A Crossover — variously called XUV or CUV, for crossover utility vehicle — is a marketing term for a vehicle that derives from a car while borrowing features from an SUV or Minivan.

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. A crossover also uses a car’s unibody or monocoque construction while forgoing the body on frame construction in use on most SUVs. CUVs typically are designed for only light off-road capability, if at all.


2009 Dodge Journey, CUV

The term crossover began as a marketing term,

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.”

The broad spectrum of CUVs or crossovers includes:

  • Compact to mid-sized sedan-derived CUVs: e.g., BMW X3, Cadillac SRX, Honda CR-V, Lexus RX 350, Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe.
  • Full sized minivan or sedan-derived CUVs: e.g., Saturn Outlook/Chevrolet Traverse, Toyota Highlander, Ford Taurus X
  • Station wagon or hatchback-derived CUVs: e.g., Subaru Forester
  • Minivan-like vehicles: e.g., Dodge Journey, Kia Rondo, 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.

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Historical antecedents


Moskvitch 410 was introduced in 1957.


AMC Eagle wagon, an early crossover model


Matra Rancho, based on the Simca 1100


Australian made Ford Territory SUV

The 1957 Moskvitch 410 (the 4WD version of the Moskvitch 402) is an early example of a CUV. A later example is the AMC Eagle, which debuted in 1980. 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, Subaru Outback or Audi allroad quattro. By the same token, certain SUVs feature the crossover’s trademark unibody construction, vehicles such as the Lada Niva and Jeep Cherokee (XJ), though capable of full off-road duty.

CUV models

A short list of current crossovers with their platform genealogy follows (similar vehicles are grouped together):

Model(s)
Platform

Acura MDX and Honda Pilot
Honda Odyssey

Audi Allroad Quattro
Audi A6

BMW X3
BMW E46 (BMW 3 Series)

BMW X5
BMW 5-Series

Cadillac SRX
Sigma platform (Cadillac CTS & STS)

Chevrolet Captiva/Saturn Vue
GM Theta platform

Chrysler Pacifica
Chrysler CS platform (Chrysler Town and Country/Dodge Caravan)

Citroën Hypnos hybrid electric vehicle
Concept car

Ford Ecosport
Ford Mk6 platform (Ford Fiesta)

Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute/Mercury Mariner
Ford CD2 platform

Ford Taurus X
Ford D3 platform (Ford Five Hundred/Taurus)

Ford Territory
Ford Falcon

Dodge Journey
Dodge Avenger

GMC Acadia/Saturn Outlook/Buick Enclave/Chevrolet Traverse
GM Lambda platform

Holden Adventra/HSV Avalanche
Holden Commodore

Holden Crewman/HSV Avalanche XUV
Holden Commodore

Honda CR-V and Honda Element
Honda Civic

Hyundai Tucson/Kia Sportage
Hyundai Elantra

Hyundai Veracruz and Hyundai Santa Fe
Hyundai Grandeur and Hyundai Sonata

Infiniti EX
Infiniti G35

Infiniti FX
Nissan FM platform (Infiniti G35)

Jeep Compass/Jeep Patriot/Dodge Journey
Mitsubishi GS platform

Kia Rondo
Kia Optima

Lincoln MKX/Ford Edge
Ford CD3 platform (Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ, Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Mazda6)

Mazda CX-9 and Mazda CX-7
Ford CD3 platform

Mitsubishi Endeavor
Mitsubishi Galant

Mitsubishi Outlander
Mitsubishi Lancer

Nissan Murano
Nissan Maxima

Nissan Rogue
Nissan Sentra

Nissan X-Trail
Nissan Almera

Subaru Baja
Subaru Legacy

Subaru Forester
Subaru Impreza

Subaru Tribeca
Subaru Legacy/Outback

Suzuki SX4
Suzuki Swift

Toyota Harrier/Lexus RX and Toyota Kluger/Highlander
Toyota Camry

Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe
Toyota Corolla

Toyota RAV4
Toyota Corolla

Volvo XC60
Volvo P24 platform

Volvo XC70
Volvo P24 platform

Volvo XC90
Volvo P2 platform (Volvo S80)

See also

  • Car classification
  • Compact SUV
  • large MPV
  • Mini SUV
  • MPV
  • Recreational vehicle
  • Sport utility vehicle
  • Station wagon

References

  1. ^ a b c d “GM and Ford’s New Cross to Bear”. CNNMoney.com, Chris Isidore, January 9, 2006.
  2. ^ “Smart Buying Essentials What is a Crossover Vehicle?”. Intellichoice.com.
  3. ^ a b “Crossover Market Is Thinly Sliced”. The Wall Street Journal, January 14, 2008.
  4. ^ “Crossover vehicles pass up SUVs on road to growing sales”. USAtoday, 5/3/2006, Sharon Silke Carty.
  5. ^ “2009 Dodge Journey Road Test”. Car Reviews.com, Feb 3, 2008, Justin Couture.
  6. ^ http://www.citroen.com/CWW/en-US/NEWS/NEWSRELEASES/LatestNewsReleases/080903_HYPNOS.htm
  7. ^ http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/09/04/citroen-to-debut-new-hypnos-hybrid-ute-in-paris/

External links

  • Crossovers news

Retrieved from “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossover_(automobile)”
Categories: Vehicles | Vehicle design | Crossover SUVs


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