y i n
Well, it depends on what you’re looking for. Folks who buy full-
size SUVs w ant “the flexibility and package to be able to do the
things they w ant to d o ,” explains D an Gorrell o f Strategic
V isions, a ( California market research firm. Translation: they don't
like to make many compromises. And with these full-size SUVs,
they don t have to. I hey deliver plenty of horsepower and even
more torque. 1 hat means hefty towing capacity. A nd they’ve
got the room to carry just about anything, from groceries to an
antique chest. Anything bigger? Call a moving company.
O f course, there are some trade-offs potential buyers should
consider. 1 hese big beasts are sized for the open road, not tight
urban streets. Navigating your neighborhood may take a little
getting used to, especially ifvoure trying to squeeze into a park­
ing spot designed for a com pact sedan.
Fuel economy is another factor to consider. Run down
the accom panying chart (See page 35) and you’ll notice we’re
talking barely 13-to -15 miles per gallon in urban driving. Now,
with gasoline hovering around a buck a gallon, it's som ething
most motorists can live with, but it may still leave you gasping
p i l d 11. y
The performance is about to begin Introducing the
when you watch the num bers m ount the first tim e you
gas up.
Picking a w inner from this group was not all that easy.
C om plicating m atters was the fact that several o f the most
impressive new models were just not available in tim e for all
o f our A A O W editors to rate and rank them . So, while the
restyled Ioyota Land Cruiser came in third, we might have
to rethink that in the m onths to come. O u r initial inspec­
tion suggests it is clearly a chart-topper.
"Style, perform ance and com fort were key areas we con­
sidered when making our selections,” says Randi Payton,
A A O W publisher and editor-in-chief. “Even though these
vehicles are based on the same platform s as pick-up trucks,
consumers in urban areas should shy away from a full-size
SUV that has a bouncy, pick-up truck ride and lean toward
one w ith a more refined, car-like ride.”
1 hat s why the Lincoln Navigator is the unanim ous choice
o f our editors. A A O W Senior Editor W infred Cross sums
up the general sentim ent, noting while “the use o f chrom e
is a bit liberal the ride and handling are superb.
W ith a resculpted interior, a new m ultiplex electrical
AFRICAN AMERICANS O N WHEELS
33