Volvo recently unveiled the ES90, its new flagship electric sedan. Essentially, it’s a fully electric version of the S90, same size and everything, but the styling is obviously quite different. Plus, you know, it doesn’t use an internal combustion engine.

One other important thing to note about the ES90 is its design: it’s a raised crossover sedan, reminiscent of the Polestar 2, and it’s kinda weird. Let’s look at the Volvo ES90 and some other crossover sedan vehicles that we really don’t understand.

How We Chose These Cars

These cars were chosen based on personal opinions. We can see why automakers would try to appease both the very tiny sedan crowd and the much bigger and more lucrative crossover crowd.

At the same time, we’re a little confused as to why they’re bothering with these cars in the first place. You get the cons of both types of vehicles without really being able to reap any of the real benefits of either of them.

Volvo ES90

Let’s start with the new kid in town. The Volvo ES90 is based on a version of the SPA platform that it shares with most of Volvo’s lineup, but Volvo decided to go for a lifted, crossover-like sedan instead of a conventional one. Everyone loves a good Volvo sedan, so it’s a bit puzzling why Volvo decided to go with this.

Yes, crossovers do well, and we can see where Volvo’s coming from. It’s important to note, however, that in the world of EVs, your sedan doesn’t necessarily have to be a crossover to do well, as perfectly demonstrated by stuff like the Tesla Model 3. As James Morris reported on Forbes, that car was the 16th best-selling model in the world at one point. There’s also the other somewhat obvious issue: the Polestar 2 is, in many ways, basically identical to the ES90. Definitely an oddball.

Peugeot 408

For those who think the Peugeot 508, Peugeot’s current flagship sedan, is too sedan-like and too normal, don’t worry; Peugeot has a way out for you. The 408, which joined the lineup a couple of years ago, is very similar to the 308, except that it’s a sedan with raised ride height.

That’s really the extent of the differences. Most of the styling is very similar to the 308; the two have the exact same interior, and they both offer mostly the same powertrains. The 408 is also not in the same league as the 508 in a lot of aspects, so frankly, it’s a bit of a puzzling model.

Toyota Crown Sedan

The confusion with this one starts right off the bat with the naming strategy. The Toyota Crown now spans four different models in Japan, and over there, this version is called the Crown Crossover. In North America, however, Toyota named it just the Crown… because, well, that makes sense.

Like the previous two, the Toyota Crown Sedan Crossover is a sedan with a raised ride height and some unpainted body cladding on the outside. While we applaud Toyota’s bravery in making this a traditional sedan rather than a liftback, we don’t really understand it. The Camry exists, and it’s still doing well, so why bother?

Subaru Outback Sedan

Many of you probably know the Subaru Outback, one of the pioneers of the lifted wagon segment, a story that Alex Nishimoto told very well over at MotorTrend. Being one of the first, it has also continued to be successful even after all these decades. In the early 2000s, Subaru tried something rather experimental.

As well as a classic Outback wagon, Subaru also gave us the Outback sedan. The Outback wagon makes a lot of sense; it’s a wagon with tons of practicality and some off-road ability, but the sedan… less so. No surprise that you barely see any of them.

Volvo S60 Cross Country

Not wanting to be outdone by Subaru, other automakers soon joined in with their own lifted wagons, sprinkling a little bit of luxury into the mix. This includes Volvo and its Cross Country line of lifted wagons and… sedans?

Yep. The XC70 makes sense, and it’s a lovely car. The V60 Cross Country makes sense, too. It’s a smaller wagon, but that’s all well and fine. The S60 Cross Country makes a little bit less sense. You lose much of the practicality, and as a result, you can’t really consider it a suitable replacement for, say, an SUV.

Citroën C4X

Throughout the 2000s and the 2010s, the Citroën C4 was a conventional hatchback hoping to steal some sales from the all-conquering VW Golf. A few years ago, Citroën brought it back as a compact crossover, because nobody else thought to do that, right?

To increase the weirdness even further, Citroën then introduced the C4X. It’s based on the C4, except it now has an absurdly long rear overhang and a trunk instead of a hatch. Although we understand why Citroën did this, it’s still hard to pinpoint a target market for such a vehicle.

Polestar 2

Of course, we had to mention the Volvo ES90’s cousin, the Polestar 2. This was Polestar’s second-ever model after the 600 hp plug-in hybrid Polestar 1. The Polestar 2 is a conventional sedan, except it’s also not all that conventional.

Based on the same platform as the Volvo XC40, the Polestar 2 is really high off the ground, it’s absurdly bulky in real life (trust me, I’ve seen them), and rides on fairly massive wheels. It’s absolutely a good electric car, but why not have it ride closer to the ground like most normal sedans? Thankfully, the upcoming Polestar 5 will be like that.

Renault/Dacia Logan Stepway

You’re probably tired of the “Good news!” jokes every time Dacia gets mentioned, so I’ll spare you. Along with James May’s favorite Sandero, Dacia, as explained by AutoEvolution, also offers a tiny sedan called the Logan. The Logan is available as a wagon, or MCV in Dacia parlance, and you can have that wagon with the ruggedized Stepway trim level.

That’s fine; that’s the Subaru Outback your mother tells you that you have at home. But then, in some markets, Dacia offers the Logan Stepway as a sedan with a Renault badge. That’s a bit of an odd decision, and even weirder is the fact that you can’t have it with AWD. We think the Stepway trim should stay with the MCV wagon.

Kia K3

North America’s entry point into the Kia SUV and crossover lineup is the Soul, but in Europe and some other markets, that’s the Stonic. Meanwhile, over in Mexico, Latin America, and the Middle East, things are a little bit different. One of Kia’s entry-level models in those markets is the K3.

It’s a surprisingly cutesy lifted hatchback, but you can also have it as a sedan. Again, whatever sedan proportions this tiny car was hoping to ape are ruined by the absurd ground clearance. The small wheels taking up very little room in the wheel arches don’t help matters much, either.

Suzuki SX4 Sedan

Finally, something that’ll likely be more familiar to some Americans. Suzuki has quite a sad story in the US and Canada. No matter how much the brand tried, as Car and Driver told us, it couldn’t make a dent. One of the many models that Suzuki tried to sway Americans with is the SX4.

In Europe, the SX4 was a small crossover that, as explained by AutoEvolution, also received a Fiat derivative called the Sedici, but in North America, it was exclusively a bulky, awkwardly styled sedan. Because it shared its platform with a crossover, it technically counts as a crossover sedan.

Even though I think it’s charming, I’ll be the first to admit that its proportions are all kinds of awkward. According to Motor1, the much more conventional Kizashi was also a massive flop, sadly.

It’s Gotta Be One or The Other

These are some truly oddball machines. While it does make sense to turn a sedan into a crossover from an economic standpoint, it doesn’t really make sense in the grand scheme of things.

Fortunately, very few automakers have chosen to tackle both of these disparate segments at once. For those who have thrown their hat into the ring, however, it’s time to pick one or the other. Regular sedans with less production volume or more crossovers and more money, but not both.