subject: The Crossover vehicle takes over… [print this page] So, it all started with the launch of the new Nissan Qashqai. It was a new form of vehicle that combined elements of an SUV with elements of a traditional hatchback and ever since many other car manufacturers have followed
So, what is a Crossover?
The majority of Crossover styling' is taken from SUVs. Crossovers possess sporty looks, large front grilles and a high driving position. They also often feature all-wheel drive capacity but have the handling of a hatchback. They are easy to drive and not too big so that they're difficult to park.
They are also far more affordable than a traditional SUV and ever since their launch their popularity has grown enormously.
In fact, these cars have proved to be so popular amongst the British public that Nissan have launched a whole family' of crossovers. The Qashqai was the original, then came the Qashqai + 2, then the Nissan Murano and more recently they launched the smallest of all their crossover cars the Nissan Juke. The Juke is similar to the Qashqai, but its smaller size and lower price mean that Nissan are targeting this particular model to a younger audience.
Other manufacturers have also launched their version of the crossover, these include; the Peugeot 3008, which won the What Car Car of the Year' award and more recently, the Mitsubishi ASX.
The Mitsubishi ASX is a compact crossover which boats to be fuel efficient, sophisticated and fun to drive.
These cars are taking the UK car market by storm so no doubt you'll be seeing far more model launches over the coming months
Lucy Penn is an online marketing executive currently researching the Mitsubishi ASX York
