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(Enlarge photo)
Our four competitors in front of the mid-18th-century First Congregational Church in Madison, Connecticut.
(Photo by Scott Jacobs)
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(Enlarge photo)
Our four competitors in front of the mid-18th-century First Congregational Church in Madison, Connecticut.
(Photo by Scott Jacobs)
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(Enlarge photo)
This covered bridge, built in 1837, spans the Housatonic River at the tiny village of West Cornwall in northwest Connecticut.
(Photo by Scott Jacobs)
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Road Test: Comparison Test
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2003 Midsize Crossover SUVs Comparison Test
Introduction
By
Neil Dunlop
Date posted: 06-13-2003
"Crossover? What's a crossover?" The middle-aged woman looked at me sideways. We were fueling up at a gas bar in Hazleton, Penn., and she had asked me what we were all doing there. Though I knew a stream of questions would follow, I told her that we were auto journalists conducting a comparison test. After I agreed that I had the best job in the world and that, yes, they were all fine vehicles, she asked me for a definition of crossover.
I looked to my left and right at the four vehicles in our midsize crossover SUVs comparison test: a silver Nissan Murano, a black Mitsubishi Endeavor, a gold Toyota Highlander and a silver Honda Pilot. "Well, ma'am, it's kind of complicated."
Simply put, a crossover SUV is a vehicle that doesn't fit neatly into any of the established vehicle categories — car, SUV, wagon, minivan — but has characteristics of all. That is, it crosses over the criteria that separate these vehicles. From the standpoint of exterior styling, ride height and capability, these vehicles more closely resemble SUVs than any other vehicle type.
For the purposes of this test, we define a midsize crossover SUV as a vehicle with an elevated driving position, some measure of all-terrain capability, a car-based unibody chassis and a sticker of less than about $35,000. Although all of our test vehicles were all-wheel drive, none had a dual-range transfer case, which would allow low gearing for extreme off-roading — another factor that separates crossovers from sport-utility vehicles.
OK, that's pretty clear, but what about other crossovers? For instance, where are the Subaru Outback and the Buick Rendezvous? Well, they participated in our 2002 Entry-Level Luxury Crossover Comparison Test and finished second and third, respectively. Barring a major redesign, only the first-place vehicle, in this case, the Toyota Highlander, is eligible to compete in the next test. So it joined the Murano, Endeavor and Pilot, which were not available at the time of our last test — they're all-new vehicles in this growing segment.
We conducted our test in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Pennsylvania over a four-day period. Our diverse driving route allowed us to experience the vehicles on a variety of road surfaces, at different speeds and driving conditions. We had four-lane highway cruising, curvy two-lane country highways, cobblestone village streets, rugged off-road tracks and the busy, potholed streets of midtown Manhattan. Later, we put the vehicles through their paces at our testing facility outside of Los Angeles. As a result, we were able to get to know all of them pretty well.
But, before you move on to find out which vehicle won this comparison, it's best to keep in mind that there were no bad vehicles in this test; each had its good and not-so-good points. And, depending on your needs and desires, you may look at our findings and disagree. That's good, because several of the categories are subjective, such as design, and what one person finds important, another doesn't need. However, we can assure you that we tried as hard as possible to scrutinize these vehicles completely so that the information we provide is comprehensive, accurate and unbiased.
Now you can check the results.
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