Most of us are familiar with the birth of the automobile and Henry Ford’s Model “T,” but we often overlook the creation of one of the most popular vehicles on the road: the SUV. As time marches on, so does everything else and at one point the need for a larger, more rugged vehicle emerged paving the way for all the SUVs on the road at this very moment.
Necessity is indeed the mother of invention, or in this case, evolution. Many believe the modern Sport Utility vehicle evolved from a vehicle known at the time as a “depot hack” (also referred to as “suburbans” or “carryalls”). Depot hacks were larger vehicles that transported people (and usually lots of luggage) to and from the train depots back when the rail line was the way to travel long distances.
As more and more people used their cars for longer distance driving, and people began to move further away from family members creating the need to drive longer distances more often, car manufacturers looked for a way to position themselves in the automobile market in the 1920s and 30s.
Jeep ultimately produced the “Jeep Wagon” which they...