2010 Sport/Utility of the Year
Angus MacKenzie: Hi, I'm Angus MacKenzie, Editor-In-Chief of Motor Trend. What
do the 14 vehicles behind me all have in common? They’re
contenders for Motor Trends 2010 Sport Utility of the Year.
Now, as for utility vehicle used to be a truck in a tux, an off-road
vehicle dressed up for suburban duty. But as you can see from this
group, the sport utility vehicle has evolved into everything from
four-door sports coupe to a large luxury Limousine.
So, how do we pick one winner from such a diverse group of
contenders? That’s simple.
Each of the contenders is not compared against the other but
evaluated against six-criteria: engineering excellence, and
advancement in design, performance of intended function,
efficiency, safety and value.
The contenders for this year’s award are Acura ZDX, Audi Q5,
Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain, Lexus RX,
Lincoln MKT, Mercedes Benz GLK, Toyota 4runner, Subaru
Outback and Volvo XC60.
Now, we have week’s worth of testing before one of these vehicles
is named Motor Trends 2010 sport utility of the year. So, let’s get
started.
The evaluation process begins at the test track where each
contender is put through the full range of motor trend performance
tests. This include north to 60-mile per hour standing quarter mile
acceleration runs and braking test from 60 miles per hour to stand
still.
Each contender’s basic road holding capability is determined via
electoral acceleration test. All Motor Trend’s unique figure eight
test provides insight into a vehicles behavior as a transition from
braking to cornering, to acceleration as happens during everyday
driving.
Well, the next phase of our testing is boarders to southern
California's wine country and a 30-mile road loop through the
rolling hills. It includes two-lane black top in a freeway and some
country towns. And what we’re looking for is how the vehicles
perform on the railroad driving conditions.
The mixture is a road and road surfaces give us the chance to
evaluate things such as ride and handling as well as noise,
vibration and harshness.
This stretch of our California road loop is actually a couple of
miles of unpaved track through the hills. Most SUV’s these days
rarely venture off-road but the capability of going along tracks
which are not paved or maybe muddy or snowy is still an
important part of the purchase consideration so we use this section
to see how well the vehicles perform on marginal surfaces. We
evaluate angle of braking systems, traction control systems and
with the more traditional sport utility vehicles, their high and low
range transfer case systems and all the other drive systems.
With all the testing and road loops completed, the judges gather to
discuss and debate how each contender has performed against the
six criteria.
Male: And after I drove that, I really became a condor because in so
many ways, it really seems to be treating a new niche of its own
where — I should say an empty Nestor canal have an all weather,
all Terrain vehicle that really looks cool and drives like a rally car
as we’re talking about before. Really something special and
unique, I'm really digging it.
Male: That it’s clearly a vehicle where in a function follows form you
know, considerably. It is very tight in the back. It’s better than the
X6. But in terms of practicality I mean, I can look at this car and
say, “Well, this is something that I would get.”
Male: I noticed in the back to back on a drive wheel, it’s effortless to
drive this one quick. It’s so well-planted even over the really rough
pavement. I love the panel shifters, works the engine beautifully.
Really strong motor too and inside, the way Audi does those
interiors and the MMI interface. It’s just so good, beautiful place to
spend time. So, I remain pretty impressed by the— so for me, the
big problem here is it doesn’t really standout from even its own
competitive set. It’s very nice to drive. It’s very good looking but
is it that much better than everything else that’s out there I mean I
don’t know.
Angus Mackenzie: From an engineering point of view, it just doesn’t seem to be there.
This thing supposed to have 300 horsepower. That must be—
because it certainly doesn’t feel like that. It’s very, very heavy for
the size. The interior package is not as roomy as a Chevrolet
Equinox which is roughly same size vehicle, so this thing it just
misses to me, misses the mark in so many areas.
Male: This thing has this new cool circular display in one of the gauges
but then next to it is this a really cheese ball old school gear
selector and it looks like it’s from, you know, like a digital lodge
and the turn signals are these plastic crystals. I mean against the
competition that’s here, again the Audi, the Benz, I mean all of
these touches are just the level below. It’s kind of little rent for you
know for what a Cadillac I think should be.
Male: One thing I found on the drive is on the smooth pavement, this
thing felt very nice compose, poise. As soon as it hit broken
pavement and you’re trying to go through the turns, the whole car
felt unsettled. Everything felt like it was kind of bouncing on top
of whatever you are going over.
Male: And I think this is possibly the best Volvo car that are currently out
there but it’s a very high riding vehicle. It has some pretty good
ground—yet. You don’t really feel that on the road. They were
cornered nicely. There's certainly enough power.
Male: And I thought it rode very well. I think it’s a very comfortable car
for most people in typical driving. The ride is also quite good
given its length, so it wasn’t very choppy, you’ll expect that. I
didn’t sense it at all. The seats are rather hard that’s a characteristic
of Mercedes but they are hard but I actually like the car.
Male: It does have a nice motor, pretty good chassis but it is small,
maybe one of the smallest in this class inside and awfully lacking
in features for $45,000.00. It does even have a navi system. I kind
of like the way it looks but I'm kind of disappointed in the amount
of content it has and its functionality. That was my overall thing.
Male: I also like that’s it a big car where Cadillac is chasing after smaller
cars and after BMW and Mercedes and things like that. This thing
just says, “I'm a big American luxury car and the heck with the rest
of you people.” And I think that’s cool. I'm rather fond of that.
Angus Mackenzie: Why do you have to do a Lincoln that is remotely like a station
wagon or an SUV that’s nothing to do with Lincoln V8 to start
with? And then do one that has this large body but a worthless
third row. It’s almost like — this is the answer to a question
nobody asks.
Male: I was very pleasantly surprised driving it. I like the six owner all
wheel drive, obviously that’s the Full Monty version but you can
get it with just about all the options on it for low to mid 30’s. And
you get a vehicle that not only drives really well but just as you
said huge inside. It’s a little chancy inside. It’s very clear to me
who they are pursuing an interior styling.
I mean it has button crazy on the center stock as the Honda’s are
these days. All those buttons lined up with that navi screen and I
think it’s over an execution. I disagree that it’s — in every aspect. I
think it certainly has a size and the fuel economy. But in terms of a
place you’d really want to spend a lot of time, I think there's other
in the segment that I rather—
Male: I think, this one is another one that really hits the knock in terms of
performance of intended function. It’s meant to be an off-road
vehicle, so it might have felt like helming a trunk of water buffalo
in some other corners. But for that sort of vehicle on this sort of
tire, I thought it was pretty tidy and it’s reasonably economical and
it was one of the quieter ones here in terms of the MBI suppression
on the tire and the suspension.
Male: But there's a lot of really cartoony tank of truck details toward this
huge headlights to ridiculously size four under badge in the back.
And inside all these knobs and I mean they’re making stuff so you
can, if you have snowboard gloves on you can turn the stuff on but
it’s a little crazy on there. These things are really huge.
Angus Mackenzie: There's a lot of honesty about this vehicle. It’s not trying to be
something else. It’s a car based wagon with SUV type ground
clearance and driving out on the loop there, it was one of the nicer
rides because the suspension was compliant. The engine had plenty
of power and the steering was good. This just seems like this
would be an honest all around family vehicle. You know, you can
take your kids on vacation. You got room in the back.
Male: It’s one of the best drives today. It might be my favorite because I
really think it’s a car not an SUV. I think the styling has a
retrograde step. I think if you look at the last model it was much
cleaner. This one has got the big smiley face. It works worst,
Sudan versus the Outback but it is a step back.
Male: I found the ride to be way too stiff. It’s got a lot of really shot
vertical motion. I think they have large bumps like that and I
thought that's not quite right.
Angus Mackenzie: The RX customs kind of be expecting our—I’ve tried to make it
sporty and all I’ve done is make it stiff and if it doesn’t seat with
the Lexus DNA. This is supposed to be a luxury brand not a sport
car brand.
Male: And really these things are so stuffed with technology. I mean
there's no arguing that this really has class leading everything all
the goodies. It’s squishy when you get in. The leather is nice. I
mean it really caused it to run but it doesn’t excite me at all. It’s
really I think, it’s kind of for the guy who buys the biggest flat
screen TV and the nicest stereo components. But then really is
watching like this is the lamest movies than are non-blue ray.
Male: You know, I agree with Ed’s comment early that the center stock
has gone all Honda’s way too many buttons. It’s very confusing.
But generally, it’s smooth, good driving, both engines are
reasonable, the force under work is harder obviously, but I like
driving it. I think a lot of buyers are going to appreciate the size
price ratio.
Male: I do like the way both of these drive but I do think in spite of its
huge truck look of the face and these big fenders. It is really more
butch than that Equinox. There's a lot of femininity to the face of
that. I think it’s some of the interior styling that is absent on this
one again with the red touches and the real dark sporty, cloth, so
that would be only reason I would get it and just rip off maybe this
little advantage portion. So, it doesn’t have quite the double chin.
Male: One judge, one vote and with all the votes counted, it’s time to
reveal the winner.
Angus Mackenzie: Okay, we have a winner and by a fairly commanding margin. It is
the Subaru Outback.
Male: A number of this year’s contenders offered bold designs or eco-
friendly power trains. But the Outback’s unique combination of
comfort, efficiency, versatility and value made it a clear winner.
The Outback reshapes the definition of sport utility vehicle by
melding the driving refinement, great gas mileage and easy access
of a car by its wagon with the multi-mission prows of conventional
SUV’s.
Well, many modern truck base SUV’s now strive to be as car like
as possible, the outback starts with many of the car like attributes
customers want and—them with all weather, all road ability that
equals or betters many of its rivals. Careful attention to detail and
the design and engineering of the Outback has delivered tangible
customer benefits. This is a roomy, capable, functional vehicle that
is easy to drive, economical to run.
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