From wikipedia:
According to the transportation curator at the
Henry Ford Museum, Robert Casey, the
Jeep Cherokee (XJ) was the first true sport utility vehicle in the modern understanding of the term.
[5] Marketed to urban families as a substitute for a traditional car, the Chrerokee had four-wheel drive in a more manageable size (compared to the full-size Wagoneer), as well as a plush interior resembling a
station wagon.
[5] With the introduction of more luxurious models and a much more powerful 4-liter engine, sales of the Cherokee increased even higher as the price of gasoline fell, and the term "sport utility vehicle" began to be used in the national press for the first time.
[5]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport_utility_vehicle