http://www.suvcars.net en-us Thu, 28 Aug 2008 05:40:48 -0500 http://www.suvcars.net/2008-toyota-highlander/ This new second-generation 2008 Toyota Highlander is much bigger and more powerful than before, which gives the midsize SUV more breathing room between it and the automaker's recently enlarged RAV4 compact SUV. The gas-powered Highlander gets a new 3.5-liter V-6; (a gas\electric Highlander Hybrid variant is also available) Five-and seven-seat models are accessible, and Base, Sport and Limited trims are offered. Competitors to new Honda SUV are: the Honda Pilot, Hyundai Santa Fe and Mazda CX-9.

The Highlander is powered by a 270-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 engine that teams with a five-speed automatic transmission. Front- and four-wheel-drive models are offered, and the Highlander has a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds with the optional tow package.

The 2008 Highlander Toyota is sleeker than its predecessor and features smooth lustrous sides. It retains the upright D-pillar of the prior model and the liftgate — which can have optional power operation — can also have glass that opens independently. Standard wheels measure 17 inches in diameter, but 19-inch wheels are available. The 2008 Highlander is about 4 inches longer, 3 inches wider and an inch taller than the outgoing model. Ground clearance measures 8.1 inches. At 188.4 inches long and 75.2 inches wide, the Highlander casts roughly the same shadow as a Honda Pilot, Subaru Tribeca or Hyundai Veracruz. The Mazda CX-9 and Saturn Outlook are both about a foot longer.

This new SUV has front bucket seats and sliding, reclining second-row leader's chairs that can be configured to handle three people with Toyota's Center Stow seat. The Center Stow seat provides decent comfort and can be removed and stored when not needed. Seven-seat Highlanders have a two-person third-row seat that can fold flat into the floor. Optional features include Smart Start and Entry keyless access, a navigation system, a rear-seat entertainment system with a flip-down 9-inch screen, leather-covered seats and a six-CD JBL stereo.

In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety frontal crash tests, the 2008 Highlander scored the highest score, Good. IIHS has not tested the Highlander for side impacts. Toyota didn't skimp on safety features. All Highlanders come standard with four-wheel-disc antilock brakes, traction control and an electronic stability system. The stability system now works with the electric power steering, which boosts the power assist when the driver is steering to correct a skid. It also assists combat steering pull under hard braking to help the Highlander stop in a straight line. (Toyota says the system cannot steer the SUV on its own, as some advanced systems now do, so if you steer the wrong way in a skid, don't expect any extra power assist.) Seven airbags are standard, including the required dual front airbags, a driver's knee airbag and side-impact airbags for the front seats. There are also roll-sensing side curtain airbags for all three rows, which deploy during a rollover to prevent occupant ejection. All seats have head restraints, and in Sport and Limited models, the front ones are forward-adjustable for better whiplash protection. Active head restraints are standard on the front seats of all trims. The second row includes Latch child-seat anchors in the outboard seats, with simply accessible top-tether anchors midway down the seatback.

Specifications:
2008 Toyota Highlander
Base price: $34,150
Engine: 270-hp, 3.5-liter V-6
Fuel: 17/23 mpg
Length: 188.4"
Width: 75.2"
Ground Clearance: 8.1"
Turning Radius: 19.4'
Cargo space: 10.3-95.4 cu. ft. ]]> Thu, 15 May 2008 14:30:33 -0500 http://www.suvcars.net/2008-toyota-highlander/ http://www.suvcars.net/2008-subaru-tribeca/ Subaru Tribeca SUV 4dr.
The Tribeca has a four-wheel independent suspension with front and rear stabilizer bars. While the crossover's body roll is fairly noticeable when cornering, the other side of the coin is a comfy, smooth ride that was appreciated during a drive from Chicago to Windsor, Ontario, and back. There's a concrete portion of Interstate 94 along this route that has a tendency to make a vehicle's suspension oscillate up and down annoyingly, but the Tribeca resisted this tendency admirably.

Subaru increased the Tribeca's standard horizontally opposed six-cylinder from 3.0 to 3.6 liters for 2008. The new engine makes 256 horsepower, which is a modest increase over the previous engine's 245 hp, and a more substantial increase in torque to 247 pounds-feet (up from 215 pounds-feet). As with all Subarus, all-wheel drive is standard.

The previous B9 Tribeca, while not underpowered, wasn't especially quick. Even though the new model has a more powerful engine and its curb weight is essentially unchanged, acceleration isn't remarkable at higher speeds. The Tribeca does have plenty of pep in city driving, though.

The Tribeca's five-speed automatic transmission includes Subaru's Sportshift clutchless-manual mode, which lets the driver control gear changes when desired. In normal operation, it shifts smoothly and kicks down quickly when needed.

All-disc antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution are standard, and they're up to the task of stopping this two-ton crossover. The brake pedal, for its part, has a natural feel that doesn't ask the driver to accommodate any quirks the way some cars do.

The Interior.
The cabin has earned a comparatively warmer reception than the exterior, and Subaru didn't mess with a good thing. The wraparound cockpit and metallic overlays are still here, as are the electroluminescent gauges and center-mounted information display. Fully loaded Tribecas include a navigation system, power-adjustable leather seats, a rear backup camera and a backseat DVD entertainment system.

The swoopy dashboard styling carries over from the B9 Tribeca, and while it's different from anything else on the market, it doesn't sacrifice ease of use in the name of fashion; all of the controls you readily need, like the ones for the air conditioning and stereo, are well within reach. The dash styling is a bit heavy on silver-colored trim, but at least it doesn't look cheap.

The second-row seats can slide forward and back, and they recline. The seat cushions are split 60/40, but the backrest is split 40/20/40. This allows long items like skis to be carried inside the SUV without compromising passenger comfort, as two people can sit on either side of the cargo. The second row is spacious, with lots of legroom for tall adults, and the leather seats are firm like the front buckets. An optional 50/50-split third-row seat increases the Tribeca's occupant capacity from five to seven.

Optional features include a power moonroof, remote start, a touch-screen navigation system, a rearview camera and a rear-seat entertainment system with a 9-inch screen that includes two wireless headphones and a remote control.

Five-person Tribecas have 37.6 cubic feet of cargo room, and folding the backseat flat raises the total to 74.4 cubic feet. The seven-seat Tribeca has only 8.3 cubic feet of space behind the third row, which can fold flat into the floor when not in use. More important, the Tribeca has a low floor, which makes it easier to load luggage into it. The crossover can tow up to 3,500 pounds when properly equipped, which is competitive for its class.

The Exterior.
The new one-piece grille has a chrome upper lining and three horizontal crossbars — not the most imaginative, but certainly less divisive than the original. The old Tribeca's multibezel headlights have also been scrubbed for a pair of narrower, more compartmentalized ones that look like those on the Hyundai Santa Fe. The Tribeca's rear, too, looks like that of the Santa Fe. The 2007 model's offset midsection has been smoothed over for a more uniform look, and the taillights don't look nearly as menacing. Changes to the sides aim to improve visibility, Subaru says, with larger rearview mirrors and rear-quarter windows.

Specs:

Base price: $33,595

Engine: 256-hp, 3.6-liter H-6

Fuel: 16/21 mpg

Length: 191.5"

Width: 73.9"

Turning Radius: 18.7'

Cargo space: 8.3-74.4 cu. ft.

NHTSA Crash-Test Ratings:
Driver's side: 5 Stars; Passenger's side: 5 Stars; Front occupant: 5 Stars; Rear occupant: 5 Stars; Rollover resistance: 4 Stars. ]]> Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:50:44 -0500 http://www.suvcars.net/2008-subaru-tribeca/ http://www.suvcars.net/2008-mercedes-benz-gl550/ The 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL is the company's biggest SUV, a seven-passenger, full-size sport utility vehicle. For 2008, a GL550 with a larger engine joins the Mercedes-Benz GL320 diesel and Mercedes GL450 gasoline models.

Large and luxurious, the GL-Class full-size SUV is built in the United States alongside the M-Class mid-size SUV and the R-Class touring wagon. The GL is designed to appeal to Mercedes-Benz sedan owners who want the off-road, seven-passenger, and 7500-pound towing capabilities that come with a full-size SUV along with the luxury and safety features they have in their other Mercedes vehicles.

While their names sound similar, don't confuse the new GL-Class with the venerable G-Class or Gelandewagen. The GL shares nothing in common with the utilitarian G-Class. The GL-Class shares its basic platform with the ML-Class and R-Class.

The Mercedes-Benz GL-Class is large and capable off road yet feels surprisingly car-like on the road. That car-like feeling comes in part because it is built around a unibody architecture instead of traditional body-on-frame construction. Mercedes says the GL is strong enough to tow a 30-foot boat, a trailer carrying three horses, or a large travel trailer, but verify tongue weights and ratings before making decisions. All GL-Class models come with a seven-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive. All seat up to seven people.

The 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class offers three models differentiated primarily by engines and features. The GL320 CDI uses a 3.0-liter turbo diesel, the GL450 comes with a 335-hp V8 engine, and the new GL550 uses a 382-hp 5.5-liter V8 found in $100,000 coupes.

All GL-Class offerings come with a seven-speed automatic transmission, the 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system, and the Airmatic air suspension system. It comes with seating for seven and with a third row that powers up or down at the touch of a button.

Options include Distronic radar-controlled cruise control; a rear-seat entertainment system with two screens; Keyless Go, which allows the car to be started as long as the key is inside the vehicle and locked/unlocked with touching the key; Parktronic, which uses sonar to detect obstacles near the vehicle; a power rear tailgate; harman/kardon Logic 7 surround sound system; and DVD-based navigation.

The GL550 comes with full leather, Parktronic, rear-view camera, premium audio, adaptive bi-xenon headlamps, infrared-reflective glass, heated steering wheel, heated front and middle-row seats, and Adaptive Damping Suspension.

Safety features that come standard include eight airbags, including side airbags for all four outboard first and second-row seating positions as well as side curtain airbags that protect occupants in all three rows. It comes with active front head restraints, LATCH tethers for child safety seats, and three-point safety belts for all seating positions; make sure everyone in the vehicle always wears those seat belts because they're your first line of defense in a crash. Active safety features (to help you avoid a crash) include an Electronic Stability Program, anti-lock brakes with Brake Assist Plus, and four-wheel electronic traction control. Optional safety features include Parktronic and a rear-view camera, each of which can help alert the driver obstacles or people, including children, behind the vehicle. The last time we checked, the GL-Class did not come with child locks on the rear side doors.

While the Mercedes GL may look sleeker than its competitors, it was designed to offer class-leading interior room and ease of entry and exit. Cargo space also benefits. With all seats in their upright position, there's still 14 cubic feet of storage between the third-row seatbacks and the closed rear hatch door. A power folding feature for the third row is standard equipment on the GL with controls near the rear hatch and next to the right-side second-row passenger's seat. Power down those third-row seats, and cargo capacity expands to 43.8 cubic feet. Fold down the 60/40-split second row seats and the GL provides as much as 83.3 cubic feet for cargo. There's also room under the cargo floor for a full-size spare tire.

The interior layout is familiar to Mercedes drivers, with either faux or real leather trim for the seats (Mercedes notes that not all luxury car buyers want real leather seating surfaces), wood trim and metal rings around gauges, air vents, and cup holders.

The GL can be equipped with a 440-watt, 11-speaker harman/kardon Logic 7 sound system, with Sirius Satellite Radio and with a DVD video entertainment system with screens mounted in the rear of both front-seat headrests and with a 6CD changer.

The full-size Mercedes-Benz GL-Class SUVs are larger than the mid-size M-Class. The GL provides more car-like dynamics than the traditional, full-size, body-on-frame SUVs from other automakers, yet can tow big trailers. ]]> Fri, 15 Feb 2008 06:55:58 -0600 http://www.suvcars.net/2008-mercedes-benz-gl550/