Crossover (automobile) - Origin

Origin

The crossover term was used as a market segment description and one of the reasons Chrysler purchased American Motors Corporation (AMC) in 1987. The automaker acquired the famous Jeep brand and vehicles from AMC to add to its successful minivans giving Chrysler a "solid position in the so-called 'crossover' market, which is somewhere 'between' cars and trucks and the fastest growing segment in the entire industry."

Some sources claim the term crossover began as a marketing term, and a 2008 CNNMoney article indicated that "many consumers cannot tell the difference between an SUV and a crossover." A January 2008 Wall Street Journal blog article called crossovers "wagons that look like sport utility vehicles but ride like cars."

While the term lacks a strict definition, and the crossover market segments have become sales leaders, the vehicles themselves are not an entirely new concept. Arguably, the Willys-Overland Jeepster convertible coupe could be the first crossover designed to appeal to people who might be turned off by the utilitarian qualities of other Jeep vehicles. A more direct crossover antecedent is the AMC Eagle, a vehicle that "pioneered the crossover SUV" category. As a precursor to today's models, AMC's "vehicles worked well and sold well" and the "surviving Eagles to look like the "early man" version of a CUV, sort of a missing link of the car world."

The market segment spans a wide range of vehicles. In some cases, manufacturers have marketed vehicles as crossovers simply to avoid calling them station wagons. And while some crossover vehicles released in the early-2000s resembled traditional SUVs or wagons, others have prioritized sportiness over utility—such as the Infiniti FX and BMW X6.

By 2006, the segment came into strong visibility in the U.S., when crossover sales "made up more than 50% of the overall SUV market." Sales increased in 2007 by 16%.

In the U.S., domestic manufacturers were slow to switch from their emphasis on light truck-based SUVs, and foreign automakers developed crossovers targeting the U.S. market, as an alternative to station wagons that are unpopular there. But by the 2010 model year, domestic automakers had quickly caught up. The segment has strong appeal to aging baby boomers.