The History of SUVs
Nowadays, you can’t drive anywhere without seeing at least one SUV. They seem almost synonymous with commuter vehicles, but they have a long and complicated history. We here at 56 Auto Sales want you to know where your cars came from, so we’ve put together a brief history of the SUV. To learn more, or to see the SUVs we have for sale today, contact our store in London, Ohio, today!
Starting Out As Veterans
One of the first steps towards the modern SUV was introduced in World War II. The US military needed a fast, agile, and rugged vehicle that could get troops and officers around a battlefield, no matter the terrain. The answer was the first Jeep, and the Willys Civilian Keep was sold to the public in 1944 after its wild success.
Hitting The Hay
Building on the successes of the Civilian Jeep, or CJ, Britain’s Rover introduced the Land Rover Series I. Designed for farm and utility work, this four-wheel-drive vehicle started as a two-door convertible, but in 1956 a hard-top, 10-seater version was put on the market. A relative powerhouse, it revolutionized a hard day’s work.
Modernizing The Look
In 1984, Jeeps again launched a new trend with the Jeep Cherokee. This vehicle is one of the first that looks like the modern SUVs you’ll see on any road in any nation. The Cherokee was the first Jeep with a truck-like ladder-boxed chassis, providing more efficient use of space and four doors to improve accessibility.
Doubling Down
Inspired by the Cherokee’s successes, Ford created the Explorer model line. They refined the four-door design, turning these vehicles from truck lookalikes into something closer to a normal car. However, Ford knew they couldn’t only target the family-oriented folks who just wanted a rugged vehicle for driving around the kids. So they sold not only the roomy four-door Explorer, but also a toughed two-door version that was more of a pickup truck.
Most importantly, though, Ford understood that there was a balance between spacious comfort and manageable size. To that end, they stuck with a mid-size vehicle design, finding that it appealed to the most demographics.
A Controversial Step
Modern SUVs largely stick to that mid-size formula, though there’s a range within that category and you can find SUVs on all points of that spectrum. However, there have been a number of attempts at breaking from the formula. One such vehicle is the Hummer. Originally a military vehicle like the original Jeep, Hummers were modified for highway driving. Though the beefy look and luxurious interior room are appealing to many, the extraordinarily low fuel efficiency is one trade-off too many for others.
Ready to write your own chapter in the history of the SUV? Contact us at 56 Auto Sales for more information, or to see the modern SUVs we have for sale. We proudly serve the people of Springfield, Dayton, and Columbus, Ohio—let us serve you today!