2004 New Car Buyer's Guide

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The newest word for cars is 'crossover'
By Bob Plunkett

The newest word describing automobiles in the Class of 2004 is the crossover, meaning a cross between one type of vehicle and another.

This year there are crossovers that merge a truck and a car, such as Mitsubishi's new Endeavor that looks like a truck-based sport-utility wagon but rides on the chassis of a sedan and brings car-like manners.

Mazda's new RX-8 is a crossover combining the four-door and four-seat practicality of a sedan with the fun and excitement of a slick and swift hatchback-style sports car.

Or a crossover can combine a truck with a sport-utility vehicle -- like Chevrolet's Avalanche, which has a wagon's passenger compartment and a truck's back box.

And the GMC Envoy XUV, first SUV with a power sliding roof, converts the wagon's cargo bay to an open-air truck bed. Use that space to transport large and tall goods like a refrigerator, bicycles, even landscaping trees.

The latest Subaru -- Baja -- looks like both a car and truck, with the car part in front and truck part in back. It's an ultimate crossover vehicle geared for active lifestyles. But the most outrageous crossover this year comes from Chevrolet with the new SSR -- Super Sport Roadster.

It's a two-seat roadster and an airy convertible, although with that obvious truck box in back there's no doubt it's also a pickup.

A retractable hardtop converts the vehicle via power controls to a breezy convertible.