SUV

The opening day of the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show has seen Volkswagen unveil its Cross Coupé crossover concept. Featuring a long wheelbase and short overhangs, the all-wheel-drive plug-in hybrid is visually a cross between a four-door coupé and a compact SUV. The vehicle also represents the first public outing of Volkswagen's new modular transverse matrix (Modularer Querbaukasten or MQB) platform, which is intended to form the basis of a variety of different models (including the upcoming Golf and Audi A3), allowing the use of the same set of components while providing the flexibility for individual models to have a variety of wheelbase, track and external dimensions. Read More

We covered Maserati's new sport luxury SUV prior to the announcement at IAA in Frankfurt earlier this week, but there's bit more info plus a lot more pics available. Read More

Two years ago, the U.S. Treasury helped to broker an arranged marriage between the Daimler-jilted Chrysler and an unlikely Italian suitor in the form of the Fiat Group of companies. Even before consummation it was clear that we would see all manner of cross-brand rebadging amongst the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Fiat, Abarth, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Ferrari branches of the new extended family, and so it has come to pass. It's been known for some time that Fiat's highly-successful commercial range will be sold in the United States under the Dodge brand and now comes the news that Maserati will announce an SUV at the Frankfurt Motor Show that is based on the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Read More

The first of the major vehicle announcements from the 64th Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung (IAA aka Frankfurt Motor Show) has broken cover with Mazda announcing that it will debut an all-new CX-5 crossover SUV. The new beastie will be the first to fully adopt Mazda's SKYACTIV technology and to be styled with the company's latest "KODO - Soul of Motion" design theme first seen in the SHINARI and MINAGI concept cars. Read More

The compact S.U.V. class looks set for some serious competition over the coming 12 months when a completely redesigned Honda CR-V will continue to sell against Toyota's RAV4 and Volkswagen's Tiguan. Plus Mazda's CX-5, which is expected to be very similar to Minagi and packed with the first comprehensive SkyActiv efficiency technologies, will join the ranks. Honda is the runaway leader in the segment and this update is a clear signal of its intention to stay there. The "Walter Mitty" lives we all lead is exemplified by the compact S.U.V. segment, where more than 95 percent of the vehicles sold never venture offroad. Read More

This Monday at the Detroit Auto Show 2011, Ford introduced the public to its Vertrek compact SUV concept. The vehicle is built on Ford’s new global C-segment platform, which the company states will replace three platforms currently in use, and underpin more than 2 million automobiles (including the ubiquitous Focus) by 2012. Ford describes the Vertrek as its “vision for a utility vehicle that will appeal to customers around the globe; it signals the direction Ford will take in developing a new global utility vehicle.” Read More

While plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) like the Nissan LEAF and Chevy Volt are currently making a play for eco-conscious consumers’ attention, some automobile manufacturers believe hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are the way of the future as they can be filled-up in minutes as opposed to the hours it takes to recharge EVs. One of the companies set on bringing Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles to showrooms is Hyundai, which has just completed development of its Tucson ix Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV). Hyundai will begin testing the vehicle next year, with the goal of starting mass production in 2015. Read More

Ford Australia has released the first image of its new-look Territory SUV, set for release in 2011 along with what Ford promises will be an "unprecedented new-model onslaught." The SUV design is based on Ford's kinetic design language, and is expected to be a strong indication of the Ford Escape concept due to be shown in January at NAIAS. Read More

Ford Motor Company has revealed its new Police Interceptor utility. The SUV, along with the new Taurus-based Interceptor sedan that Ford unveiled earlier this year, will replace the Crown Victoria Interceptor sedan when it ceases production in late 2011. The utility reportedly gets at least 20 percent better fuel economy than the Crown Vic, and sports a variety of other features that Ford hopes will make it the vehicle of choice for car-shopping police forces. Read More