For many car experts, the difference between the two is simple: A Crossover is based on a car’s platform, while an SUV uses the chassis of a truck….yes a truck. The result is that Crossovers use “unibody” architecture, meaning the body and frame are one piece, while SUVs use a “body on frame” design. In that case, the body is built separately from the frame and placed together later.
While that definition is strictly true, it doesn’t always work in practice. For example, many SUV buyers refer to car-based, unibody vehicles as SUVs even though they are Crossovers by our definition.
The result is that the term “SUV” is often applied to both crossovers and SUVs. In the past, that was even more common. Before, “SUV” brought up negative associations with large size and poor fuel consumption. This is when many car manufacturers started using the term “Crossover” to describe a vehicle that was “Crossing over” from the practicality of an SUV to the drivability and fuel efficiency of a car.
