The luxury SUV segment became popular in the 1990s, the vehicle in this segment was the 1966 Jeep Super
Long before the luxury SUV segment became popular in the 1990s, the vehicle in this segment was the 1966 Jeep Super Wagoneer,[48][49][50](p3) which was marketed at the time as a station wagon. It was the first off-road SUV to offer a V8 engine, automatic transmission, and luxury car trim and equipment.[51] Standard equipment included bucket seating, a center console, air conditioning, seven-position tilt steering wheel, a vinyl roof and gold colored trim panels on the body sides and tailgate.[50](p3) By the late 1970s, optional equipment included an electric sunroof,[50](p4) The 1978 Jeep Wagoneer Limited was the spiritual successor to the Super Wagoneer and was the first four-wheel drive car to use leather upholstery.[50](p5)
Another precursor to the luxury SUV is the Range Rover, which was released in 1970. It was the first road-going vehicle to have a permanent four-wheel drive system, split tailgate, clamshell bonnet and continuous waistline (in the same vehicle).[52] The Range Rover had long-travel coil spring suspension and an aluminium V8 engine.[53] Development of the Range Rover began in 1951.[54]
In the mid 1990s, the SUV market expanded with new entrants. By the mid-1990s, the entry-level Ford Explorer and upscale Jeep Grand Cherokee were the market leaders for SUVs.[55] The fastest growing sector of this market was for the so-called luxury SUVs, which included the Jeep Grand Cherokee … the Grand Cherokee’s allure: “This vehicle is proof you can have a true off-road vehicle without giving up luxuries and amenities” with the Jeep providing a crucial new intangible factor for buyers—image.[56]
The SUV models generated higher profit-margins than passenger cars, and car manufacturers began introducing new luxury SUVs during the late 1990s.[57] SUVs such as the 1995 Lexus LX, 1997 Mercedes-Benz M-Class and 1998 Lincoln Navigator were the first SUVs produced by these luxury car brands. Some of these early luxury SUV models used a unibody construction, becoming part of the trend moving away from the body-on-frame construction traditionally used by off-road vehicles
