With driving evaluations out of the way, our judges take on the equally important issues of styling and cabin comfort. After all, these are essentially Swiss Army knives for status seekers. The weak-chinned and awkward Lexus takes the most shots for styling, but regains ground with its high-tech cockpit, laundry list of amenities, and spacious cabin. The organic LED displays and a trick "mouse-ball" Remote Touch multimedia controller dazzle up front, while the large door openings, flat, tunnel-less floor, and wide rear seat lead Mortara to proclaim that the RX 350's rear cabin is "simply in a different league," one that apparently allows five normal-size adults to ride comfortably.
Not so the GLK. Kneeroom isn't the issue. The scalloped front seatbacks and deeply contoured rear seats mean that legroom and overall comfort are excellent-as long as only two adults sit in back. Add a third, and the airy, though austere, cabin quickly becomes cramped. To make things worse, the rear seats in the GLK don't slide, and the small door apertures are made even less accessible than the optional side sills. These lengths of rubber-dotted aluminum are evidence of questionable engineering, as they're as high as the doorsill itself, which means ingress or roof loading isn't any easier. In fact, all they seem to do is make exiting the vehicle a hamstring-stretching, pants-soiling affair.
Audi and Volvo split the difference between these two extremes. The Q5 offers more rear legroom than the GLK does-thanks to it's sliding rear seat-but can't challenge the RX 350 for comfort supremacy due to its huge transmission tunnel. Middle-seat passengers need to adopt a "wide stance." Our Q5's Ibis White paint amplifies the already smooth and sterile styling, but no one can knock the execution. LED headlights and tight panel gaps define Audi's modern and clean styling, while the light-colored, wood-and-aluminum-trimmed cabin offer a refreshing change from the competition's darker treatments.
High rear windowsills and small door apertures make the Volvo feel safe, but a bit claustrophobic -- a tradeoff all our judges would gladly take for such a sharp-looking ride. The XC60's dramatic front end and rising beltline create a rakish, aggressive stance, while the deep draw of its shoulderline, and striking, high-visibility taillights make for one delicious posterior. Inside, the deeply grained leather panels, floating center stack, and classy control layout (including steering-wheel-mounted navigation controls and a remote control for the passengers) draw raves from our judges.