What is a crossover SUV?

Car terms can be confusing, and to add to that, they also tend to evolve and change over time. Among sport utility vehicles (SUVs), you have several footprints that range from subcompact to full-size, two-row, three-row, and don't even get us started with "coupe-like" SUVs. One term you hear that may seem a bit nebulous is "crossover" or "crossover SUV," sometimes shortened to "CUV."

So what exactly is a crossover, and what sets it apart from traditional SUVs? Crossovers use a unibody platform, while traditional SUVs are body-on-frame.

Many early SUVs, such as the Toyota 4Runner, were built on existing pickup truck platforms. These platforms, known as body-on-frame, start with a sturdy ladder frame to which the engine, drivetrain and suspension are bolted. The passenger compartment and body are then affixed to the frame. As SUVs exploded in popularity, carmakers made the shift away from body-on-frame truck bases to unibody construction, which has been the norm for passenger cars for decades. There are still several body-on-frame SUVs still being produced, including the Cadillac Escalade, related Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe, Jeep Wagoneer and Wrangler, Toyota Sequoia, Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator.

The Toyota 4Runner is a body-on-frame SUV.