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 (SUVs), which are built on a body-on-frame chassis construction similar to pickup trucks.
Originating in North America, the term crossover was initially used for any vehicle that blends characteristics between two different kinds of vehicles; over time, crossover came to refer predominantly to unibody-based SUVs. The term SUV is often used as an umbrella term for both crossovers and traditional SUVs due to the similarities between them.
Compared to traditional SUVs, crossovers are known to be less capable of use in off-road conditions or hauling heavy loads while offering other advantages such as improved fuel economy and handling. Compared to traditional cars with lower ride height and lower roofs such as sedans and hatchbacks, crossovers offer larger cabin space and higher driving position.
The 1977 Lada Niva is the world's first mass-produced unibody off-road vehicle and has been credited with being a forerunner of crossovers before that term was used, with the AMC Eagle introduced in 1979 being the first US example. The Toyota RAV4, introduced in 1994, has also been described as initiating the modern concept of a crossover.
In the US, the market share of crossovers has grown from under 4% in 2000 to nearly 40% in 2018.
Definition 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. However, this distinction are often blurred in practice, since unibody vehicles are also often referred to as SUVs. "Crossover" is a relatively recent term, and early unibody SUVs (such as the 1984 Jeep Cherokee (XJ)) are rarely called crossovers. Due to these inconsistencies, the term "SUV" is often used as an umbrella term for both crossovers and traditional SUVs.
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.
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). In some jurisdictions, crossovers are classified as light trucks as are traditional SUVs and pickup trucks.
Outside the United States, the term "crossover" tends to be used for C-segment (compact) or smaller vehicles, with large unibody vehicles—such as the Audi Q7, Range Rover, Porsche Cayenne, and Volkswagen Touareg—usually referred to as SUVs rather than crossovers. In the United Kingdom, a crossover is sometimes defined as a hatchback with raised ride height and SUV-like styling features. The Sunday Times noted the number of "soft-roader" cars on sale in 2019.
Characteristics 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.
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. 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.
History
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. 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. 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." 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. Marketed as a "lifestyle" vehicle, it was not available with four-wheel drive. 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". 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.
The first-generation Toyota RAV4, released in 1994, has been credited as the model that expanded the concept of a modern crossover. The RAV4 was based on a modified platform used by the Toyota Corolla and Toyota Carina. At its release, Toyota in Japan used the term "4x4 vehicle" to describe the model, while Toyota in the US called the vehicle a "new concept SUV". 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.
In North America, crossovers increased in popularity during the 2000s, when fuel efficiency standards for light trucks, which had been stuck at since 1996, moved upwards by 2005. With increasing fuel prices, traditional SUVs began to lose market share to crossovers. In the United States , crossover models comprised more than 50% of the overall SUV market. Crossovers have become increasingly popular in Europe also since the early 2010s.
In the first quarter of 2023 the Tesla Model Y crossover became the best-selling vehicle in the world.
Size categories 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.
Crossover city car (A-segment)
Crossover city cars (also called A-SUVs, city SUVs, city crossovers, or A-segment SUVs) are crossovers that generally ride on the platform of a city car (A-segment).
Crossover city car is a newly introduced automotive vehicle segment, with the first vehicle in the segment being the Fiat Panda Cross, though the Suzuki Ignis helped bring the segment more attention. Cars in this segment are generally styled as hatchbacks.
Since the late 2010s, the segment has received significantly more attention. , examples include the Toyota Aygo X, Hyundai Casper, Renault Kwid, VinFast VF 5, Suzuki Xbee, Fiat Panda Cross/City Cross, Tata Punch and Hyundai Exter.
Subcompact crossover SUV (B-segment)
Subcompact crossover SUVs (also called B-segment crossover SUV, B-SUV, small SUV) are crossovers that are usually based on the platform of a subcompact (also known as supermini or B-segment) passenger car, although some high-end subcompact crossover models are based on a compact car (C-segment).
The segment may be called differently depending on the market. In several regions, the category may be known as "compact crossover" or "compact SUV" instead.
This category is particularly popular in Europe, India, and Brazil, where it accounted for 37, 75, and 69% respectively of total SUV sales in 2018. In the United States, it accounted for 7% of total SUV sales in 2018. The best-selling vehicle in the segment in 2019 was the Honda HR-V, with 622,154 units being recorded as having been sold worldwide.
Compact crossover SUV (C-segment)
A compact crossover SUV (also called C-segment SUV or C-SUV) 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.
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", 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. Later models included the 1994 Toyota RAV4, 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%. In 2014, for the first time ever, sales of compact crossovers outpaced mid-size sedans in the United States.
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". 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. It also comprised 5.6% of the total European car market. The best-selling vehicle in the segment in 2019 was the Toyota RAV4, with 961,918 units sold globally.
In late 2020 the Volkswagen ID.4 and Ford Mustang Mach-E debuted as battery electric compact crossover SUVs.
Mid-size crossover SUV (D/E-segment)
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 (for example, the Honda Pilot three row crossover and its two row derivative, the Honda Passport). In Australia, American mid-sized crossovers are classified as large SUVs.
The first mid-size crossovers included the Toyota Highlander and Pontiac Aztek, both introduced in 2000 for the 2001 model year.
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. In Europe, the segment covers 2.1% of the total market in 2019 with luxury crossover SUVs dominating most of the share.
The Toyota Highlander/Kluger was the best-selling vehicle in the category in 2018, with 387,869 sold worldwide.