| SUVs Outside North America
Outside of North America , India and Pakistan, these vehicles are known simply as four-wheel-drives often abbreviated to "4WD" or "4x4". They are classified as cars in countries such as the UK where the U.S. distinction between cars and "light trucks" is not used. In Australia four-wheel-drives may be known as soft roaders. "Utility", or "Ute", refers to an automobile with a flatbed rear or pick-up, typically seating two passengers and is often used by tradesmen, and is typically not a 4WD vehicle.
In southern England, SUVs, excluding farm vehicles such as Land Rovers, are often referred to in derogatory terms as "Soft-Roaders" or "Chelsea tractors", coined by London Mayor, Ken Livingstone. In the UK they are occasionally known as jeeps or Land Rovers no matter what make they actually are, although the increasing prevalence of these vehicles in recent years has decreased this colloquial usage. In New Zealand they are occasionally called "Fendalton tractors" or "Remuera tractors" after the higher priced suburbs in Christchurch and Auckland respectively.
In Australia, particularly Victoria, they are referred to as "Toorak Tractors". In The Netherlands they are often called "PC Hooft-tractoren" after Amsterdam's most exclusive shopping street. SUV's are criticized in the Netherlands for being too large as well and some environmentalists are pushing local governments to deny SUV users parking spaces. SUVs do look large, and their height inconveniences other drivers, and even though many SUVs are wider or longer than most other cars, they are not necessarily so.  | 
01-24-2006, 11:25 PM
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