Compact SUV
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Compact SUV is a class of small sport utility vehicles with a length roughly between 4.25 and 4.60 m (170-185 in). This class should not be confused with mini SUV, which refers to smaller vehicles.
The first introductions to the market were in the 1980s when American manufacturers Ford and General Motors introduced the two-door Ford Bronco II and Chevrolet S-10 Blazer that were based on their small trucks (Ford Ranger and Chevrolet S-10, respectively). These vehicles included full-size passenger seating for four, unlike the trucks which normally would fit two.
The first purpose-designed monocoque (unibody) compact SUV was the Jeep Cherokee (XJ). Introduced by American Motors (AMC) in 1984 and produced almost unchanged through 2001 in the U.S. and 2005 in China, it is considered a masterpiece of automotive design with room for five passengers and their cargo.[1] Although it shared its name from the full-size SJ model, it had no true pickup truck heritage, but came in both four and two-door versions that were extremely capable off-road. The compact Cherokee's design, appearance, and sales popularity spawned imitators as other automakers noticed that this model began replacing regular cars.[2]
Most of current compact SUVs are crossover SUVs, as they have monocoque construction and limited off-road capabilities. In this case, the models may be derived from a compact car / small family car. As with crossover SUVs, third-row seating became optional on most models, such as the 2006 Toyota RAV4 and the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe and Mitsubishi Outlander.
Some modern compact SUVs have some features which resemble compact MPVs and regular hatchbacks besides those of sport utility vehicles; examples of this are the Honda CR-V, SEAT Altea, Nissan Qashqai and Hyundai Tucson. Most automakers create new market niches by mixing segments with the goal of attracting new customers.
On the other hand, some compact SUVs appear SUV-like and are regarded as smaller-size alternatives to medium-size SUVs in a manufacturer's line. The Ford Escape, introduced in 2001, is an example of this.
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Robert Cumberford, "20 greatest cars" Automobile Magazine, "Great designs never grow old, a truth no better confirmed than by designer Dick Teague's masterpiece, the Jeep Cherokee. Possibly the best SUV shape of all time, it is the paradigmatic model to which other designers have since aspired." Retrieved on: March 25, 2008.
- ^ Bradsher, Keith. High and Mighty: SUVs - the World's Most Dangerous Vehicles and How They Got That Way. PublicAffairs, 2002, ISBN: 978-1586481230. Page 41.
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