The Dirty Dozen? Well, at least they looked that way after a day negotiating the sand traps, frame-twisters, hungry rocks, and rutted hills of our off-road evaluation course. Heat and dust and the sound of engines working hard: It must be Sport/Utility of the Year time again.
Twelve contenders made the cut for this year's judging, their widely varying technical specifications and packaging reflecting the diversity of a market segment that's come a long way from the days when four-wheel drive was a necessity for farmers, soldiers, and intrepid adventurers rather than a suburban-lifestyle statement. Engines included an I-5 and a flat-six and a bunch of V-6s. We had V-8s, too, including one with quad cams, a supercharger, 390 horsepower, and a Jaguar pedigree. We had live axles with leaf springs, live axles with coil springs, independent suspension, and air suspension. Transmissions? They ranged from four to seven--count 'em--speeds, some with low-range transfer cases, some without. Some of our contenders seated five, others seven. As-tested prices ranged from under $24,000 to more than $75,000.
They were an international bunch, too, reflecting the complex globalization of the auto industry and the U.S. market. One contender was all-Japanese (Suzuki Grand Vitara), two were all-Korean (Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage), and three were all-American (Ford Explorer/Mercury Mountaineer twins and Hummer H3). And before you ask about the Jeep Commander, remember the Jeep guys ultimately report to Stuttgart these days. Still, in a nice piece of symmetry, the all-new Mercedes ML is bolted together near Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Building sport/utes is clearly an American specialty: Despite their Japanese badges, both the Nissan Xterra and Subaru Tribeca are made here (Canton, Mississippi, and Lafayette, Indiana, respectively), and while the bright-orange Range Rover Sport (think Coldplay meets the Sex Pistols) may be British-built, the beancounters who approved it call Dearborn home. But it's Pontiac's Torrent that gives us a real glimpse of the auto industry's New World Order: The V-6 under its hood is made in China.
Twelve contenders, 11 judges. Technical inspections (would you believe only two of the contenders arrived with tires inflated to the correct pressures?) were followed by three days of track testing. Then came three more days of back-to-back drives around a 35.6-mile road loop and our compact, but challenging, off-road evaluation course--all interspersed with the sort of tire-kicking, hood-slamming, seat-folding, and cupholder-counting needed to really get under the skin of each vehicle.
We were surprised. We were impressed. And, yes, we were disappointed, too. But, as always, the process led us to the winner. Even if it wasn't the vehicle many of us initially expected it to be.