Multiple terms are used to define the category in which a car comes under. Hatchback, sedan, SUV, and crossover are just some of the commonly known ones. Out of these, the two categories of automobiles that confuse several people are SUV and crossover. The confusion is even greater since the latter is an offshoot of the former and has many similar properties. SUV, which stands for Sports Utility Vehicle, is more rugged as compared to crossovers, and the major differences are in terms of size, form, and performance.

Let us understand more about SUVs and crossovers, taking into account the major differences between them.

• Frame and construction

A crossover is usually built in a single piece, which is also known as unibody construction. This is done so that the car achieves better ride quality and also gets a higher fuel economy since the vehicle is lighter. SUVs, on the other hand, use a design type, which is known as a frame on body design. This means that the frame of an SUV and its body are built separately and then they are put together during manufacturing. This is done because SUVs are meant to be more rugged and more suitable for different terrains as compared to crossovers. If you so decide, you can tow using an SUV as well as a crossover. However, you must know that an SUV is more suited for the purpose.

• Size

While both cars can come in all sizes and there is no rule to be followed here, SUVs tend to be larger than crossovers since they are meant to tread in different terrains. There are categories in SUVs, which are full-sized and mid-sized. For crossovers, the sizes will be either sub-compact or full-sized. Crossovers are usually smaller in size and will be referred by manufacturers as small-sized SUVs when they are talking about the size.

• Design

This factor is usually one of the major differences between an SUV and a crossover. The design of SUVs is more rugged and better suited for off-roading and driving in multiple terrains. However, a crossover, which is more often than not a cross between sedan and SUV is meant for city driving. The size is small, and this is needed to complement the overall design of the car. Thus, some of the popular SUVs like Jeep Wrangler, Land Rover, and Toyota Land Cruiser are cars that are more suited for a trip to the mountains than everyday city driving, which is also evident from their design. However, cars like Range Rover Evoque and Audi Q3 have a chic design, which impresses even on city roads.

All points considered, while an SUV and a crossover differ on various counts, it is not necessary that the two cars have to follow a certain pattern, except for one. While listing the major differences between SUVs and crossovers, as mentioned, one key distinguishing point is of a crossover being a unibody, while SUV has a body on frame construction. You must know that car manufacturers stick to this rule. You can also differentiate a crossover from an SUV looking at the sturdiness of the vehicle and its size.