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Dune Devils. Feeling rambunctious? Bounce into of these buddies for a hot date in the desert.
With the proliferation of the seven-seat crossover/utility vehicle -- even such cute/utes as the Mitsubishi Outlander and Toyota RAV4 offer a third row-the two-row CUV, the old standby, is seemingly becoming a thing of the past. Several automakers, though, aren't dismissing the five-seat crossover, especially the premium variety, recognizing there are still plenty of singles, couples, and families who aren't willing to take one for the home team-at least not yet. Audi, Infiniti, and Volvo, for instance, are betting that the popularity of the small, snappy CUV is shooting nowhere but skyward, each readying a version of its own (see sidebar). Mercedes and others are sure to follow. Further, prospective customers of these premium crossovers have some money to burn-certainly if they're empty- or never-nesters-and are willing to spend upward of $40,000 on a vehicle that pampers them with luxury, performance, and, of course, fun.
So what such crossovers exist today?
Our radar exposed three all-new blips -- the Acura RDX, the Land Rover LR2, and the Lincoln MKX -- and one familiar bogey, the BMW X3. All these first-class CUVs offer a leather-appointed interior, a navigation system, Xenon headlamps, a premium sound system, all-wheel drive, and well over 200 horsepower. To determine which lavish Lilliputian is the mightiest of the bunch, we paid a visit to the Dumont Dunes, a Mecca of sandy mounds near the Mojave National Preserve, to test off-road prowess and beach benevolence. Along the way, we explored the highways and byways around Devils Playground to score ride, comfort, and luxury, and closed with rigorous handling loops in the San Gabriel Mountains to rate chassis dynamics: 1000 miles accumulated, one CUV had us feeling especially devilish.
New old
Unfortunately for Lincoln, the MKX isn't the one. Tired, perhaps, but not devilish. The sole American in the group, the MKX, sad to say, represents itself as do many-sloppy and overweight. Suffocating the scales with 4618 pounds-308 pounds more than the next-heaviest LR2 and nearly 700 pounds porkier than the group lightweight, the RDX-the MKX feels like a pig among coyotes, exhibiting untidy movements and languid responses. Turn-in? Maybe tomorrow. Understeer? Overwhelming. Editor-at-large St. Antoine notes, "The suspension is all over the road, the traction control steps in too early and often, and there's no cornering feel." The Lincoln seems to float around curves, never composed, always rolling, squatting, and diving. Senses through the helm are rubbery, elastic, numb-you get the idea-prompting St. Antoine to declare, "'Steering feel' is an oxymoron." The brakes aren't much better, delivering a mushy pedal and fade-prone performance.
On the bright side, the MKX isn't without merits. Despite its hedonistic heft, it manages respectable test numbers-0-to-60 in 7.7 seconds and the quarter mile in 15.9 at 86.4 mph-well above those of the LR2 and a testament to the robust 265 horsepower from the 3.5-liter V-6. The soft suspension, a weakness in the twisty bits, is a blessing on the highway, providing the cushiest, most serene ride. Moreover, at the dunes, the MKX will romp all day without ever needing a time out. And while most of us don't care for Lincoln's retro interior-the square gauges remind art director Voehringer of the dials on his 1971 oven-and subsequent sterile ambiance, the cabin does boast the most accommodating back seat, the widest and largest cargo hold, and heated and cooled front seats.
Voehringer sums up the Lincoln as, "A biopsy of the quintessential American luxury vehicle-big, wide, and soft, with a few handy-dandy features as a bonus." The MKX's dire dynamics in the mountains, stiff $44,000 price tag, and lack of a manual mode for the six-speed (how does Lincoln expect to conquer import customers without a manual mode?) relegate it to fourth place-a bonus in our book.
1st Place: Acura RDX
A sport sedan in crossover clothes.
2nd Place: Land Rover LR2
A star off-road that still shines on-road
3rd Place: BMW X3
A track-and-field celebrity charging exorbitant royalties.
4th Place: Lincoln MKX
Too overpriced and overweight to be a real contender.
Full Article (long as hell!):
Midsize Luxury Crossovers - Comparison - Motor Trend
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