In the greater scheme of things, crossovers have not been part of the South African motoring landscape for very long, but they are now some of the most sought-after models in the new vehicle market. But what exactly makes a crossover, a crossover? This article, brought to you by motus.cars, sheds some light on the matter…

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motus.cars, supported by Motus Toyota (previously Imperial Select), describescrossovers assmall to medium-sized vehicles that offer increased ground clearance, but which are based on passenger-car underpinnings.

In fact, the easiest way to distinguish a crossover from other compact cars on the market (such as hatchbacks and sedans, for example) is that crossovers, despite their smaller footprints on the road, have purposely tall, blocky styling, are often adorned with chunky bumpers and black or grey side-cladding and, oh, they all have tailgates… Why? Purely for the sake that they can resemble “baby SUVs”.

Best of both worlds

For decades, an increasing number of consumers developed a predilection for driving high-riding SUVs or double-cab bakkies that utilise ladder-frame chassis. They quickly learnt to appreciate SUVs’ commanding perched driving position and the “sensation of safety” created by having additional ride height, as well as the extra practicality afforded by the vehicles’ roomy interiors. However, such “old-school” SUVs tend to have high centres of gravity, which compromises handling dynamics and – ultimately – safety, they are cumbersome/difficult to manoeuvre in town and not particularly fuel-efficient. In short, they’re anything but ideal family cars for city dwellers.

Crossovers, however, offer the best of both worlds, because they are based on the monocoque design that is common to most modern passenger vehicles. They resemble SUVs in terms of appearance and have moderately raised ride heights and spacious cabins by virtue of clever packaging, but, unlike ladder-frame-based vehicles, they are wieldy and comfortable to drive, powered by efficient powertrains and fitted with the latest safety features.

In other words, they offer many of the traditional SUV’s benefits without any of the drawbacks…

Increased ground clearance affords crossovers the ability to traverse gravel roads and, in combination with higher-profile tyres, makes them a popular choice in South Africa, where the quality of our road network is not always ideal, to say the least. This higher stance also means a commanding driving position, which has proven safety benefits such as offering a better view of the traffic and your surroundings.

The benefits of increased ground clearance and a higher stance are well known, and crossovers are able to offer these while still retaining the handling characteristics of a passenger vehicle.

Crossover vehicles tend to be exclusively two-wheel-drive (with the exception of the Subaru XV) and are usually front-wheel driven like the passenger cars (mostly compact hatchbacks) that they are based on. This sets them apart from the aforementioned ladder-frame SUVs and double-cab bakkies, many of which are four-wheel drive. This configuration gives crossovers an advantage of weight and, therefore, better fuel consumption.

As crossovers are often based on hatchbacks, they offer comparable loading practicality insofar as the rear seatback can be folded down to create utility space for luggage or leisure items like bicycles and surfboards.

The more affordable end of the small crossover market (below or just abovethe R300 000 mark) features models such as the Hyundai Venue,Kia Sonet,Haval Jolion,Honda WR-V, Mahindra XUV300,Nissan Magnite,Renault Kigerand theSuzuki Vitara Brezza/Toyota Urban Cruisertwins. See also:8 Cheapest Compact SUVs Under R300k

The next level of crossover is slightly bigger than the budget offerings – vehicles in this category are known as compact family cars;examples of such models include the Citroen C3 Aircross, Ford EcoSport, Haval H6, Honda HR-V,Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Peugeot 2008, Renault Duster,Suzuki Vitara,Volkswagen T-Crossand the upcoming Toyota Corolla Cross, to name a few examples.

And, for those who really want to make a style statement, there are a number of boutique crossovers on the market, which are about the same size as the aforementioned compact family cars, but have a premium position in terms of pricing. Vehicles such as these favour style over outright practicality and here are a few examples: Audi Q2, BMW X2,Hyundai Kona, Mazda CX-30,Mini Countryman, Subaru XV, Toyota C-HR,Volkswagen T-RocandVolvo XC40.

Crossovers are usually offered with service plans ranging from 3- to 5 years, and with manufacturer warranties of up to 5 years (or 7-years/200 000 km, in the case of Hyundai’s drivetrainwarranty).

Browse motus.cars‘ range of quality, Motus-certified new, used and demo crossover vehicles for sale here.

If you would like to get your car valued as a trade-in, why not book a test drive, or enquire about your new dream car onmotus.carsand get your current car valued at the same time!

Make use of free tools available to further help you decide what the best vehicle finance option is for you. Use these simpleaffordabilityandfinancecalculators to help you determine what you can afford and what finance option will be best for your needs.

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