In the late 1980s and early 1990s it became the trend to buy sports utility vehicles. Many families bought a sports utility vehicle (SUV) as a means of transportation that could seat their entire family, without being a minivan. Vehicle manufacturers saw this trend and in recent years are offering another option with many of the same attributes that made these sports utility vehicles popular but that are more efficient. A crossover utility vehicle (CUV) is an energy-efficient alternative to a sports utility vehicle and offers improved design and luxury features as well as superior performance and handling.
The features of sports utility vehicles are what helped build their popularity. A full-size sports utility vehicle is built on a light-truck chassis with the passenger carrying space of a minivan. According to Wikipedia’s “sports utility vehicle” article, most SUVs are built like a station wagon, “with a square cross-section, an engine compartment, a combined passenger and cargo compartment, and no dedicated trunk” (par.5). Many of these vehicles offer three rows of seating and ample cargo space. This design has been attractive to many buyers, but the size of an SUV is unnecessary to most consumers in an urban or suburban location.
Instead of buying an SUV, many buyers have recently been attracted to crossovers. Crossover vehicles have become more fashionable in the last decade as consumers have realized they can find many of the same design features in a lighter weight and therefore more fuel-efficient vehicle. Crossover vehicles are built on a car chassis while borrowing the popular features of an SUV, including tall interior, ergonomically correct H-point (hip-point) seating, and high ground clearance (Wikipedia). Unlike the bulky SUVs, crossovers are styled to appeal to people looking for a sporty, active lifestyle vehicle. While keeping a sleek, aerodynamic design, crossovers are also roomy and versatile on the inside, with ample space for cargo. Many models even offer adjustable seating arrangements to allow for various types of cargo.
Many purchases of SUVs are due to the fact these vehicles are known for their power. Most of these all-terrain vehicles have a V8 engine and the towing capacity of a pickup truck, but this is feature unused by most owners. Consumers are also attracted to a sports utility vehicle because of their advertised off-road capability, but in reality, this is not designed to be the primary use of these automobiles.
Crossover utility vehicles have equal or better acceleration and performance over similar sized SUVs. In fact, CUVs typical V-6 engines are so powerful, that most can keep up with sports cars in the 0-60 sprints. In addition to the speed of a sports car, the CUV is known for having car-like handling with a much smaller turn radius than a SUV.
Most SUVs come equipped with a truck-sourced four wheel drive (4WD) system, but typically operate in two wheel drive most of the time, so this means that the engine’s power is going to rear wheel only unless the 4WD is engaged. When 4WD is not engaged, an SUV is essentially carting around many pounds of extra weight, thus leading to a higher gas bill. Not only that, but if 4WD is engaged on dry, paved roads it may even lead to damage of the vehicle, which it turn could cause higher bill for maintenance.
Built on a car platform, crossovers are designed for urban and suburban driving with some light off-road capability. Unlike an SUV, a crossover vehicle comes with all wheel drive, which means that the car’s computer is “always on,” automatically routing power to the wheels with the most traction. Not only does this make more sense to have all-wheel drive for traction, but this allows for better fuel efficiency as 4WD burns through more gas per gallon.
In addition to 4WD, SUVs have numerous fuel-inefficient features. The popularity of SUVs is generally thought of as one reason the U.S. population has consumed so much gasoline in the last decade. SUVs are, as a class, much less full efficient than comparable passenger vehicles. “The main reason is that SUVs are classified by the U.S. government as light trucks, and thus are subject to the less strict light truck standard under the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations. The CAFE requirement for light trucks is an average of 20.7 mpg (US), versus 27.5 mpg (US) for passenger cars” (“Sport Utility Vehicle, par. 8). Contributing factors to the fuel inefficiency of SUVs include the wind resistance caused by their large frame and the vehicle weight due to heavier suspensions and larger engines.
In contrast, the inefficient SUV is being displaced by the more efficient crossover vehicle. The smaller frame on a crossover allows for a more aerodynamic design, thus decreasing the wind resistance. Crossovers car style frame with less weight also contributes to the efficiency of these style vehicles.
Many families need a vehicle that seats multiple passengers plus cargo. The crossover is a style of vehicle that is offered by most automobile manufacturers and can fulfill this need for families with its SUV design features, while also offering excellent performance and handling. The largest selling factor is the fuel-efficiency of crossovers which will allow its owners to have a luxury vehicle that helps build an environmentally conscientious society.
Works Cited
Sports Utility Vehicle. 20 Jan. 2009. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport_utility_vehicle
Crossover Utility Vehicle. 20 Jan. 2009. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossover_(automobile)
No comments:
Post a Comment