Motor Trend announces that the Mercedes-Benz GL450 is the magazine's 2007 Sport/Utility of the Year. The GL was selected from a field of 22 vehicles—the largest crop of sport/utilities Motor Trend had ever evaluated. The first full-size sport/utility from Mercedes, the GL offers a seven-speed automatic transmission and a V-8 engine with 335 horsepower. It will also be available in a version that runs on the new low-sulfur diesel fuel for greater gas mileage. The GL represents the increasingly popular crossover category of vehicles that offer both the off-road capability of an SUV but also the driveability and feel of a car, according to Motor Trend. Motor Trend’s editorial staff conducted exhaustive off-road, street and track testing, and carefully considered essentials such as driving performance, engineering, design, safety, features and overall value. 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 Nov. 7, 2006. The rest of the 22 vehicles evaluated are:
Acura MDX
Acura RDX
Audi Q7
Cadillac Escalade
Chevrolet Suburban
Chevrolet Tahoe
Chrysler Aspen
Dodge Nitro
Ford Edge
Ford Expedition El
GMC Yukon Denali XL
Honda CRV Ex-L
Hyundai Santa Fe
Jeep Wrangler
Lincoln MKX
Lincoln Navigator
Mazda CX-7
Mitsubishi Outlander
Suzuki X17
Toyota FJ Cruiser
Toyota RAV4
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