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**KahiroSamo** · 10-04-2009, 02:37 PM

Ditto for my city, which I had something to say about in another thread. Alas, the morons continue unabated and untaxed .

Is there a special classification for an SUV (4WD, AWD) in Australia?

In the US post WWII to the 70s, SUVs were called off-road vehicles or four-by-fours. Jeep, International Harvester, Land Rover. Since they were actually taken off the road, they were spartan by modern SUV standards. No deep highly polished paint job that was going to get scratched; no plush interior that was going to get muddy.

In the 70s, American Motors got its Cherokee model designated as a light truck, which exempted it from compliance with the Clean Air Act. Gasoline was cheap in the US, so fuel economy wasn't an issue. The more sensible minivan was becoming the family car, but it was regarded as boring after the heady days of the muscle cars.

Thus was born the SUV, marketed as an exciting alternative to the minivan - go off into the wilderness, be a man. Women became the predominant users, because it was similar to the practical station wagon or minivan. But it was a truck, with (unnecessary) high ground clearance, and inefficient.

Today, SUVs are a mixed bag. High fuel prices have made the inefficiency of the truck design an issue, so many models are becoming more car-like. Crossovers. Lower to the ground, some don't even have AWD capability, and those that do use the same systems that are on ordinary cars. They are headed full circle back to the...

Station Wagon

But the label still has negative marketing impact, so they are called CUVs - Crossover Utility Vehicles.

10-04-2009, 02:37 PM	#5
KahiroSamo Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 461 Senior Member	Ditto for my city, which I had something to say about in another thread. Alas, the morons continue unabated and untaxed . Is there a special classification for an SUV (4WD, AWD) in Australia? In the US post WWII to the 70s, SUVs were called off-road vehicles or four-by-fours. Jeep, International Harvester, Land Rover. Since they were actually taken off the road, they were spartan by modern SUV standards. No deep highly polished paint job that was going to get scratched; no plush interior that was going to get muddy. In the 70s, American Motors got its Cherokee model designated as a light truck, which exempted it from compliance with the Clean Air Act. Gasoline was cheap in the US, so fuel economy wasn't an issue. The more sensible minivan was becoming the family car, but it was regarded as boring after the heady days of the muscle cars. Thus was born the SUV, marketed as an exciting alternative to the minivan - go off into the wilderness, be a man. Women became the predominant users, because it was similar to the practical station wagon or minivan. But it was a truck, with (unnecessary) high ground clearance, and inefficient. Today, SUVs are a mixed bag. High fuel prices have made the inefficiency of the truck design an issue, so many models are becoming more car-like. Crossovers. Lower to the ground, some don't even have AWD capability, and those that do use the same systems that are on ordinary cars. They are headed full circle back to the... Station Wagon But the label still has negative marketing impact, so they are called CUVs - Crossover Utility Vehicles.
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