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Mini SUV is a class of small sport utility vehicles with a length under 4100 mm (165 in). This class should not be confused with compact SUV, which refers to slightly larger vehicles, between 4250 and 4600 mm (170-185 in).
Early mini SUVs were off-road vehicles built on body-on-frame chassis, such as the Jeep Wrangler and Suzuki Samurai. Earlier mini SUVs are still used much due to their off-road prowess and more manageable size on the trail (for example, a large SUV might not fit in the narrower parts of the trail). The most capable off-road vehicles built earlier were mini SUVs due to their strict building for the off-roading job, whereas ever since the introduction of the Jeep Cherokee and the Ford Explorer, the larger four-door SUV has become increasingly more aimed toward family hauling and on-road use rather than hard off-roading. However, current mini SUVs usually have unibody construction and few off-road capabilities, falling into the crossover SUV category. They have substitute off-road cosmetic features, such as large black bumpers and slightly increased ground clearance.
Mini SUVs have become popular in some countries because of fashion trends: for example, wealthy young people buy them just to have a "different looking" car. An advantage over larger SUVs is the better fuel economy, which is very similar to subcompact cars / superminis.
In Japan, as cars under 3400 mm in length are classified as kei cars and pay less taxes; some manufacturers build these cars with off-road looks (such as the Mitsubishi Pajero Mini).
Mini SUVs
See also
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