It's not hard to work out the softies  By Phil Hanson  Serious
off-roaders should be wary of crossovers  The Subaru XV Photo /
Phil Hanson The Subaru XV Photo / Phil Hanson  This isn't going
to end well. There's a guy heading down the rugged trail in his
crossover, encouraged by marketing that says it can "go
anywhere".  Most buyers of crossovers or soft off-roaders - the
ones with no low-range gears and little ground clearance -
probably have little interest in going off-road except to hop
the odd curb or cross a paddock.  They're mostly bought as
"interesting" alternatives to a wagon or family car. So much so
that manufacturers are realising they don't need to bother with
drive to all wheels, offering cheaper two-wheel-drive versions.
But there are owners who hear the call of the wild and those
tracks well beyond an unsealed logging road. Sadly, most won't
get far without getting stuck, or breaking something.  A few
top-end soft off-roaders, such as the Volkswagen Touareg and the
Mercedes M-Class, can be f