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Crossover
Crossover is a marketing term for a vehicle that derives from a car platform while borrowing features from a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV).
A crossover uses a car's monocoque/unibody platform construction while forgoing the body on frame construction in use on most SUVs. The crossover combines, in highly variable degrees, the design features such as tall interior packaging, high H-point seating, high ground-clearance, or all-wheel-drive capability of the SUV—with design features from an automobile such as independent rear suspension, car-like handling, interior roominess and fuel economy. Crossovers typically are designed for only light off-road capability, if any at all.<ref name="cnn1">Template:Citation/core{{#if:|}}</ref>
Origin
The term crossover began as a marketing term,<ref name="intelli">Template:Citation/core{{#if:|}}</ref> and a 2008 CNNMoney article indicated that "many consumers can't tell the difference between an SUV and a crossover."<ref name="cnn1"/> A January, 2008 Wall Street Journal article called the CUVs, "wagons that look like sport utility vehicles but ride like cars,"<ref name="wsj1">Template:Citation/core{{#if:|}}</ref> To avoid referring to their vehicles as station wagons, some nameplates will instead call them crossovers.<ref>http://usedcars.about.com/od/glossaryatoe/g/Crossovers.htm</ref>
While the segment has notable historical antecedents, it had come into strong visibility in the US by 2006, when crossover sales "made up more than 50% of the overall SUV market."<ref name="usatoday1">Template:Citation/core{{#if:|}}</ref> Sales in the crossover market segment increased in 2007 by 16%,<ref name="wsj1"/> Notably in the US, the crossover segment is one of the few segments of the light truck market where import brands lead domestic brands,<ref name="cnn1"/> and the segment has strong appeal to aging baby boomers.<ref name="cnn1"/>
The broad spectrum of CUVs or crossovers includes:
- Compact sedan-derived CUVs: e.g., BMW X3, Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Nissan Rogue
- Mid-sized sedan-derived CUV's: e.g., Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Chevy Equinox, Lexus RX 350, Acura MDX, Nissan Murano
- Full-sized sedan-derived CUVs: e.g., Buick Enclave/Saturn Outlook/GMC Acadia, Ford Flex,Audi Q7
- Station wagon- or hatchback-derived CUVs: e.g., Subaru Forester, Ford Freestyle, Toyota Venza
- Minivan-like CUVs: e.g., Dodge Journey, Mazda 5 (Mazda Premacy)
The European MPV or large MPV may broadly resemble the crossover, including vehicles such as the Mercedes-Benz R-Class, VW Golf Plus, Ford Kuga, Renault Koleos and Ford S-Max. Notably, during the development of the Dodge Journey CUV, Dodge benchmarked the S-Max.<ref name="careviews.com">Template:Citation/core{{#if:|}}</ref>
In 1998 the Lexus RX 300 became the first luxury crossover.<ref>http://www.autotrader.com/research/article/38309/first-drive-2010-lexus-rx-350.jsp</ref> In 2006, the Toyota RAV4 became the first small crossover SUV to add a 7-seat version during the redesign. Previously 7-seat seating was available only on the midsize crossover SUV's. Recently the Mercedes-Benz M-Class and Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV's which share a platform switched to the along with a rear independent suspension arrangement. The redesigned Dodge Durango and Ford Explorer will also switch to this layout. GAYOT.com lists the Top 10 Crossover Vehicles,<ref>Top 10 Crossover Vehicles published by GAYOT.com</ref>featuring the different varieties that are available today.
CUV models
A short list of current crossovers with their platform genealogy follows (similar vehicles are grouped together):
See also
- Car classification
- Compact SUV
- large MPV
- Mini SUV
- MPV
- Recreational vehicle
- Sport utility vehicle
- Station wagon
