酷越车为什么这么红

    酷越车不断巩固的主导地位标志着汽车业将迎来一场历史性的转变，它表明汽车设计和购车者口味已发生了一代人才有一次的剧变。随着传统的旅行车日趋式微，面包车的需求持续下降，酷越车正像一个外来物种一样席卷整个行业，让那些小众车型益发难见天日。比如，斯巴鲁（Subaru）8月的销售就增长了45%，现在已成为业内增长最快的厂商之一。尽管拥有几乎囊括各级酷越车的完整车型阵容，斯巴鲁现在还是开足马力也供不应求。AutomotiveCompass公司的副总裁沃伦•布朗说：“这将是未来五年中全球增长最快的细分市场。”

    2014年，保时捷（Porsche）准备为旗下的卡宴（Cayenne）家族增加一位新成员——Macon酷越车，而其他各家厂商也都摩拳擦掌，纷纷准备上马更多的酷越车型。不过，在投身这场争夺战之前，它们必须先问问自己一些紧迫的问题：

    —在酷越车市场上，它们到底还能切下多少薄薄的份额？现在的酷越车分为次紧凑型、紧凑型和中型三类，配置两排或三排座椅，一般由主流品牌或高端品牌生产。到底还有多少市场空间留给雷克萨斯在法兰克福车展上推出的前卫的LF-NX概念车这种双门酷越车，日产（Nissan）滞销的敞篷楼兰（Murano）以及斯巴鲁大受欢迎的XV Crosstrek？

    —随着酷越车的增长，其他哪些车型的市场会萎缩？全尺寸轿车市场近几年一直在走下坡路。中型轿车会步其后尘吗？到底有多少购车者会更在意功能而非形式，实用而非拉风？

    —传统SUV的命运将会如何？酷越车在乘坐、操控、功能或燃油经济性等方面堪与轿车媲美，基于卡车底盘打造的汽车根本无法和它匹敌。而且，尽管SUV在拖曳或搬运重物上还颇具优势，但皮卡能更有效率地完成这些任务。

    酷越车之所以从20世纪90年代开始逐步走向辉煌主要是因为它在传承SUV众多优点——居高临下的驾驶坐姿，较高的底盘，便于检修及全时四驱——的同时，却摒弃了其各种缺点——卡车底盘，卡车外形和卡车般的驾乘体验。日本首先推出了这种车，因为日本客户更能接受富有新意的外观。在当地大获成功后，丰田（Toyota）和本田（Honda）开始争相要成为首个在美国销售这种车的厂商。1996年年末，当RAV4眼看就要在这场争夺中胜出时，本田出其不意地使出了史无前例的一招：它制造了右座驾驶的日本版CR-V供汽车记者评测，以抵挡RAV4的攻势。这个策略奏效了，CR-V从此昂首加入思域（Civic）和雅阁（Accord）的队伍，成为本田的核心车型，同时也成为最畅销的酷越车，并把RAV4挤到了第三的位置。

    不是所有酷越车都生来平等的。福特（Ford ）一直想让Flex获得转机，但购车者感觉它更像一辆面包车，因此今年8月它的销量只有18,166辆，而翼虎却卖出了整整20万辆。而日产勇气十足地设计了敞篷版的酷越车——酷越版楼兰，但却因为它外观粗笨、操控欠佳而难以为继，最终面临被淘汰的命运。

    消费者对酷越车的兴趣似乎正日益浓厚。在Edmund 网站8月份的50辆被研究最多的车型榜单上，排名最前的五辆车中有四辆都是酷越车，而本田CRV更是遥遥领先。众多厂商也都正卯足了劲要在这个车型上一争高低。Edmund的阿塞维多说：“厂商们无法对这些车的大行其道视而不见，而那些已经占得先机的厂商还会继续优化自己的产品；同时，那些想分得更大一杯羹的公司则会继续增加砝码。”还有一些分析师相信，除了销量攀高，酷越车的利润也会更高，因为一体成型的车身让它们的生产更经济，再者就是因为许多酷越车可以和乘用车共享零配件。

    截至目前，所有迹象都表明酷越车正在蒸蒸日上。在布朗看来，富裕的买家会用轿车来通勤，同时买一辆酷越车用于娱乐和度假。换言之，这种车的前景不可限量——直到有更新更好的车型来接替它为止。（财富中文网）

    译者：清远  

    Their growing dominance signals an historic transition for the auto industry. Crossovers represent a once-in-a-generation sea change in car designs and buyer tastes. With traditional station wagons practically extinct, and minivans in seemingly terminal decline, crossovers are spreading across the landscape like some alien species, strangling lesser varieties. Subaru, whose sales rose 45% in August and is one of the fastest-growing manufacturers in the industry, has a model lineup that consists almost entirely of crossovers and has a hard time keeping up with demand. "This will be the fastest-growing segment globally for the next five years," says Warren Browne, vice president of AutomotiveCompass.

    With Porsche getting ready to complement its Cayenne with the Macon crossover in 2014, just about every automaker is scrambling to add more crossovers to its lineup. In the process, they are being forced to ask some pressing questions:

    --How thinly can they slice the crossover market? Crossovers are now available in subcompact, compact, and mid-size sizes, configured in two rows or three, and wearing mainstream or premium nameplates. Is there room for more two-door crossovers like the aggressive Lexus LF-NX concept shown in Frankfurt, convertibles like Nissan's slow-selling Murano, or sport models like Subaru's popular XV Crosstrek?

    --What other segments will shrink as crossovers grow? Full-size sedans have been in decline for several years. Are mid-size sedans next? How many buyers are ready to choose functionality over formality, or practicality over pizzazz?

    --What is the fate of the traditional SUV? The truck-based vehicles can't compare to crossovers for car-like ride and handling, features, or fuel economy. And while SUVs are still superior for towing or hauling heavy loads, pickups can do the same job more efficiently.

    Crossovers came to prominence in the 1990s because they copied many of the best-liked features of SUVs -- command seating, high ride height, easy access, available all-wheel drive -- with none of the drawbacks -- truck frames with truck looks and truck rides. The first ones came out of Japan, where consumers are more open to innovative body styles. After finding success there, Toyota (TM) and Honda raced to be first to sell to U.S. customers. When it became apparent that the RAV4 was going to win by arriving in late 1996, Honda (HMC) took the unprecedented step of making a Japanese-spec CR-V with right hand drive available to automotive journalists for reviews to blunt its impact. The tactic worked, and the CR-V has gone on to join the Civic and Accord as a core Honda model, as well as the bestselling crossover, while the RAV4 resides in third place.

    Not all crossovers are created equal. Ford (F, Fortune 500) has struggled with the Flex, which buyers find reminiscent of a minivan, and had sold only 18,166 through August this year, compared with more than 200,000 Escapes. Nissan's brave attempt to design a convertible crossover with the Murano CrossCabriolet suffered from dumpy looks and uncertain handling, and will be discontinued.

    Consumer interest in crossovers seems to be gaining steam. In Edmunds' tally of its 50 most researched cars in August, four of the top five were crossovers, with Honda's CR-V leading the pack. Automakers are racing to keep pace. Says Edmunds' Acevedo: "Manufacturers can't ignore the popularity of these models and those doing well in the segment will continue to refine their offerings as those looking for a larger piece of the pie will continue to up the ante." Some analysts believe that in addition to higher sales, crossovers return higher profits because their unibody construction makes them more economical to manufacture and because many crossovers share parts with passenger cars.

    For now, all signs point upward. Analyst Browne sees a world in which prosperous buyers will use a sedan to commute and keep a crossover for fun and vacations. In other words, the sky is the limit -- until something newer and better comes along.