C/D comparo: Escalade, GL450, Navigator, Q7, and QX56

[afty]

This was in this month's issue.

5. Lincoln Navigator
Highs: The roof, of course, and the lookout-tower view of the road; the power-up-and-down third row is good for a wow, too.
Lows: The singing-tire quartet, numb controls, crude interior textures, the 1958-all-over-again instrument cluster.
The Verdict: What are they thinking?

4. Cadillac Escalade
Highs: Live TV feed from the blind behind, broad center armrest between the front buckets, brawny torque curve.
Lows: Ancient big-increment tilt column, glare from white-furniture interior, skimply people space.
The Verdict: Famous for being famous.

3. Infiniti QX56
Highs: Quiet, smooth, and sweet over the road; four-wheel drive has low range; E-Z in-and-out third row.
Lows: Always-on laser transmitter, worthless dashboard clock, Incredible Hulk styling.
The Verdict: A mannerly mammoth.

2. Audi Q7
Highs: A showcase of gorgeous uvisuals, love the drived-herb interior hues, seats fold to a tight jigsaw puzzle of a load floor.
Lows: Too much tire noise, too little shade under the sunroof's mesh blind, too low to give a commanding view of the road.
The Verdict: A concept car masquerading (unconvincingly) as an SUV.

1. Mercedes-Benz GL450
Highs: Designer-quality interior details, musical sound of the strong V-8, excellent driving position, princely ride.
Low: Brake feels like stepping on a rotten peach, radio tuning is too complicated, windshield blocks radar from our detectors.
The Verdict: Enough M-B music and muscle to give a good name even to an SUV.

[crv16]

"What were they thinking?"



I think this tops the Ridgeline and new CR-V for ugliest front end.

[SVT_Power]

Does the Q7 belong in this group?

[nickdrinkwater]

Does the Q7 belong in this group?

Why not?  They're all luxury SUV type things, all expensive and bling bling!

[FlatBlackCaddy]

I'm surprised the QX finished so high, i almost can't believe it placed higher than the NEW lade.

I'm no GM SUV fan, but the new suvs are good looking in and out, i'll have to finish reading the whole article later.

[Catman]

I think the Audi trumps the Mercedes styling wise.  As for the Lincoln, the old one looks much nicer IMO.

[SVT_Power]

Why not?? They're all luxury SUV type things, all expensive and bling bling!

Well its smaller than all of the cars there, especially compared with the QX56. Is it not more of a Cayenne-Touareg type of car (like its based on)

[SVT_Power]

Oh ya i saw the new navigator today in white. It's not AS bad as in pictures, but still pretty bad

[Catman]

I just saw the new Lincoln commercial, pretty bad.  They really do not showcase the vehicles.  I'm not sure what they were saying. 

[ro51092]

Thats how I would rank them

[cawimmer430]

Interesting that Car and Driver says that the Mercedes GL450 has a "powerful engine". I believe it was Motortrend or Edmunds who said it needed a triple turbocharged V12 with at least 6,349-horsepower so it can do low 0-60 and 1/4 mile times. And C&D also strikes me as very performance biased.

Am I the only one who thinks the Lincoln looks better than the Cadillac?

[Catman]

Am I the only one who thinks the Lincoln looks better than the Cadillac?

I would have to say yes.

[ifcar]

Well its smaller than all of the cars there, especially compared with the QX56. Is it not more of a Cayenne-Touareg type of car (like its based on)

It's much bigger than those vehicles, even though it shares the platform.

[SVT_Power]

Am I the only one who thinks the Lincoln looks better than the Cadillac?

Therefore, I would have to say yes you're the only one

[Catman]

Wimmer is a Cadi hater. :P  I made a new sig just for you Wimmer!

[MrEddy]

Am I the only one who thinks the Lincoln looks better than the Cadillac?

Well I think they're both hideously ugly so I guess that's close. I would be embarrassed to be seen in public driving either of them. I certainly don't think the Escalade looks any better than the Navigator.

[TBR]

The Q7 looks really good, but it seems as if the GL is the better vehicle . And, I am a little surprised to see the GL in front, but evidently it was more fun to drive than the Q7.

[Raza]

The Q7 looks really good, but it seems as if the GL is the better vehicle . And, I am a little surprised to see the GL in front, but evidently it was more fun to drive than the Q7.

As I recall, Top Gear disliked the Q7 as well, though it won the competition in the Winter Olympics episode.

Why no XC90 V8?

[cawimmer430]

Wimmer is a Cadi hater. :P  I made a new sig just for you Wimmer!

Cadillac sucks! Lincoln for life! :P j/k

[cawimmer430]

Well I think they're both hideously ugly so I guess that's close. I would be embarrassed to be seen in public driving either of them. I certainly don't think the Escalade looks any better than the Navigator.

Well, I think both the Escalade and Navigator are good-looking trucks, but I just like the design of the Lincoln a tad more. Just a tad...

[nickdrinkwater]

As I recall, Top Gear disliked the Q7 as well, though it won the competition in the Winter Olympics episode.

Why no XC90 V8?

I think the Volvo is more of a ML Class rival?  Anyway, what is the point of the GL class, is the ML Class not enough for some people??

[ifcar]

The ML doesn't have a third row and the XC (and the others in the comparo) does. But it's still quite a bit smaller than the others in their group.

[cawimmer430]

Anyway, what is the point of the GL class?

+

[omicron]

[Raza]

I think the Volvo is more of a ML Class rival?  Anyway, what is the point of the GL class, is the ML Class not enough for some people??

Much similar to the R class.  Excess and status.

Do you drive a Seat?

[gasoline]

Interesting that Car and Driver says that the Mercedes GL450 has a "powerful engine". I believe it was Motortrend or Edmunds who said it needed a triple turbocharged V12 with at least 6,349-horsepower so it can do low 0-60 and 1/4 mile times. And C&D also strikes me as very performance biased.

Am I the only one who thinks the Lincoln looks better than the Cadillac?

Yes. You should see the Escalade in person. It's even more compelling then.

[TBR]

Much similar to the R class.  Excess and status.

Do you drive a Seat?

Completely incorrect. The GL and ML look so similar that most people won't be able to tell the difference unless they are parked side by side. The reason for the GL is because some ML buyers wanted more room.

[nickdrinkwater]

+

 

[nickdrinkwater]

Much similar to the R class.  Excess and status.

Do you drive a Seat?

I drive an Ibiza, 1996 model.  It's actually off the road at the moment, for a year or so, due to me moving out to student halls and not being able to afford the insurance (expensive in the UK)     It's nippy enough (though only a 1.4 which wouldn't impress you guys!)  and it's only done 25,000 miles, which is low for a 10 year old car - it was given to me by my grandparents.  I will get some pictures if you like, when I can get it out of the garage - the garage door is broken at the moment so its stuck in there

[Raza]

Completely incorrect. The GL and ML look so similar that most people won't be able to tell the difference unless they are parked side by side. The reason for the GL is because some ML buyers wanted more room.

Maybe partially incorrect, but most people who think they need more room and buy these SUVs don't need the room they already have.