This used to be the type of niche crossover that only made sense in Europe, but Audi is bringing the 2015 Q3 to the U.S. just in time to catch the oncoming wave
of small luxury crossovers such as the Mercedes - Benz GLA and Lexus NX.
Just a few years into its existence, the Macan has captured the attention
of small luxury crossover shoppers, but for some consumers, there was one small problem preventing them from pulling the trigger on the Macan — price.
Not exact matches
Downsizing is nothing new for mainstream automakers, which have been pumping out subcompacts for several years now, but the X1 presages a coming tide
of smaller luxury vehicles, both cars and
crossovers.
I'm a fan
of premium compact
crossovers — compelling,
small packages in which carlike agility,
luxury and cargo versatility unite.
A lot is riding on the success
of this model, which for Lincoln's sake is hopefully not too late in the
small -
luxury -
crossover game.
The
smaller Q4 may take one
of three directions: a line - topping coupelike
luxury crossover not unlike the Acura ZDX, a dedicated off - roader, or a high - performance model.
The
smallest of the Mercedes - Benz utility vehicles, the Mercedes - Benz GLA - Class competes in the rapidly growing compact
luxury crossover segment.
Jaguar has a new baby and it's another
crossover, this time straddling the
small and medium
luxury SUV segments — two
of the biggest and fastest growing market sectors today.
The
small crossover segment is big business, and when you look at the
luxury portion
of that class, it's the Lexus RX sitting atop the mountain.
Given the sheer variety
of utility vehicles and
crossovers on the market, it's no surprise that full - size
luxury SUVs like the 2016 Lincoln Navigator now occupy only a
small portion
of it.
If your needs do not require a large, truck - based SUV (e.g. for heavy hauling and towing), or your tastes and budget don't lead you toward the high - buck
luxury - end
of this segment or you prefer something
smaller and more fuel - efficient, you'll be happier with a car - based»
crossover,» or CUV.
The company is bringing the facelifted version
of its
smallest,
luxury crossover, the NX300h which was revealed at the Shanghai Motor show this year.
As a result, this RDX is quieter, more refined and more comfortable, and rather than being one
of the edgier compact
crossovers it's now a somewhat
smaller but still refined alternative to mid-size
luxury models like the Lexus RX or Cadillac SRX.
Vehicles like the Buick Encore
small luxury crossover, can be equipped with the convenience
of Rainsense wipers, which when activated, can automatically turn on the wipers when rain or water is detected on the windshield.
The
smaller sibling to the Escalade and XT5, the XT4
crossover aims to bring some
of the presence — and American
luxury —
of its bigger siblings into the compact SUV segment.
Earnhardt Mazda Las Vegas stocks an incredible selection
of new Las Vegas Mazda cars featuring the Mazda6 sedan, Mazda3 sedan and wagon, Mazda MX - 5 Miata roadster, Mazda CX - 3
Crossover, Mazda CX - 5
small SUV and Mazda CX - 9
luxury SUV.
In spite
of sales that suggest the large sedan's time has come and gone, the Avalon makes a worthwhile upgrade over the
smaller Camry for buyers not concerned with owning a
luxury - branded car, and big car traditionalists will prefer not having to step up into a taller
crossover cabin.
Daimler boss Dieter Zetsche has strongly hinted a large
luxury SUV will sit atop the new Mercedes - Maybach range but dismissed any prospect
of the three - pointed star going any
smaller than the GLA to take on the forthcoming Audi Q1 mini
crossover.
The original BMW X3 «Sport Activity Vehicle» debuted in 2003, and was one
of the pioneers
of the
luxury small crossover craze, influencing brands like Acura, Infiniti and Mercedes - Benz to follow in their footsteps.
The compact
luxury crossover is big enough inside to handle five passengers and up to 47.4 cubic feet
of cargo, but
small enough outside to be easy to park in an urban environment.
It's a pretty decent example
of the future - techno -
luxury (or entry - level
luxury, or whatever) that Acura could be bringing to the market, from its
smaller cars on up through its big
crossovers.
Today, Acura is more premium than it is
luxury, offering a
small lineup
of sedans and
crossovers derived primarily from Honda platforms.
A turbocharged four - cylinder is increasingly the engine
of choice for
small luxury crossovers these days, but the V6 in the 2016 Acura RDX is so good that you might just wonder what all the fuss is about.
While
small SUVs have classically been somewhat Spartan, this new segment
of compact
luxury crossovers comes with all the bells and whistles a buyer could want.