles. Because SUVs were classified as light trucks, they escaped some or all of these restrictions.

Their popularity soared in the 1990s and they grew to dominate the personal vehicle market in the United States. Elsewhere they proved less popular because their bulk made them heavy users of fuel, which was often taxed more heavily than in the United States.

Buyers of SUVs often cite safety as one of the most appealing features of the vehicles. The heft and height of the vehicles does appear to induce a feeling of safety, but studies have shown that SUVs are involved in a disproportionately high number of fatal road accidents thanks to their propensity to roll over in a crash.