Mercedes-Benz GL450, Lexus GX, Toyota Highlander, and more!
Mercedes-Benz GL450
This Mercedes is pure luxury even if it does have a big, testosterone attitude. There are many extras to this SUV including headrest-mounted DVD screens, three-zone climate control, leather seats and a command system. Of course the front passengers can adjust with multiple adjustments to get the feel just right and if you don’t want the third row of seats way in the back there is an electric motor that lowers it for you.
The engine is a 4.7-liter, 335 horsepower, 285-cubic inch V8 weighing in at 5,249 pounds. That’s some ride and it gets even better when you want to get up and go – try at 60 mph in 6.8 seconds. With room for up to eight passengers and a four-wheel drive feature that can’t be beat this is Mercedes’ first full-size SUV – road warrior all the way, but with a real bit of class.
Pricing: From $57,275 to $68,075 (practically fully-loaded at this point and worth it).
Gas Mileage: You get about 14 mpg city driving and not much more at 18 mpg on the highway.
Lexus GX
There is the GX 470 and the GX 470 Sport Utility. Take your pick as they both seat five comfortably, have a wheelbase of 109.8, a towing capacity of 6500 and an 8-cylinder, 4.7-liter, 263 horsepower engine.
Considered a mid-size SUV, the look and feel of the Lexus GX compares to the BMW X5, Acura MDX and the Land Rover LR3. With full-time four-wheel drive you won’t have to worry about getting stuck anywhere, but inside you can count on luxury. There are heated front seats, leather interior, door trim, an express open and close sunroof and dual zone front air conditioning.
As for safety, it ties with the other vehicles in its class and offers front and rear anti-roll bars, traction control, four-wheel anti-lock brakes, side and front impact airbags for the driver and the passenger and first and second row overhead side curtain airbags.
Pricing: It starts at $46,635 and goes up from there.
Gas Mileage: This one seems to fall in line with the other SUV’s in its class at 15 mpg in the city and 19 mpg on the highway.
Toyota Highlander
Toyota is always popular and the Highlander is no exception. In the latest model there is the added offering of a third row seat, but the vehicle has not been extended from years past so the last row is a bit cramped. That aside, the ride is comfortable and quiet so you will almost forget it’s an SUV you’re tooling around in while running errands.
It’s a V6 engine with 230 horsepower and the torque is at 242-lb-ft at 3600 rpms. Overall, it’s the same Highlander as in year’s past, but with some added power improvements and updates to bring the vehicle into the New Year right.
Pricing: The price range is from $24,880 to $32,321.
Gas Mileage: This one gets good mileage with 31 mpg on the city streets and up to 27 mpg on the highway.
Acura MDX
A new style for this vehicle, the Acura MDX offers four doors and seats seven people with ease. Considered a sports-utility, luxury is still top on the list for this one and you can have all sorts of choices as to your trims and styles from the base to the sport package. The sports package comes with a rear DVD system, active suspension dampers and a button that let’s you switch from sport to comfort mode. There is also a tech package with an Alpine DVD-based satellite GPS navigation system, a 410-watt Acura/ELS DTS surround audio system and rearview camera. For those who love entertainment, try that package and get a flip-down LCD screen with two wireless Dolby headphones and a remote powered liftgate that can be used with the key’s remote.
horsepower engine has a five-speed automatic transmission with overdrive. Also offered is an All-Wheel-Drive advanced technology drive-by-drive throttle system.
Pricing: Anywhere from $36,063 to $43,083.
Gas Mileage: Not too bad with 17 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway.