10 new crossovers worth waiting for

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Crossovers are proliferating like mosquitoes on a Louisiana marsh, with a multitude due or due for a refresh. Note: This list is not all-inclusive. We had to pick the ones that we think are cool or will be important in a ballooning market that's also grown more sensitive to both price and fuel economy. And we tossed in a few that may or may not be sold here but show where crossovers may be headed.

2013 BMW X1

When: late 2012

It's the least expensive 2013 BMW, period (but barely). The X1 is already out in other markets, and it's been a hit. No wonder: It's basically a shrunk-down X3 at a roughly $5,000 discount. Think 128i sedan with a hatch and more ground clearance and you've got the picture.

And guess what: It's really a BMW, complete with rear-wheel drive in the base model. Practically anything else for sale here that you could reasonably call a "crossover" defaults to front-wheel drive, which is far less sporty.

The RWD model gets BMW's workhorse 2.0-liter turbocharged four, here good for 241 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. You can get the 2-liter mated to AWD too. The optional motor (AWD only) is BMW's creamy-smooth inline six 3.0-liter, good for 300 hp and 300 lb-ft. With either engine, the transmission is an eight-speed auto.

Price: starts at $31,500

2013 Hyundai Santa Fe

When: The Sport is out shortly; the LWB debuts at the end of 2012.

A lot of carmakers lately are trying to cram third rows into the backs of crossovers that were originally designed for five passengers. Even if kids can fit back there, it's no fun, nor is extracting them from nosebleed-seat purgatory.

Hyundai, bucking that trend, will offer two Santa Fe models, the five-seat Santa Fe Sport and the LWB Santa Fe with seating for seven. And the latter doesn't just throw a third bench into the cargo hold. Hyundai actually stretched the wheelbase by 4 inches, adding more room to both the second and third rows. The new crossover is made of more high-strength steel, which cut some weight from the five-passenger and should result in better handling.

The five-passenger Santa Fe can be had with a 190-hp direct-injected 2.4-liter four, or the turbocharged 2.0-liter four with 264 hp. That's slightly less potent than the V-6 it replaces, but Hyundai is betting on a big improvement in fuel economy. The seven-seater big boy will be driven only by the 290-hp V-6 from the Hyundai Azera Sport. Yes, you can pair either model with AWD, but it costs more.

Price: starting at $25,275

2015 Ford Ecosport Crossover

When: globally in late 2012/early 2013. In the U.S.—who knows?

While it's doubtful the U.S. will see this tiny Ford in the next 18 months, it is waiting in the wings if gas prices start to edge back up again. But like Chevy's Trax, which will be sold worldwide but not domestically next year, this Fiesta-based crossover (which Ford sells with a few engine options including its new 1.0-liter, three-cylinder EcoBoost) could definitely make it here eventually. Some insiders say it's a "when," not an "if."

Price: NA

2014 Toyota RAV4

When: early 2013

One of the stalwarts of the crossover segment is overdue for a replacement. Toyota's last update of the RAV4 came as a light reskin in 2009. Expect the 2014 model to be a thorough refresh, especially to the sheet metal. The interior must improve; it looks cheap next to Hyundai's Tucson and Santa Fe, the Honda CR-V, and the 2013 Ford Escape. Toyota probably will keep the optional third row of seats, because, unlike Honda and Ford, the next logical step-up in size from Toyota (the Highlander) doesn't offer a heck of a lot more utility. That is one reason the RAV4 has done so well.

Toyota's likely to retain an EV edition, since they've got a good partnership going with Tesla on this front already. We'd expect both the 2.5-liter four and 3.5-liter V-6 to continue as volume models and for the four to gain more power. Both will almost certainly be mated to six-speed automatics to improve fuel economy. AWD will be optional, regardless of motor choice.

Price: $23,000