The Mazda CROSSOVER
With design features from an automobile platform such as car-like handling, ride, or economy. A crossover also uses a car's unibody or monocoque construction while forgoing the body on frame construction in use on most SUVs. CUVs typically are designed for only light off-road capability, 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 platform such as car-like handling, ride, or economy. A crossover also uses a car's unibody or monocoque construction while forgoing the body on frame construction in use on most SUVs. CUVs typically are designed for only light off-road capability, if at all.
The term crossover began as a marketing term, and a 2008 article indicated that "many consumers can't tell the difference between an SUV and a crossover.
While the segment has notable historical antecedants, it had come into strong visibility in the US by 2006, when crossover sales "made up more than 50% of the overall SUV market." Sales in the crossover market segment increased in 2007 by 16%Notably, the crossover segment is one of the few segments of the light truck market where import brands lead domestic brands,and the segment has strong appeal to aging |
