Compact sport utility vehicle facts for kids
A compact sport utility vehicle (or compact SUV) is a type of sport utility vehicle that is smaller than a mid-size SUV but larger than a mini SUV. There isn't one official rule for how big these vehicles should be. Sometimes, car companies even use the same name for different sized vehicles over time.
Compact SUVs are often confused with crossover automobiles. The main difference used to be how they were built. Traditional SUVs were often built like trucks, with a strong frame underneath (called "body-on-frame"). Crossovers, however, are usually built more like cars, using a single strong body structure (called a "unibody"). Today, many vehicles called "compact SUVs" are actually built like cars. They often share parts with regular compact cars.
The idea of modern compact SUVs really started in 1983. These vehicles are very popular because they are a good size, not too expensive, and offer a mix of comfortable car-like driving with some useful features like extra space.
History of Compact SUVs
In the United States
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Small utility vehicles have been around for a long time. But the modern compact SUV really took off in the United States with models like the Chevrolet S-10 Blazer (from 1982 to 1994) and the Ford Bronco II (from 1984 to 1990). These vehicles were built on the frames of smaller pickup trucks. They were sold alongside bigger 4x4 vehicles like the Chevrolet K5 Blazer and Ford Bronco.
The 1983 Chevrolet S-10 Blazer was a two-door model with four-wheel drive and a four-cylinder engine. Ford soon released its similar Bronco II. Both were built like trucks, using a separate frame, just like their pickup truck cousins (the Chevrolet S-10 and Ford Ranger). They looked like station wagons with space for four people and a cargo area with a back door that opened upwards.
Then, American Motors (AMC) introduced the Jeep Cherokee (XJ) in late 1983. This was a completely new design. Unlike the other SUVs that were based on trucks, the Jeep Cherokee was designed as an SUV from the start. It had a strong, lightweight "unibody" construction, similar to how most passenger cars are built. It also had a special suspension system that made it comfortable to drive and handle well.
The original Jeep Cherokee (XJ) combined the comfort of a car with a tough design. This made it easy to drive in different conditions and helped create the modern SUV market. Automobile magazine even called it a "masterpiece" because it had room for five passengers and their luggage.
According to Bob Lutz, a car company executive, AMC "invented an all-new automotive segment—the compact sport utility vehicle" with the Jeep Cherokee. Other car makers saw how popular the Jeep Cherokee was and started making their own versions. Compact SUVs became a popular choice for families needing space, much like minivans. The Jeep Cherokee (XJ) was built until 2005 in China and was one of the best-selling compact SUVs in the world. Over 2.8 million Jeep XJs were made in the U.S. between 1984 and 2001.
In Japan
The 1988 Suzuki Vitara from Japan is also considered an early compact SUV.
