Also keep in mind that, if you're buying a vehicle exclusively for towing, you need to be well-informed about the pitfalls associated with towing with EVs or hybrids. Read more about the differences between AWD and 4WD here, and. They usually also offer AWD as an option, though not the hardcore off-road 4WD of the large SUVs. They almost universally adopt monocoque-type construction, like normal cars. Nearly no midsize SUVs - the next-smaller class beneath the above-mentioned full-size models - have body-on-frame construction. This truck frame is under the fifth-generation (DT) Ram full-size truck, and will also underpin Jeep's soon-to-be-launched Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer body-on-frame SUVs. Similar to the Ford T3 platform, this truck frame underpins all the GM full-size trucks, such as the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, as well as GM's full-size body-on-frame SUVs, namely the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, the GMC Yukon, and the Cadillac Escalade. As indicated in the definitions, traditional body-on-frame SUVs run on truck platforms and the Ford T3 is one such frame that underpins not only the Ford F-Series of trucks but also the Ford Expedition and luxury Lincoln Navigator full-size SUVs. However, some of the more traditional, old-school SUVs are still available today, such as: GM, Chrysler, and Ford currently all have body-on-frame platforms used for both trucks and SUVs. Their large bodies also allow for up to 7-passenger accommodations there are even 8-seater SUVs available nowadays. Their heavy-duty frames are of rugged construction and allow for extensive towing capacity - some are even good for towing nearly 10,000 pounds. Various models are built on a common, shared chassis. The format lives on in today's body-on-frame SUVs. According to this definition, early adventure vehicles such as the 1935 Chevrolet Carryall Suburban and 1940s Willys Jeep Station Wagon were traditional body-on-frame SUVs. When the phrase was coined, it referred to a very specific type of vehicle - the standard SUV definition was a truck chassis with a station-wagon-type passenger-vehicle body mounted on top. But that doesn't tell you what an SUV actually is. While many vehicles from the '50s onwards could retrospectively be called SUVs, the acronym didn't become popular until the '80s. So, what does SUV stand for? Essentially, it's a sports utility vehicle.