????酷越車(chē)不斷鞏固的主導(dǎo)地位標(biāo)志著汽車(chē)業(yè)將迎來(lái)一場(chǎng)歷史性的轉(zhuǎn)變，它表明汽車(chē)設(shè)計(jì)和購(gòu)車(chē)者口味已發(fā)生了一代人才有一次的劇變。隨著傳統(tǒng)的旅行車(chē)日趨式微，面包車(chē)的需求持續(xù)下降，酷越車(chē)正像一個(gè)外來(lái)物種一樣席卷整個(gè)行業(yè)，讓那些小眾車(chē)型益發(fā)難見(jiàn)天日。比如，斯巴魯（Subaru）8月的銷(xiāo)售就增長(zhǎng)了45%，現(xiàn)在已成為業(yè)內(nèi)增長(zhǎng)最快的廠商之一。盡管擁有幾乎囊括各級(jí)酷越車(chē)的完整車(chē)型陣容，斯巴魯現(xiàn)在還是開(kāi)足馬力也供不應(yīng)求。AutomotiveCompass公司的副總裁沃倫?布朗說(shuō)：“這將是未來(lái)五年中全球增長(zhǎng)最快的細(xì)分市場(chǎng)。”

????2014年，保時(shí)捷（Porsche）準(zhǔn)備為旗下的卡宴（Cayenne）家族增加一位新成員——Macon酷越車(chē)，而其他各家廠商也都摩拳擦掌，紛紛準(zhǔn)備上馬更多的酷越車(chē)型。不過(guò)，在投身這場(chǎng)爭(zhēng)奪戰(zhàn)之前，它們必須先問(wèn)問(wèn)自己一些緊迫的問(wèn)題：

????—在酷越車(chē)市場(chǎng)上，它們到底還能切下多少薄薄的份額？現(xiàn)在的酷越車(chē)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(chǎn)。到底還有多少市場(chǎng)空間留給雷克薩斯在法蘭克福車(chē)展上推出的前衛(wèi)的LF-NX概念車(chē)這種雙門(mén)酷越車(chē)，日產(chǎn)（Nissan）滯銷(xiāo)的敞篷樓蘭（Murano）以及斯巴魯大受歡迎的XV Crosstrek？

????—隨著酷越車(chē)的增長(zhǎng)，其他哪些車(chē)型的市場(chǎng)會(huì)萎縮？全尺寸轎車(chē)市場(chǎng)近幾年一直在走下坡路。中型轎車(chē)會(huì)步其后塵嗎？到底有多少購(gòu)車(chē)者會(huì)更在意功能而非形式，實(shí)用而非拉風(fēng)？

????—傳統(tǒng)SUV的命運(yùn)將會(huì)如何？酷越車(chē)在乘坐、操控、功能或燃油經(jīng)濟(jì)性等方面堪與轎車(chē)媲美，基于卡車(chē)底盤(pán)打造的汽車(chē)根本無(wú)法和它匹敵。而且，盡管SUV在拖曳或搬運(yùn)重物上還頗具優(yōu)勢(shì)，但皮卡能更有效率地完成這些任務(wù)。

????酷越車(chē)之所以從20世紀(jì)90年代開(kāi)始逐步走向輝煌主要是因?yàn)樗趥鞒蠸UV眾多優(yōu)點(diǎn)——居高臨下的駕駛坐姿，較高的底盤(pán)，便于檢修及全時(shí)四驅(qū)——的同時(shí)，卻摒棄了其各種缺點(diǎn)——卡車(chē)底盤(pán)，卡車(chē)外形和卡車(chē)般的駕乘體驗(yàn)。日本首先推出了這種車(chē)，因?yàn)槿毡究蛻舾芙邮芨挥行乱獾耐庥^。在當(dāng)?shù)卮螳@成功后，豐田（Toyota）和本田（Honda）開(kāi)始爭(zhēng)相要成為首個(gè)在美國(guó)銷(xiāo)售這種車(chē)的廠商。1996年年末，當(dāng)RAV4眼看就要在這場(chǎng)爭(zhēng)奪中勝出時(shí)，本田出其不意地使出了史無(wú)前例的一招：它制造了右座駕駛的日本版CR-V供汽車(chē)記者評(píng)測(cè)，以抵擋RAV4的攻勢(shì)。這個(gè)策略奏效了，CR-V從此昂首加入思域（Civic）和雅閣（Accord）的隊(duì)伍，成為本田的核心車(chē)型，同時(shí)也成為最暢銷(xiāo)的酷越車(chē)，并把RAV4擠到了第三的位置。

????不是所有酷越車(chē)都生來(lái)平等的。福特（Ford ）一直想讓Flex獲得轉(zhuǎn)機(jī)，但購(gòu)車(chē)者感覺(jué)它更像一輛面包車(chē)，因此今年8月它的銷(xiāo)量只有18,166輛，而翼虎卻賣(mài)出了整整20萬(wàn)輛。而日產(chǎn)勇氣十足地設(shè)計(jì)了敞篷版的酷越車(chē)——酷越版樓蘭，但卻因?yàn)樗庥^粗笨、操控欠佳而難以為繼，最終面臨被淘汰的命運(yùn)。

????消費(fèi)者對(duì)酷越車(chē)的興趣似乎正日益濃厚。在Edmund 網(wǎng)站8月份的50輛被研究最多的車(chē)型榜單上，排名最前的五輛車(chē)中有四輛都是酷越車(chē)，而本田CRV更是遙遙領(lǐng)先。眾多廠商也都正卯足了勁要在這個(gè)車(chē)型上一爭(zhēng)高低。Edmund的阿塞維多說(shuō)：“廠商們無(wú)法對(duì)這些車(chē)的大行其道視而不見(jiàn)，而那些已經(jīng)占得先機(jī)的廠商還會(huì)繼續(xù)優(yōu)化自己的產(chǎn)品；同時(shí)，那些想分得更大一杯羹的公司則會(huì)繼續(xù)增加砝碼?！边€有一些分析師相信，除了銷(xiāo)量攀高，酷越車(chē)的利潤(rùn)也會(huì)更高，因?yàn)橐惑w成型的車(chē)身讓它們的生產(chǎn)更經(jīng)濟(jì)，再者就是因?yàn)樵S多酷越車(chē)可以和乘用車(chē)共享零配件。

????截至目前，所有跡象都表明酷越車(chē)正在蒸蒸日上。在布朗看來(lái)，富裕的買(mǎi)家會(huì)用轎車(chē)來(lái)通勤，同時(shí)買(mǎi)一輛酷越車(chē)用于娛樂(lè)和度假。換言之，這種車(chē)的前景不可限量——直到有更新更好的車(chē)型來(lái)接替它為止。（財(cái)富中文網(wǎng)）

????譯者：清遠(yuǎn)??

????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.