????酷越車不斷鞏固的主導地位標志著汽車業將迎來一場歷史性的轉變，它表明汽車設計和購車者口味已發生了一代人才有一次的劇變。隨著傳統的旅行車日趨式微，面包車的需求持續下降，酷越車正像一個外來物種一樣席卷整個行業，讓那些小眾車型益發難見天日。比如，斯巴魯（Subaru）8月的銷售就增長了45%，現在已成為業內增長最快的廠商之一。盡管擁有幾乎囊括各級酷越車的完整車型陣容，斯巴魯現在還是開足馬力也供不應求。AutomotiveCompass公司的副總裁沃倫?布朗說：“這將是未來五年中全球增長最快的細分市場?！?/p>

????2014年，保時捷（Porsche）準備為旗下的卡宴（Cayenne）家族增加一位新成員——Macon酷越車，而其他各家廠商也都摩拳擦掌，紛紛準備上馬更多的酷越車型。不過，在投身這場爭奪戰之前，它們必須先問問自己一些緊迫的問題：

????—在酷越車市場上，它們到底還能切下多少薄薄的份額？現在的酷越車分為次緊湊型、緊湊型和中型三類，配置兩排或三排座椅，一般由主流品牌或高端品牌生產。到底還有多少市場空間留給雷克薩斯在法蘭克福車展上推出的前衛的LF-NX概念車這種雙門酷越車，日產（Nissan）滯銷的敞篷樓蘭（Murano）以及斯巴魯大受歡迎的XV Crosstrek？

????—隨著酷越車的增長，其他哪些車型的市場會萎縮？全尺寸轎車市場近幾年一直在走下坡路。中型轎車會步其后塵嗎？到底有多少購車者會更在意功能而非形式，實用而非拉風？

????—傳統SUV的命運將會如何？酷越車在乘坐、操控、功能或燃油經濟性等方面堪與轎車媲美，基于卡車底盤打造的汽車根本無法和它匹敵。而且，盡管SUV在拖曳或搬運重物上還頗具優勢，但皮卡能更有效率地完成這些任務。

????酷越車之所以從20世紀90年代開始逐步走向輝煌主要是因為它在傳承SUV眾多優點——居高臨下的駕駛坐姿，較高的底盤，便于檢修及全時四驅——的同時，卻摒棄了其各種缺點——卡車底盤，卡車外形和卡車般的駕乘體驗。日本首先推出了這種車，因為日本客戶更能接受富有新意的外觀。在當地大獲成功后，豐田（Toyota）和本田（Honda）開始爭相要成為首個在美國銷售這種車的廠商。1996年年末，當RAV4眼看就要在這場爭奪中勝出時，本田出其不意地使出了史無前例的一招：它制造了右座駕駛的日本版CR-V供汽車記者評測，以抵擋RAV4的攻勢。這個策略奏效了，CR-V從此昂首加入思域（Civic）和雅閣（Accord）的隊伍，成為本田的核心車型，同時也成為最暢銷的酷越車，并把RAV4擠到了第三的位置。

????不是所有酷越車都生來平等的。福特（Ford ）一直想讓Flex獲得轉機，但購車者感覺它更像一輛面包車，因此今年8月它的銷量只有18,166輛，而翼虎卻賣出了整整20萬輛。而日產勇氣十足地設計了敞篷版的酷越車——酷越版樓蘭，但卻因為它外觀粗笨、操控欠佳而難以為繼，最終面臨被淘汰的命運。

????消費者對酷越車的興趣似乎正日益濃厚。在Edmund 網站8月份的50輛被研究最多的車型榜單上，排名最前的五輛車中有四輛都是酷越車，而本田CRV更是遙遙領先。眾多廠商也都正卯足了勁要在這個車型上一爭高低。Edmund的阿塞維多說：“廠商們無法對這些車的大行其道視而不見，而那些已經占得先機的廠商還會繼續優化自己的產品；同時，那些想分得更大一杯羹的公司則會繼續增加砝碼?！边€有一些分析師相信，除了銷量攀高，酷越車的利潤也會更高，因為一體成型的車身讓它們的生產更經濟，再者就是因為許多酷越車可以和乘用車共享零配件。

????截至目前，所有跡象都表明酷越車正在蒸蒸日上。在布朗看來，富裕的買家會用轎車來通勤，同時買一輛酷越車用于娛樂和度假。換言之，這種車的前景不可限量——直到有更新更好的車型來接替它為止。（財富中文網）

????譯者：清遠??

????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.