Purpose

Drivers choose SUVs for their transportation benefits as well as their futuristic designs. From behind the wheel of an SUV rental you will delight in comfortable seating and ample room without compromising style and class.

What is a Sport Utility Vehicle?

• A vehicle built on a truck platform
• Designed mainly for urban or highway use
• Weighing less than 10,000 lbs. (GVW)
• Usually includes 4-wheel drive

High Demand

When you drive an SUV rental you will still experience the safety features found in luxury sedans. Standard features include side airbags, anti-lock braking system (ABS) and traction control. Luxury SUV rentals will also come equipped with electronic stability control, which compensates for side-to-side motion with automatic brake pressure to prevent skidding and provide traction.

What You'll Enjoy in an SUV Rental:

• Luxury features including sunroofs, leather seats, personalized climate control and CD changers
• Third seat availability
• Extensive cargo area capacity
• Fuel economy
• Powerful engine
• 4-wheel drive

What is 4-wheel Drive?

The Creation of the SUV

• It is widely believed that the SUV began with the production of the "depot hack," a vehicle that provided transportation for people and their luggage to and from train stations. The early 1920s incorporated the terms "carryall" and "suburban" into automotive marketing to emphasize practicality and the ability to carry both people and cargo.
• The suburbans and carryalls changed in the 1950s as most models went from a truck frame to a car frame. Baby boomers were attracted to these vehicle designs because they combined big engines with high performance while providing plenty of room for cargo.
• SUVs gained prominence during the 1980s with useful and trendy features for the sporty explorer, outdoor enthusiast, and the fashion-minded.
• The SUV adopted the truck frame again during the late 1980's and 90's to encompass both off-roading capabilities and modern styling appropriate for the city.

Recent SUV Trends

• The popularity of SUVs is due to a large market desiring a style more sporty than the minivan but with the same available space. The SUV has now been categorized into three different models: compact, mid-size, and full-size. You decide which style suits you best.

Compact SUVs

• Car-like but built strong and tough.
• Models include the Ford Escape, Honda CRV, Kia Sportage, Land Rover Freelander, Mazda Tribute, Subaru Forrester, and Toyota RAV4

Mid-Size SUVs

• A blend of minivan capabilities and sport car style
• Models include the Porsche Cayenne, BMW X5, Buick Rendezvous, Dodge Durango, Ford Explorer, GMC Envoy, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Lincoln Aviator

Full-Size SUVs

• The traditional vehicle that provides extensive room for passengers or cargo.
• Models include the Lincoln Navigator, Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Suburban, Ford Excursion, Ford Expedition, GMC Yukon, Hummer, Lexus RX 300, Land Rover Rage Rover, and Toyota Land Cruiser

Did You Know?

• 15% of male SUV drivers go off-roading for recreation, compared with 10.8% of female drivers
• 24.1% of men use their SUV to get to off-road camping, hiking and fishing sites, and 17.9% of women do the same

Terms to Know in SUV Rentals

• ABS - anti-lock braking system
• Airlockers - air operated differential locks used for traction control
• Differential - the device that transmits power to two points allowing one to go faster than the other
• Four Wheel Drive - all four wheels are used when driving
• Ground Clearance - the amount of space between the lowest part of the SUV's undercarriage and the flat ground
• Torque - the twisting force from the power of the engine
• Transfer Case - the secondary gear box which splits the power between the front and rear sections of the vehicle
• Transmission - the unit transmitting power from the engine to the wheels
• "V" engines - the V stands for the configuration of the cylinders in a 'V' shape
• "L" - stands for the liter, with the number before it being the variable amount of displacement that the engine makes