But I did know that. So do many others. So when a news story mentions that someone was hit by a Landcruiser we can immediately differentiate that from a Prius or an F-150.

You could maybe just say “SUV” but even that has a lot of ambiguity.

Then add in the fact that the press tends to stick to consistent reporting styles, and when describing vehicles it’s also helpful in situations where the perpetrator is still at large.