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A Brief History of Sport SUVs
A sport SUV is a popular vehicle today. This vehicle was preceded by the traditional SUV and early SUVs with truck platforms. The earliest SUVs ever offered were preceded by wagons.
The evolution of the SUV reveals how some of the features in today’s sport SUV came into being.
The Early Sport SUV
A demand for durable, sturdy, rugged, tough vehicles occurred during WWII when the military required all terrain vehicles. At the time, these vehicles were identified as off road vehicles because they could move smoothly across just about any unpaved surface. Willlys Overland, Ford, and Bantam were the first manufacturers to create off road vehicles, but the Willys became the most popular military vehicle. In fact, post WWII these vehicles sold 300K units to the government. Later, these vehicles would come to be known as Jeeps: a vehicle that is still appreciated for its aggressive and rugged features.
In the mid 1940s the soldiers that have participated in WWII wanted the same type of rugged vehicles at home that they had use of during the war. This was the time that Jeeps began being produced for the general public. The CJ series was the first Jeep offered and included the Jeep Wagon in 1946, the 1947 Jeep Truck, and the Jeepster followed in 1948. At the time, these vehicles were identified as UVs or utility vehicles. These early predecessors to the modern sport SUV had stiff suspensions and subpar performance. They also had a very high ground clearance, a stance that proved too narrow, and their wheelbase was too short for consumers who did not like the top heaviness of the early Jeeps.
In the 70s, carmakers sought to improve the popularity of utility vehicles. They reduced the ground clearance of the vehicles and made improvements in terms of the suspensions that the vehicles were built with too. The market then saw the entrance of vehicles like the Blazer, the Jimmy, the Bronco, and the latter vehicles became incredibly popular. Once the latter improvements were offered, the utility vehicle was not only enjoyed for its practicality, but it was seen as sporty too. This is when the term sport utility or SUV came into being.
The Evolution of the SUV and the Sport SUV
The SUV was in high demand by the end of the 80s and into the 1990s. Since these vehicles were crafted with towing packages, safety improvements, a decent ceiling height, and spacious cabins, many consumers sought them out as family vehicles. As the market entered the 21st century however, SUV sales declined dramatically. The oil crisis and environmental concerns were two of the chief reasons for the decline. Still, SUV sales were high, even with a decline in sales. In 2000 more than 3.3 million units were sold and the year that followed more than 4.5 million units were sold in the United States. They proved popular among men and women equally. After 2004 sales continued to dwindle. By 2010, some SUV vehicles were no longer being manufactured, including the ever popular Hummer, which declined in sales because it used too much fuel and the size of the vehicle was too large.
Even today with dwindling sales, SUVs are still purchased by fans of the vehicle. Carmakers make traditional and sport SUV offerings that are more economical in terms of their initial price, and they are also offering major improvements in fuel efficiency. Since these vehicles can offer some truck like features, they appeal to truck drivers that want a vehicle that offers car advantages in terms of fuel usage and handling. The first sport utility vehicles had a significant emphasis on off road features so they were often large and cumbersome. As SUVs became the vehicle of choice for families, features were put in place that emphasized comfort, practicality, and easy on the road handling too. For more information on the history of the SUV and the sport SUV visit TruckChamp.com® at:
http://www.truckchamp.com/pages/history-of-trucks-suvs.
Popular Sport SUV Offerings
Jeep Wrangler
The Jeep Wrangler is one of the most impressive sport SUV offerings available. Its predecessors were the Jeep CJ, the YJ Wrangler Islander, the YJ Wrangler Renegade, the TJ Wrangler Rubicon, and the first Wrangler Unlimited was offered in 2004. This vehicle comes in a Sport Sport Utility trim with a starting MSRP $22045.00. It is built with a 3.8 Liter V6 engine with an OHV and two valves for each cylinder. It offers 15 mpg city driving and 16 mpg highway driving. It has brake assist, antilock brakes, a multipoint fuel injection system, and the engine churns out 202 horsepower and 237 foot pound of torque. It has electronic traction control, a convertible fixed hoop rollover protection feature, a soft rooftop, and a pearl paint exterior. This vehicle seats four passengers too. For full details about the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 4WD sport SUV visit:
Mazda CX-9
The Mazda CX-9 was preceded by the Mazda MPV. This vehicle comes in a sport trim with a starting MSRP of $29135.00. The Mazda CX-9 comes with a 3.7 Liter V6 motor with VVT and DOHC. It has four valves for each cylinder. It offers 17 mpg city driving and 24 mpg highway driving. It has a multipoint fuel injection system, antilock brakes, electronic traction control, Dynamic stability control, a multilink rear suspension and an independent front strut suspension. This vehicle has Mica paint on its exterior, a piano black dashboard, leather on the shifter, a roof spoiler, trizone automated climate controls, cruise control, power steering, power windows, and enough seating for seven. For more details on the Mazda CX-9 sport SUV visit:
http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/.
Ford Edge
The Ford Edge comes in a Sport trim. It is related to vehicles like the Mercury Milan, the Mazda CX-9 and CX-7, the Mazda6, the Lincoln MKZ, the Lincoln MKX, and the Ford Fusion. It has a starting MSRP of $36400.00. It comes with a 3.7 Liter V6 with VVT and a DOHC. It offers 18 mpg city driving and 25 mpg highway driving. It has four wheel antilock disc brakes that are ventilated, and it has brake assist. It also has stability and traction control, a metallic paint on the exterior, dual zone climate controls inside, a trip computer, safety airbags, a navigation system with voice controls, power locks, rear cameras and radar parking sensors, tilt steering, and more. For more information on the Ford Edge Sport SUV visit:
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