What does the "SUV" marking mean?

Tire markings are very important and many of them can truly help us make the right choice, but at the same time, many markings over time can simply lose their relevance while still remaining on the tires. Some of them gradually turn into a marketing tool and do not carry any additional information.

A great example is the SUV marking. Many mistakenly believe that the SUV marking means that the tire is suitable for heavy-duty vehicles such as SUVs and crossovers. But at the same time, there is no exact information about what this difference is.

Initially, the marking indicated SUV - Sport Utility Vehicle, "sports utility vehicle" - an American type of vehicle, officially classified as a light truck, but intended for everyday use as a passenger vehicle. But, considering how widely the world of crossovers and SUVs has spread, this concept has become very blurred. It is unlikely that you can put Hyundai Creta and Volkswagen Touareg in the same row in terms of characteristics.

Today, the SUV marking does not carry any useful information, being completely outdated. Many manufacturers are abandoning it, as they lose the buyer, to whom the tire fully fits in size and indices, but does not have the SUV marking, while tires with such a marking are available in this model range. The main thing to know is that the tire should fit in terms of load and speed indices, and, of course, in size, and whether the "SUV" marking is present or not, it's no longer important.