After our canyon blasts, we take our quartet out for some light off-roading on a couple of Anza Borrego's silted washes. Considering the lavishness of these crossovers, this may seem like asking soccer moms to actually play soccer, but all in our foursome are game -- even the low -- riding Lexus. With only 7.3 inches of ground clearance, the RX 350 occasionally skirts the soft hillocks of sand that accumulate in the center of the trail. No such schussing noises are heard from the high-rolling Volvo; its nine inches of ground clearance and best-in-test power-to-weight ratio send it wafting over all manner of pebble and stone. Audi's dirt solution is simple: a drum-tight chassis and quattro all-wheel drive.
"Off-road, the Q5 feels right at home. The structure is solid and secure as the rig climbs through the rough stuff, quattro adeptly metering out torque," says St. Antoine.
The Benz, with its G-wagen-inspired angles, looks built for the really rough stuff, though its 7.9 inches of clearance (same as the Q5's) says otherwise. Navigating around obstacles, rather than over them, is recommended and aided by the large windows of its upright greenhouse. The low speeds required for such rocky negotiations allows the chassis to shine and minimizes steering inadequacies. "GLK feels solid off-road, and indeed generally does its job very well. Engine isn't one of the stronger ones, but it's gutty nonetheless. The seven-speed cuts up the torque well, too-the GLK never felt out of breath," notes St. Antoine.