What's the difference between an SUV and a Crossover?

[Kestas]

Crossover Utility Vehicles (CUVs) are the largest market segment of vehicles today.

Unfortunately, the average person doesn't know what a CUV is, so I just call them SUVs.

 

[supton]

Then there was BMW who called their vehicles Sports Activity Vehicles..... Who knows, maybe they still do.

I had a neighbor who bought that line hook, line and sinker. He bought the BMW, and justified his choice because none of it's competitors were in the "Activity" segment.

When I had my Jetta wagon I liked to call it an EUV. Economical Utility Vehicle. 4 doors, wagon space, (some) towing capacity. Combined with good mpg (solid mid 40's with my heavy right foot) and a good cruising range (600 mile tanks easily--one winter I took my foot out of it and pulled off over 850 miles on a tank of fuel, but that was a bit extreme).

 

[aquariuscsm]

To me, the term suv gets tossed around way too much. The only true suv imo is a Suburban. All the others are station wagons. I relate the term “suv” as being something heavy duty/truck like, that you’d see working construction sites.

 

[IndyIan]

To me, the term suv gets tossed around way too much. The only true suv imo is a Suburban. All the others are station wagons. I relate the term “suv” as being something heavy duty/truck like, that you’d see working construction sites.

What's "sport" about a Suburban It's a UV.
I think maybe a Ford Raptor, WRX wagon, Holden Ute SS, Volvo V70R, Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, are sport utility vehicles

 

[Dave9]

These are generic terms that don't have a completely fixed meaning, and their application changes as vehicles become more integrated and feature sets change.

Today the primary thing that makes me distinguish them is that a CUV tends to have less rear storage area (less boxy rear end), often less ground clearance, is essentially a little bit lifted station wagon or hatchback, regardless of whether it has 4WD/AWD or not. In years past I would have considered a full frame to be the difference, but today there are unibody SUVs that are more like an SUV than a car, compared to the typical CUV. Same goes for pickup trucks, I'd still consider a Honda Ridgeline a pickup truck, even though I'd never want a unibody frame in the rust belt to haul anywhere near full weight rating.

 

[PimTac]

These are generic terms that don't have a completely fixed meaning, and their application changes as vehicles become more integrated and feature sets change.

This is true. I owned a Montero Sport. It wasn’t sporty in any sense but it was a great vehicle.


Toyota took a Corolla and gave it better ground clearance, put a hatch on it and called it the RAV4. RAV stands for Recreational Active Vehicle.

 

[Shel_B]

To me, the term suv gets tossed around way too much. The only true suv imo is a Suburban. All the others are station wagons. I relate the term “suv” as being something heavy duty/truck like, that you’d see working construction sites.

Toyota called the RAV4 an SUV:

https://www.toyota-global.com/compa...Industries Corporation," stands for "joyful."

 

[benjy]

minor differences as noted BUT they both cost more to buy + run than a hard to find station wagon that also handles better like the even cheaper sedans!!! go figure!!!!

 

[aquariuscsm]

What's "sport" about a Suburban It's a UV.

Good call!

 

[4WD]

What's "sport" about a Suburban It's a UV.
I think maybe a Ford Raptor, WRX wagon, Holden Ute SS, Volvo V70R, Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, are sport utility vehicles

It can carry a baseball ️ team

 

[D60]

This is like the 4wd / AWD debate - could last forever.

Traditionally when SUV's came out - they were built on truck chasis. They were thought of as heavy duty, but also for someone not wanting a truck, cumbersome and got poor mileage.

So manufacturers starting building them on car chasis - think Rav4 or CR-V. At that time they still called them SUV's but switched to CUV to make it synonymous with comfortable and efficient.

So for me CUV = car chasis and SUV = body on frame or truck type chassis.

But no one polices these categories so a manufacturer can call it whatever they like - like AWD / 4WD

I was going to say EXACTLY this. I have my opinions on AWD vs 4WD but there's no real standard.

Ok, I'm off to eat my all natural candy corn and drink my all natural Slushee ......

 

[LDB]

About $10,000?

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

The subject pretty much says it all other than it seems that the terms are often used interchangeably.

Marketing

 

[HoosierJeeper]

SUV: Tahoe, X5, Pilot, Durango etc.
CUV: Tiguan, CR-V, RAV4 etc.

Crossover: I would say Outback falls into it.

In the end, I think it comes down to how manufacturer wants to classify it. BMW classifies their X3,5 as SAV, Sport Activity Vehicle. And they are more capable than many body on frame SUV’s, towing and off roading wise.

BMWs SAVs are great vehicles (considering adding an X3 or X5 to the stable) but would not hold a candle to my Wrangler off road. Or even my Liberty, LR3 or Disco. No low range = can't go serious off road.

 

[edyvw]

BMWs SAVs are great vehicles (considering adding an X3 or X5 to the stable) but would not hold a candle to my Wrangler off road. Or even my Liberty, LR3 or Disco. No low range = can't go serious off road.

They won't, to those vehicles.
I did not specify any vehicle, but there is a lot of body-on-frame junk when it comes to off-road stuff, regardless that they might have low range.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

They won't, to those vehicles.
I did not specify any vehicle, but there is a lot of body-on-frame junk when it comes to off-road stuff, regardless that they might have low range.

True! I look at the new GM full sizers and don't see how those even need low range, with how low the body work is and suspensions that don't flex. I guess 4lo is probably more for towing a boat out of the water in those.

 

[andrew_j]

Lots of blurring across the two.

 

[DirectRejection]

My Corolla Cross is a
Sport Utility Vehicle.

Your thing is a
Cute Ute.

 

[edyvw]

True! I look at the new GM full sizers and don't see how those even need low range, with how low the body work is and suspensions that don't flex. I guess 4lo is probably more for towing a boat out of the water in those.

Also, BMW is evolution of Land Rover 4WD.
For automatic AWD, it does A LOT of stuff good. In my small 328 it even shifts by itself to track mode, 20/80%.

 

[DejaVue]

Height.
If I stand next to it and can see the top of the roof, it's a crossover.
If I stand next to it and can't see the top of the roof, it's an SUV.

If Wikipedia is to be believed, (it shouldn't), a Honda Pilot is a crossover not an SUV. Well I'm going to call it an SUV.

For the most part, if it's tall and looks like it can haul stuff, it's an SUV.
Other than that, it's probably a hatchback or a station wagon.
A hatchback with a lift kit is still a hatchback.

Other than on here and similar places, I don't hear anyone other than a marketing department say "CUV" or "crossover."