A sport utility vehicle, or SUV, combines the elements of a conventional passenger car with the rugged features of a light truck, including 4-wheel drive (4WD), higher ground clearance, and greater passenger and cargo space. For these reasons, SUVs have become extremely popular over the last 30 years.
Conversely, a coupe is a more traditional fixed-roof car with a sloping rear roofline and, generally, two doors (sometimes three doors in hatchback form). Although not as popular as SUVs, coupes are typically synonymous with sporty good looks and have performance to match.
What happens when you blend these two vehicle configurations into one?
Although automakers don’t consider the “SUV Coupe” an official vehicle category—and some purists may outright scoff at such a notion—this vehicle type is, in many ways, an animal unto itself.
The first SUV coupe—the BMW X6—debuted for the 2008 model year. A derivative of the BMW X5 SUV, the X6 resembled an oversized sedan that rode higher and stretched further in all directions.
After the arrival of the BMW X6, other brands took this newly established design language and penned their interpretations. The result was a series of coupe-like crossovers and SUVs, including the Acura ZDX, Audi Q8, and Mercedes-Benz GLE. Together, they helped forge a category-bending market segment that gave new texture to the automotive landscape.
The marriage of an SUV and a coupe yields interesting results. The SUV influence brings capability, practicality, and size. The coupe side brings the spirit of a sports car with its low-roofline design and performance-oriented character. Functionally, an SUV coupe has the presence of an SUV but has a sleeker look and the sportier handling of a coupe.
An SUV coupe is ideal for those who want a premium vehicle for driving around town but also something appropriate for outdoor adventures. SUV coupes usually offer all-wheel-drive or 4WD capability, making wilderness excursions viable.
Although coupes are usually defined as having two doors, most SUV coupes have four doors to align with the more sought-after sedan configuration. The “coupe” designation is more about the overall design and shape of the vehicle than the number of doors.
The advantages of SUV coupes are plentiful:
Take the above and add a head-turning silhouette and an athletic stance, and SUV coupes capture the best of all worlds.
Despite their advantages, SUV coupes do have some shortcomings:
Following is a list of models that qualify as an SUV coupe (note most are from higher-end luxury brands or have emerged as premium electric-vehicle offerings):
The SUV coupe is a unique vehicle that combines the attributes of SUVs and coupes under one roof. Although this style of vehicle has many apparent benefits, it’s not for everyone.
To learn more about all new-vehicle types, visit the Shopping Guides section of the website.
Jessica Shea Choksey is an experienced writer in the automotive field. In addition to JDPower.com, she was a correspondent for PBS’s MotorWeek. Her work has also appeared in AutoTrader.
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