Compact crossover SUV

American magazine Car and Driver stated "so many of these vehicles are crowding the marketplace, simply sorting through them can be a daunting task".

[14] Later models included the 1994 Toyota RAV4,[15] 1995 Honda CR-V, 1997 Subaru Forester, 2000 Nissan X-Trail, 2000 Mazda Tribute, and the 2001 Ford Escape.

[17] In the European market, several analysts and agencies divided the segment into two, the smaller ones ("compact" or "C-SUV"), and the larger vehicles ("mid-size" or "D-SUV"), with the latter usually longer than 4,500 mm (177.2 in) with some models offering three-row seating.

Introduced in 2006, at the time it was Nissan's only vehicle in the C-segment space in Europe since the company discontinued the Almera hatchback and saloon.

[19] The vehicle was credited to start the trend for compact crossovers in Europe, with their advantage being high-riding and rugged-looking family cars, while not having the high running costs usually associated with off-roaders.

While being significantly more expensive, vehicles from this segment offer similar driving and convenience advantages as mainstream compact crossover SUVs, with larger exterior dimensions, more refined interiors, more advanced technologies, higher engine power and added prestige.