[jyl]

For some reason, I have been thinking about getting an SUV. Not a new soccer dad SUV, or a lifted rock basher SUV, but something cool and interesting. Not-see-that-every-day vehicle a plus. DIY-friendly a plus. Affordable and/or will hold value a plus.

Maybe I shouldn’t use the term “SUV” which is awfully generic nowadays. I see Mustang Mach-E called SUVs, for heavens sake.

How about a four door + seats five + sizeable enclosed cargo area, tall and two-box shape, four wheel drive vehicle. It should be legit off-road capable, not prone to leaving plastic body cladding or bits of oil pan on the trail. It should have enough civilized comforts to not bake or freeze or deafen your spouse - or deafen you from his or her complaining - around town or a long road trip. Not averse to luxe features but don’t require them.

So, not an Audi Q5 or Volvo Cross-Country (not tall, not off-road), not a Jeep CJ or Series Land-Rover or Unimog (too uncivilized), not a Honda Pilot or Hyundai Santa Fe (not interesting), not a crew-cab F250 or Tacoma (not two box) - you get the idea.

Examples of vehicles that might fall in the category - old Jeep Grand Wagoneer, Toyota Landcruiser, first gen Range Rover and Discovery, I’m sure I am overlooking many others and that’s one reason for this query.

Do vehicles like BMW X5, Mercedes GL-class, Porsche Cayenne qualify? I don’t know, that’s another reason for this query.

Ideas? I come at this from a position of ignorance, having owned a Series Land Rover and a gen 1 Range Rover but otherwise with no experience in SUV-land.