2009 Infiniti FX50 S

Rory Jurnecka's officemate, associate Web editor Kirill Ougarov, took the FX on a nine-hour adventure all the way out to the wasteland that is Salton Sea, putting some 500-plus miles on the odometer in the process. Was it a nice trip?

"I didn't find all of the abandoned buildings I was looking for, but what I did find was that the FX is a great long-distance cruiser --- provided you don't mind the gas bill, that is. The power from the big V-8 and the carlike handling are terrific attributes when trying to navigate freeway traffic, and although the ride is somewhat rough for a luxury crossover, the seats are comfortable enough that it won't tire you out. Also, the adaptive cruise control works great."