CROSSOVER CITY

Crossovers, the bridge between hefty sports utility vehicles and sporty coupes, are the just-right cars making a comeback.

- ALVIN LIM

The atmosphere was - if you'll pardon the pun - electric at last month's Singapore Motorshow.

We're referring, of course, to the plethora of new and upcoming batterypowered vehicles presented by the brands in attendance, which included the likes of Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Mini, Lexus and Polestar.

There were concept roadsters, hulking family wagons and sporty coupes, though a distinct silhouette soon emerged among the booths - not quite as sleek and low-slung as a sporty coupe, but also not as towering and chunky as a conventional sports utility vehicle (SUV).

We're talking crossovers, also known as sport utility coupes or sport activity vehicles - depending on whom you ask. No, this is not a new concept and has been kicking around since as far back as the '80s, but it is making a comeback (again) and it's easy to see why, especially in the context of an all-electric future where aerodynamic efficiency is king.

SUVs, with their high roofs and blocky designs, are simply too inefficient to compete with lower-slung, curvier vehicles. By sacrificing some of that headroom, crossovers can claw back a significant portion of that precious range between charges.

The fact that the sleek, swoopy roofline characteristic of a coupe simply looks more graceful and appealing than the utilitarian chunkiness of an SUV doesn't hurt either; nor the stark difference between a lumbering giant and sportier crossover when it comes to handling, acceleration and other factors that play into the overall driving experience (such as how easy it is to park in a crowded cityscape like Singapore).

Crossovers offer a compelling compromise to drivers who want to get somewhere reasonably fast, in reasonable comfort, while arriving in a reasonably stylish package. Read on for four luxury crossover coupes that deliver on those promises and then some.

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