Monster's Ball

Bis SUVs are here to stay. The Navigator helped put Lincoln back on shopping lists. Cadillac's Escalade (above) has spawned another, longer 2003 version named the ESV. Owners of Volvos, BMWs, porsches and Volkswagens could soon be trucking in vehicles that aren't too far away from trucks. General Motors and AM General's Hummer2 (opposite page) is a civilized version of the goanywhere military machine that beat Saddam's Republican Guard. Got any 18-inch steps you need to climb? No problem. The $49,000 Hummer2 will walk right up and over them. Plus, unlike its urban predecessor, Hummer2 is small enough for you to reach over and touch whoever is riding shotgun. The flip side to (concluded on page 182)Monster's Ball (continued from page 99) big SUVs ("flip" is a sensitive word to manufacturers) is that these vehicles ride high, and with an elevated center of gravity are more prone to rollovers in tight turns. Poor gas mileage is another negative. SUVs also block the view of other drivers and, in accidents, make mincemeat of smaller cars. Doonesbury singled out the evils of SUVs, and the breed made grim headlines when Ford Explorers equipped with Firestone ATX and Wilderness AT tires suffered an unusually large number of blowouts and tread separations. All-new, fully independent suspension on 2002 models and improved tires solved that problem and Explorer sales revived. But the entire episode cast a pall on SUVs and resulted in a book by New York Times reporter Keith Bradsher entitled High and Mighty: SUVs: The World's Most Dangerous Vehicles and How They Got That Way.

Bradsher's criticism applies more to earlier models introduced before the manufacturers equipped them with four-wheel disc brakes and handling aids. Other features have made current king-size SUVs much safer. Cadillac's StabiliTrak senses an imminent skid and applies a combination of brake and throttle inputs to correct it. Volvo's XC90 boasts an electronic Roll Stability Control system that slows and manages the vehicle's movements during abrupt maneuvers.

Fuel and safety issues notwithstanding, the big SUVs can hold lots of gear, tow a boat and traverse mud and snow with few problems. Driven properly, they're lots of fun. Here's what's new.

Big Brutes

Although the 3½-ton Excursion from Ford looks to be short-lived, the slightly smaller 2½-ton Expedition still sells well. The new Lincoln Navigator and Explorer-based Lincoln Aviator have fully independent suspensions front and rear and offer premium running gear. Chevy's long-lived Suburban and its GMC clone, the Yukon XL Denali, still sell well. GMC also offers the Envoy XUV, which features a sliding roof that will accommodate an upright piano.

The Mercedes-Benz G-500 is a serious rock climber that's equally at home in front of the country club. You'll need about $75,000 for membership. Loaded with electronics, it has an audio system that rivals most custom installations. Range Rover's latest model offers an electronically controlled suspension system for extra height in rough terrain and Hill Descent Control, which allows you to tiptoe down steep slopes with your foot off the brake. Price: about $70,000. Lexus' LX470 features Vehicle Skid Control and a Mark Levinson superpremium stereo. Toyota's rugged Land Cruiser is the basis for the Lexus LX470.

Super Sport Utes

BMW waited to develop an SUV so its entry could handle like--what else?--a BMW. The X5, especially the 347 hp 4.6-liter sport version, will outcorner many sport sedans and still cruise gravel roads. Mercedes-Benz offers an AMG version of its Alabama-built M-Class. The 342 hp ML55 AMG with 18-inch wheels and enormous brakes will go from zero to 60 in just over six seconds and top out at 144 mph.

Coming late to the party, Porsche and Volkswagen showed a pair of extraordinary 2004 SUVs during last September's Paris Motor Show. Drawing on the company's Paris-Dakar rally experience, the Porsche Cayenne--packing a 340 hp V8 (about $57,000) or a 450 hp turbo (about $90,000)--offers Active Suspension Management with three settings, from mild to track-ready. Look for the Cayenne early this year.

The Volkswagen Touareg shares some of the Cayenne's underpinnings, plus a special four-wheel-drive system called 4Motion that distributes torque between the front and rear axles. When slippery conditions are encountered, all the power can be transferred to an axle that has traction. A six-speed, 3.2-liter V6 version starts around $42,000. There's a 4.2-liter V8, too. VW also builds a V10 turbodiesel Touareg. No decision has been made on whether it will be sold in the States.

Crossovers

Car-based SUVs such as the Lexus RX300 (soon to be replaced by the 2004 RX330) and the Acura MDX (with its spin-off, the Honda Pilot) offer more driving ease. The best of this crowd is the new Volvo XC90, a turbocharged SUV with Swedish wizardry that actually senses if you're about to go out of control and electronically applies the right combination of throttle and brakes to prevent the vehicle from rolling over.

Properly driven, big SUVs are safe. They do have different handling characteristics than cars, so be sure you know your vehicle's limits. Our best advice: Match your SUV to your driving style. If you have a sports car mind-set, pick an SUV that's equal to the task.

Where And How To Buy On Page Page 186.