Thread: Is a D2 classed as an "SUV" ?? Gasp/Shudder??

Well yer Wiki says it all....

In Australia and New Zealand, the term "SUV" is not widely used, except by motoring organisations[35] the press,[36] and industry bodies.[37] Passenger class vehicles designed for off-road use are known as 'four-wheel drives', '4WDs', or '4X4s'. Some manufacturers do refer to their products as SUVs, but others invented names such as XUV,[38] (HSV Avalanche XUV or GMC Envoy XUV) or action utility vehicles (AUVs).[39] The term 'AWD', or all-wheel drive, is used for any vehicle which drives on all four wheels, but may not be designed for off-road use. 'Crossover' is a marketing term for a vehicle which is both four-wheel-drive and primarily a road car.

...true Aussies don't drive SUV's

Recent award in RACV magazine was to Disco 4 for best All Terrain Vehicle as opposed to 'soft roaders' so Discos are officially ATV's not one of those namby pamby SUV's!

In South Africa. It would be an SUV but according to the licensing department it is a "station wagon"

Originally Posted by garywinter

In South Africa. It would be an SUV but according to the licensing department it is a "station wagon"

Most likely due to the people in high places have a limited vocabulary.

ATV yes, I second that name.

Real off-road people dont drive SUV's.

Thank the Americans,,
They think all 4wds look like this--


so anything smaller and more modern CANT be a 4wd,,

Good to see LR told them to take a flying leap naming the D4

How did the clutch problem turn out?

SUV is an American word that has been adopted officially by the Australian motoring industry. It is hardly surprising that a large part of the Australian motoring industry has their headquarters in Detroit, but it is slightly surprising that this has been adopted by those whose headquarters are in Tokyo, Seoul, or Stuttgart - I can only assume that with their primary English speaking market in North America, the corporate English dictionary speaks American English.

I have yet to hear anyone outside of the motor industry (or motoring press that regurgitates their press releases) actually use the word. Few ordinary Australians would know what they were talking about unless they read motoring magazines.

As mentioned above, the usual word in this country is "Four Wheel Drive", although it needs to be pointed out that the US meaning of SUV is not exactly the same - it is used for any recreational vehicle based on a non-passenger platform, although in Australia such vehicles that are not four wheel drive are relatively rare.

John

I was looking at carsales recently, browsing Range Rovers and disturbingly every one of them had SUV tacked onto the end of the name. I assume it is something the website designers have done... and I hate it.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

SUV is an American word that has been adopted officially by the Australian motoring industry.

Likewise - even on this site we regularly see terms like gas instead of petrol, hood instead of bonnet, wing instead of mudguard etc.

To me a SUV is an American term for any 4wd - in Aust to me an SUV is something like a Falcon XR6/8 Ute or Holden SS style ute - these are sports utes.

Garry