Crossover (automobile)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Crossover describes a vehicle that derives from a car platform while borrowing features from a traditional Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV).
While body on frame construction and light truck platforms are used to build traditional SUVs, crossovers use a car's monocoque/unibody platform construction. 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.[1]
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[edit] Origin
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 CUVs, "wagons that look like sport utility vehicles but ride like cars,"[3] To avoid referring to their vehicles as station wagons, some nameplates will instead describe them as a crossover.[4] "Crossover utility vehicle" (CUV) or "crossover SUV" are frequent terms for these such vehicles, particularly if they are styled like and retain the capabilities of traditional SUVs. "Sport wagon" or "tall wagons" often refer to derivatives of station wagons and compact hatchbacks, respectively.[5] "Crossover" is often used for a vehicle that does not appear like a traditional SUV or passenger car, such as the Toyota Venza. Manufacturers have also used traditional monikers like "truck" and "SUV" for their crossovers.[6]
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."[7] Sales in the crossover market segment increased in 2007 by 16%,[3] Notably in the US, the crossover segment is one of the segments in the passenger vehicle market where import brands lead domestic brands, as domestic manufacturers were slow to switch from their emphasis on light truck-based SUVs, and as foreign automakers developed crossovers particularly for the US market, as an alternative to station wagons which are unpopular there.[1] The segment has strong appeal to aging baby boomers.[1] Most crossover vehicles released in the early 2000s largely resembled traditional SUVs or wagons. However, there has been crossovers released that emphasize sportiness, albeit at the cost of utility, such as the Infiniti FX and BMW X6.[8][9]
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.[10]
The broad spectrum of CUVs or crossovers includes:
- Compact CUVs: e.g., Audi Q5, BMW X3, Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Nissan Rogue
- Mid-sized CUVs: e.g., Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Chevy Equinox, Lexus RX 350, Acura MDX, Nissan Murano
- Full-sized CUVs: e.g., Audi Q7, Buick Enclave/Saturn Outlook/, GMC Acadia, Ford Flex, Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
- Station wagon-derived CUVs: e.g., Audi A6 allroad quattro, AMC Eagle, Subaru Outback
- Mid-sized sedan-derived hatchback CUVs: e.g., Honda Accord Crosstour, Toyota Venza
- Compact sedan-derived hatchback CUVs: e.g. Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe[5], Suzuki SX4 hatchback
- Minivan-like CUVs: e.g., Dodge Journey, Mazda Premacy/Mazda5
In 1998 the Lexus RX 300 entered the market with a premium-priced, Toyota Camry sedan-based crossover. This was followed by other sedan-based competitors including the BMW X5 and Acura MDX.[11] These vehicles were a shift from the traditional truck-based body-on-frame SUVs to numerous new sedan-based crossovers that were marketed in all price ranges. Due to the demand for these types of vehicles in the US, several marques such as BMW and Toyota produce crossovers in North America, in contrast to passenger cars in their lineup which are mostly imported.
In 2000 an early non-luxury midsize crossover SUV the Toyota Highlander was introduced, shortly later other similar crossovers such as the Honda Pilot, Nissan Murano and Chevrolet Equinox expanded the segment.[citation needed]
In 2006, the Toyota RAV4 became the first compact crossover SUV to add a 7-seat version during the redesign, previously 7-passenger seating was available only on the midsize SUVs. The Mercedes-Benz M-Class switched from body-on-frame to unibody. The redesigned Ford Explorer and Jeep Grand Cherokee planned for the 2011 model year will become crossovers.[12]
[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
- large MPV
- Mini SUV
- MPV
- Recreational vehicle
- Sport utility vehicle
- Station wagon
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d "GM and Ford's New Cross to Bear". CNNMoney.com, Chris Isidore, January 9, 2006. http://money.cnn.com/2006/01/09/Autos/detroit_crossovers/index.htm.
- ^ "Smart Buying Essentials What is a Crossover Vehicle?". Intellichoice.com. http://www.intellichoice.com/carBuying101/what-is-a-crossover.
- ^ a b "Crossover Market Is Thinly Sliced". The Wall Street Journal, January 14, 2008. http://blogs.wsj.com/autoshow/2008/01/14/crossover-market-is-thinly-sliced/.
- ^ "Definition of Crossover Utility Vehicle". Usedcars.about.com. 2009-09-17. http://usedcars.about.com/od/glossaryatoe/g/Crossovers.htm. Retrieved 2009-10-13.
- ^ a b Huffman, John. "A sleek “CUV” with youthful imagination - 2003 Toyota Matrix". The Car Connection. http://www.thecarconnection.com/Vehicle_Reviews/SUVs_Wagons/2003_Toyota_Matrix.S181.A4435.html. Retrieved 2008-04-26.
- ^ [1]
- ^ "Crossover vehicles pass up SUVs on road to growing sales". USAtoday, 5/3/2006, Sharon Silke Carty. http://money.cnn.com/2006/01/09/Autos/detroit_crossovers/index.htm.
- ^ [2]
- ^ [3]
- ^ "2009 Dodge Journey Road Test". Car Reviews.com, Feb 3, 2008, Justin Couture. http://car-reviews.automobile.com/Dodge/review/2009-dodge-journey-road-test/5449/.
- ^ "First Drive: 2010 Lexus RX 350". AutoTrader.com. 2009-01-25. http://www.autotrader.com/research/article/38309/first-drive-2010-lexus-rx-350.jsp. Retrieved 2009-11-03.
- ^ Bunkley, Nick. "Attention Shoppers: We Still Sell Cars" The New York Times 2009-10-21, retrieved on 2009-11-03.
