Just what is a Crossover?

In my last post I talked about the Jeep Compass which is referred to as a Crossover. Many people are switching to "crossover utility vehicles" -- also called CUVs. In the 90s, SUVs became popular as family vehicles. Now CUVs have entered the picture and are taking over the market. Projections indicate that this year will be the first year CUVs will outsell SUVs. So what is this new creature called a CUV?

Basically, an SUV is truck-based, while a CUV is car-derived. When SUVs first came on the market, they were essentially pickup trucks that had been modified with a second row of seats and an enclosed cargo area.

A CUV is essentially a station wagon that happens to look like and/or be sold as an SUV. Like a car, it is built on a unibody construction, in which the body and frame are constructed as a single unit. Classic SUVs , meanwhile, remain a truck under the skin, and as such as built on a body-on-frame basis. A CUV can be quieter, more comfortable and/or sportier, depending on the way in which the suspension is tuned.

The drive train is also different. Classic SUVs generally start out as rear-drive vehicles and are available with some form of four-wheel-drive system. A CUV, however, usually begins its design life as a front-wheel drive model, with an all-wheel-drive system offered. SUVs are made to handle off-roading and climbing steep hills. CUVs generally are not able to handle off-roading that's much more severe than a loose gravel surface.

So there you have the basic explanation of a Crossover. Whether you choose an SUV, or a CUV depends on your needs and intended use. If you are going to go mudding, climbing mountains, or towing a boat, you will want to stick with an SUV which is built for those activities. Otherwise, a CUV should work just fine while providing a little more comfort.

Source of information: "Crossing SUVs off the list" by Jay Koblenz, CTW Features, published in the Fremont Tribune October 6-7, 2007.