Adecade ago, the term SUV -sports utility vehicle, was a mystery to most motorists in China's capital city.

You might see one of the Beijing Jeep brands, or later, the Beijing Cherokee. But that was about it.

Now dozens of brands battle it out for dominance of one of the fastest-growing sectors of the car market.

As you see lumbering four-wheel drive monsters inching along the city's choked streets, it's hard not to wonder about the lure of vehicles not originally intended for urban driving.

For many, SUV is a lifestyle especially in big cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

"Once you've driven an SUV, especially a 4x4, you drive no other vehicle," proclaimed Zheng Jianxing, CEO of an IT company in Beijing. He has been driving 4x4s since first getting hooked in 1988.

Owner of three vehicles, two sedans and a Beijing Cherokee, he is a weekend-only driver.

"On weekdays, my driver takes me wherever I need to go within the city," he said.

The hardcore enthusiast is clear about his reasons: "An SUV provides a better sight of the road, more safety and a higher position that gives you a stronger sense of masculinity. It makes you feel more like a man."

Zheng has no shortage of fellow enthusiasts with thickening wallets and the desire for a second vehicle.

The SUV is the first choice for 70 percent of them, according to a recent survey conducted by China Motor Society.

"I used to spend weekends traveling to the suburbs or the neighboring cities of Beijing in a sedan," says businessman Wang Peng.

In 1999, Wang was impressed by a fellow traveler who was driving a Beijing Jeep 2020 Rough during a trip to Shanxi Province. The seemingly low-key vehicle that costs less than 50,000 yuan (US$6,000) beat his 300,000-yuan (US$24,000) Skoda Felicia car all the way throughout the bumpy three-day trip.

After the trip, Wang himself bought a BJ 2020 and says he now enjoys not only outdoor exploration but also the feeling of an SUV ride.

"We modern urbanites are taking too much pressure on ourselves in a fast-paced city like Beijing," he argues. "An SUV ride off-road is a great way for me to release the pressure."

"A man should have something under his command. For me, I choose SUV."

The SUV market in China is expected to mushroom to 128,000 vehicles by 2010, doubling the figure for 2000, according to China Auto Weekly.

Auto manufacturers are particularly happy that, as the SUV craze spreads, more are choosing them as a first vehicle.

That to some extent explains the rather odd yet increasingly common sight of SUVs within the city. Their owners are typically SUV enthusiasts who need a regular means of transportation but cannot afford two vehicles.

"The situation is supposed to change soon if the government enacts the 'Fei Gai Shui' (transforming various fees into tax) policy," says Ji Qing, another SUV enthusiast who is one of the organizers of the Beijing-based Off-Roaders Club.

Under the present policy, each vehicle attracts various fees on a yearly basis no matter how often it is used.

"This policy certainly deters second ownership of a vehicle considering the cost of maintaining a surplus vehicle," Ji says.

In 2003, SUVs accounted for less than 10 percent of China's total passenger vehicle market. The percentage is expected to rise to 25 percent by 2007.

Predicts Ji:" Once the fee-collecting policy is replaced by the tax-on-usage one, the ownership of SUVs will rise more quickly. By then, more people will get the chance to enjoy a real SUV lifestyle," Ji predicts.

(Beijing Weekend March 19, 2004)