Cars & Motors News

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2007 Ford Expedition

When it comes time to fill up the tank, it's not easy to justify a full-size sport utility. But even as you pour 28 gallons of regular unleaded into the Expedition's gas tank, you can take heart in this sport-utility's ability to make a family vacation not only possible but also practical.
Ford is the first to admit that the sales of full-size, truck-based sport utilities have dropped some 40 percent since 2004 as people turn to smaller, more fuel-efficient, car-based utilities for their daily transportation. But Ford also reminds us that fuel prices have simply chased away the people who really shouldn't have been driving a full-size sport-utility in the first place.

The Expedition is meant for utility, not profiling. It carries people, hauls gear, tows boats, and pulls campers. The Expedition offers towing capacities in the 9000-pound range. When it's equipped with four-wheel drive, the Expedition will also get you there whether the road is dry, wet, snowy, or even when there's hardly any road at all.

Ford reminds us that full-size sport-utilities can still play an important role in our everyday lives. To start with, Ford's research shows that 92 percent of the Expedition owners use their big SUV for vacations. Some 60 percent use it to transport outdoor sports gear, while 40 percent of Expedition owners use the vehicle's towing capacity. Some 84 percent routinely carry more than three passengers behind the front row of seats.

Moreover, Ford notes that the place of the sport-utility in American life isn't going to disappear. Sales of personal watercraft have increased 9.2 percent since 2005, while there will be some 6.3 million households with tow-able recreational campers by 2010. Finally, three-generation families are becoming a substantial part of the vacation picture, so plenty of passenger seats are a necessity, not just a convenience.

With this in mind, the Expedition has been thoroughly revised for 2007 to make it a platform for family-friendly adventures. Every aspect of its utility has been improved: towing capacity, passenger comfort and even driving enjoyment. Meanwhile, a new, extended-wheelbase Expedition EL adds more cargo-carrying capacity, especially noticeable when trying to load groceries or gear behind the third-row seats.

Ford has made the Expedition even more family-friendly by substantially reducing its price. While the reductions have more to do with real-world transaction prices of the past and mirror similar pricing strategies at Chrysler and General Motors, the fact remains that a base model XLT Expedition retails for $29,995, some $5485 less than in '06. Ford tells us that Expedition models across the range have been reduced in price by an average of $4300. Just as important, a new warranty extends bumper-to-bumper protection to three years/36,000 miles, while the powertain is covered for five years/60,000 miles. In addition, the warranty is fully transferable to subsequent owners.

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2007 Nissan Maxima

Future historians will record that, in the summer of 2006, astronomers revoked Pluto's status as a planet, and Nissan reeled in the spacey styling of the Maxima, bringing it down a little closer to Earth-car standard. Those same historians will also render a verdict whether either decision was a good one. Right now we're might be too close to these events to tell, but we're thinking the styling changes to the 2007 Nissan Maxima are a good thing. And we still like to think of Pluto as a planet. In both cases, call us old fashioned.
Gone is the beaver-toothed, studded grille from the '58 Buick, replaced by a more conservative, more elegant grille more in keeping with the Nissan Altima. In fact, all of the body work has been restyled. The 2007 Maxima gets new headlamps, new taillamps, and redesigned fenders, rocker panels, rear spoiler, and hood. The cabin gets a new instrument cluster and center dash for 2007, making for easier, more intuitive operation.

Underneath, a continuously variable transmission, or CVT, replaces the more traditional five-speed automatic for smoother, more efficient operation. Nissan excels in this technology and we found the Maxima's transmission responsive.

The Nissan Maxima fills a niche for aficionados who appreciate something different. Straddling the line between mid-size family hauler and a near-luxury sport sedan, it offers drivers an interesting alternative to mid-size sedans such as the Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry, and Honda Accord. The Maxima is more focused on personal luxury and performance. And the 2007 model is just a little less quirky than last year's model.

Buyers choose between the more responsive SE and the more plush SL. Either way, cruising on the highway is effortless with Nissan's wonderful 255-hp V6 engine. For 2007, both the Maxima SE and SL come standard with a continuously variable automatic transmission, which translates to smooth, efficient power. Gone is the available six-speed manual, which is fine because we didn't care for it.

Both the Maxima SL and SE models abound with luxury features. The re-styled 2007 cabin is innovative and comfortable with supportive, luxurious seats. Surviving the 2007 revision is Maxima's daring Skyview roof, a narrow glass panel running lengthwise over the front and rear seats. It's the sort of feature associated with futuristic concept cars. Also interesting are the available rear bucket seats, a feature seen primarily on show cars or as an option on high-end luxury models.

Together, the rear bucket seats and Skyview roof make back-seat riders feel more like first-class passengers and less like coach-class cattle. The Maxima is not as family-friendly as the Altima, particularly with the optional four-bucket-seat interior. Instead, it's designed for people who don't have children or maybe just one and want a more interesting, more luxurious sports sedan. (A traditional rear bench seat comes standard for owners who may want to put three people in back.)

In short, the 2007 Nissan Maxima is an enjoyable and interesting sports sedan.

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2007 Audi Q7

Luxury SUVs have gained widespread popularity in the United States. However, until now, Audi has not had an offering in this segment of the market, leaving a gaping hole in its model lineup. But as the saying goes: arrive late, dress well. And Audi has done just that with its sensational Q7.
While the Q7 may be Audi's first-ever sport-utility, its strength and refinement suggest that Audi has been in this game for years, if not decades. As such, the Q7 represents a fresh and beautifully rendered newcomer to the luxury SUV segment. Like other Audis, the Q7 is a paragon of driving elegance and interior refinement.

Built upon the same solid architecture shared by the Volkswagen's impressive Touareg and Porsche's high-performance Cayenne, the Q7 is even nicer to drive than its two corporate cousins, thanks to a more compliant ride and Audi's decades of experience with all-wheel-drive systems, which Audi calls Quattro, or quattro. The Q7 is also the longest of the three, and thus is the only one to offer three-row seating. Audi also has equipped the Q7 with many luxury and convenience features not found on the Touareg and Cayenne, including a few not found on any other luxury SUV.

With a base price of less than $50,000, the Q7 is priced close to others in the luxury SUV segment, which also includes the Cadillac SRX, Lexus GX 470, and Mercedes-Benz M-Class. With all-wheel drive, a choice of powerful V6 and V8 engines and arguably the classiest interior in the segment, the Q7 deserves serious consideration when shopping for a luxury SUV.

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2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class

The 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL 450 is the auto maker's first full-size sport utility vehicle. This all-new GL-Class of SUVs features three rows of seating and can seat up to seven passengers.
Large and luxurious, the GL is built in the United States alongside the M-Class mid-size SUV and the R-Class touring wagon. The GL is designed to appeal to Mercedes-Benz sedan owners who want the off-road, four-wheel-drive, seven-passenger and 7500-pound towing capabilities that come with a full-size SUV along with the luxury and safety features they have in their other Mercedes vehicles.

While their names sound similar, don't confuse the new GL-Class with the venerable G-Class or Gelandewagen. The GL shares nothing in common with the utiliarian G-Class, which will remain part of the Mercedes model lineup.

Initially available in one form, the Mercedes-Benz GL 450 is large and capable off road yet feels surprisingly car-like on the road. That car-like feeling comes in part because this is the first full-size SUV built around a unibody architecture instead of traditional body-on-frame construction. Mercedes says the GL is strong enough to tow a 30-foot boat, a trailer carrying three horses, or a good-sized Airstream travel trailer.

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2006 Aston Martin V8 Vantage

To sports car lovers, the name Aston Martin conjures images of super-fast exotic machinery, unique British engineering, race victories at Le Mans and the personal transportation of one James Bond. That machine-gun equipped car in "Goldfinger," the one with the ejector seat? That would be 007's Aston Martin DB5.
Those who really know Aston Martins of years past have a broader picture. This one includes finicky carburetors, painful idiosyncrasies and distaste for rain.

The 2006 Aston Martin V8 Vantage promises a difference. While it's the least powerful car in Aston Martin's current lineup, it's also the least expensive car the company has sold in decades, and it will be built in far greater numbers than any before it. More important, it's designed to be driven everyday, if an owner is so inclined, with the ease of use and practical function (a relative term) that auto enthusiasts expect in off-the-rack sports cars like the Porsche Boxster or Nissan 350Z.

Don't get the wrong idea. With the price of admission starting well over $100,000, the V8 Vantage is anything but cheap. And it's gloriously fast (is 174 mph fast enough?). It accelerates with the enthusiasm of a cannon shot, turns with the agility of a figure skater and stops like an F14 Tomcat landing on the USS George Washington. In short, the 2006 V8 Vantage is as sexy as anything with four wheels has a right to be. It's the kind of machine every car enthusiast should be able to drive at least once in a lifetime.

Buying a car like the Aston Martin V8 Vantage is anything but a purely rational decision, so comparisons with other exotic sports cars like the Ferrari F430, Ford GT or even the Porsche 911 might be moot. Yet more than 400 miles at the wheel of a V8 Vantage, including some driving the typical sports car owner might consider abusive, suggest that this could indeed be an Aston Martin for everyday. The V8 Vantage is, however, more of a sports car than the DB9, which is more of a grand touring car built on a longer wheelbase. The V8 Vantage driver feels more connected to the road, the ride has a harder edge, and more noise comes into the cabin. That said, the V8 Vantage is not a minimalist sports car.

The 2006 V8 Vantage represents a new direction for Aston Martin, which is now a wholly owned subsidiary of the Ford Motor Co. Previous V8 Vantages in Aston Martin's 91-year history (in the late 1970s and the late 1990s) were the most powerful cars in the company's lineup. The new V8 Vantage is the least powerful and least expensive. The idea that a $110,000 car might be entry level is ridiculous, to be sure, but the V8 Vantage is priced about $60,000 less than the DB9, which is next up the Aston Martin pecking order. It will be built at the rate of 3000 per year. Aston Martin built more prototypes to test and develop this V8 Vantage than it did copies of the original over its entire production run.

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2006 Acura TSX

The first time you glanced at the TSX probably didn't feel like it. Even when it was fresh off the boat back in 2004 and had no official predecessor, wasn't there this nagging feeling you'd met before?

In this case, the d?j? vu has multiple dimensions. The first trigger was probably that the TSX wore the exact same face as its big brother, the also-new Acura TL. Any car destined for life in the TL's shadow might also strike a chord for owners of the late Integra sedan, the last car to hold that role. Finally, the TSX just might instill nostalgia among those 3 million Americans who bought a Honda Accord between 1990 and 1997, not all of whom embraced its bigger, more impersonal successors.

But long after our Accord went all gargantuan on us, the rest of Planet Earth kept right on enjoying a slimmer, friskier version of this global staple, possibly marking some missed sales opportunities on our side. What to do? Well, it wouldn't have made much sense to bring back Accord Jr. as-is, but it just so happened that Acura had an opening for a model that could go head-to-head with the world's smaller luxury-sports sedans. So the deal was done and our old friend was reincarnated back into the world - as a higher life form.

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2007 Honda Fit

Picture this slice of history: America's roads awash in 200-inch-long boats-on-wheels. Within them are drivers, accustomed to high living standards and a higher sense of entitlement, who don't think twice of cruising along day in and day out, gulping a gallon of gas every 14 miles for the sake of size they hardly need and V8 power they rarely use. Greed is good, oil is cheap, and everyone is happy.

Then the many powers that be decide that a market adjustment is in order. The tap undergoes a slower flow, gas prices jump to the sky, and consumers enter a state of panic, grief, and anger. Suddenly, a giant sucking sound sweeps from coast to coast, signifying the mass exodus of drivers from these behemoths into little tin cans. That, in a nutshell, is 1973. But except for the presence of a national 55 MPH speed limit (which will resurface if Mrs. Clinton gets her way), it could just as well be 2005 or 2006.

One more thing linking past and present: excellent timing by Honda. Just as the Civic was born as our automotive antidote at the right place and time, Honda's heading into 2007 with its tiniest and thriftiest car yet. Named the Fit, it fits right beneath the Civic, gets twice the mileage of an SUV and costs half as much to buy.

What's that saying about history repeating itself?

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2007 Volvo XC90

Back when the XC90 was new, folks had a common question: why must even the world's most successful and esteemed station wagon company settle and sell out to the SUV-making masses? One answer is volume: Volvo's wagons only came in sizes small or medium, which some families feel they'd physically outgrown. The other answer is, well, volume: the XC90 has outsold every Volvo since the outset, and stated mathematically, Biggest Price Tag x Highest Quantity = Who Cares What The Critics Think?

Besides, whatever the XC90 might reveal about the vanity of Volvistas, it still lets some of the brand's traditional merits shine through. After all, the XC90 traces its roots to the second generation of front-wheel-drive Volvos, which began in 1999 with the top-of-the-line S80 sedan. The proliferation continued with the V70 wagon, the rugged XC70 "Cross Country" sport wagon (which once served as the surrogate SUV), the S60 sedan, and more recently, the Ford Five Hundred and Freestyle. The cycle begins anew with the upcoming S80; the XC90 should stay a familiar face for a few more years.

But it's a unique face, and a changing one. This was always the only Volvo with 5 doors and 6 cylinders, and later became the chosen one to get the brand's very first V8 (hailing from Yamaha), plus a new six-speed automatic to go with it. Last year Volvo eliminated all 6-cylinder engines from the company portfolio, but this year returns with a brand new one. Guess who gets it first?

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2006 Buick Lucerne

Everyone thinks General Motors has too many cars for too many brands, and everyone is right. Moreover, cars like this one have fallen out of favor - mostly because those who want to go bigger also go taller, heavier, and truckier - but if there's still a place in our landscape for whopper sedans, you've got to admit that Buick is a fitting place for one to go.

GM is improving the case for its stay. In a move that helped everybody, they dropped its Pontiac Bonneville brother, reducing this "G-body" platform of cars (first set in motion by the Oldsmobile Aurora) to a more manageable two-member family, the more expensive being the new Cadillac DTS. Buick finds further favor in the decision to consolidate the former LeSabre and Park Avenue into a new sedan called Lucerne, which, if you shop at Safeway, might lead you to conclude that this new Buick is as safe as milk.

It should at least go down easy. Buick's average buyer - now 68 - doesn't like surprises, and he will find lots of familiar parts to go along with the proven platform, such as the 3800 V6 engine, 4-speed automatic transmission, most of the dimensions, and restrained styling. But several things elevate this beyond a simple rehash-and-rename job.

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2007 Volkswagen Jetta

It's easy to understand the appeal of the Volkswagen Jetta. Designed and engineered in Germany, the Jetta offers some of the same strengths and design values as much more expensive European luxury sedans yet its base price falls into what we used to call economy car territory.
For 2007, the Jetta's appeal should increase substantially. In addition to minor updates such as a new tire pressure monitoring system and an auxiliary audio input jack for iPods and the like, Volkswagen has dropped the price of its most popular car by $1,400. The new Jetta sedan starts at $16,490, without a significant reduction in standard equipment.

At that price, the Jetta is a compelling buy. Even the base model is well equipped, fun to drive and economical to operate. Its 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine is pleasantly robust, with a broad power curve and a raspy sound, and delivers an EPA-estimated 22/30 miles per gallon City/Highway. Inside, the Jetta is roomy and nicely finished, and its trunk is larger than many sedans costing $25,000 or more. Going up the model line, the Jetta only gets better.

The Jetta 2.0T starts about $4,500 higher, but its high-tech turbocharged engine is a blast to drive, with either the standard six-speed manual transmission or the trick Direct Shift Gearbox automatic. The 2.0T can be loaded with almost as many features as a luxury sedan, and the line-topping GLI is a sports sedan true to the German tradition. Of course, if you drive a loaded GLI away from your local Volkswagen dealership, you'll have paid close to double the base model's price, nearly $31,000 before tax.

Regardless of engine or equipment level, the Jetta is responsive around town and comfortable on long trips. It snicks through corners and carves through curves precisely, but rides quite comfortably.

The Jetta was redesigned and re-engineered from the ground up midway through the 2005 model year, and it still seems fresh. This one is larger than previous-generation models, and Volkswagen's attention to detail, particularly inside, is convincing. The driver enjoys excellent visibility and ease of operation, with logical controls and instruments, and even the base model offers a full array of safety features. Finish quality is good, inside and out. We find the styling more pleasant than exciting.

If you like the idea of a solid sedan with European flair, the Jetta is the best deal in town.

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2007 Lexus IS350

The Lexus IS 250 and IS 350 sport sedans are quick, responsive and fun to drive. Designed to compete with BMW 3 Series sedans, the Lexus IS models are built on rear-wheel-drive chassis tuned for sporty handling. They stick in corners and stop with authority, aided by high-performance brakes and tires.
The IS 350 is propelled with authority as well, benefitting from a 306-hp V6. These are enjoyable and easy cars to drive. The IS 350's VDIM electronic stability control steps in very early to keep the driver out of trouble. The IS 250 AWD model's all-wheel drive makes it a good sports sedan for the Snow Belt. The automatic transmissions are responsive and feature paddle shifters for semi-manual control.

All of them look sporty, with bulging muscles and a purposeful stance. All come loaded with features and are trimmed well, with leather upholstery. A full complement of passive and active safety features comes standard.

New for 2007 is the X-Package, which combines a sports suspension and 18-inch alloy wheels with a bold front spoiler, sport pedals, and illuminated door scuff plates. Also, the electronic stability programs can be disabled by turning off the traction control. Lexus says this might be useful when trying to extricate the car from snow, and in other situations as well.

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2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class features more powerful engines for 2007, along with subtle styling changes, new interior elements, and a few tweaks for handling and safety.
The E-Class in many ways epitomizes the Mercedes-Benz brand. It's the company's best selling line worldwide and one of the best-selling Mercedes models in the United States.

The E-Class describes a full line of big, roomy sedans that are solid, safe, practical, comfortable, luxurious, and fast. Yet the cost of operating the popular E350, in terms of fuel consumption and maintenance, can be quite reasonable. The E-Class features some of the industry's most advanced safety technology, and it expresses what most people think of when they think of Mercedes: status in elegant, understated fashion.

Since a frame-up overhaul for model year 2003, the E-Class has expanded steadily and now includes six variants (more if you count the all-wheel drive E350 4Matic sedan and wagon and E550 4Matic sedan as separate models). The E-Class has sedans that seat five, wagons that seat seven, power from a V6, two V8s and a turbocharged V6 diesel, optional weather-busting all-wheel drive and screaming super-performance models from supertuner AMG.

For 2007, there are changes in E-Class nomenclature, thanks to new engines. The E500 sedan has become the E550 sedan, the new badge indicating it's powered by the 5.5-liter V8 that first appeared in the 2006 S-Class. The E550's double overhead cam V8 generates 382 horsepower compared to the 302 horsepower from the single overhead cam V8 it replaces, yet with a seven-speed automatic transmission, the E550 achieves the same estimated mileage as its less powerful predecessor. The E550 4Matic sedan retains its five-speed automatic. The E350 benefits from a V6 that was upgraded last year and is offered as a sedan and a wagon.

Meanwhile, there is no better example of how far passenger car diesel technology has advanced than the new E320 Bluetec sedan, which replaces the E320 CDI. The impressive common-rail direct-injection turbodiesel engine comes with a more sophisticated exhaust system that makes it the only diesel-powered passenger car available in the U.S. during the 2007 model year. It's not only more powerful than the outgoing E320 CDI with 210 horsepower and a muscular 388 pound-feet of torque, but it also returns the outgoing CDI's excellent EPA-estimated fuel mileage of 27 city/37 highway mpg.

Also new for 2007 are the E63 AMG sedan and wagon. It's hard to conceive of a faster, sportier team of luxury cars than the outgoing E55 AMGs, but the completely new 507-hp 6.2-liter V8 that replaces the E55's 469-hp supercharged V8 makes the E63s the fastest E-Class models ever built. And though capable of monstrous acceleration (0 to 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds) and a top speed of 180 mph (were it not for electronics that limit top speed to 155 mph), the AMGs boast the touches of luxury expected at the upper end of the market.

The Mercedes E-Class is an icon, a benchmark in its class. The mid-life freshening for 2007 helps the E-Class keep pace with such outstanding luxury sedans as the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series and Acura RL.

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2005 Audi A6

There are probably reasons that I'm not a product planner. Consider the Audi A6, for instance. The most recent iteration set a stunning new direction in style when it was introduced for the 1998 model year, and not only do its elegantly-rounded neo-Bauhaus lines still look fresh, they have spawned a host of imitators. Introduced with a 200-horsepower, 2.8-liter V6, the line expanded over the years to include V8 power as well, and even serious performance in the guise of the S6 and RS6 models. I would happily continue the 1998 to 2004 A6's style and substance nearly forever.
But, then, that might allow the competition to catch up, eventually. Audi thinks differently. To that end, it has just introduced the next generation of A6. The new A6 is more evolutionary than revolutionary in looks and specification, but it has changed more than a quick glance might indicate. Audi has used the motto ``lead, never follow'' for a while now, and it continues to lead in design and specification with the new 2005 A6. Audi recently introduced the 2005 A6 in San Francisco, CA. To find out more about this important and interesting car, I attended the press launch.
At first look, it seems that little has changed in the A6's styling but the grille. The massive new grille is certainly unmistakable, but it's more evolutionary than it might seem. Think of last year's grille - a double trapezoid bisected horizontally by the front bumper. Now remove the bumper crossbar, or, rather, integrate it into the grille. The result can be seen on the front of the `05 A6, and soon on all Audis. With the subtly-restyled and more crisply-defined exterior styling, it gives significant presence. And, while the shape is nominally the same - the much-copied long, coupe-like roofline continues, albeit a little slicker and more refined - there are some very noticeable differences. The previous A6 was notable for its rounded masses and lack of distinctive character lines. The new one has a discrete line at the shoulders, much like the newest A4 sedan, and a prominent rocker panel line at the bottom of the sides, swept upwards toward the rear to suggest a performance-oriented wedge-shaped appearance. The old A6's rounded rear, with its massive wrap-around and -over taillights, is gone, replaced by a more angular look, again, reminiscent of the A4 and latest A8. There is a definite and definitive Audi design language, and the new A6 is the most advanced expression of it. The design is cohesive and identifiable, even without badging.
Under the skin lies a much-changed structure. The previous-generation A6 was a solid car with good chassis rigidity; the new one improves on that with 34% better torsional rigidity. That translates to even lower levels of noise, vibration, and harshness and improved ride comfort and handling. The wheelbase has grown by three inches, adding to both front and rear-seat leg room. Width is up slightly, and there is an inch or so of extra shoulder room. A development of Audi's trademark four-link front suspension and the self-tracking trapezoidal-link rear suspension first used on the A8 at the rear are tuned for comfort and handling.
The interior is all-new and impressive, with the first wraparound cockpit design seen in an Audi. While centered on the driver, front and rear passengers have plenty of comfort and amenities as well. Leave it to Audi to one-up the competition in subtle but telling ways - the wood trim on the instrument panel is bound with (what else, this is an Audi, after all) aluminum. Very slick, and very tasteful, not at all flashy.
While the engine choices are seemingly-familiar, a 3.2-liter V6 and a 4.2-liter V8, those engines are not the ones used last year. The V8 is the one also used in the high-performance S4. It loses five horsepower due to changes to the intake and exhaust manifolds to make it fit, but with 335 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque, that's not going to be particularly noticeable. The V6 is, literally, a chip off the old block as it is a modular development of the V8. Think of it as three-quarters of the V8, with a balance shaft to take care of vibrations caused by its 90-degree bank angle. It features Audi's new FSI system. FSI stands for Fuel ``Straight Injection,'' and, as it sounds, that means diesel-like direct fuel injection for the most precise control possible. Benefits include more power, a greater spread of power (helped by continuous inlet cam control on both engines), and reduced emissions and fuel consumption. FSI allows a higher compression ratio, contributing to efficiency. And it's high, at 12.5:1 compared to the more common 10:1 or so - but it can run just fine on 87-octane unleaded regular gasoline, although 91-octane premium is recommended for best performance. The V8, with an 11:1 compression ratio and no FSI, requires at least 91 octane. Look for more use of FSI in future Audis.
The rest of the drivetrain is similar for both cars - a ZF six-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic(r) manual-shift mode and the latest version of Audi's quattro(r) full-time all-wheel drive system. When it came time to drive, quattro got a workout.

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2007 Toyota Avalon

Toyota Avalon is undoubtedly the best American car ever built by a Japanese manufacturer. Granted, it is front-wheel drive, and its exterior dimensions seem smaller than its American counterparts, but the Avalon is full-sized inside and full-sized in its emphasis on quiet, ease, and convenience.
The Avalon is smooth and comfortable underway, quiet and serene. The suspension is tuned for ride comfort, and it largely excels in this area. The double-overhead-cam V6 engine is smooth, quiet and powerful, while the electronically controlled five-speed automatic transmission ensures smoothness and economy. And Avalon comes with the latest in safety features.

Inside is a comfortable cabin lavished with tasteful materials and ergonomically designed controls that make the Avalon easy to operate and pleasant to drive. The front seats are roomy and comfortable, and special attention was paid to back-seat comfort. This is a car that will never annoy you.

Avalon's styling is understated, presenting a quiet look of grace and agility. Four trim variations are available, each representing slightly different priorities to broaden Avalon's appeal. Avalon was completely redesigned late in 2005. For '07, a tire pressure monitor is now standard on all models, and the navigation system is now available in the Touring trim level.

Avalon benefits from Toyota's reputation for quality, durability and reliability. And, given that it was designed in Newport Beach, California; engineered by the Toyota Technical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan; and is built in Georgetown, Kentucky; it could be argued that the Avalon is the best American car from an American manufacturer.

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2007 GMC Yukon XL 1500

The GMC Yukon XL is all new for 2007, and you can't find an SUV that works better as a tow vehicle. It has all the right stuff. The ride is better than ever, handling is steady and light. These are benefits of a new boxed frame for rigidity, a redesigned suspension, a new ring-and-pinion steering system, and other changes.
The driver sits way up high and feels like he or she is master or mistress of his or her domain. The optional leather seats are wonderfully comfortable for long distances. The pedals adjust for long or short legs. The instruments and gauges are finally stylish. There are new halogen headlamps that are bigger for improved visibility at night. Storage space is intelligently designed and all over, including a huge center console.

Those in the second row will find a lot of leg room. Bucket seats with a center console between them are available for the second row, turning them into first-class accommodations; and there is an optional power folding option, making it easier for third-row passengers to climb in. There's even decent legroom and good headroom in the third row, something few SUVs can claim.

The Yukon XL seats six to nine people, depending on the seating configuration. Essentially GMC's version of the Chevy Suburban, the Yukon XL stretches the already long wheelbase of the Yukon another 20 inches. There are many vehicles that seat seven people without taking up so much space to do it, but not quite so comfortably, nor with so much room left over for cargo.

Towing is the other area where the Yukon XL excels. It's a great vehicle for drivers who want an SUV that can tow cars, boats, horses, and travel trailers. A Yukon XL 1500 is rated to tow up to 8200 pounds, while the heavy-duty 2500 version can tow up to 9700 pounds.