Teaser image for the upcoming Buick hybrid crossover

Buick has released a teaser image for its upcoming plug-in hybrid crossover vehicle, and shortly after, news surfaced that the company has another crossover in the works.

The hybrid crossover is pegged for a 2011 release date, and with that timeframe, it should become the first widely-available commercial plug-in hybrid x-over.

The second crossover looks to be different from the hybrid one, with indications that it won’t just be a gas version. Sources say that the second vehicle could be based on the Chevrolet Aveo

Lagonda is a La-No-Go-nda

We’ve reported on the upcoming Aston Martin Lagonda revival in SUV form, but it seems that the revival won’t be pushing through after all. The company has confirmed that it will be shelving the revival for the time being, thanks to the weak economy and the sheer lack of financial sense of launching a model that hasn’t been well-received by the public.

“We have several sources ready to invest upward of a quarter-billion pounds,” said Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin’s Chief Executive Officer. He added that the timing of the revival in the current conditions “is simply wrong. We have some work to do yet, and it takes a lot of investment.”

Many criticized the visual appeal of the Lagonda Concept showcased by Aston Martin at the previous Geneva Motor Show. Actually, “criticized” is such a tame word. “Blasted” seems more appropriate. Maybe now that the Lagonda is back on the drawing boards, Aston Martin can work on making the design more palatable–which should translate to favorable sales projections for the future re-launch.

Audi will be giving the Audi Q5 compact crossover SUV a couple of new engines, although these engines aren’t headed for US releases anytime soon.

Two new smaller engines for the entry-level Q5, only in Europe for now

Along with the Audi A4 Allroad, the Q5 will be getting the 143-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder TDI diesel engine and the 180-horsepower 2.0-liter TFSI four-cylinder gasoline power plant. The two will be leaned on to give buyers more options in the entry-level segments, along with better efficiency and savings options.

It is unclear when the Q5 equipped with the new engines will be released Stateside, if at all. The A4 Allroad executive car isn’t even released in the US.

There’s no question that the Crossomotive team loves the Volvo XC60 crossover. We loved it when it initially came out, as seen in our preview on the car. We loved the XC60’s City Safety system, even if there aren’t any figures yet that show how effective it is. We even featured the mixed-review XC60 ski campaign.

Now, Volvo is giving XC60 lovers and crossover lovers alike a new treat, as it will be releasing the sporty Volvo XC60 R-Design edition, which is set to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

The XC60 R-Design gets a sporty setup, with a new body kit and a lowered sports chassis. The car gets standard 18-inch Cratus aluminum wheels, but buyers also have the option to upgrade these to 20-inchers. The car’s lower part is color-coordinated with the body (although we personally prefer the matte black on the standard model’s lower parts).

There are also premium R-Design elements for the interior. The steering wheel has aluminum inserts, and there are also door moldings, aluminum pedals, and a new center console. There’s a new dual-tone design for the leather seats, too. Perforated-leather trimming and an R-Design engraving on the sports steering wheel round out the interior premiums.

The bottom line: If you loved the XC60, then you’ll definitely love the sportier XC60 R-Design.

The Upcoming Saab 9-4X CUV

Despite all the uncertainty over at Saab, the company’s new 9-4X crossover has been seen testing and the company says that the new model is still good to go for a launch sometime in 2010.

The 9-4X will share components with the Cadillac SRX, and the 9-4X will be manufactured in the same plant where the SRX is assembled.
The 9-4X is set to replace the 9-7X, a slow-selling model.

The 2010 Chevrolet Equinox

GM will be letting go of the Saturn brand pretty soon. That means the completed two-mode hybrid system slated for the used-to-be-upcoming Saturn Vue needs to be shifted to a different model.

The recipient? The Chevrolet Equinox crossover.

GM confirmed that the Vue’s system will be tweaked to fit the Equinox’s 3.0-liter V6 engine (the Vue uses a 3.6-liter V6). The company says that the vehicle should be ready by 2011.

The 2010 Chevrolet Equinox

To hike up sales, Chevrolet will be banking on the efficiency of the new 2010 Chevrolet Equinox. The mid-size crossover SUV is expected to reach EPA ratings of 22 mpg on city traffic and 32 mpg on highway traffic.

The CUV is powered by a 182-horsepower 2.4-liter Ecotec engine with direct-injection technology, the tools that help the vehicle achieve its heightened mileage.

There’s an option for a more powerful but less efficient engine, namely the 255-horsepower 3.0-liter direct-injected V-6 engine.

GM further expects its upcoming GMC Terrain to achieve similar efficiency figures.

Source: Car and Driver

The new Subaru Outback range starts at $22,995.

Subaru has revealed the pricing for its upcoming Outback range of crossovers. The range starts at $22,995, which is no different from the entry-level trim of the current range.

The entry level for the new range is a 2.5L 170hp four-cylinder Boxer engine with a six-speed manual transmission. Keyless entry, electronic parking brake with a ‘Hill Holder’ system and four-speaker audio system are all standard features. For the automatic variant, it’ll cost buyers another $1,000.

The Outback 2.5i ‘Premium’ has some extra features, and starts at $24,995 for the manual edition. Fog lights, privacy glass, an electric driver’s seat, leather steering-wheel and 16in alloys are the added features. This one has a more upmarket trim called the Outback 2.5i ‘Limited’, which costs $27,995. The following pics are included: automatic transmission, dual-zone climate-control, paddle shifters, all-season tires wrapped around 17-inch alloy wheels, leather-trimmed upholstery and a Harman/Kardon audio system.

The range-topping Outback is the 3.6R, equipped with a 256hp six-cylinder engine with a 5-speed automatic as standard. It starts at $27,995 and gets all-season tires, 17-inch alloy wheels, paddle shifters, fog lights and privacy glass.

The 3.6R also has Premium and Limited trims, with the same add-on features included as in the 2.5i. Premium starts at $28,995, and the 3.6R Limited at $30,995.

The Hyundai Nuvis concept

A new crossover concept joins the ranks of Hyundai’s recent concept vehicles such as the HED-6 and the Blue Will. Designated as the Nuvis, this new concept is designed to make the most of the urban lifestyle.

“Our goal was to create a living machine, constantly moving, that the driver and passengers could be part of,” said Hyundai Design Manager John Krsteski. “There are no lines on or in this car that are standing still.”

It is clearly a sleek design, with an interesting mix of coupe, hatch, and SUV design elements. We look forward to more news about the new Hyundai Nuvis crossover concept.

The Ssangyong C200 Aero Concept

We’ve already tackled the new Ssangyong C200 crossover compact SUV, which will hit the Seoul Motor Show in April. Now, the Korean car manufacturer has released a new teaser image for an aero variant of the vehicle, and what we’re seeing could be a preview of a trim that could be released alongside the production version.

The car features extensive body aerodynamic styling, along with a new set of wheels.

We’ll let you in on the details as more information becomes available.