For just a minute, forget about slalom speeds and skid pad Gs. Forget about track testing and torque, forget about overhead cams and final-drive ratios and focus on what an SUV like the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe is really supposed to deliver. Its true test is in how it handles the rigors of weekly shopping trips, bar mitzvahs, birthdays, daily commutes and the occasional trip to Grandma's house.

We recently learned of Kia's decision on the Borrego model's fate: Its hiatus is permanent. That's too bad, because our long-termer has served us well over the past 15 months and 37,312 miles.
Associate editor Allyson Harwood and photographer Julia LaPalme used it to prerun a couple of trails north of Santa Barbara for an SUV comparison story. During those days off-road, the Kia performed flawlessly.

When we set out to photograph the 2006 Volkswagen Passat 2.0T we had several hip urban locations in mind. Our first choice was the Disney Concert Hall, a strikingly modern structure worthy of serving as a backdrop to the newly redesigned sedan, but we were chased away by a film crew already setting up shop at the Downtown L.A. landmark. Welcome to Tinsel Town.

"It's getting crowded in here," was a common thought as we glided up the 101 freeway between Ventura and Santa Barbara in our 2006 Bentley Continental GT test car.

If you've followed the Legacy since it joined the Motor Trend long-term fleet, you may recall that at first, most of the comments were positive. Editors praised the ride/handling compromise, noting that the suspension absorbs ruts and irregularities, and that it handles well in turns. As time has passed, though, little flaws are becoming more noticeable.

We switch the Suzuki's four-mode four-wheel drive into the 4L Lock position and begin our ascent of the muddy hill. It isn't exactly K2, but recent rains have left much of the Santa Monica Mountains sloppy enough for it to challenge the 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara Luxury.

Mini has recently touted its “carfun” footprint in its ads. Now, in an effort to reduce its carbon footprint, the company is building a fleet of approximately 500 plug-in electric vehicles that will be made available to select companies and individuals in California, New York, and New Jersey by early 2009.

Why We Bought It
The question we hoped to solve by including the 2005 Volkswagen Jetta in our long-term fleet was this: Did that special quality in previous generations of Jettas carry forward into this redesigned, larger and very different model? Another way to put it was: Is there still German-car feel in this German car?

Saturday morning we drive the Rover to the ultrahip Fred Segal mall in Santa Monica to impress our sunglass-selling friend, David. The guy has been talking about trading in his Porsche 911 for a Range Rover Sport since the SUV hit dealer lots a few months ago, so we figured a ride in this 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport Supercharged might get us a deal on a pair of Versace shades.

Why We Bought It
It all began with a comparison test: 2005 Audi A4 vs. 2006 BMW 330i. After a hard fought 15-rounder, the newly redesigned BMW 3 Series sedan took the win, securing its place atop the sport sedan class and continuing a reign established long ago by its beloved predecessors.

At the age of 11, before the 2007 Saturn Sky was a twinkle in Bob Lutz's eye, a young soon-to-be writer was hauled by his father to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. With dad, older brother and the young upstart fighting 100-degree temperatures, the adventurers trudged along the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in search of beauty.

Saab is controversial.

Whether talking to loyalists who are angry about the "Saabaru" 9-2X or the Trailblazer-based 9-7X, or critics who think the whole brand should be scrapped given GM's current financial woes — there's plenty of angst surrounding the marque.

For you "red state" residents there's good news about the all-new 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe: It's bigger, bolder, more efficient, more luxurious, and more capable than ever! It's a confident expression of all that's right with America and the best full-size SUV ever built. No wonder the rest of the world really wants to live here.

The ever-shrinking list of SUV-free automakers has shrunk again. With the introduction of the 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca, the list is down to eight: Audi, Ferrari, Jaguar, Lamborghini, Maserati, Mini, Scion and Chrysler if you don't count the Pacifica. We admire their resolve, although Audi will cave next month and introduce its SUV, the Q7, at the Frankfurt auto show.

If Paris Hilton married Paul Bunyan, the 2007 Hummer H2 SUT would be the perfect conveyance for the happy couple. Paris could still roll up to every Hollywood hotspot with her It Girl image preserved by the paparazzi-magnetic luxury truck. Paul could borrow the Hummer on the weekends, pack his pet blue ox Babe in the pickup bed and motor off to the wilderness for some off-roading and tree-chopping. And they would live happily ever after; that is, until the divorce a month later.