If you’re not in the automotive industry, you may not have had a good understanding of how and why SUVs and crossover cars are increasingly becoming the leading selling cars in the country. If you want to know  why SUVs and crossover cars are gaining popularity, this post will come in handy for you. First, let’s start with the difference between the two car types:

What Is the Difference between an SUV and a Crossover Car?

Previously, SUVs, otherwise called sports utility vehicles, used to be bigger cars manufactured primarily to move on tougher terrain or for towing smaller cars. Today, however, the situation has changed as manufacturers of SUVs are now focusing on styles, rather than the off-road practicality this type of vehicle used to offer.

This development of newer brands of SUVs became necessary, given the increasing demands of customers for smaller versions that are more affordable, and with better fuel economy. Eventually, this led to the medium-size SUV, and gradually to the small SUV,  which is also called the crossover.

So What Is a Crossover Car?

Crossovers are cars that combine the features of hatchbacks with those of SUV styling. Therefore, they come with increased ride height, better visibility and ease of access. The features also include: a relatively light weight, smaller sized as well as economical engines, and come in more affordable price ranges similar to those of hatchbacks.

Although crossovers may seem more bulky than a hatchback, the space they cover on the road is practically the same.

However, there are different sizes of crossover cars, whether it’s the family sized models or the smaller models. A few examples of crossover cars in these two categories are:

Some of the family sized models include:

1. Nissan Qashqai 
2. Seat Ateca
3. Peugeot 3008 
4. Mazda CX-5
5. Mini Countryman
6. BMW X1

Some of the smaller crossover models include:

1. Nissan Juke 
2. Renault Captur 
3. Vauxhall Mokka X
4. Citroen C3 Cactus 
5. Ssangyong Tivoli
6. Toyota C-HR
7. Ford Fiesta Active

Although most crossover cars on the market are front-wheel drive, the four-wheel versions are also available for the higher spec models. Depending on your choice, crossovers are available in both petrol and diesel engines. A diesel engine crossover may offer better fuel efficiency in case you will be covering lots of longer distances. Petrol engines are fast becoming efficient in recent times, making it unnecessary to invest more money in diesel models.