SUV Strollers

By Wendy Cole

The next generation of sport utility vehicles is liable to elicit coos from coast to coast. These SUVs have all-terrain tires, metallic paint and four-wheel independent suspension. But they don't guzzle gas--and they don't even require a license to drive. They're baby strollers.

A new line of Jeep strollers, set to roll out in March, joins a growing supply of ruggedly designed, off-road transportation for babies, including a stroller for the "rough road" market from Eddie Bauer. The Jeep strollers are the first to be named after an auto brand. "It seemed like a natural fit," says Gail Smith, marketing vice president for Chicago-based Kolcraft Enterprises, which licensed the Jeep name from parent company DaimlerChrysler. "They're geared to handle urban potholes," she notes. How about bumpy hills? "I don't know that you'd want to take a baby up a mountain in them."

The sticker price ranges from $50 for the stripped-down Wrangler version to $110 for the top-of-the-line Grand Cherokee, which features one-handed steering capability, a turning key that simulates a starting engine and a pushbutton radio that plays three songs. And for the kids' more routine off-road functions, Jeep will offer matching outdoorsy diaper bags.

--By Wendy Cole