A crossover, crossover SUV, or crossover utility vehicle (CUV) is a type of automobile with an increased ride height that is built on unibody chassisconstruction shared with passenger cars, as opposed to traditional sport utility vehicles (SUV), which are built on a body-on-frame chassisconstruction similar to pickup trucks.
A term that originated from North America, the term crossover was initially used for any vehicle that blends characteristics between two different kinds of vehicles while, over time, crossover mostly refers to unibody-based SUVs. Crossovers are also described as "car-like SUVs" or "car-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 instead offering other advantages such as superior fuel economy and handling. Compared to traditional cars with lower ride height and a lower roof such as sedans and hatchbacks, crossovers offer larger cabin space and enhanced driving position.The 1977 Lada Niva is the world's first mass-produced unibody off-road vehicle and has been credited as a forerunner of crossovers before that term was used, with the '79 AMC Eagle, being the first US example. The Toyota RAV4, first introduced in 1994, pioneered 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.
