"Bold styling, a high seating position and, in a word, utility, are why consumers buy SUVs. It's the 21st century station wagon, neither truck nor car-based, and truly belongs in its own category. That's why this year's contest looked more closely at on-road driveability than rock-crawling."
MacKenzie added, "That the GL is this year's winner tells you a lot about how far this segment has come. The GL can certainly go off road, but it also delivers car-like levels of performance and refinement on road. It's the combination of feel, style and usefulness that set it apart."
About Motor Trend's Sport/Utility of the Year Testing and Evaluation Process
Each year since 1949, the editorial staff of Motor Trend evaluates eligible vehicles based on three key categories: Significance, Superiority, and Value. Significance refers to innovation in engineering, technology, design, safety and packaging. Superiority levels the playing field and looks for class-leading levels of vehicle dynamics and performance, build quality and execution, and how well the vehicle performs its intended function. Finally, the all-important Value question asks, "What does this vehicle deliver in relation to what the consumer has to pay to purchase and own it?"
The complete report on the Motor Trend 2007 Sport/Utility of the Year testing and selection will be published in the December issue of Motor Trend, available on newsstands November 7, 2006. Multimedia coverage of the testing and selection process will be broadcast on Motor Trend Radio, hosted by Bob Long.
About Motor Trend Magazine Motor Trend, a PRIMEDIA publication, was founded in 1949 and has a circulation of 1.1 million and a total readership of 7.1 million. Internationally recognized as the world's number one automotive authority, Motor Trend is one of the leading brands in automotive publishing. The Motor Trend brand is comprised of Motor Trend Classic, motortrend.com; Motor Trend Radio; Truck Trend; Motor Trend International Auto Shows; Motor Trend en Espanol; and the renowned Motor Trend Car, Sport/Utility, and Truck of the Year Awards program.