Our Two Cents: CUVs That Will Become Collectible

This week’s Our Two Cents comes from a conversation I had at a local cars and coffee style show. I tend to be a condescending jerk thought-provoking conversationist in these settings, so a gentlemen who knows my style put me on the spot:

What crossover utility will become collectible in the future?

-Guy at a car show who I forgot to ask permission to use his name.

The answer I gave him is posted below, but later that day my mind went to Nicholas Lintzenich. I once befriended him via his instagram page for his Toyota Highlander, and his admiration for this CUV rivals any adoration for a vintage Mustang or Porsche 911. Pictured above, Lintzenich truly loves his CUV for reasons we can all understand:

“My mother once had one of these. I remember even when they were a lot newer that the Electric Green Mica wasn’t common. When I finally found mine I knew I’d never get rid of it. I’ve only seen a maybe 10 in Electric Green Mica Highlanders in my life and I love finding them whenever I get the chance.”

So perhaps the correct answer to our query is, “Crossovers are already collectible.” But the question still has merit, so I hoped the team here at Hagerty Media had their own thoughts on the matter. They did not disappoint!

Where to start?

Ooo, I think there are many choices! Even though production numbers are high on a lot of them, the fact that the majority have been driven into the ground and eventually scrapped makes finding low-mileage, clean examples difficult.

Most 1990s and early 2000s small/compact SUVs (because the term “crossover” didn’t exist back then) are all pretty cool. The fact that a good number of them also came with manual transmissions is a plus! So with that, here are my choices (all of these are 1st-gen models):

• Honda CR-V
• Honda Element
• Toyota RAV4 (bonus points for the 3-door hardtop and softop)
• Suzuki SX4 (more of a hatchback, but had a unique AWD system and lift kits are available)
• Suzuki X-90
• Isuzu VehiCROSS
• Mazda MPV (When it came with 4WD and before it was a minivan)

– Ben Woodworth

Scion xB (2004-06)

For me, its the first generation Scion xB. They were made on the trailing end of Toyota’s lock on making vehicles that were the best engineered, best built, and most reliable out there. Not that newer Toyotas are anything to sneeze at, but this box on wheels was the confluence of one company’s proven engineering and the strong appeal of high roof vehicles in Southeast Asia and North America…for a moment, at least. – Sajeev Mehta

I disagree that the Scion xB even qualifies as any sort of SUV/crossover. No options for AWD/4WD eliminates it from the discussion! – Ben Woodworth

You might be right Ben, but it still isn’t a wagon or a van. – Sajeev Mehta

@Sajeev It’s a car in a cardboard box halloween costume! – Ben Woodworth

Okay Ben, so what are your thoughts on the (Nissan) Cube? – Sajeev Mehta

All just tall cars! All trying to be Honda Elements without any actual utility other than more headroom. – Ben Woodworth

Porsche Cayenne

I think the Porsche Cayenne is starting to see a bit of an enthusiast acceptance. I’ve been to enough Porsche gatherings to see tastefully modded and safari’d examples to think that if there isn’t currently collector status for them, it’s just around the corner.

It’s also the beginning of the luxury SUV as a widely accepted idea, so there’s some significance there. The Cayenne walked so the Lamborghini Urus, Ferrari Purosangue, and friends could run. – Greg Ingold

Toyota FJ Cruiser (2007-14)

I’m not sure any strict soft-roader would make my list, but this does: Thanks to Cars.com, I was able to go back and look at my review of the new 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser ($26,641), and it was not entirely positive. Granted, you could not expect a smooth ride from a vehicle this dedicated to off-road performance, or anticipate a cushy experience from “water-repellent” seats—but there were things I didn’t like that Toyota could have fixed in the second-generation model (such as better outward visibility), which never came.

Despite its value and desirability as a used car, it was not a hot seller when new. Over the years, though, my stance has softened. The FJ Cruiser still looks right even though it debuted at the Detroit auto show in 2003, and the running gear, including the 4.0-liter V-6, is durable. (I had forgotten my tester was a five-speed manual, but in a vehicle like this, I prefer an automatic.) While the FJ Cruiser is really no more off-road capable than the more-common 4Runner, it’s distinct look should let it hold its value. Bring a Trailer has plenty of desirable FJs, usually landing in the mid-$20,000 range. The FJ has found its audience on the used market, and I don’t expect it to appreciate much—there are simply too many out there—I’m not expecting to see a low-mileage FJ under $20k for a while (a 172,000-mile example sold on BaT for $17,250, a bargain) – Steven Cole Smith

Honda Element (2003-11)

The Honda Element with the manual transmission would be one I would love to have in my driveway. I likely would never let it leave. These are spacious, have easy entry/exit, decent fuel economy, and all-wheel drive. What more could I want out of a winter daily driver and back-up car? – Kyle Smith

On A Long Enough Timeline…

The answer is they’ll all be collectible if you wait long enough, just as a Chevy Apache or C-10 is as collectible as a Bel Air. Once something is old enough and rare enough because most of its clones have been scrapped, there will be an interest in it for reasons other than simply transportation. Note how excited Lintzenich is about his Highlander. – Aaron Robinson

Nissan Murano Crosscabriolet (2011-14)

Like folks who collect Yugos (they exist), The Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet will have its own very passionate (or ironically passionate) following. Eminently detestable, it’s nonetheless got more oddball personality than just about any other CUV, and there will be a subset of folks who keep the CrossCab’s flame alive. – Eddy Eckart

It appears that subset already exists! Seems like they are currently working around the service nightmare that is the Crosscab’s folding roof, something that no Nissan dealer in their right mind wants to touch. They are learning what many of us already know: find a specialist service outside of the manufacturer’s grasp to get the job done. – Sajeev Mehta

Pontiac Aztek (2001-05)

The Pontiac Aztek will have the last laugh. And get ready for +$50,000 valuations for the camping package. How long will it be before someone writes or says on a video, “the Buick Rendezvous just never had the Aztek’s cachet.” – Stefan Lombard

Pontiac Aztek: Long live the OG Crossover. – Greg Ingold

I regret my previous choice and want to change my answer to Aztek. I think it will be the Chevy Nomad, or Ford Pinto Cruising Wagon for a new generation. And it’s actually a darn good vehicle because it’s a practical minivan under the skin. Even better/worse, it clearly is the winner of our CUV question, because we can’t stop talking about it! – Sajeev Mehta