What is a Crossover? The Confusion is Real

Crossovers own the market right now and are essentially the most popular segment in terms of sales.

But what exactly is a crossover, Crossover Utility Vehicle or CUV? This might seem like a silly question, but it’s one that we get a lot.

Crossovers have evolved from old-school sport utility vehicles (SUVs). It’s all about platforms — SUVs typically use a body-on-frame platform that’s typically associated with or shared with a pickup truck, while crossovers use a unibody platform that’s typically shared with cars like a sedan or hatchback.

As a result, crossovers have a more practical vehicle design that combines the advantages of most sedans or hatchbacks as well as the size and some capabilities that are typically associated with SUV.

For a while, SUVs were very popular due to their size and riding position. People felt safe in these big lumbering beasts and they could haul their families and their stuff across the country. SUVs like Jeep Wranglers and Toyota Land Cruisers are also the go-to vehicles for off-roaders for their superior capability.

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