Should i buy a crossover or a sedan

With that, interior space is compromised in subcompact crossovers. While comfort is subjective as it differs from person to person, sedans typically come with a more comfortable setup. These vehicles are designed to bring the utmost comfort no matter what the brand is. It is also important to note that most of the more popular luxury brands tend to lean towards the sedan body style for their luxury line of vehicles. Crossovers, on the other hand, come with a more body roll compared to their sedan counterparts thanks to the extra ride height that they bring to the table.

This can especially be felt when tackling long curves and winding roads. With that in mind, this could mean the difference between someone in your vehicle getting car sick or not on long road trips. In terms of flexibility, this is where crossovers come with an advantage. The bigger cargo space that they have along with the flexible seating configurations that they carry allow owners of these kinds of vehicles to use their cars both for transport and cargo hauling.

Sedans are limited in what they can fit in the back of the truck, thus the trunk itself is the limiting factor for the vehicle even if the second-row seats can be folded forward. As American roads continue to be populated with greater numbers of relatively taller, larger crossovers, riding low to the ground in a car can certainly lead to a sense of vulnerability.

Additionally, as most crossovers sold in the Snowbelt are equipped with AWD, drivers enjoy an added sense of security. Auto enthusiasts often bristle at the suggestion that crossovers can be made to handle as well as cars do. These aficionados contend that cars, largely because of their lower center of gravity, are naturally the better-handling vehicles, and are thus safer and more fun to drive.

While this is likely true in extreme circumstances, anyone who has driven a BMW X3 or, say, a Ford Edge ST must admit that crossovers can be tuned to handle nearly as well as a car—and, within reasonable limits, every bit as well.

To most consumers, a crossover simply looks like more vehicle for roughly the same money. A big grille, huge cargo hold, and general truck-like presence—this stuff sells crossovers. The vehicles we identify with this tag are becoming so common we may well start calling them cars. Additionally, the term is no longer accurate. Crossovers were once car-based vehicles that shared some design characteristics with old-school SUVs. That is no longer the case. What we call crossovers now are an entirely distinct class of vehicles that are generally designed independently of other products.

So, which should you buy: a car or a crossover? The easy answer is: Which do you like more? Unless you do a lot of highway driving, or just really resent the fact that they have taken over the automotive market, you probably should seriously consider a crossover. We recommend you test drive as many vehicles as you can before making a purchase decision, and do what feels best. Follow Tom on Twitter.

First Spin: Toyota Highlander. Quick Spin: Infiniti QX Quick Spin: Nissan Armada Platinum. Hatchbacks and wagons can offer similar room to similarly-sized crossovers, while a minivan has more cargo area than most three-row SUVs. Furthermore, current trends toward sloping, coupe-style roofs in crossovers impinge on the cargo and rear seating areas buyers purportedly need.

Many buyers, particularly in cold climates, buy crossovers because they need something with all-wheel-drive.

AWD helps drivers accelerate in slick conditions, which is why Subaru and Audi built such incredible rally cars. They get into trouble trying to stop. And in that realm, all-wheel-drive does little to help — and can make things worse by instilling a false sense of security that leads drivers to go faster than they should.

An AWD crossover on all-season tires is not a snow-conquering beast. You need a good set of winter tires to make them great — the same improvement that markedly improves a standard car. Crossovers have improved their fuel efficiency in recent years — but they still trail regular cars, which have also improved in that time.

To make up the gap, we get features that kill driving fun, like droning CVT transmissions and dull hybrid powertrains that end up leading to vehicles that cost a couple thousand more than gas versions. The aforementioned VW Golf Sportwagen earned 32 mpg combined, as per the EPA in its final iteration — and that was with a regular gas engine and a six-speed manual.

The official number may have undersold the true efficiency, too. Crossovers that match or beat that without a hybrid, like the Lexus UX , will be incredibly small, ditch the all-wheel-drive, and essentially be cars… just ones that are nowhere near as spacious and practical as the Golf Sportwagen.