Definition of an Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)

An SUV is defined as a four-wheeled vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of more than 6,000 pounds but not more than 14,000 pounds. Consequently, in addition to SUVs, an SUV may include heavy pickup trucks, vans, and small buses.

However, the term “SUV” does NOT include any of the following vehicles:

• A vehicle designed to have a seating capacity of more than nine persons behind the driver’s seat.

• A vehicle equipped with a cargo area of at least six feet in interior length that is an open area and is not readily accessible directly from the passenger compartment.

• A vehicle equipped with a cargo area of at least six feet in interior length that is designed for use as an open area but is enclosed by a cap and is not readily accessible directly from the passenger compartment.

• A vehicle with an integral enclosure, fully enclosing the driver compartment and load carrying device, does not have seating rearward of the driver’s seat, and has no body section protruding more than 30 inches ahead of the leading edge of the windshield.