All-wheel drive crossovers: car rating, specifications

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:41

Cars around the world are subject to increasingly stringent requirements. It is necessary that the car be fast, comfortable, highly technical and, of course, economical in cost and maintenance. Among the well-known classes, all-wheel drive crossovers are gaining more and more popularity. Every well-known car company has one or more representatives of this species. In this article, we will consider cars of a popular class that stand out from the general list.

And for starters, it's worth remembering what kind of car is hidden under the name "crossover". One of the meanings of the English crossover is "transition". And this definition very accurately reflects the real state of affairs. Indeed, in fact, a crossover is the appearance of an SUV on a passenger chassis. Increased clearance and often the presence of all-wheel drive can be misleading about the car's patency. So this is still a cross-country vehicle, not intended for off-road. Its other name - "parquet" SUV, or "SUV" - is even clearerdescribes the car. Yes, it is much more convenient to overcome urban snowdrifts and ride comfortably on a good dirt road, but no more.

Rating of all-wheel drive crossovers

Among the cars bearing the sonorous name "all-wheel drive crossovers", there are quite a few representatives. The easiest way to subdivide them is by actual size:

• to miniature;
• compact size;
• medium;
• large.

Among the popular "babies" the legendary Mini Cooper always stands out. And if the atypical appearance, reflecting the image of the prototype, does not always make an impression, then it is worth taking a ride on it - and everything changes. In addition to him, famous minis include Nissan Juke, Audi Q2 and Suzuki SX4.

Compact size crossovers are the vast majority. There are both eminent Germans - BMW X1 and X3, Volkswagen Tiguan, Audi Q3 and Q5, Mercedes GLS and Skoda Yeti, as well as representatives of the Korean and Japanese side. Light and beautiful Subaru XV and Forester, Suzuki Grand Vitara, Nissan X-Trail and Qashqai, Mitsubishi ASX and, of course, Toyota Rav4. A separate group lined up French crossovers led by Renault Duster.

Mid-size crossovers look even more representative. There are famous Kia Sorento and Hyandai Santa Fe, BMW X5, Nissan Murano, Volkswagen Touareg, Porsche Cayenne. There are models that are not well-known - Bentley Bentayga - a prestigious and bright representative of the crossover family.

Among the "giants" it is worth noting NissanPathfinder, Audi Q7 and Mazda CX-9. They are all crossovers all-wheel drive. Automatic or mechanic stands as a control, the manufacturer determines the plant.

Russian crossover "Lada Niva"

Among Russian representatives of crossovers, VAZ-2121 confidently takes the first place. This classic model in 3-door and extended 5-door versions has been produced since the 70s without any significant changes! The main advantage of the Niva is the combination of excellent passable qualities with cost. The simplest equipment of a Lada 44 car will cost only 330 thousand rubles, or 5.5 thousand dollars at the January exchange rate.

If you look at the technical capabilities of the VAZ-2121, it becomes clear where she gets such people's love from. The car, in addition to permanent all-wheel drive, has a full-fledged transfer case with a reduction in speed. In addition, there is the possibility of mechanical locking of the center differential. In practice, it's even better. The balanced dimensions of the car allow you to drive where not every UAZ dares. This is a truly reliable all-wheel drive crossover for a ridiculous price.

Recently, there has been a trend to modernize your favorite car. Niva with the Urban prefix acquired new plastic bumpers, new upholstery, as well as air conditioning and power windows. As it became known, these are only the first steps, and the legendary car is waiting for a complete rebirth in the Niva-3. They promise a complete change in the body, engine, steering mechanisms and even the chassis. The most important,that AvtoVAZ wants to keep the attractive price tag of Lada 44. Indeed, at the moment, the classic Niva has no competitors in Russia.

Popular French crossover Renault Duster

The Duster is very popular among Russians for many reasons:

• attractive design;
• comfort;
• technical equipment;
• reliability;
• price.

For many connoisseurs of crossovers, the Renault Duster is the best option. The configurations and prices of the “Frenchman” have been pleasantly surprising for several years now. Today, the basic Duster package costs about 490 thousand rubles, or about 8 thousand dollars at the January exchange rate. High ground clearance of 205-210 cm, comfort and low fuel consumption (5.3 liters of diesel fuel per 100 km for the diesel version) are its advantages.

The Duster doesn't have a downshift, but its first speed more than makes up for that. The most attractive option in terms of cross-country ability and fuel consumption is, of course, diesel. Its confident traction at the minimum speed of the first speed is pleasantly impressive. That's why for many the most attractive crossover is the Renault Duster. Options and prices with the 2013 update have not changed much. You can pay extra only for options that you really like.

Crossover from the Czech Republic for Russia - Skoda Yeti

The new version of the Skoda Yeti looks very similar to the Tiguan from VW. And this is not surprising, since cars really have a lot in common. Thanks to the German content "snowyman "the Czechs became an even better car. "Skoda Yeti" is well bought by Russian connoisseurs of fine cars. Despite the price tag of the basic version from 1 million rubles, the car has many connoisseurs and owners.

Why is the Czech crossover so attractive? Here the combination of dynamic performance, comfort and fuel consumption comes first. Reliable and fast Skoda can be equipped with 7 different engines and several transmission options. In total there are 3 petrol and 4 diesel power units. As for the control, that is, both mechanics and automatic, and a robot. Among all the options, the most attractive is a 2-liter diesel engine with 184 "horses". At the same time, diesel fuel consumption per 100 km does not exceed 7 liters.

4WD Chinese crossovers

The concept of "Chinese quality" has changed its sign several times. If in the USSR Chinese goods were valued and famous for their quality, after the collapse everything changed. Cars from China at first were simply copies of their eminent Japanese and European "colleagues". The trend of the last decades is the increasing quality and own developments in the automotive industry. If the first Chery Tiggo was a cheap knockoff of the Toyota Rav 4, today all-wheel drive Chinese crossovers are valued much higher.

Among the most famous brands in Russia, several stand out:

• Hover, or Hoval.
• Lifan.
• Geely.
• Chery.
• Brilliance.

Brightrepresentative of the all-wheel drive Chinese crossover will be Brilliance V3. Aggressive bright design and excellent technical characteristics in the size of compact SUVs. The 1.5-liter diesel unit under the hood is the company's own design.

Talking about Chinese crossovers, it is imperative to mention Chery Tiggo, which has been upgraded to the 3rd body, and Lifan with serial number X80. The latter is an example of a large "SUV" and has no less significant cost. The general trend to increase the quality and reliability of Chinese cars has led to a natural increase in their cost. So, Lifan X80 will cost about 1 million rubles. Another famous Chinese brand is Hover, or Hoval. Today, this company is successfully sold in Russia and is represented by new products in the 5th and 6th bodies.

The most expensive all-wheel drive crossover

According to many sources, Spyker D8 Peking-to-Paris is suitable for the role of the most expensive crossover. Initially, the number 12 should have been in the model name. But since the engine was installed 8-, not 12-cylinder, they settled on D8. This luxury car is made in piece batches at a price of 300 thousand dollars. Under the hood is a 6.2-liter gasoline engine with 660 "horses", which develops 100 km / h in just 5 seconds. The maximum speed of the car is 300 km/h.

The appearance of the Spyker D8 immediately shows how expensive and luxurious the car is in front of us. The interior exterior is even more presentable. The entire cabin is upholstered in luxurious, thin leather, providing perfect coverage. Inside there is a refrigerator with a supply of cold air from the air conditioner. The interior trim uses carbon fiber and aluminum. All-wheel drive crossovers like the BMW X series or the Porsche Cayenne look just like poor relatives against the backdrop of the Spiker.

Speed crossover

It would seem, which of the crossovers can be faster than the most expensive of them - Spyker? It turns out that the sports version of the German "SUV" BMW X6M accelerates to the first hundred in 4.2 seconds. Its engine of 575 "horses" can accelerate the car to 280 km/h, and if you make a special tuning, and up to 320 km/h. For such speeds, the car's engine has a modest volume of 4.4 liters, but two turbochargers are installed. To shift gears, the BMW X6M is equipped with an 8-speed automatic transmission with a special electronic unit that provides almost instantaneous gear changes.

Small crossover doesn't mean uncomfortable

Among the miniature parquet SUVs, it is worth noting the Japanese Suzuki Kei - all-wheel drive crossovers. Their rating is not so great, but accurate sizes, coupled with economical 0, 66- and 1-liter engines, find their consumers. The length of the car is 3.4 meters. This is only 60 cm longer than the smallest Fiat Panda crossover in history, which was produced until 1991. What is surprising in the carthere are two rows of seats. Four-wheel drive provides a stable position on the road in a snowy city. And the consumption of 5.5 liters per 100 km pleases any car enthusiast.

High clearance crossovers

It is well known that the higher the ground clearance of the car, the easier it is to overcome obstacles. With a clearance above 16 cm, you can carefully move between the curbs without fear of hooking them. Many all-wheel drive crossovers with high ground clearance fall short of real SUVs. After all, the same UAZ with high wheels has a clearance of 300 mm. But even among the "SUVs" you can distinguish your champions.

The same Russian "Niva" has a ground clearance of 220 mm, which once again emphasizes its excellent off-road qualities. The Land Rover E-Voque rides with the same ground clearance. Almost 200 mm (197) has the famous Japanese crossover Toyota Rav 4.

Crossover Giant

Chevrolet Suburban is considered to be the biggest crossover. Its length is as much as 5.7 meters with a width of more than 2 meters. Previously, this car was a full-fledged SUV. Replacing powerful all-terrain qualities with fuel economy and overall cost, the car only won. After all, there are much more people who want and have the opportunity to purchase such a handsome man.

Conclusion

The world of cross-country vehicles is constantly expanding. All-wheel drive crossovers graduallysupersede station wagons and become indispensable family cars with any capabilities. As it turned out, there are miniature SUVs and dynamic super crossovers that outperform some sports cars.