# What were SUVs called before? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 5, 2004, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-suvs-called-before/238409 "2004-04-05T18:57:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2004, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-suvs-called-before/238409/21 "2004-04-06T16:06:59Z")
Long before becoming a Chrysler brand name, “caravan” was a generic term for a type of vehicle, specifically what in the United States is called a “camper” or a “motor home.” ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2004, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-suvs-called-before/238409/22 "2004-04-06T20:51:58Z")
Another one: all-terrain vehicle, or ATV ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2004, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-suvs-called-before/238409/23 "2004-04-06T23:27:45Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Another one: all-terrain vehicle, or ATV I disagree with that one. I’ve always associated ATVs with those little 3- and 4-wheel dirtbike-type vehicles that appeal to young guys. In the 80s, I remember the main term was “four-by-four”, but I also heard “four-wheel-drive” and “offroad vehicle” a lot. ---
**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2004, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-suvs-called-before/238409/24 "2004-04-06T23:35:55Z")
> [@](#): > > Many believe that the birth of the SUV began as the “depot hack.” The depot hack was a vehicle that transported people (similar to today’s taxi/hack) and luggage from the train stations (depots). They were widely known as a carryalls or suburbans. Depot hacks were also believed to be responsible for the evolution of the modern station wagon and the longest running SUV model, the Suburban. From [here.](http://4wheeldrive.about.com/cs/historysuvs4wds/a/aa012601a.htm) It seems that “depot hack” beats 'um all. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2004, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-suvs-called-before/238409/25 "2004-04-07T00:13:37Z")
> [@](#): > > Many believe that the birth of the SUV began as the “depot hack.” The depot hack was a vehicle that transported people (similar to today’s taxi/hack) and luggage from the train stations (depots). They were widely known as a carryalls or suburbans. Depot hacks were also believed to be responsible for the evolution of the modern station wagon and the longest running SUV model, the Suburban. Don’t forget buckboard. A Wagon used by farmers and ranchers when they went into town. [http://www.jubilate.freehomepage.com/Tutorials/buckboard.html](http://www.jubilate.freehomepage.com/Tutorials/buckboard.html) [http://www.palouse.net/mcctwigg/buckboardkit.htm](http://www.palouse.net/mcctwigg/buckboardkit.htm) ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2004, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-suvs-called-before/238409/26 "2004-04-07T00:19:07Z")
“Four Wheel Drive” is the universal term in Australia. I remember the term “four by four” used to be around too, but that tended to be used by the car companies themselves, not the average person in the street. I only heard “SUV” for the first time on the SDMB. When I was very small, I remember them all being called “Jeeps”. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2004, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-suvs-called-before/238409/27 "2004-04-07T01:21:00Z")
[quote] [Land Rover](http://www.landroverusa.com/us/en/default.htm) is a manufacturer of SUV’s and not a type of SUV. I’m not sure Chrysler would take to having there Jeep refered to as a Land Rover. 😃 [quote] Perhaps not. But I’ve heard plenty of people refer to Land Rovers as “jeeps”. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2004, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-suvs-called-before/238409/28 "2004-04-07T04:42:22Z")
Another candidate for earliest SUV: the Dodge [Power Wagon](http://www.dodgepowerwagon.com/main/intro.htm), based on the company’s WWII line of military light trucks and introduced in 1945; one year before the Willys, apparently and sold though '68. Both pickup and carryall versions were offered, and the presence of 4-wheel drive with a station wagon-style body, IMO, makes it the oldest direct ancestor of the modern SUV. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2004, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-suvs-called-before/238409/29 "2004-04-07T13:47:52Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > Perhaps not. But I’ve heard plenty of people refer to Land Rovers as “jeeps”. And a lot of people refer to all Jeep-type vehicles as “jeeps.” I know specifically about India, where people are always talking about police jeeps and military jeeps and private jeeps, but so far as I know Jeep doesn’t market there. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-suvs-called-before/238409/30 "2004-04-08T13:51:05Z")
> [@](#): > > but so far as I know Jeep doesn’t market there. I know that they made the Mahindra, which is a CJ3B. (With all the changes in ownership of the makers of Jeep, I have no idea to whom they paid royalties.) I think they were still making them into the 1980s, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they were still being made. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-suvs-called-before/238409.md?page=1)