Skip to main content

Suburban growth and the crossover boom: Why CUVs are here to stay

The year is 2015 and the crossover is king. A class defined by its aim to be several things at once is more popular than ever before, in fact it overtook the sedan last year as the most purchased body style in the United States. And with the space of an SUV, the price of a family car, and the fuel economy of a coupe, that should come as no surprise. What more could you want?

As the segment continues to skyrocket and unlikely brands like Aston Martin and Lotus mull over CUV entries, we’d like to take a short look back at what made these automotive half-breeds so desirable in the first place. For clarity, we’re categorizing crossovers as small, SUV-like vehicles built on car platforms, examples of which you can see in the gallery above. For more on the difference between full-fledged SUVs and crossovers, check out our in-depth breakdown here.

A star is born

Though the term “crossover” wasn’t applied to automobiles until about the turn of century — the product of marketing firms and members of the media — vehicles with the same basic layout appeared much earlier. Subaru introduced the four-wheel drive DL station wagon in 1974, which could “climb like a goat, work like a horse, and eat like a bird,” according to the ads. Sound like a crossover to you? Five years later, AMC partnered with Jeep to create the Eagle, a high-riding hodgepodge that laid the groundwork for the CUVs of today.

AMC Eagle
The AMC Eagle was among the first wave of crossovers in the U.S. Image used with permission by copyright holder

As disco came and went and the Berlin wall fell, crossovers began to morph into something closer to what we see on the roads today. One of the best known examples is the Honda CR-V, which debuted in 1997. The CR-V could fit the whole family, offered all-wheel drive, and boasted a generous (for the time) 8.1 inches of ground clearance, yet it was based on a Civic platform and returned up to 23 mpg. Crossovers were officially in, and as they say, the rest is history.

Rockin’ the suburbs

The proliferation of CUVs has been widely influenced by increased suburban growth. Despite what sitcoms and advertisements will tell you, more Americans are leaving the city for quieter, cheaper pastures than entering it, as evidenced by U.S. Census data. In 2014, 529,000 Americans aged 25 to 29 (a crossover’s target audience) moved to the ‘burbs from the city, while 426,000 did the opposite. For younger people, the anti-metropolitan trend was even more pronounced, with 721,000 leaving and 554,000 coming.

Tesla Model X
Tesla Model X Image used with permission by copyright holder

Obviously, movements like these have a direct impact of the types of products and services companies offer. Suburbanites need the room of an SUV to haul their kids and their sports equipment across town, but want good fuel economy while doing it. They need ground clearance and towing for the occasional camping trip, but want something easy to drive and park, all while remaining comfortable and somewhat rousing. CUVs generally meet all these criteria, which is why 36.5 percent of the market was claimed by crossovers last year. Fertility rates are actually (slightly) rising in the U.S. right now, so if you add in the current migration trends, these automotive amalgamations probably aren’t going anywhere.

As with every other vehicle segment though, crossovers will have to evolve to survive. Electric interpretations like the Tesla Model X could push the class in an entirely new direction, and with potential competition coming from Audi and Mercedes-Benz, the next wave of CUVs could very well be battery-powered.

The big picture

Ok, so crossovers aren’t the most exciting cars in the world. Your palms probably don’t get sweaty every time you see a Ford Edge, and the Chevy Trax probably won’t be the star of too many bedroom posters. That being said, these vehicles put a ton of cash into automakers’ wallets, meaning there’s more to spend on eye-popping concepts and tire-shredding sports cars. Do you like the new Porsche Cayman GT4 Club Sport? Direct some gratitude toward the Macan crossover, Porsche’s second best-seller behind the Cayenne SUV. Because without daily drivers like these, there’d be far fewer weekend warriors.

Andrew Hard
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…
Robotaxi aside, a $25,000 EV would be pointless, Tesla CEO says
Blue Tesla Model 3 Highland on the road

Enthusiasts expecting to one day put their hands on the steering wheel of a $25,000 Tesla EV may feel like they’ve been taken for a ride.
CEO Elon Musk has just put a serious damper on those expectations, saying that outside of the driverless Robotaxi recently unveiled by Tesla, a regular $25,000 model would be “pointless” and “silly.”
During a conference call with investors, Musk was asked to clarify whether such a model was in the works.
"Basically, having a regular $25K model is pointless,” Musk said. “It would be silly. It would be completely at odds with what we believe." Tesla, Musk continued, has “been very clear that the future is autonomous.”
On October 10, Tesla unveiled its much-awaited robotaxi, called the Cybercab, an autonomous-driving EV with no steering wheel or pedals. The company also unveiled the Robovan, a much larger autonomous vehicle expected to carry people or goods.
The automaker said the Cybercab is expected to be produced in 2026 and cost $30,000. Musk, meanwhile, said that it would be a $25,000 car without specifying if that price tag included federal tax credits.
Tesla’s ambiguity about an affordable entry-level model has been going on for years. In 2020, Musk signaled that a $25,000 Tesla would arrive within three years. It was later reported that Tesla had ditched the idea, instead favoring the development of a robotaxi.
Language within Tesla’s latest financial report still hints that new affordable Tesla models are on the way. But Musk’s latest comments are putting a floor on just how affordable these would be. So far, Tesla’s Model 3 Rear-Wheel-Drive remains the company’s cheapest model, with a base price of $38,990.
Some rival EV makers, meanwhile, are entering the affordable space more aggressively in the U.S.
General Motors has already put out its Chevy Equinox EV at a price of $27,500, including federal tax credits. Volkswagen America says it plans to release an under-$35,000 EV in the U.S. by 2027.

Read more
Stellantis’ 2027 Dodge Charger Daytona might feature solid-state battery tech
Front three quarter view of the 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona sedan.

The battle to use cheaper, more efficient, and safer EV batteries is heating up among automakers. At the heart of this battle, the development of solid-state battery technology, an alternative to highly flammable and costly lithium batteries, is garnering more and more attention.For proof, Stellantis, the world’s fourth-largest automaker, is betting on the technology for its next generation of electric vehicles. The Netherlands-based company announced that it will launch a demonstration fleet of Dodge Charger Daytona EVs that will feature solid-state battery tech made by U.S. startup Factorial.The demo fleet, expected to launch by 2026, will provide a real-world assessment of Factorial’s technology. Factorial has been partnering with Stellantis since 2021 and is also partnering with the likes of Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai.Besides Dodge, the technology would eventually be deployed on the Stellantis STLA Large multi-energy platform, which includes brands such as Jeep, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo, and Maserati.Stellantis said that the integration of solid-state battery technology will yield “improved performance, longer driving ranges, and faster charging times in the coming years.”Factorial, meanwhile, says its technology provides higher energy density, reduced weight, improved performance, and the potential for further reduction in total vehicle cost over time. Stellantis, Daimler, and Hyundai aren’t the only ones to bet on solid-state battery tech. Toyota, the largest automaker in the world, has heavily invested in the technology. It also created a coalition with Nissan and Panasonic to boost its production in Japan. So far, making solid-state batteries has remained an expensive endeavor. But steps such as the Stellantis demo fleet and production at scale by the likes of Factorial are expected to improve manufacturing processes and costs over time.Other automakers, meanwhile, are working on ways to improve lithium batteries. Volkswagen, for one, is developing its own unified battery cell in several European plants as well as one plant in Ontario, Canada.

Read more
Costco partners with Electric Era to bring back EV charging in the U.S.
costco ev charging us electricera fast station 1260x945

Costco, known for its discount gas stations, has left EV drivers in need of juicing up out in the cold for the past 12 years. But that seems about to change now that the big-box retailer is putting its brand name on a DC fast-charging station in Ridgefield, Washington.
After being one of the early pioneers of EV charging in the 1990s, Costco abandoned the offering in 2012 in the U.S.
While opening just one station may seem like a timid move, the speed at which the station was installed -- just seven weeks -- could indicate big plans going forward.
Besides lightening-speed installation, Electric Era, the Seattle-based company making and installing the charging station, promises to offer “hyper-reliable, battery-backed fast charging technology in grid-constrained locations.”
Its stalls can deliver up to 200 kilowatts and come with built-in battery storage, allowing for lower electricity rates and the ability to remain operational even when power grids go down.
If that sounds like it could very well rival Tesla’s SuperCharger network, it’s no coincidence: Quincy Lee, its CEO, is a former SpaceX engineer.
Costco also seems confident enough in the company to have put its brand name on the EV-charging station. Last year, the wholesaler did open a pilot station in Denver, this time partnering with Electrify America, the largest charging network in the U.S. However, Costco did not put its brand name on it.
In an interview with Green Car Reports, Electric Era said it was still in talks with Costco about the opening of new locations. Last year, Costco said it was planning to install fast chargers at 20 locations, without providing further details. It has maintained EV-charging operations in Canada, the UK, Spain, and South Korea.
Meanwhile, the wholesaler’s U.S. EV-charging plans might very well resemble those of rival Walmart, which last year announced it was building its own EV fast-charging network in addition to the arrangements it already had with Electrify America.

Read more