No, SUVs weren’t always as ubiquitous as they are today. While some manufacturers invested in this category very early on, others took a long time to get there. L’argus invites you to rediscover, for each brand, which model has acted as a pioneer.
What is the very first SUV? This is a question that is not necessarily so easy to answer. For many, it would be the Jeep Wagoneer, which appeared in 1963 and whose name has recently been resurrected. For others, it would be rather His Highness the Range Rover, launched in 1970 and which has just welcomed its fifth generation. For others still, it is undoubtedly the Matra Rancho, a mixture of station wagon and 4×4 whose beginnings go back to 1977. Even today, the definition of Sport Utility Vehicle, or “sport utility vehicle” in French, is far from unanimous, making the origins of the genre a bit hazy.
>> Discover the first SUVs of each brand in pictures <<
An explosion in the 1990s
But it was really in the 1990s, with the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V, that the category began to explode. Gradually, 4x4s cease to become beasts of burden, mainly intended for the army, farmers or forest rangers. They devote themselves to leisure, adopt underwear often shared with sedans to improve their driving qualities, and become more civilized… Even if it means losing part of their crossing skills in the process! What might seem like a simple fad at the start will become a real phenomenon, crushing everything in its path. But not all manufacturers will take the measure at the same time.
Late French brands
French brands will take time to react in particular, and will not necessarily do so in a very appropriate way at first. At Citroën and Peugeot, for example, we prefer to ally with Mitsubishi to save money. Launched only in 2007, the C-Crosser and 4007 are therefore closer to the Outlander than the usual productions of these two manufacturers. If the Lion corrected the situation in 2009 with its 3008, this time 100% house, it will be necessary to wait until 2017 for Citroën to do the same with its C3 and C5 Aircross. A year which will also see the entry into the scene of the DS 7 Crossback.
On the Renault side, the first Koleos, which appeared in 2006, also has Asian roots. The Losange indeed owns the Korean label Samsung Motors, which offered this model on its market under the name of QM5. But importing this SUV to Europe will not really end in commercial success. Quite the opposite of the Duster marketed shortly afterwards by the Romanian subsidiary Dacia: this first attempt will have, for its part, really suddenly mastered. The parent company will have to wait for the arrival of the little Captur to take revenge.
Porsche’s daring bet with the Cayenne
German brands had reacted much faster, including the most prestigious of them. The arrival of the Cayenne at Porsche in 2002 was even akin to a real thunderclap., causing some 911 enthusiasts to cry scandal. Almost twenty years later, it is clear that this daring bet has been a real commercial success. Same story for Bmw x5, Audi Q7, Mercedes ML and Volkswagen Touareg. SUVs which were the first of their respective manufacturers, and which all have an imposing size. Since then, they have all been joined by many little brothers who have often stolen the show from these pioneers, at least on the European continent.
A list soon to be enriched by Alpine and Ferrari
Aston Martin DBX (2019).
Today, almost all manufacturers are present in the segment, often with several offers ranging from city models to giants over 5 m, sometimes mixed with coupes. Following in the footsteps of Porsche later, even labels as exclusive as Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini or Aston Martin have ended up being tempted recently. A list that is not yet complete. Besides Smart and Alpine, it will soon welcome Ferrari in particular. In 2022, the Prancing Horse manufacturer should indeed launch its very first adventurer, the Purosangue.
