CUV's are pretty much useless, in my opinion. There isn't anything they can do that can't be done better by a minivan. Most CUV are not 4wd (AWD is not the same thing) and many are not even AWD. There are a few minivans out there with AWD that will do anything a CUV can do, and do it better.
CUVs do have greater ground clearance than vans, but that is totally pointless unless you have the suspension and drive system to go along with it. When was the last time you saw a CUV even drive over a curb? (crappy parking mistakes do not count). These vehicles are used as cars, and are justified by a false sense of security. Most don't hold up as well in a crash as many vans or estates and the CUVs are more likely to roll over.
I have seen many single vehicle accidents involving CUVs and "pavement queens" because of the false sense of security they give the driver. Shortly after the Cayenne was released I saw one that had slid off the road down Little Cottonwood Canyon in Utah. This is a popular, but dangerous road, and it leads to two popular ski resorts. I offered to pull the Porsche out with my Jeep but the driver refused. She said that the performance tires were too dangerous to drive on and she would wait for the plow to come by. Once again, a driver with 4wd and a "utility" vehicle got in over his head and paid the price. All the old beater Subarus with AWD and all season tires did fine, as did all the FWD cars with snow tires. This case shows both a failure of the driver and the vehicle, and it's something I see all too often.