Crossover (automobile)
A crossover, crossover SUV,[1] or crossover utility vehicle (CUV) is a type of sport utility vehicle-like automobile built with unibody frame construction. A term that originated from North America, crossovers are based on a platform shared with a passenger car, as opposed to a platform shared with a pickup truck. Because of that, crossovers may also be referred as "car-based SUVs".[2][3] There are inconsistencies about whether some vehicles are considered crossovers or SUVs; therefore, the term "SUV" is often used as a catch-all for both crossovers and compact SUVs.[4] Forerunners of the modern crossover include the 1977 Matra Rancho and the AMC Eagle introduced in 1979.[5]
In the United States as of 2006[update], crossover models comprised more than 50% of the overall SUV market.[6] Crossovers have become increasingly popular in Europe also since the early 2010s.
The difference between crossover SUVs and other SUVs is generally defined by journalists and manufacturers as a crossover being built using a unibody platform (the type used by most passenger cars), while an SUV is built using a body-on-frame platform (the type used by off-road vehicles and pickup trucks).[7][8][9][10] However, these definitions are often blurred in practice, since unibody vehicles are also often[quantify] referred to as SUVs.[11][12] "Crossover" is a relatively recent term, and early unibody SUVs (such as the 1984 Jeep Cherokee) are rarely called crossovers. Due to these inconsistencies, the term "SUV" is often used as an umbrella term for both crossovers and SUVs.[13][14][15]
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 governmental bodies in the United States also did not acknowledge the crossover distinction, including the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).[16] Crossovers are sometimes also classified as light trucks in some jurisdictions.
Outside of 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.[citation needed] In the United Kingdom, a crossover is sometimes defined as a hatchback with raised ride height and SUV-like styling features.[17][18]
Compared to truck-based SUVs, they typically have better interior comfort, a more comfortable ride, better fuel economy, and lower manufacturing costs, but also inferior off-road and towing capability.[19][14][20]
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