Crossover (automobile)
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A Crossover, or CUV (crossover utility vehicle) is a marketing term for a vehicle that derives from a car while borrowing features from an SUV.
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 platform such as car-like handling, ride, or economy. Most importantly, a crossover forgoes the body on frame construction of the SUV in favor of the car's unibody or monocoque construction. CUV's typically are designed for only light off-road capability, [1] if at all.
The term crossover began as a marketing term, [2] and a 2008 CNNMoney article indicated that "many consumers can't tell the difference between an SUV and a crossover."[1] A January, 2008 Wall Street Journal article called the CUV's, "wagons that look like sport utility vehicles but ride like cars," [3]
While the segment has notable historical antecedants, it had come into strong visibility in the US by 2006, when crossover sales "made up more than 50% of the overall SUV market." [4] Sales in the crossover market segment increased in 2007 by 16%,[3] Notably, the crossover segment is one of the the few segments of the light truck market where import brands lead domestic brands, [1] and the segment has strong appeal to aging baby boomers.[1]
The broad spectrum of CUV's or crossovers includes:
- Compact to mid-sized sedan-derived CUV's: e.g., Lexus RX 350, BMW X3.
- Station wagon or hatchback-derived CUV's: e.g., Volvo XC90, Ford Taurus X, Cadillac SRX, Subaru Forester.
- Minivan-like vehicles: e.g., Mazda 5 (Mazda Premacy), Kia Rondo, Dodge Journey.
The European MPV or large MPV may broadly resemble the crossover, including vehicles such as the 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.[5]
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[edit] Historical antecedents
The 1957 Moskvitch 410 (the 4WD version of the Moskvitch 402) is an early example of a CUV. Later examples include the Lada Niva and the AMC Eagle, which debuted in 1977 and 1980 respectively. The Eagle combined modest off-road functionality with the AMC Concord platform and bodywork (sedan, wagon, and hatchback) all with raised ground clearance.
Notably, certain vehicles that pre-date the term "crossover" more logically meet crossover rather than SUV criteria, vehicles such as the Subaru Forester and Subaru Outback. By the same token, certain SUV's feature the crossover's trademark unibody construction, vehicles such as the Jeep Cherokee (XJ), though capable of full off-road duty.
[edit] CUV models
A short list of current crossovers with their platform genealogy follows (similar vehicles are grouped together):
[edit] See also
- Car classification
- Compact SUV
- Mini SUV
- Recreational vehicle
- Sport utility vehicle
- Station wagon
- MPV
- large MPV
- List of motor vehicle classification blends
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d GM and Ford's New Cross to Bear. CNNMoney.com, Chris Isidore, January 9, 2006.
- ^ Smart Buying Essentials What is a Crossover Vehicle?. Intellichoice.com.
- ^ a b Crossover Market Is Thinly Sliced. The Wall Street Journal, January 14, 2008.
- ^ Crossover vehicles pass up SUVs on road to growing sales. USAtoday, 5/3/2006, Sharon Silke Carty.
- ^ 2009 Dodge Journey Road Test. Car Reviews.com, Feb 3, 2008, Justin Couture.
