They look and drive great, and these capable utility vehicles will also give you the extra confidence when you need it.
No problem next winter with the capable and safe Volvo XC60 R-Design.
The all-wheel drive Volvo XC60 lineup has all-new engines for 2015 paired with new eight-speed automatic transmissions for an energetic drive, a cabin and cargo area that’s spacious and stylish, and cool capability features including hill-descent control and hill-start assist. Our R-Design model with sport-tuned chassis and design had the T6 Drive-E with a novel turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. It averaged 20 MPG and priced out with Platinum level trim right at $53K. Intellisafe, Volvo’s latest suite of innovations, prepares the driver and the vehicle for the unexpected sudden stop, keeps you in your lane, and helps you park in a tight space.
Volkswagen’s Touareg remains a contender among its competitors with a great balance of performance and luxury along with high towing capacity and respectable off-road capability. The Executive edition that we drove features a TDI engine, keyless entry and ignition, nav, blind-spot monitoring, rearview camera, trailer hitch, hands-free power liftgate, panoramic sunroof, distinctive 20-inch wheels, a top-view parking display with four cameras, upgraded trim, a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, rear sunshades and a premium 10-speaker Dynaudio sound system. The optional Driver Assistance package added lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control and front-collision warning with brake intervention. This one averaged 23 MPG and sold for just north of
capability keep VW’s Touareg at the top of the list.
Lexus’s new NX is like butter inside, with all the Lexus-esque comforts, bells and whistles. Outside, the new kid on the block in the compact luxury SUV segment sports all the aggressive styling attributes it needs to compete. We drove the 300h hybrid with the Atkinson-cycle 2.5-liter four-cylinder gas engine assisted by an electric motor, boasting an average of 33 MPG. An innovative kick-down switch in the hybrid ensures maximum power is delivered when required, as in conventional vehicles. The front axle adopts a pre-load differential to control torque to assist turning on slippery roads and straight-line stability at high speed. The hybrid added a little more than $5K over the NX200t, a luxury package drove up the cost another $4,500, nav package added another $2K– in all, adding up to right at $50K.Lexus .
