Toyota basically invented the compact crossover with the first RAV4 in the mid-1990s, and it's still a popular choice in the segment.
Toyota basically invented the compact crossover with the first RAV4 in the mid-1990s, and it's still a popular choice in the segment.
10 years ago, crossovers didn’t exist. Either you bought a hatchback or squeezed the family into a compact. Or, alternatively, if you had the money, you bought an actual SUV, which probably turned out to be prohibitively expensive to run and caused indignant complaints in multi-storey car parks.
Now, crossovers – also known as compact SUVs – are everywhere. From Citroën to ŠKODA, they’re flooding the market, so if you’re on the hunt for a practical family car, you’ve probably come across several pumped-up models that make your average compact car look like the weediest guy at the gym.
Yet crossovers aren’t as big as they might first appear. Crossovers fall into the C-segment category of cars, which essentially means that they’re small cars. However, by cleverly combining the styling and raised platform of an SUV with the fuel-efficient engines and city-friendly length of superminis, manufacturers have hit upon an ideal middle ground for families.
Borrowing the muscle and height of a utility vehicle, crossovers add extra interior and boot space without being bulky to manoeuvre. And because they usually come equipped with economical 1.2- or 1.4-litre engines, they’re also cheaper and more environmentally friendly to run, with the added advantage that you can drop off at the school gates without needing a Wide Load police escort.
Design-wise, crossovers can also be a lot of fun. Gone are the uniform ‘Chelsea tractors’ of the 90s, those status symbol family SUVs which clogged the road like armoured tanks. Now you can get the elevated superiority of an SUV while also showing off your individuality. Take the lightweight but bold Citroën C4 Cactus, which boasts trademark airbumps and customisation options, or the MINI Countryman, a beefed-up version of the British icon that will make everyone look twice.
Crossovers are pretty impressive inside, too. The Renault Captur’s boot comes in at a roomy 455 litres, and many crossovers pride themselves on their comfortable, ergonomically designed interiors, with clever storage solutions as standard. Add the prevailing trend for smartphone connectivity and touchscreen technology, and you’ll be able to say goodbye to cries of ‘are we there yet?’ and simply enjoy the drive.
So if you like the idea of a good-looking, economical small car with the practicality of a family hatchback and the visibility of an SUV, a crossover could be for you. And with crossover sales accounting for 88% of the market in the UK last year, you probably won’t be alone in your decision.
