SUVs get a makeover

MARK BLINCH/REUTERS

Ford Motor Company's President of the Americas Mark Fields introduces the 2011 Lincoln MKX at the 2010 North American International Auto Show Tuesday.

Brian Early

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

DETROIT - Traditional truck-based utility vehicles were at one time the bastion of Detroit's Big Three – GM and Ford in particular. But they've been in decline for several years now as buyers migrate toward the better handling and improved fuel economy of car-based unibody crossovers.

That segment, which includes seven- and eight-passenger capable models, continues to grow – albeit at a greatly reduced pace – as the economic crunch, environmental concerns and the warning shot a few years ago of high fuel prices has convinced some consumers to look at other vehicle types.

As a result, the models launched here in Detroit are primarily reworked versions of existing products, some simply more comprehensive than others.

Lincoln MKX

With most of Lincoln's product line wearing the new corporate split grille, the mid-size MKX crossover's egg-crate nose required attention. Built in Oakville alongside its Ford Edge twin, the MKX also needed greater differentiation from its blue oval brother.

For 2011, Lincoln has restyled the front and rear bodywork to visually tie it into the division's "look." The interior receives a thorough makeover that includes better materials, improved sound dampening and the first application of the Microsoft Sync-based MyLincoln Touch driver/vehicle interface.

MyLincoln Touch includes multiple LCD screens (one of which is a touch screen), touch-sensitive control surfaces and voice-recognition capability.

To further distance the MKX from its Edge sibling, the 2011 MKX also replaces the previous 265-hp 3.5-litre V6 with a 305-hp version of the 3.7-litre V6 that's found in the larger, three-row MKT crossover. Models for 2011 should be available later this year.

GMC Acadia Denali

The success of both the seven- or eight-passenger Acadia and GMC's Denali sub-brand has led to this GM division offering its first unibodied Denali model.

Essentially a top Acadia SLT-2 model with extra icing, the Denali treatment includes specific colour-keyed front and rear fascias, monotone paint and the signature circular-hole chrome grille. There are no meaningful mechanical changes, so the Acadia's 288-hp 3.6-litre V6 and six-speed automatic remain; drive is through either the front or all wheels.

Among the interior amenities added to the SLT-2 model are a mahogany and leather steering wheel, wood grain interior accents, additional interior lighting including illuminated "Denali" sill plates, and the standard inclusion of the Acadia's optional Head-Up Display, two-panel sunroof, and heated and cooled leather seats.

The Denali concept has proven profitable in the past, and the Acadia Denali should fare well when it arrives in showrooms this fall.

Hyundai Santa Fe

The Santa Fe returns to its roots somewhat, with model year 2010 seeing the return of a four-cylinder engine as the Alabama-made crossover's entry-level powerplant.

This is the second generation of Hyundai's large four-cylinder "Theta" engine family, which now features direct fuel injection. Displacing 2.4 litres and producing 175 hp, it replaces the previous 2.7-litre V6 as the Santa Fe's base engine. Matched to either of a pair of new six-speed transmissions – whether automatic or manual – it improves both economy and performance.

Last year's optional 3.3-litre V6 is supplanted by a new 276-hp, 3.5-litre V6. It, too, is mated to a new six-speed automatic, and offers reduced fuel consumption and faster acceleration.

Inside, roll sensors are added to the existing curtain airbags, and the interior and exterior have both undergone some styling and feature tweaks to keep them fresh.

Kia Sorento

Kia's Sorento, which should be in showrooms this year, is the latest utility vehicle to move from a body-on-frame design to unibody construction. In doing so, it promises greater driving refinement, at the possible expense of real off-road capability. The switch also creates the availability of seven-passenger seating.

Since Hyundai owns Kia, I suspect the 2011 Sorento is heavily based upon the Hyundai Santa Fe, even if they aren't built together in the new Kia assembly plant in West Point, Ga. That potential relationship is not a bad thing.

The Sorento's 172-hp 2.4-litre four cylinder and 273-hp 3.5-litre V6 engines don't feature direct fuel injection like its Hyundai rival. However the same mixture of six-speed manual and automatic transmissions and all-wheel-drive systems are present.

Lexus GX 460

Slotting in between the mid-size RX 350 crossover and the sizable, Toyota Land Cruiser-based LX 570 SUV, the GX 460 is a mid-sized traditional body-on-frame SUV. Lexus believes that GX buyers value the model's off-road and towing capabilities (up to 2,948 kg), so all GX 460s come equipped with a seven-pin trailer connector and two-speed, electronically selectable and lockable transfer case with full-time all-wheel drive.

The 2010 GX is a substantial reworking of last year's model. The switch in numeric designation from "470" to "460" indicates the presence of an all-new, 4.6 litre V8 under the GX's hood. Its 301 hp represents a 38-horse gain over last year's 4.7, yet Lexus claims a combined fuel-economy improvement of 11 per cent. The adoption of a six-speed automatic transmission may play a part in that.

As befits a Lexus, the GX's standard equipment roster is substantial, but buyers can add features like active suspension to the already standard KDSS active body roll-control system, or opt for the Ultra Premium Package, which ups the decadence even further. The GX 460 should go on sale early this year.

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