Oman motoring: Cross over to the world of compact SUVs

Lifestyle Sunday 26/March/2017 20:07 PM
By: Times News Service
Oman motoring: Cross over to the world of compact SUVs

Back in the 1970s, station wagons were the trendy choices for consumers everywhere, there’s room for family, groceries, or even a tiny football team, but that swagger ran out of style and became outdated, as consumers started favouring SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles) and CUVs (Crossover Utility Vehicles), or what I’d call them gigantic sedans.

There are a ton of reasons why crossovers are trendy and becoming the preferred choice for car buyers, from its compact size and overall styling, to its agility and fuel economy. Crossovers ditched the whole box-shaped design of larger SUVs and focused more on beautifying the car in a way that makes you feel as if you’re driving a larger sedan rather than a truck, and those who are thinking of getting their hands on these lovelies they usually care less about space and centre the attention on trendy features. This week we take a look at some of our favourite 2017 smaller crossovers that are nothing short of a fashionable icon in the world of cars.

BMW X4
The BMW X4 is the baby sister of the popular sporty coupe X6, with similar sloping roofline and good looks. When the X6 was released, it received backlash from car experts as it was a new territory in the world of cars, but now it gained a huge following, forming some sort of a cult full of sporty cars aficionados. The X4 takes the whole sporty game to new levels, giving you an agile wheeled beast full of exciting features, compacted in a perfect size that stands out. This ultimate driving machine has strong performance, great fuel economy, comfort and agility, and most importantly a sleek design.

Jaguar F-Pace
This is what we call ‘a true looker’. Jaguar’s first ever crossover debuted with a bang, giving us a sleek design with Jaguar’s iconic taillights, as well as aggressive frontal face. Now that we’ve stated the obvious, let’s talk about its performance. The F-Pace has quite a sharp handling, and with its V6 engine, you’re in for a treat. And, F-Pace is spacious in comparison to its rivals, with great cabin and cargo space. And the best part is, it has off-road capabilities.

Porsche Macan
Porsche’s reputation is a mountain high, and the Macan does justice to the badge, delivering fantastic dynamics in an all-Porsche fashion. The Macan has one of the best interiors in its segment, and its screams Porsche top to bottom. The sporty crossover is superfast and agile too, you can get it in four cylinders, the S, the GT, or the Turbo. Another thing that sets this car apart is the ability to customise almost everything, giving you the buyer the opportunity to own your dream car, though it comes at a cost.

Mercedes GLC Coupe
This is my favourite gem of a car. It’s perfectly sculpted, carries Mercedes elegance, and it is as sporty as crossovers can get. The all-new Mercedes Benz GLC Coupe is one of the latest releases from the German automaker, born to give the X4 a run for its money, as it is the main rival. The Benz has a distinctive exterior styling that’s better than its big sister the GLE coupe, and it’s without a doubt going to be one of the brand’s best sellers. And, it’s fuel efficient too. — [email protected]