What Defines A Full-Size SUV? - Jalopnik

The article examines what defines a full-size SUV beyond common industry descriptions such as three-row seating, cargo capacity, and strong towing. It argues that many attributes associated with full-size models could also apply to some midsize SUVs, citing the Chevy Traverse and related corporate models as examples. It also questions a simplistic definition based on construction type, noting that the new Range Rover is a full-size luxury SUV built with a unibody rather than a body-on-frame layout. Engine configurations add another layer of ambiguity, since most midsize offerings lack V8s even though exceptions exist, including the Land Rover Defender and Hemi-powered Dodge Durangos. The author proposes a more practical definition grounded in dimensions, price and market positioning, and how those translate into interior volume, cargo, seating, and towing. The piece points to full-size benchmarks like the Chevy Tahoe and Cadillac Escalade, including their extended ESV and Suburban variants.