2004 Lexus LX 470 Powertrain

Second Place: Lexus LX 470

On paper, the Lexus LX 470 is an also-ran. The 32-valve, 4.7-liter V-8 is far and away the weakest in this test, delivering 320 pound-feet of torque and just 235 horsepower. Max towing--5000 pounds--is fourth of four. The LX carries the group's only live rear axle--no independent rear suspension here. Third-row seating is cramped, and the seats are tricky to stow. And then there's the as-tested price: $70,087, second-highest in this test. Clearly a case of too much for too little, right?

Definitely not. Instead, what the Lexus proves is that facts and figures alone can't tell the whole story. (If they did, you could learn everything you need to know from one of those toasters-and-teapots consumer magazines where they like to wear white lab coats and test different brands of peanut butter for "roof-of-mouth adherence.")

The moment we climbed behind its gorgeous wood-rimmed wheel, the LX began revealing not impressive pie-chart stats but a brilliantly engineered empathy for the human at the helm. "Boy, this thing is buttery," said Smith. "Ride quality, power-steering feel, power delivery--every place you touch it, the LX is as polished and refined as, well, a Lexus. Just so darn nice I can hardly stand it." "Engine is sewing-machine smooth and nearly silent off-road," wrote Matthius.

The LX's interior exudes finesse. "Hands-down the most finely crafted cabin in this comparo," noted Matthius. "Glass-smooth wood, creamy hides, terrific nav system, great comfort." Forget squeaks and rattles: the LX's stout ladder-frame structure barely ripples over broken off-road trails or even the tracks at a railroad crossing.