The Toyota RAV4 established the compact crossover segment way back in 1996, but Nissan is only now fielding an entry, the Rogue. Although the name might suggest an aberrant or at least atypical approach, the Rogue rides comfortably in the wake of the RAV4 and the Honda CR-V.

Unlike the trucklike-and-proud-of-it Xterra, which had been Nissan's sole effort to net shoppers of lower-priced SUVs, the Rogue takes a mainstream approach, with a car-based, unibody chassis, a four-cylinder engine, and front- or all-wheel drive. No V-6 is offered, lest the Rogue crowd its (slightly) bigger brother, the Nissan Murano, even more than it does already.

Like the Murano, the Rogue's sole transmission is a CVT. Nissan embraces this technology more so than any other automaker, and the example in the Rogue is one of the best we've driven-you could almost forget it's not a conventional gearbox. The Rogue's electric power steering is also commendably conventional-feeling, with just-right efforts. Nissan has tuned its small crossover for responsive cornering, but the downside is a ride that delivers sharp kicks over bumps.

One can see the Murano family resemblance in the Rogue's exterior design, but to our eyes the Murano is the handsome first-born and the Rogue is the somewhat dorky younger sibling. Both have an upswept beltline that limits rear quarter visibility and a rounded, sloping rear end that constricts cargo space. People-space, though, is adequate, and the driver faces a rounded dashboard that's pleasantly sporty looking. The judicious use of padded surfaces and some nice graining on the dash and door panels offset the cheap plastic on the console. Overall, the interior is not a bad place to be.

The Rogue's position in the market, though, is tougher. Nissan's entry is an agreeable vehicle, but it's a latecomer to this segment. Without any real standout quality, the Rogue has a hard time making a case for itself in the panoply of competitors. The Rogue goes on sale September 18, 2007, and the front-wheel drive S model will start at under $20,000.

It's a question no one would ever think to ask, but Porsche has answered it. If a 911 GT3 were to have a wild night with a military-spec Humvee, what would the resulting baby look like? Enter the Cayenne Transsiberia rally edition you see here. Following a very successful performance by two privately-owned and modified Cayennes in last year's rally, Porsche is putting a full factory effort behind this year's event. Twenty-six special models will be built, all painted either silver or black with orange wheels, graphics, and detailing. They'll be loaded up with Porsche's whole arsenal of electronics, including traction management, chassis control, and active suspension systems. At the same time, they'll be stripped down, with no rear seat and minimal creature comforts (other than the soft leather and alcantara covering the interior-it is still a Porsche.) The Cayenne Transsiberia has a full roll cage, reinforced A- and B-pillars, underbody protection, and diamond plated floorboards. Other add-ons include a winch, roof-mounted light bar, and the most streamlined, precision-built snorkel we've ever seen. Two spare tires and a tool kit fill the rear cargo area. It is, without a doubt, the classiest off-roader we've ever looked at--but what else would you expect from Porsche? We only wonder why higher-powered Turbo S models weren't used.

The 2007 Transsiberia rally runs over 6600 km from Moscow to Mongolia, August 2-17. We haven't heard of any other factory-supported efforts, and if last year's results mean anything, Porsche could finish first through twenty-sixth. We're just excited to see these trucks in action.

So, there I am, ripping down a Spanish autovia, twin-turbo V-8 wailing away, wind whistling past the roof rails. There I am, downshifting through a roundabout, flat-footing that direct-injected lump and using errant Peugeots as apexes ("Si, policia! Un Porsche grande!"). There I am, doing 150 mph. And not having very much fun.

How did we get here? Ten years ago, sport-utility vehicles didn't walk all over sports cars, and it was impossible not to have a good time in a Porsche. Since then, we've watched a host of manufacturers build apex-inhaling, racetrack-lapping trucks, and we've seen most of those trucks prove an important maxim: capability and sheer speed aren't always everything.

In spite of its impressive performance and record-setting sales, the first-generation Porsche Cayenne was a little lacking in character.Unfortunately, the 2008 Cayenne continues that theme. It has a new face, mildly reworked interiors, and revised engines, but little else feels or looks different. The Cayenne S and Turbo are even more muscle-bound than before, with power increasing from 340 and 450 hp to 385 and 500 hp, respectively. Porsche says that highway fuel economy for is up 15 percent for the Cayenne S and 11 percent for the Turbo, thanks to new direct injection. The base Cayenne is no longer a gutless wonder, since its Volkswagen-supplied V-6 has been enlarged from 3.2 to 3.6 liters for an additional 43 hp and 44 lb-ft of torque. Finally, active antiroll bars are now available on air-suspended models.

All of these changes should add up to a truck that's better to drive, and they do. Trouble is, while Porsche's SUV is amazing, it still isn't particularly entertaining. Yes, it's fast as stink, and, yes, it does things no 4800-pound vehicle should be able to do. (Wheel control and chassis composure on undulating pavement will blow your mind.) But once the novelty wears off, boredom sets in. The Cayenne is so good, so capably idiotproof, that the driver is all but left out in the cold. Oddly, the V-6-powered, manual-transmission Cayenne is now the most involving driver's car of the bunch. The engine doesn't outshine the chassis, the steering is light and responsive, and you find yourself giggling as you heel-and-toe around every bend.

Absurdly potent? Yes. Hard-core enthusiast's dream? Not so much. But then, if it were, it probably wouldn't sell as well. What a shame.

At first glance, the Patriot looks like it's about six years late to its own party, because it's such a faithful evolution of Jeep's Cherokee. It even shares the Cherokee's boxy bluffness, a big part of that vehicle's charm. But back in 2001, the Cherokee was replaced by the Liberty instead, a more gently curved, doe-eyed Jeep-on-Prozac.

The Patriot shares its platform with the Compass, Jeep's attempt to satisfy a perceived demand for a car with Jeep styling cues. Or a Jeep with car styling cues, depending on the salesman's reading of your inclination.

Like the Compass, the Patriot gets a 2.4-liter four that generates 165 lb-ft of torque at a high 4400 rpm. Mated to the standard five-speed manual, it provides lively, if vocal, performance. The optional continuously variable transmission (CVT) is less work but also less amusing. More baffling is the optional 2.0-liter four--CVTOnly--whose only claim to fame is that it's slightly more fuel efficient, according to the EPA, than the CVT-equipped 2.4-liter. With a manual gearbox, the 2.4 gets the same fuel economy rating as the 2.0-liter.

The Patriot competes with the Toyota RAV4, the Honda CR-V, and the Hyundai Santa Fe. In this company, the Jeep looks far more like a tough-guy off-roader than its curvaceous urbanite rivals. Inside, the Patriot's upright dash and flat expanse of hood make you feel as though you're in something substantial--more truck than minivan--and the simple controls are logically laid out.

And while it isn't particularly fun to drive on-road, this Jeep offers good ride quality and competitive dynamics that are miles ahead of the Wrangler and the Cherokee before it.

Jeep claims that the Patriot is the most capable compact SUV in its class when it comes to mud. Specify the Freedom Drive II off-road package and you get four-wheel drive (a front-wheel-drive Patriot is available), a CVT with a low ratio, heavy-duty engine cooling, skid plates, tow hooks, and a form of hill descent control. It's not Rubicon-ready, but the Patriot is actually pretty good off-road, which is all it needs to be.

At $14,985 for the two-wheel-drive Sport, it's cheap, too. That includes side curtain air bags, stability control, and a CD player with MP3 capability, plus the five-speed manual and the 2.4-liter engine. The Patriot Limited with Freedom Drive II starts at $23,530.

Even though the Patriot is six years late, we can't think of a better replacement for the Cherokee.

Youth triumphs in all things automotive, just as it does in the wider world. So, after a new model debuts, we've come to expect a freshening in year three, a special edition in year four, and an all-new model after five years.

Not so at Ford. The Escape, for instance, was introduced in 2001 and by all rights is due for a full overhaul. But instead, it's getting a face-lift plus. Think of it as a face-lift plus a tummy tuck and a butt-lift. Its appearance is completely revised, but much of what's underneath remains the same.

Luckily, the Escape has good bones. The 2008 Escape retains the previous model's neutral handling balance, stiff structure, and good ride, because it also retains its chassis. The revised exterior is more masculine than the first-generation design. Once you climb aboard, you'll notice the clean, modern, and quiet cabin, which has plenty of interior room even four-up.

Engines and transmissions carry over: either a 2.3-liter four or a 3.0-liter V-6 that is coarse and painfully slow off the line. The four-speed automatic's long, widely spaced ratios may help fuel economy, but we wonder whether any SUV really needs to hit 89 mph in second gear.Speaking of fuel economy, the 2008 Escape is one of the first vehicles to reflect the new EPA test procedures. So while on paper the EPA numbers have decreased from last year, Ford assures us that the improved aerodynamics beget slightly better fuel economy in the real world.

Standard features include an auxiliary audio jack, a revised restraint system (new seatbelts, air bags, and steering column), split rear seats that fold flat, and a rollover-mitigating stability system on all but the Hybrid model. For the first time, the Escape is available with Ford's excellent touch-screen navigation system, featuring one of the industry's best Sirius satellite radio integrations.

Ford has reduced base prices by an average of about $1000, ensuring that the Escape remains a competitive small sport-utility vehicle, even if it is a little long in the tooth.

You can't mention the Lincoln Navigator without bringing up the Cadillac Escalade, the big-personality celebrity wagon that toppled the Navigator as King of All That Is Cool back in the late 1990s. That hierarchy has changed little since, so Lincoln has a new plan: if the latest Escalade is all brash personality, then the Navigator--now offered in regular and long-wheelbase configuration just like the Cadillac--should instead embody refinement and subtle confidence. Not that the gallons of chrome slathered all over the Navigator are exactly subtle. (When pictures of the new Navigator were released early last year, the reaction around here was unanimous: "What the hell happened to the front end?")

So it isn't quite subdued, but the Lincoln is reasonably refined, thanks in part to efforts to curb noise coming from the powertrain, the wind, and the road. Indeed, little hubbub filtered into the cabin as we barreled up and down steep Smoky Mountain passes, blowing by eighteen-wheelers and mufflerless old rustbuckets. A control-arm front suspension and an improved multilink independent rear setup (the Cadillac soldiers on with a live rear axle) provide a stable and compliant ride, and the decent--but not so talkative--steering helps provide good directional stability.

But the last Navigator already did the subtle and refined thing. What this model really needs is an infusion of Escalade-style attitude. The Navigator doesn't even have the personality of the Infiniti QX56, never mind the megamagnetic Caddy. Lincoln says more powerful engines--maybe even a diesel--and bigger, twenty-two-inch wheels may be offered, but not for a couple of years. The Escalade, of course, offers more power (403 hp versus the Navigator's 300 hp) and deuce-deuces right now. As for all that chrome, buyers can specify body-colored trim in place of much of it starting in February. Make up your mind already, Lincoln.

But that's the thing. Cadillac knows exactly what it wants the Escalade to be, whereas Lincoln appears to be struggling to figure out where the current Navigator fits into its newly revamped lineup.

Like its predecessor, the second-generation X5 disappoints when it goes off the beaten track. Instead of offering a height-adjustable air suspension, it can be had with such pavement-oriented goodies as active steering, adjustable antiroll bars, and switchable dampers. Instead of mechanical differential locks, it features the latest version of the electronically controlled torque-split-by-demand xDrive four-wheel-drive system. And instead of a low-range transfer case, it boasts a new six-speed manu-matic. The key chassis-related innovation is a new multilink front suspension that provides a smoother ride and better handling. Even when the X5 is equipped with the optional $3600 sport package, which includes extrastiff 255/55HR-19 Michelin Latitude run-flat tires, active roll stabilization, and electronic damping control, it responds to arm-thick transverse ridges and crater-deep potholes in a much more compliant manner than it did before.

Compared with the Mercedes-Benz M-class--its chief rival that is built around the corner in Alabama--the new X5 is still a little firmer, edgier, and more aggressive in the way it translates driver inputs. The four-wheel air suspension offered on the previous model has been dropped due to low demand, but air-sprung rear wheels are standard with the V-8-equipped 4.8i and available on the six-cylinder X5 3.0si. As always, BMW's active steering is an acquired taste. It makes maneuvering the X5 nearly effortless, but expect a learning curve before you're able to dial in precisely the appropriate amount of lock at any given speed. While the active antiroll bars do their thing all by themselves, the driver can stiffen the damper setting by hitting the Sport button.

New to the BMW community is the center console-mounted electronic gear selector that operates the six-speed transmission. Its shift pattern has the automatic gate on the right and the manual mode on the left. This two-finger actuator is truly intuitive in the way it works, provided you remember to push for manual downshifts and pull for upshifts, M5-style.

Although the gear selector is well placed, the iDrive controller sits too far back, so your hand doesn't fall on it naturally. It also feels cheaper and less precise than its passenger-car counterparts. The whole iDrive philosophy remains controversial, but the X5 gets six programmable buttons for often-used iDrive functions. You can store phone numbers and navigation destinations, or you can directly access your favorite source of entertainment.

Ergonomically pleasing and attractively styled, the X5's interior has lost little of its class and quality. Highs are the lovely round instruments, the tasteful mix of materials, and the large, in-dash color monitor; lows are second-rate plastics here and there, the pointless insert-key-then-push-button starter, and the absence of shift paddles. Thanks to a 4.5-inch increase in wheelbase, a 7.4-inch-greater overall length, and 2.3 inches more width, the X5 offers more shoulder and legroom, an optional third row of seats, and 2.8 cubic feet of additional cargo volume. The symmetrically split-folding rearmost bench, which adds $1200 to the price of the X5 4.8i ($1700 to the X5 3.0si), is easy to erect and fully adjustable, but only physically fit short people will care to sit in it. The new X5 does not come cheap. The 350-hp V-8 version costs $55,195, some $8600 more than the lesser-equipped, 260-hp X5 3.0si. The various option packages can add $15,400 to the grand total, and with stand-alone add-ons such as rear-seat entertainment, premium leather, and keyless access, you're looking at nearly $75,000. Yet even when it's fully loaded, the new X5 is rather low on bling--by street-cred standards, there is too much black plastic and not enough chrome. But the proportions are perfect, the surfaces flow beautifully, and the cutlines have been calmed down considerably compared with other recent BMWs. Dislikes? The carryover split tailgate can be a nuisance when heavy loads are involved, the curb weight of the admittedly stiffer vehicle has gone up by a considerable 408 pounds, and when you travel with seven, the cargo compartment measures only 7.1 cubic feet.

What makes the new X5 stand out in the crossover community is the way it performs, handles, and holds the road. According to BMW, the 4.8i accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds, and with the proper tires it can top out at an electronically limited 150 mph. Our test car averaged only 11 mpg, suggesting that the official 15/21 mpg estimate is theoretical. In exchange, the X5 provided the kind of driving pleasure we would have expected from a 550i wagon--despite the greater weight and higher center of gravity.

Because of adaptive drive, body roll is never an issue, nor are squat and dive under acceleration and braking. And beefy twin-piston brakes provide drama-free deceleration.Upcoming engines are bound to further enhance the X5's appeal--a hybrid drivetrain developed with General Motors and DaimlerChrysler, a turbocharged V-8 good for more than 400 hp, and a 300-hp, state-of-the-art twin-turbo diesel. Not to mention the all-new X6, which will carry the DNA of the X5 in a four-seat coupe wrapper starting in early 2008.

Yes, the picture below shows a 2007 Dodge Nitro, but don't be fooled: you're looking at little more than a reskinned Jeep Liberty. And unfortunately, we're not all that fond of the Liberty. (Thrashy, 3.7-liter V-6? Check. Nervous, top-heavy handling? Check. Annoying, cutesy, Wrangler-wannabe styling? Check.) So when Dodge announced that its upcoming Nitro SUV would share the Liberty's platform, we didn't exactly get all Rip Taylor and bust out the confetti.

Funny thing, though: as much as the Nitro is a Jeep Liberty, it's also not a Jeep Liberty. The Nitro may borrow the all-wheel-drive Liberty's platform and drivetrain, but the Dodge ends up feeling drastically different. A wider footprint, a longer wheelbase, a retuned suspension, and a lower center of gravity all help improve stability compared with the Liberty, and an available 260-hp, 4.0-liter V-6 lets the Nitro achieve decidedly non-Liberty-type velocities.

The blocky Dodge isn't perfect, however. The Nitro's interior may mean well (clever packaging and a convenient layout are its strong points), but it also feels cheap enough that you find yourself wondering how long things will hold together. The 4.0-liter'sfive-speed manu-matic shifts nicely, but the base engine's optional four-speed automatic is rough and clumsy. And steering feel, especially with the available twenty-inch chrome wheels, grows awfully numb at speed.

So, yes, the Nitro is ultimately lacking a little refinement, and, yes, there are traces (especially in the droning V-6's lackluster throttle response) of warmed-over Liberty bits. But mostly, the Nitro's on-road personality is a fun one: purpose-oriented and happily trucklike but still entertaining when the road goes all twisty. By this point, you may be thinking what we're thinking--for all its un-Liberty-ness, the Nitro sounds like an old-school Jeep. Ironic, huh?