5th Place Kia Borrego
What's Hot: Great engine, comfortable seats
What's Not: Gummy transmission, tires, trailability, price
Our Take: Kia should drop the low-range and market this as an all-weather vehicle
From The Logbook:
* "HVAC buttons take some figuring out."
* "Front seats are incredibly comfortable."
* "Belongs with soccer moms in mall parking lots."
* "Whoa! $40,000 for a Kia? I thought they were a value brand."
* "The engine is great-it is just let down by the slow transmission shifts."
4th Place Suzuki Grand Vitara
What's Hot: Compact size, value, fun to drive
What's Not: Needs more ground clearance, engine note is coarse
Our Take: An awesomely affordable choice if you need an affordable four-wheel drive
From The Logbook:
* "If I could own one of these rigs, this would be the one."
* "So simple and capable."
* "A little more ground clearance is all we need."
* "I like the new power, but the engine sounds strained at high rpm.
* "This thing gets great fuel economy."
3rd Place Toyota Sequoia
What's Hot: Giant interior, Lexus-like accommodations, awesome engine
What's Not: Giant exterior, expansive dash, visibility, front seats
Our Take: A fullsize SUV not afraid to take the family into the backcountry
From The Logbook:
* "A nice rig for families on the go."
* "I just can't get comfortable in these seats"
* "The Sequoia might actually be as quiet as the Lexus."
* "The drivetrain provides spectacular passing power on two-lane roads."
* "Adaptive cruise control-nice feature for long drives."
2nd Place Lexus LX 570
What's Hot: Lexus quality, luxury appointments, devours pavement miles, amazing chassis
What's Not: Price, minimal sidewalls
Our Take: Arguably the ultimate luxury wheeler
From The Logbook:
* "Awesome blend of luxury and function."
* "All of the technology is fun to use, but I always revert back to the old way."
* "So quiet and smooth, it was hard to stay awake while driving."
* "Stupid navigation is locked down at speed."
* "Finally, the boss got out of this so I could get some seat time." (You're fired.-Boss)