A Short History of the Suv
The Sport Utility Vehicle, or SUV, was first created in 1940. Germany began developing the Volkswagen Kubelwagen, or "bucket car" as early as 1938 in preparation for war, with Nazi officials seeking a small vehicle that would be tough and maneuverable in off-road conditions.According to wheelspin.com, Adolf Hitler ended bureaucratic infighting in 1940, after World War II in Europe had already begun, and got production started. The early Kubelwagens were off-road versions of the popular Volkswagen Kafer (Beetle) and became well-respected by German troops. Despite only having two-wheel-drive, the Jeep-like vehicles performed admirably and were easy to maintain. Almost 60,000 were produced before the end of the war, when British troops took over Volkswagen factories in Wolfsburg, Germany.
Simultaneous with the Kubelwagen, the United States military was also seeking a small, rugged vehicle to provide rapid mobility in the field.According to classic-car-history.com, the U.S. Army formalized its requirements for bids on producing the off-road vehicle in July 1940. Many producers were asked to submit prototypes, and both Ford and Willys were top contenders, with Willys winning the initial contract for 16,000 units. With the outbreak of World War II following the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, both Willys and Ford were contracted to build GP (General Passenger) vehicles. The GP eventually became "Jeep" in popular lingo, with over 600,000 of the tough vehicles being produced by the end of the war.
After World War II many surplus Jeeps became popular with civilians, with Willys continuing production on civilian models of the vehicle. The two-door, simplistic Willys Jeep evolved into the CJ models popular with civilians, later becoming the Jeep Wrangler of the 1980s-present. As Jeep became a product of American Motor Company (AMC) and later Chrysler, additional models were added to the Jeep lineup.
For many years SUVs remained close to their military forebears: They were tough, simple, rugged, and not necessarily stylish or city-slicker-friendly. Smaller SUVs remained similar to the two-door Willys Jeep, such as the Jeep CJ, the larger Ford Bronco and Chevy Blazer, and even the imported Toyota Landcruiser. Larger models, such as the Chevy Suburban and Jeep Wagoneer, were essentially trucks with solid shells. Jeep-like and truck-like SUVs kept the SUV a niche vehicle of rural dwellers and rugged venturers until the late 1980s.
The 1980s saw the creation of the Jeep Cherokee, a 4-door SUV that offered traditional Jeep off-road capabilities with a more urban-friendly look, seating configuration, and cargo area. It was enclosed and family-friendly but not hulking and gas-guzzling like a truck-based SUV. In 1991 the popular Ford Explorer exploded onto the market, expanding the two-door Ford Bronco II, which was rather Jeep-like, into a four-door vehicle with a more powerful engine that could comfortably transport an entire family.
Together, the Jeep Cherokee and Ford Explorer led to a popularization of the SUV in urban and suburban areas. Aided by a booming 1990s economy, SUV production went through the roof as consumers wanted, and could afford, larger, more powerful vehicles that advertised rugged adventure without appearing out-of-place or uncouth. The Jeep Grand Cherokee, 4-door Chevy S-10 Blazer, and numerous imports expanded the mid-size SUV lineup in the 1990s.
In the late 1990s full-size SUVs were added. Ford added the Expedition, based on the F-150 platform, to the market, and General Motors added the 4-door Chevy Tahoe and 4-door GMC Yukon, based on the 1500 pickup platform, to their lineup. Eventually, Ford even added an F-250 based SUV, the Excursion, to the Ford lineup. Within 15 years the SUV had gone from being a niche vehicle to an omnipresent icon of Americana, popular in all areas.
Recently, however, a weaker American economy and higher gas prices have caused the SUV craze to wane. Larger SUVs, such as the Ford Excursion and 3/4 ton Chevy and GMC Suburbans, have been discontinued due to low consumer demand as pain at the pump made many reconsider such large vehicles. Many other SUVs have been redesigned as gas-friendly "crossover" SUVs, leaving their truck-based platforms behind and becoming more car-like. Traditional four-wheel-drive systems have been replaced by more fuel-friendly all-wheel-drive platforms, and designs have become more curved and streamlined.
