My comparison: Midsize/large crossovers

[ifcar]

Sixth place: Honda Pilot

There's a lot of potential in the Honda Pilot. Excellent interior packaging, aided by a usefully boxy shape, give this relatively compact SUV passenger and cargo room that rivals several larger competitors. It also has comfortable seats, pleasant driving dynamics, and reasonable pricing.

But in a class as competitive as this one, it's hard to get away with any glaring error, and Honda gave the Pilot a whopper: its interior quality....

Continued at link: http://www.examiner.com/cars-in-national/comparison-review-eight-three-row-crossover-suvs-sixth-place

[Eye of the Tiger]

Continued at link:

http://www.examiner.com/cars-in-national/comparison-review-eight-three-row-crossover-suvs-introduction


In an experiment, I've changed the format of the comparison slightly from the past ones: Instead of releasing the ranking order bit by bit, I'll be releasing steadily increasing level of detail:

Today, the ranking is published in the slideshow, with a one-sentence explanation. (Constrained to a 255-character limit.)

Tomorrow, I'll put up what's normally the last thing to be published: the discussion of how the models rank in different areas (comfort/luxury, value, etc).

And only after that will I put up the full reviews, still one at a time.

Thoughts on whether this system is an improvement will be welcome.

Quite frankly, I can't stand it when you release the results bit by bit. I do not have the patience for that nonsense. I like to read reviews all at once.

[68_427]

Quite frankly, I can't stand it when you release the results bit by bit. I do not have the patience for that nonsense. I like to read reviews all at once.

The examiner requires page views.  He gets more views if he releases bits and pieces, as apposed to all at once.

[93JC]

If he whores his schlock bit by bit he gets more munneh.

[ifcar]

Quite frankly, I can't stand it when you release the results bit by bit. I do not have the patience for that nonsense. I like to read reviews all at once.

So wait until they're all posted and read them then. If I post everything at once, then I don't have any content left for later. Car and Driver can dump a lot of reviews out all at once and then sit tight for a month; my format doesn't allow it.

[ifcar]

Fifth place: Dodge Durango

The typical three-row midsize SUV is something like a tall, more stylish station wagon, or perhaps a minivan without sliding doors. Quiet, comfortable, pleasant and easy to drive round out such a model's hallmarks.

The above may sound more like the description of a winner than fifth place. And to someone who wants more of the character and capability of a traditional large SUV, the Durango may very well be the top choice. It also deserves praise for its premium-level interior detailing, ride quality, and noise suppression.

But some issues give pause to a wholehearted recommendation. ...

Continued at link:
http://www.examiner.com/cars-in-national/comparison-review-eight-three-row-crossover-suvs-fifth-place

[GoCougs]

Jeebus, tough crowd...

Given the good press the new Durango has gotten I'm surprised to see at #5...

[SVT666]

I looked at the new Durango with the 3rd row seats folded down and I think you're being overly harsh with your criticism.  It's no worse than our Explorer and I have no problems with it.  Good chance Durango will be our next SUV.

[ifcar]

I looked at the new Durango with the 3rd row seats folded down and I think you're being overly harsh with your criticism.  It's no worse than our Explorer and I have no problems with it.  Good chance Durango will be our next SUV.

This isn't 2006. Nearly every other competitor has flush-folding seats -- which are simply more convenient -- and most have more room.

[SVT666]

This isn't 2006. Nearly every other competitor has flush-folding seats -- which are simply more convenient -- and most have more room.

I still say you're being overly harsh.

[Tave]

Well that's odd, our 1st gen Durango has flush-folding seats.


Edit: Oh I see what you're talking about. Yeah, ours has a little gap/bump between the 2nd and 3rd rows too, and the 2nd row slopes almost imperceptably upwards towards the front seats.

It never makes loading/unloading difficult or awkward.

[ifcar]

I still say you're being overly harsh.

There are a lot of very strong midsize crossovers. Any area where one falls appreciably short of the rest needs to be highlighted. Not everything can be a winner.

The bigger flaws are, in order, power and total cargo capacity. But it is a better design to have a flat, flush cargo area without gaps in it, and most of the other models pull that off.

[omicron]

My goodness, that Durango looks fantastic!

[SVT32V]

There are a lot of very strong midsize crossovers. Any area where one falls appreciably short of the rest needs to be highlighted. Not everything can be a winner.

The bigger flaws are, in order, power and total cargo capacity. But it is a better design to have a flat, flush cargo area without gaps in it, and most of the other models pull that off.

I think the quote about truck-like is off. Would you consider the ML or GL or any of the BMW SUVs more truck-like than any of these fwders?

Are you eqauting truck like with rwd-bias vs being based on a fwd sedan?

[ifcar]

I think the quote about truck-like is off. Would you consider the ML or GL or any of the BMW SUVs more truck-like than any of these fwders?

Are you eqauting truck like with rwd-bias vs being based on a fwd sedan?

No, I'm talking about its character and capability compared to, say, a Highlander.

[SVT32V]

No, I'm talking about its character and capability compared to, say, a Highlander.

Saying it has trucklike character seems to mean it is less refined than the highlander or pilot, is it?

[ifcar]

Saying it has trucklike character seems to mean it is less refined than the highlander or pilot, is it?

Not necessarily. Many of today's trucks are very comfortable. They just feel big, they feel substantial, their engines rumble rather than purr. That's the feel of the Durango, at least more so than competitors.

[SVT32V]

Not necessarily. Many of today's trucks are very comfortable. They just feel big, they feel substantial, their engines rumble rather than purr. That's the feel of the Durango, at least more so than competitors.

Well the others are much closer to minivans since they are all based on fwd family car architecture just like minivans. Is this review mainly comparing how close these midsizers are to the minivans and the idea minivans the pinacle of 7 seat transportation or how they stack up as Sport Utility Vehicles. I doubt any of the others in the comparison can hold a candle to the durango offroad or in bad weather while the durango certainly isn't giving up much if anything in the handling dept.

[ifcar]

Well the others are much closer to minivans since they are all based on fwd family car architecture just like minivans. Is this review mainly comparing how close these midsizers are to the minivans and the idea minivans the pinacle of 7 seat transportation or how they stack up as Sport Utility Vehicles. I doubt any of the others in the comparison can hold a candle to the durango offroad or in bad weather while the durango certainly isn't giving up much if anything in the handling dept.

Which is why the text clearly expressed that if you want more capability than a typical crossover, this is the best choice. If you don't need that -- as most buyers evidently do not -- then it may not be.

[SVT666]

Well the others are much closer to minivans since they are all based on fwd family car architecture just like minivans. Is this review mainly comparing how close these midsizers are to the minivans and the idea minivans the pinacle of 7 seat transportation or how they stack up as Sport Utility Vehicles. I doubt any of the others in the comparison can hold a candle to the durango offroad or in bad weather while the durango certainly isn't giving up much if anything in the handling dept.

Well, first of all he isn't taking these vehicles offroad and neither do owners.  I take my Explorer off road a 100 times more than most any other owner and I don't do anything bat shit crazy with it.  I'm sure a Pilot could do 90% of what I do and most owners would shit their pants and not do it. 

[Atomic]

My goodness, that Durango looks fantastic!

yes. it sure does!

[Raza]

So far the first four losers are all hideous.  What happened to the good looking SUVs?

[68_427]

So far the first four losers are all hideous.  What happened to the good looking SUVs?

The Flex and Durango look great.  What happened to your eyes.

[Raza]

The Flex and Durango look great.  What happened to your eyes.

The Flex isn't included in the cars I mentioned and the Durango is awful.  Blingy grille, amorphous everything else. 

[Atomic]

the dazzling new jeep grand cherokee in its various flavors may not having the extra row of seats, but has a very distinctive look of its own. it is rugged, yet elegant. less blingy perhaps than the dodge durango. the upcoming '12 SRT-8 version of the jeep GC looks hot. the monochromatic exterior look especially nice in "candy apple" red and medium gray -- as seen in a couple of publication, but my favorite is the JGC overland summit.

[CALL_911]

The Flex isn't included in the cars I mentioned and the Durango is awful.  Blingy grille, amorphous everything else. 

+1

[Tave]

It doesn't look as good as the first gen. I like it better than the second gen.

None of them are particularly attractive. Not sure how I feel about the new Flex.

[ifcar]

Fourth place: Chevrolet Traverse

When General Motors launched its line of three-row crossovers in 2007, they were the SUVs that came by far the closest to a minivan's interior space without driving like a full-size truck. And they still are, even now.

But these models' interiors haven't aged as well as their driving dynamics and sheer space...

Continued at link: http://www.examiner.com/cars-in-national/comparison-review-eight-three-row-crossover-suvs-fourth-place

[SVT666]

The Flex isn't included in the cars I mentioned and the Durango is awful.  Blingy grille, amorphous everything else. 

You can get it without the blingy grille I believe. But besides the grille, it looks fantastic.

[ifcar]

The Durango I tested was a fully loaded Citadel. The lower-end models have less chrome on the grille: