Crossover is a marketing term for a vehicle that derives from a car platform while borrowing features from a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV).
A crossover uses a car's monocoque/unibody platform construction while forgoing the body on frame construction in use on most SUVs. 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 such as independent rear suspension, car-like handling, interior roominess and fuel economy. Crossovers typically are designed for only light off-road capability, if any at all
While the segment has notable historical antecedents, it had come into strong visibility in the US by 2006, when crossover sales "made up more than 50% of the overall SUV market." Notably in the US, the crossover segment is one of the few segments of the light truck market where import brands lead domestic brands The broad spectrum of CUVs or crossovers includes:
- Compact sedan-derived CUVs: e.g., BMW X3, Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Nissan Rogue
- Mid-sized sedan-derived CUV's: e.g., Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Chevy Equinox, Lexus RX 350, Acura MDX, Nissan Murano
- Full-sized sedan-derived CUVs: e.g., Buick Enclave/Saturn Outlook/GMC Acadia, Ford Flex,Audi Q7
- Station wagon- or hatchback-derived CUVs: e.g., Subaru Forester, Ford Freestyle, Toyota Venza
- Minivan-like CUVs: e.g., Dodge Journey, 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.
In 1998 the Lexus RX 300 became the first luxury crossover. In 2006, the Toyota RAV4 became the first small crossover SUV to add a 7-seat version during the redesign. Previously 7-seat seating was available only on the midsize crossover SUV's. Recently the Mercedes-Benz M-Class and Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV's which share a platform switched to the along with a rear independent suspension arrangement. The redesigned Dodge Durango and Ford Explorer will also switch to this layout.
CUV models
A short list of current crossovers with their platform genealogy follows (similar vehicles are grouped together):
