What Makes A Great 4WD SUV?

***The Old Becomes New Again Both in Clothing and in 4WD SUVs***Fashion conscious consumers want to be the first to express their personalities in an individual and unique way. The love affair with fashion doesn’t end with clothing and accessories; 4WD SUVs play a vital role in personal expression and social acceptance.The evolution of transportation has been a remarkable technological journey as well as a chronological calendar of family wants and desires. The 4WD SUV was introduced to fulfil individual needs at specific points in time, but those needs continued to change as the depot hack of the early years was transformed into the hybrid SUVs built on a car chassis today. We’ve gone from the plaid pants and the leisure suit era of the 1960s station wagon to the jean infested, t-shirt era of the new hybrid 4WD SUV station wagon. What’s old is new again and that’s what makes SUVs great. They have the ability to satisfy current needs in a trendy and functional way.***The Brief History of 4WD SUV Greatness***The undisputable father of the modern new 4x4 was the 1920s depot hack that transported people and their luggage from the train station to another destination. Depot hacks were called carry-alls and in some markets they were called suburbans. The depot hack was the first vehicle in the evolution of the station wagon and it is considered the grandfather of the longest running 4WD SUV model. It was called the Suburban and it was produced by several car manufacturers in the early years.In the 1950s the Suburban went from a truck frame to a car frame. Woody wagons were introduced to carry surf boards and beach gear. Big engines and lots of room to haul the family around fulfilled the needs of the growing baby boomer population. The Wagoneer model was restyled in the 1960s and it was named the utility vehicle for the family.The 1970s was the era for front wheel drive, smaller engines, and the fuel efficient mini-vans that was capable of carrying a family of big hair and bold fashion choices. The mini-van brought the 4WD SUV back to life and by the 1980s it was the sports fanatic and the outdoor enthusiast dream vehicle. The truck frame was back and these new land barges had enough cylinders to drain a fuel tank in no time. Today, plaid pants are back and so is the fuel efficient 4WD SUV. The 4WD SUV continues to enamour us with its ability to reinvent itself with new features and its cost effectiveness.***What Does 4WD SUV Greatness Look Like Today?***Greatness like beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but four-wheel drive vehicles greatness begins under the hood in the form of a 3.3, 3.5 or 4.0 V6 engine that produces oodles of torque, pulls hard, and growls with unmistakable authority. Greatness is more ground clearance, less electronic fluff, and more off-road focused features that make it a screaming monkey of solid performance.Independent front suspension, a solid rear end axle, and an interior that’s comfortable, roomy, and easy to understand and operate along with performance tires and an electronic and electrical system make greatness a tangible experience.Internal strength and performance are essential elements in greatness, but the 4WD SUV exterior must speak in sleek but pronounced lines as well. The front face should display confidence as well as brightness. The back door should accommodate cargo as well as guests and a third seat always moves the needle on the greatness meter as long as there’s room to sit in it. The price of greatness varies, but the rewards of greatness are fixed in reliability, performance, and longevity.