Crossover SUV

A crossover, crossover SUV, or crossover utility vehicle (CUV) is a type of automobile with an increased ride height that is built on unibody chassis construction shared with passenger cars, as opposed to traditional sport utility vehicles (SUVs), which are built on a body-on-frame chassis construction similar to pickup trucks. Originating in North America, the term crossover was initially used for any vehicle that blends characteristics between two different kinds of vehicles; over time, crossover came to refer predominantly to unibody-based SUVs. The term SUV is often used as an umbrella term for both crossovers and traditional SUVs due to the similarities between them. Compared to traditional SUVs, crossovers are known to be less capable of use in off-road conditions or hauling heavy loads while offering other advantages such as improved fuel economy and handling. Compared to traditional cars with lower ride height and lower roofs such as sedans and hatchbacks, crossovers offer larger cabin space and higher driving position. The 1977 Lada Niva is the world's first mass-produced unibody off-road vehicle and has been credited with being a forerunner of crossovers before that term was used, with the AMC Eagle introduced in 1979 being the first US example. The Toyota RAV4, introduced in 1994, has also been described as initiating the modern concept of a crossover. In the US, the market share of crossovers has grown from under 4% in 2000 to nearly 40% in 2018.