We Need a More Versatile Definition of "Utility Vehicle" - Automobile

The idea behind these little boxes (not to be confused with the “Little Boxes” Malvina Reynolds and Pete Seeger sang about ) is that they offer lots of utility in a small package. Yet, as I gaze at a lot of little boxes (“There's a green one and a pink one/and a blue one and a yellow one…”), I can’t help but wonder: when did we decide vehicles with utility had to be utility vehicles. The workhorse in my family growing up was a 1992 Chevrolet Camaro like the one pictured above. It had a hatchback, the rear seats folded down, and we constantly hauled crap with it. Sounds like a utility vehicle to me. The few items too big to jam into the hatch, we loaded onto our flimsy roof rack. Evaluating the new car market today, I see not a single car like those old hatchback F-Bodies. Automakers, in their drive to compartmentalize every buyer into a rigidly defined segment, have decided that if you want a hatchback, you also want a raised suspension and a boxy body. Still, there are sporty, non-boxes that can be utility vehicles, in a pinch. The M235i is a small car, yet it makes the most of its room with an upright roofline and a rear bench that folds down easily. Oh, and when it’s not hauling people, gear, and bikes, it hauls ass on a racetrack. Sounds like more versatility than any of those little boxes offer. Source: www.automobilemag.com