From rather humble beginnings half a century ago, SUVs now account for nearly half of global auto sales. Partly that’s due to how many vehicles are categorized as SUVs. According to the International Energy Agency, there were more than 400 EV models available in 2022, and 55% of those were SUVs.
In 2022, sales of SUVs increased by 3% year over year, and SUVs accounted for about 46% of global new car sales. For the first time last year, electric SUVs accounted for more than half of global EV sales.
SUVs’ demand for fuel rose by 500,000 barrels a day in 2022, while demand from conventional vehicles remained unchanged. Burning that additional fuel emitted an additional 70 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. In total, the 330 million SUVs in the global fleet emitted nearly 1 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2022.
What is an SUV?
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The term “SUV” is an acronym for “sport utility vehicle.” That seems straightforward enough. But SUV describes a wide variety of vehicles that look different, have different capabilities, and are priced for a wide range of buyers.
The first use of SUV to describe a vehicle came in 1974 when Jeep advertised its Jeep Cherokee as an SUV. That vehicle used a body-on-frame design, the same manufacturing process used for pickup trucks.
In 1984, the Cherokee was built using a unibody design that incorporates the frame into the body. Unibody construction, where the frame is part of the body, is used to build passenger vehicles. These vehicles, sometimes called “crossovers,” are lighter and have better handling than body-on-frame vehicles. Most modern SUVs and crossovers are unibody vehicles. The exceptions are the large SUVs that are typically built on pickup frames.
Types of SUVs
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According to automobile shopping site Edmunds.com, there are 15 different types of SUVs. We’ve gathered Edmunds’s 15 types into 6 broad categories: x-small and small SUVs, midsize SUVs, large SUVs, performance SUVs, and electric SUVs.
Within each category, we’ll use the different types, mileage ranges, and overall ratings as specified by Edmunds. Unless otherwise noted, prices apply to base-level 2024 models as specified by Edmunds.
X-small SUVs
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Another common name for this class of SUV is subcompact. These are the smallest and least expensive of any of the SUVs. All are built with unibody construction and come with front-wheel drive. Subcompacts have the best fuel economy of all SUVs. No surprise there.
Hyundai Venue
- Type: X-small, 2-row seating
- Base price: $19,800
- Combined city/highway MPG: 31
- Edmunds rating: 7.4 out of 10 (11th overall in category)
Mini Countryman
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- Type: X-small luxury
- Base price: $32,650
- Combined city/highway MPG: 26-29
- Edmunds rating: 7.8 out of 10 (6th overall in category)
Small SUVs
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These vehicles are often called compact SUVs and are somewhat larger than the x-small (subcompact) models. Most are hatchback crossovers (unibody construction). All have more interior space than small sedans. Gas mileage is still quite good and many offer all-wheel drive (AWD) as an option. Two-row seating is standard and three-row seating is available on some models.
Kia Sportage
- Type: Small, 2-row seating
- Base price: $28,415
- Combined city/highway MPG: 25-28
- Edmunds rating: 7.9 out of 10 (5th overall in category)
Mitsubishi Outlander
- Type: Small, 3-row seating
- Base price: $29,840
- Combined city/highway MPG: 26-27
- Edmunds rating: 7.9 out of 10 (2nd overall in category)
Infiniti QX50
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- Type: Small luxury
- Base price: $42,045
- Combined city/highway MPG: 25-26
- Edmunds rating: 7.4 out of 10 (10th overall in category)
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