Let’s get this straight right off the bat– What The Hell Is A Crossover? Well, many of you tell me: I want a new car. I want to be up high; but I don’t want it to be too big; plus I want great mileage. Oh and make it pretty! These are all valid concerns. Our appetites for enormous SUVs are waning, but at the same time, given the prevalence of trucks and SUVs on the road, it’s really hard to drive anything that’s low to the ground without feeling vulnerable. It’s like being a kid at your parent’s cocktail party, just waiting for someone to spill their drink/ drop a cigarette or drip fondue on your head (my childhood, in a nutshell). But thanks to the new wave of Crossover SUVs you can have your smooth ride without getting any cheese in your hair. Hooray!
The latest segment to take off is the Compact Crossover. So these are a bit smaller, more fuel efficient and a breeze to park. I’ve picked three of these that I LOVE to share with you. They’ve all been either Costco, Target or Trader Joe’s tested by yours truly. My reasons for embracing each are very different so check them out and see which is right for you:
- The Volvo XC40
(Cue sexy music) I know. I talk about you a lot. It’s like we have a thing, a connection, a bond. I’ve made videos (watch here), social posts, and other articles to tell the world how much I love you. And who can blame me? You drive really well, look great and feel so, so incredibly luxurious. All for $33,200. It’s ridiculous. You should be ashamed of yourself! Oh and remember that time we did that light off-roading together? You handled that park-ranger chase like a boss:
This car is great for groovy grandparents, a lucky but grounded teen or an ambitious recent grad. It could work well also for a small family particularly in an urban setting (I’m talking to you, gorgeous gay guys with your adorable rescue dogs).
- The VW Tiguan
This is a vehicle that gets overlooked a lot, which is a shame. Like the Volvo, this Tiguan feels more upscale than it should at its price point ($24k). But where the Tiguan gets crazy is when you figure out that it can now COME WITH A THIRD ROW.
Nope, that’s not a typo. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Is it a use-every-day-cuz-you’ve-got-six-screaming-brats kind of third row? Nope. It’s a yes-you-can-bring-a-friend-or-three kind of third row and it’s great. I like to match it with the smart, busy mom or the weekend warrior dad. (How does it have a 3rd row and remain a Compact Crossover? I dunno! It’s probably just German magic– like beer or bratwurst.)
- The Nissan Kicks
The Kicks is the most compact of these crossovers and certainly the most cost-effective. Are you ready? It starts under $18k—which is insane. That’s basically the same price as buying a Starbucks grande latte every day for 10 years. You’d think with a price tag like that it’d drive like a 4 wheeled Vespa. But it doesn’t. It’s light, nimble and will make a recent college grad really happy as well as the perfect getaway vehicle for an urban couple.
So there you have it. If you’ve recently bought any of these cars– ping me on Twitter, FB or Insta, I’d love to hear how you like them. Now, remember, I don’t drive everything. So a few others you may want to consider are the Mazda CX-5 (people love them), the Honda CR-V (the new styling is great) and the BMW X1 is very popular. My friend, Dave Kunz, did a segment recently on this category which may also be helpful. https://abc7.com/automotive/demand-for-crossover-suvs-continues-to-grow/3851328/