Cross-over Utility Vehicle. CUV's are built on car platforms (uni body construction). Tradition SUV's are built on truck platforms (body on frame construction). Although the lines are getting blurred. Even though technically wrong, most manufacturers end up calling them SUV's anyway because people don't associate with CUV's as terminology intended for their vehicle. And, most insurances don't really know how to classify them...lol. True SUV's are the ones like Tahoe, Yukon, Expedition, Excursion, Armada, etc, Built on frames originally meant for trucks (Silverado, F150, F250, Titan). The Ford Explorer is a good example, originally built on the Ranger truck frame, it was a true SUV in the beginning, now it is based off the Taurus car and is really a CUV, but Ford still calls it an SUV.