Crossover
A crossover, crossover SUV, or crossover utility vehicle (CUV) is a type of automobile with an increased ride height that is built on unibody chassis construction shared with passenger cars, as opposed to traditional sport utility vehicles (SUV) which are built on a body-on-frame chassis construction similar to pickup trucks.
Crossover
A term that originated from North America, the term crossover was initially used for any vehicle that blends characteristics between two different kinds of vehicles while, over time, crossover mostly refers to unibody-based SUVs.[1][2] Crossovers are also described as "car-like SUVs" or "car-based SUVs".[3][4][5] The term SUV is often used as an umbrella term for both crossovers and traditional SUVs due to the similarities between them.[6]
Compared to traditional SUVs, crossovers are known to be less capable of use in off-road conditions or hauling heavy loads, while instead offering other advantages such as superior fuel economy and handling.[7] Compared to traditional cars with lower ride height and a lower roof such as sedans and hatchbacks, crossovers offer larger cabin space and enhanced driving position.[8]
The difference between crossover SUVs and other SUVs as generally defined by journalists and manufacturers is that a crossover is built using a unibody platform, while an SUV is built using a body-on-frame platform.[11][12][13][14] However, these definitions are often blurred in practice, since unibody vehicles are also often referred to as SUVs.[15][16] "Crossover" is a relatively recent term, and early unibody SUVs (such as the 1984 Jeep Cherokee) are rarely called crossovers. Due to these inconsistencies, the term "SUV" is often used as an umbrella term for both crossovers and SUVs.[17][18][19]
U.S. magazine MotorTrend in 2005 mentioned that the term "crossover" has become "blurred as manufacturers apply it to everything from the Chrysler Pacifica to the Ford Five Hundred sedan". At that time, the publication proposes that the term "soft-roader" is more appropriate.[20]
Some regions outside North America do not have a distinction between a crossover SUV and body-on-frame SUV, calling both of them SUVs. Several government bodies in the United States also did not acknowledge the crossover distinction, including the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).[21] In some jurisdictions, crossovers are classified as light trucks as are traditional SUVs and pickup trucks.
Crossovers' driving characteristics and performance are similar to those of traditional passenger cars while providing more passenger and cargo space with relatively minor trade-offs in fuel economy and running costs. According to Consumer Reports, the three top-selling crossovers in the US in 2018 (Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Nissan Rogue) return an average of 10% less fuel economy than the top three selling sedan equivalents in the mid-size segment (Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima), but provide almost 1.5 times the cargo space. Furthermore, the average mid-size crossover in the US costs less than 5% more than the average mid-size car.[8]
Compared to truck-based SUVs, crossovers typically have greater interior comfort, a more comfortable ride, better fuel economy, and lower manufacturing costs, but inferior off-road and towing capabilities.[24][18][25] Many crossovers lack an all-wheel drive or four-wheel-drive train, which, in combination with their inferior off-road capability, causes many journalists and consumers to question their definition as "sports utility vehicles". This has led some to describe crossovers as pseudo-SUVs.[26][27][28]
Introduced in 1979, prior to the terms "SUV" or "crossover" being coined, the AMC Eagle is retroactively considered to be the first dedicated crossover automobile.[29][30][31][32] The mass-market Eagle model line was based on a unibody passenger car platform, with fully-automatic four-wheel drive and a raised ride height.[33][34][35][36][37] Furthermore, a writer for Motor Trend characterized the 1963 Studebaker Wagonaire as the "first crossover" because the innovative station wagon with a sliding roof "mashed up various vehicle types."[38] It was available only with a conventional rear-wheel drive.
Others cite the front-wheel drive 1977 Matra Rancho as a slightly earlier forerunner to the modern crossover.[39] Marketed as a "lifestyle" vehicle, it was not available with four-wheel drive.[40] In 1981, American Motors Corporation (AMC) introduced four-wheel drive subcompact models built on the two-door AMC Spirit, the "Eagle SX/4" and "Eagle Kammback."[41][42] These low-priced models joined the compact AMC Eagle line and they foreshadowed the market segment of comfortable cars with utility and foul-weather capabilities.[41][43]
The first-generation Toyota RAV4, released in 1994, has been credited as the model that expanded the concept of a modern crossover.[10] The RAV4 was based on a modified platform used by the Toyota Corolla and Toyota Carina.[25] At its release, Toyota in Japan used the term "4x4 vehicle" to describe the model,[44] while Toyota in the US called the vehicle a "new concept SUV".[45] By the early 2000s, Toyota was leading the market in its development of car-based trucks in North America with the release of other crossover models such as the Highlander and the Lexus RX.[3]
In North America, crossovers increased in popularity during the 2000s, when fuel efficiency standards for light trucks, which had been stuck at 20.7 miles per US gallon (11.4 L/100 km; 8.8 km/L) since 1996, moved upwards by 2005. With increasing fuel prices, traditional SUVs began to lose market share to crossovers.[46] In the United States as of 2006[update], crossover models comprised more than 50% of the overall SUV market.[47][needs update] Crossovers have become increasingly popular in Europe also since the early 2010s.[needs update]
Depending on the market, crossovers are divided into several size categories. Since there is an absence of any official distinction, often the size category is ambiguous for some crossover models. Several aspects needed to determine the size category of a vehicle may include length and width, positioning in its respective brand line-up, platform, and interior space.
Subcompact crossover SUVs (also called B-segment crossover SUV, B-SUV,[48] small SUV[49]) are crossovers that are usually based on the platform of a subcompact (also known as supermini or B-segment) passenger car,[50][51][52] although some high-end subcompact crossover models are based on a compact car (C-segment).[53]
A compact crossover SUV (also called C-segment SUV[57] or C-SUV[58]) is a vehicle that is usually based on the platform of a compact car (C-segment), while some models are based on a mid-size car (D-segment) or a subcompact (B-segment) platform. Most compact crossovers have two-row seating, but some have three rows.[59]
The naming of the segment may differ depending on the market. In several regions outside North America, the category may be known as "mid-size crossover" or "mid-size SUV",[60] not to be confused with the North American definition of a mid-size crossover SUV, which is a larger D-segment crossover SUV.
The first compact crossover was the 1980 AMC Eagle that was based on the compact-sized Concord line. Its four-wheel drive system was an almost unheard-of feature on regular passenger cars at the time, and it came with full-time all-wheel drive, automatic transmission, power steering, power front disk brakes as standard, and numerous convenience and comfort options.[61] Later models included the 1994 Toyota RAV4,[10] 1995 Honda CR-V, 1997 Subaru Forester, 2000 Nissan X-Trail, 2000 Mazda Tribute, and the 2001 Ford Escape.
Between 2005 and 2010, the market share of compact crossovers in the US increased from 6 to more than 11%.[62] In 2014, for the first time ever, sales of compact crossovers outpaced mid-size sedans in the United States.[63]
In 2019, the American magazine Car and Driver stated that "so many of these vehicles are crowding the marketplace, simply sorting through them can be a daunting task".[64] Due to its popularity and to cater to customers' needs, many manufacturers offer more than one compact crossover, usually in slightly different sizes at different price points.
By the late 2010s, the segment had emerged as the most popular segment in several regions. For example, nearly 1 in every 4 cars (24.2%) sold in the United States in 2019 was a compact crossover.[65] It also comprised 5.6% of the total European car market.[66] The best-selling vehicle in the segment in 2019 was the Toyota RAV4, with 961,918 units sold globally.[56]
A mid-size crossover SUV is a class of crossover SUVs that is larger than compact crossover SUVs, but smaller than full-size crossover SUVs. Mid-size crossover SUVs are usually based on the platform of a mid-size (also known as a large family car or a D-segment) passenger car, while some models are based on a full-size car (F-segment) or a compact (C-segment) platform. Some mid-size crossovers have three rows of seats, while others have two rows, which led to several brands offering multiple models to cater to both sub-segments. In Australia, American mid-sized crossovers are classified as large SUVs.[citation needed]
The segment is most popular in North America and China, where larger vehicles are preferred. It makes up 15.8% of the total United States car market.[67] In Europe, the segment covers 2.1% of the total market in 2019 with luxury crossover SUVs dominating most of the share.[68]
Full-size crossover SUVs are usually based on full-size cars. They are the largest crossovers and offer exclusively three row seating. The first full-size crossovers included the GMC Acadia, Saturn Outlook, and the Buick Enclave, with older full-size SUVs being built mostly above a body-on-frame chassis. The full-size crossover SUV class is sometimes considered to include the three-row mid-size crossover class, as in the case of the Jeep Grand Cherokee L.[70] 041b061a72