AROUND THE BLOCK In Three People Movers
Ford Expedition
The Expedition just might be the best of a dying breed. The full-figured Ford is more refined than a Chevrolet Suburban and has a more useful interior than a Toyota Land Cruiser. Second- and third-row seats fold flat and make room for large items that simply don't fit in many other vehicles. The biggest letdown is the 5.4-liter V-8's inability to provide decent acceleration in return for its decidedly indecent fuel consumption.
Volkswagen Touareg TDI
Tired of your mid-size SUV's thirst for fuel? VW is betting that you are, and it thinks the Touareg TDI is the answer. With 407 lb-ft of torque on tap, the 3.0-liter turbo-diesel produces more twist than the Touareg's optional gasoline V-8 but uses less fuel than even the base six-cylinder engine. EPA fuel economy ratings are 17/25 mpg, and the torquey turbo-diesel can tow an impressive 7700 pounds.
Dodge Grand Caravan
Dodge has infused a bit of "German engineering" into the 4.0-liter V-6-equipped Grand Caravan by giving it suspension tuning similar to the VW Routan. Unfortunately, ride and handling remain a weak point. There's still much to love, however, in the van's packaging. As ever, it hauls people, cargo, and any combination of the two with aplomb, and the multimedia hands-free system is one of the best in the business.