What is a crossover?

In short, a crossover is a type of car that combines elements of hatchback and SUV. It’s a fairly recent term that appeared some time in the noughties and has its roots in the US.

There are lots of different definitions, but the general consensus is that a crossover sits slightly higher off the ground than a conventional hatchback and has a ‘tougher’ look, without being as rugged as an SUV. A crossover generally costs a bit less than an equivalent SUV, too, and is less likely to have four-wheel drive. There are nuances, however, as we’ll get to in a moment…

What does crossover mean?

In wider terms, the word ‘crossover’ has a number of meanings. Depending on which dictionary you consult, you’ll find things like ‘change from one form to another’ or ‘a mixture of different types’. You can see how both of these could be applied to crossover cars.

What are the advantages of a crossover?

It’s easy to see the appeal of crossovers since they essentially combine the benefits of hatchback and SUV cars. The advantages of a crossover include:

• More distinctive looks than many hatchbacks
• Slightly elevated driving position
• Lower costs (usually) than an SUV
• More agile on the road than a tall, heavy SUV

What are the disadvantages of a crossover?

While crossovers offer a great compromise, they might not be right for everyone. The disadvantages of a crossover include:

• Driving position isn’t as commanding as an SUV’s
• Less likely to be available with four-wheel drive
• Likely to cost more to own than a hatchback
• Some offer little extra interior space over a hatchback

What’s the difference between a crossover and an SUV?

Ah yes, the big question. What is the difference between a crossover and an SUV exactly? Well, sometimes the answer is ‘not much’. So let’s break it down a bit. 

First off, what does SUV mean? It stands for Sports Utility Vehicle and it’s generally used to describe cars that we might once have called a 4x4. As cars have evolved, however, lots of SUVS are really little more than beefed-up hatchbacks. And although some have four-wheel drive, many don’t. By comparison, a crossover is even less likely to have four-wheel drive than an SUV and is usually lower and even more hatchback-like.

Hatchback vs crossover vs SUV: an example

Ok, here’s a great example of the difference between a hatchback, a crossover and an SUV. Our pics show three popular models  – all a similar length and width and all made by Kia.

Kia Ceed (Hatchback)

Kia XCeed (Crossover)

Kia Sportage (SUV)

At the top (orange car) is the Kia Ceed, a conventional mid-size hatchback. In the middle is the Kia XCeed (blue car), a crossover. It’s based on the Ceed and has a similar shape, but it sits slightly higher off the ground and has extra black trim around the wheels and doors, and on the roof. At the bottom is the Kia Sportage (grey car), the brand’s popular mid-size SUV. It’s about the same height off the ground as the XCeed but it’s a lot taller and chunkier overall. 

Helpfully, Kia categorises each model on its website: the Ceed is listed as a hatchback, the XCeed is a crossover and the Sportage is an SUV.

Do all car brands use the term ‘crossover’?

Some car brands use the word crossover and others don’t. Kia does, as we’ve seen. Nissan uses the term too, for its hugely popular Juke and Qashqai models. Even though most people would call the Qashqai an SUV…

Ford and Volkswagen don’t use the term crossover, preferring to stick with SUV. So even though most people would refer to the comparatively small, low Ford Puma as a crossover, it's officially an SUV. Likewise the Volkswagen Taigo, which is very similar in character to the Kia XCeed, is categorised as an SUV by Volkswagen. 

So you can see that there’s a lot of, ahem, crossover.

Are all crossovers small?

Not all crossovers are small. The Kia EV6, for example, fits most peoples’ definition of a crossover. And yet it's longer and wider than the Kia Sportage SUV we looked at just now, and sits a similar height off the ground.

Do crossovers have four-wheel drive?

Some crossovers have four-wheel drive, but many don’t. The Kia XCeed, for example, isn’t available with four-wheel drive but the Mercedes-Benz GLA – a very similar-looking car – is. 

And, as we’ve already mentioned, not all SUVs have four-wheel drive either. As a rule, however, SUVs are more likely to have four-wheel drive as standard, or available as an option, than crossovers.

What types of crossover are there?

The crossover is a fairly specific type of car, so there aren’t that many different types as such. There are smaller and larger ones, of course, and cheaper and more expensive ones. There’s some variation in shape, too – some crossovers have a conventional boxy shape, whereas others are much sleeker.

Take a look at these two cars, for example. The tiny Toyota Aygo X (top) is effectively a cross between a city car and a chunky SUV. It’s one of the smallest cars in the UK and has a starting price of just over £16,000 when new. And it’s a crossover. In fact, Toyota says the name is pronounced ‘Aygo Cross’.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Peugeot 408 (bottom) is longer than most family hatchbacks, has the side profile of a coupe and high-end versions cost almost £45,000. But it fits the description of a crossover, too.

What are some popular crossover cars?

It’s safe to say the crossover is a popular type of car. The best-selling new car in the UK in 2024 was the Ford Puma, which we’ve already established could be classified as a crossover. The Nissan Juke, Nissan Qashqai and Tesla Model Y – all arguably crossovers – came in at numbers three, four and five respectively. 

Other popular crossover models include the Kia Niro, Hyundai Kona, Volkswagen T-Roc and Toyota Yaris Cross.