Crossover (automobile)

[6] Compared to traditional SUVs, crossovers are known to be less capable of use in off-road conditions or hauling heavy loads, while instead offering other advantages such as superior fuel economy and handling.

[8] The 1977 Lada Niva is the world's first mass-produced unibody off-road vehicle and has been credited as a forerunner of crossovers[9] before that term was used, with the '79 AMC Eagle, being the first US example.

[18][19][20] U.S. magazine MotorTrend in 2005 mentioned that the term "crossover" has become "blurred as manufacturers apply it to everything from the Chrysler Pacifica to the Ford Five Hundred sedan".

[citation needed] In the United Kingdom, a crossover is sometimes defined as a hatchback with raised ride height and SUV-like styling features.

According to Consumer Reports, the three top-selling crossovers in the US in 2018 (Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Nissan Rogue) return an average of 10% less fuel economy than the top three selling sedan equivalents in the mid-size segment (Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima), but provide almost 1.5 times the cargo space.

[26][19][27] Many crossovers lack an all-wheel drive or four-wheel-drive train, which, in combination with their inferior off-road capability, causes many journalists and consumers to question their definition as "sports utility vehicles".

[31][32][33][34] The mass-market Eagle model line was based on a unibody passenger car platform, with fully-automatic four-wheel drive and a raised ride height.

[35][36][37][38][39] Furthermore, a writer for Motor Trend characterized the 1963 Studebaker Wagonaire as the "first crossover" because the innovative station wagon with a sliding roof "mashed up various vehicle types.

"[43][44] These low-priced models joined the compact AMC Eagle line and they foreshadowed the market segment of comfortable cars with utility and foul-weather capabilities.

[47] By the early 2000s, Toyota was leading the market in its development of car-based trucks in North America with the release of other crossover models such as the Highlander and the Lexus RX.

[3] In North America, crossovers increased in popularity during the 2000s, when fuel efficiency standards for light trucks, which had been stuck at 20.7 miles per US gallon (11.4 L/100 km; 8.8 km/L) since 1996, moved upwards by 2005.

Several aspects needed to determine the size category of a vehicle may include length and width, positioning in its respective brand line-up, platform, and interior space.

[69] Later models included the 1994 Toyota RAV4,[11] 1995 Honda CR-V, 1997 Subaru Forester, 2000 Nissan X-Trail, 2000 Mazda Tribute, and the 2001 Ford Escape.

[71] In 2019, the American magazine Car and Driver stated that "so many of these vehicles are crowding the marketplace, simply sorting through them can be a daunting task".

[64] In late 2020 the Volkswagen ID.4 and Ford Mustang Mach-E debuted as battery electric compact crossover SUVs.

[citation needed] The first mid-size crossovers included the Toyota Highlander and Pontiac Aztek, both introduced in 2000 for the 2001 model year.

[90][91] Other examples include the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet, Range Rover Evoque Convertible, and Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet.

[92] This category was heavily criticized by journalists, enthusiasts, and analysts for numerous reasons, such as its design and high price tag.

[95][96] Many manufacturers have capitalized on the SUV trend by offering a version of station wagons, hatchbacks, or MPVs with a raised ride height and the addition of rugged-looking accessories such as a black plastic wheel arch extension kit, body cladding, skid plates, and roof rails.

This strategy has been used by manufacturers to move models upmarket or to help fill an absence in a crossover SUV segment.

In North America, some manufacturers sell station wagons with crossover styling due to the former's unpopularity,[102] the Subaru Outback being the most popular model.

Lacking the finances to design a ground-up SUV, Subaru added a two-tone paint scheme, body cladding, and a suspension lift to the Legacy wagon.

The crossover-styled variant of hatchbacks or city cars with the same body was introduced either as a substitute for or a complement to the subcompact crossover SUV.

Forerunners of the SUV-themed hatchback are the 1983 Fiat Panda 4x4, the 1994 Outback Sport, the 1996 Toyota Starlet Remix, and the 2003 Rover Streetwise.

The Volkswagen Golf Country, a conversion by Steyr-Daimler-Puch, was also sold between 1990 and 1991, and was offered with part-time four-wheel drive and off-road exterior cladding.

It featured a lifted ride height, rugged body cladding, tailgate-mounted spare wheel, and optional part-time four-wheel-drive.

[127] American manufacturers were initially 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 were unpopular there.

[128] From 2011 to 2021, the market share of crossovers in China's passenger vehicle sales surged by nearly 35 percentage points, rising from approximately 13% in 2011 to 47.89% in 2021.

[129] A 2017 survey by Mintel indicated that Chinese consumers were willing to pay a premium for SUVs, with the median first-time buyer spending RMB 205,000.