2009 Dodge Journey, CUV 2010 Fiat Palio Weekend Adventure Locker 2007 Saturn Outlook XR

A crossover (also called CUV: crossover utility vehicle) is a vehicle built on a car platform and combining, in highly variable degrees, features of a sport utility vehicle (SUV) with features from a passenger vehicle, especially those of a station wagon or hatchback.

Using the unibody construction typical of passenger vehicles, the crossover combines SUV design features such as tall interior packaging, high H-point seating, high ground-clearance or all-wheel-drive capability — with design features from an automobile such as a passenger vehicle's platform, independent rear suspension, car-like handling and fuel economy.

A crossover may borrow features from a station wagon or hatchback such as the two-box design of a shared passenger/cargo volume with rear access via a third or fifth door, a liftgate — and flexibility to allow configurations that favor either passenger or cargo volume, e.g., fold-down rear seats. The crossover may include an A, B & C-pillar, as well as a D pillar.

Crossovers are typically designed for only light off-road capability, if any at all.^[1]

Origin[link]

The crossover term was used as a market segment description and one of the reasons Chrysler purchased American Motors Corporation (AMC) in 1987. The automaker acquired the famous Jeep brand and vehicles from AMC to add to its successful minivans giving Chrysler a "solid position in the so-called 'crossover' market, which is somewhere 'between' cars and trucks and the fastest growing segment in the entire industry."^[2]

Some sources claim the term crossover began as a marketing term,^[3] and a 2008 CNNMoney article indicated that "many consumers cannot tell the difference between an SUV and a crossover."^[1] A January 2008 Wall Street Journal blog article called crossovers "wagons that look like sport utility vehicles but ride like cars."^[4]

While the term lacks a strict definition, and the crossover market segments have become sales leaders, the vehicles themselves are not an entirely new concept. Arguably, the Willys-Overland Jeepster convertible coupe could be the first crossover designed to appeal to people who might be turned off by the utilitarian qualities of other Jeep vehicles.^[5] A more direct crossover antecedent is the AMC Eagle, a vehicle that "pioneered the crossover SUV" category.^[6] As a precursor to today's models, AMC's "vehicles worked well and sold well" and the "surviving Eagles to look like the "early man" version of a CUV, sort of a missing link of the car world."^[7]

The market segment spans a wide range of vehicles. In some cases, manufacturers have marketed vehicles as crossovers simply to avoid calling them station wagons.^[8] And while some crossover vehicles released in the early-2000s resembled traditional SUVs or wagons, others have prioritized sportiness over utility—such as the Infiniti FX and BMW X6.^[9][10]

By 2006, the segment came into strong visibility in the U.S., when crossover sales "made up more than 50% of the overall SUV market."^[11] Sales increased in 2007 by 16%.^[4]

In the U.S., domestic manufacturers were slow to switch from their emphasis on light truck-based SUVs, and foreign automakers developed crossovers targeting the U.S. market, as an alternative to station wagons that are unpopular there. But by the 2010 model year, domestic automakers had quickly caught up.^[1] The segment has strong appeal to aging baby boomers.^[1]

Crossover examples[link]

The broad spectrum of CUVs or crossovers includes:

• Mini CUVs: e.g., Fiat Sedici, Honda HR-V, Nissan Juke, Mini Countryman
• Compact CUVs: e.g., Audi Q5, BMW X1, BMW X3, Mahindra XUV500, Ford Escape/Mercury Mariner/Mazda Tribute, Mazda CX-5, Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Nissan X-Trail, Acura RDX, Volvo XC60, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, Land Rover Freelander, Infiniti EX, Skoda Yeti, Subaru Forester, SsangYong Korando, Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class, Volkswagen Tiguan, Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
• Mid-sized CUVs: e.g., BMW X5/BMW X6, Chevy Equinox/GMC Terrain, Ford Edge/Lincoln MKX, Lexus RX, Mercedes-Benz M-Class, Nissan Murano, Cadillac SRX (2010-), Saab 9-4X, Mazda CX-7, Mitsubishi Outlander, Infiniti FX, Hyundai Santa Fe/Kia Sorento (2011-), Volkswagen Touareg/Porsche Cayenne, Toyota Highlander
• Full-sized CUVs: e.g., Acura MDX, Audi Q7, Dodge Durango (2011 -), Ford Flex, Ford Explorer (2011-), Honda Pilot, Lincoln MKT, Mazda CX-9, Mercedes-Benz GL-Class, Mercedes-Benz R-Class (all of which offer three rows of seating for 7 or 8 passengers as standard)
• Mid-sized sedan-derived CUVs: e.g., Honda Accord Crosstour, Acura ZDX, Toyota Venza, AMC Eagle, Audi A6 allroad quattro, Saab 9-3X, Subaru Outback, Volvo XC70 (the last five being directly based upon Station wagons)
• Compact sedan-derived hatchback CUVs: e.g., Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe^[12], Subaru Impreza hatchback
• Minivan-like CUVs: e.g., Dodge Journey, Tata Aria, Buick Enclave/Chevrolet Traverse/GMC Acadia/Saturn Outlook (defunct), Ford C-MAX, Mazda 5
• Semi-offroaders: e.g., Fiat Palio Adventure, Ford Fiesta Trail, Nissan Livina X-Gear, Land Rover LR2, Jeep Compass, Jeep Grand Cherokee (2005-) Peugeot Escapade, etc.

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, Opel/Vauxhall Antara and Ford S-Max. Notably, during the development of the Dodge Journey CUV, Dodge benchmarked the S-Max.^[13]

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

See also[link]

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

References[link]