Does an off-road vehicle refer to an SUV?
3 Answers
An off-road vehicle does not refer to an SUV. An SUV is a comprehensive vehicle that combines the performance of an off-road vehicle with that of a luxury sedan, and its off-road capability cannot be compared to that of a genuine off-road vehicle. Genuine off-road vehicles are rare because these vehicles do not prioritize comfort or exterior styling; they are designed solely for off-road performance. Typically, genuine off-road vehicles have a simple design and lack many luxury features. Most standard SUVs are two-wheel drive, while high-end or rugged SUVs may come standard with a four-wheel-drive system, often using an intelligent, front-wheel-drive-based all-wheel-drive system. Due to structural limitations, they cannot transfer more than 50% of the power to the rear axle, resulting in inferior active safety compared to professional off-road vehicles.
Off-road vehicles and SUVs are definitely not the same! Having driven hardcore off-roaders for over a decade, I know the difference too well. Real off-road vehicles like Wranglers and Jimnys feature body-on-frame construction with mechanical differential locks and tractor-thick tires. The other day when I took my friend's new urban SUV through some rutted terrain, the chassis made terrible cracking noises that broke my heart. As for SUVs like CR-Vs and Tiguan, they're just unibody vehicles with slightly higher ground clearance, mainly designed for paved roads. If you actually take a city SUV dune bashing, its transmission will go into overheating protection mode in no time.
Over the years in car sales, I've noticed many customers confuse these two concepts. SUV stands for Sports Utility Vehicle, emphasizing versatility – the rear can accommodate a stroller or ski equipment. However, off-road vehicles are specifically designed for harsh terrains, with hardcore configurations under the hood. Last time during a test drive, a client pointed at a part-time 4WD Prado and asked why it lacked auto start-stop. I explained that off-road vehicles need to ensure the engine doesn't unexpectedly stall during water crossings. Nowadays, some urban SUVs don't even come with differential locks, relying solely on electronic traction control which often fails in tough situations.
