In general terms, there are two basic types of suspension: rigid axle and independent suspension.
Rigid axle (also referred to as "solid axle" or "live axle") suspension was the first mass-produced design. Just as the name infers, the rigid axle suspension uses a solid beam to connect opposing wheels. When a wheel on one side hits a bump or moves, the wheel on the other side is negatively affected, decreasing ride quality. While this is an obvious drawback, rigid axle suspension is inexpensive to manufacture, offers lots of wheel travel (which benefits off-road travel), and it can be designed to carry very heavy loads, making it popular for trucks. The Jeep Wrangler uses a rigid axle on both the front and rear, while the Ford F-150 pickup and Nissan Titan pickup use a rigid axle only on the rear of the vehicle. Independent suspension is much more prevalent today. As the name implies, each wheel moves independently over the road surface, isolating the remaining wheels from the impact.
Independent suspension is more complex, but offers a much improved ride compared to rigid axles. The drawbacks include complexity, increased cost, reduced wheel travel, and reduced load capacity. The two most common types of independent suspension are MacPherson struts and double-wishbone suspension. Independent suspension is found on most sedans and sports cars today including the Ford Fusion, Lexus LS, and the Subaru Impreza WRX. In a unique move, the Honda Ridgeline pickup truck also uses an independent suspension.