June 27, 2006 - Marketed as possessing the qualities of a car, a sport-utility vehicle and a minivan, the primary attraction of crossover-utility-vehicles (CUVs) is that they sip less gas than larger sports-utility-vehicles and minivans. According to our friends at J.D. Power & Associates, by the end of this year, Canadians will buy more of these duck-billed platypuses of the carworld than minivans. Of course, with such a variety of expectations to fulfill—all wrapped up into one hunk of sheetmetal—one could name these compromise-utility-vehicles. Regardless of their well-rounded abilities, this being Driving, you’ll want to know which of these three newer crossover/thingees is the one to own if you love to drive:

THIRD PLACE: 2006 Toyota RAV4 V6 Forget the formerly cute RAV4’s from yore, because Toyota’s taken a go big or go home attitude with its latest version. The big portion can be attributed to a wheelbase and overall length that comes close to the Murano’s. And except for a few caveats, Toyota’s performance SUV attitude of their new RAV4 rings true. Combine the smooth-as-buttah 3.5-litre V6 from the Avalon with the lightest curb weight—and surprise, surprise—the Toyota is the quickest CUV here. The mandatory five-speed automatic downshifts promptly, making the RAV4 V6 a scalded cat around town. But what of those performance caveats? For starters, the ride and handling package is more tuned for a soft ride. Plus, this is a front-drive vehicle until slippage occurs, so torque steer is prevalent with the powerful V6. And as experienced on some recent Lexus products, Toyota’s Vehicle Stability Control needs to understand that patience can sometimes be a virtue. Like when you’re hauling through a tight corner, just about to nail the apex, and —wham!—VSC decides the party’s over. TESTOSTERONE ALTERNATIVE Toyota FJ Cruiser/Automatic $30,990 BOTTOM LINE More of a sprinter than a decathlete, and more of a cute-ute than a true CUV, the Toyota raises the bar for engine refinement, if not all-around driving fun.

SECOND PLACE: 2006 Nissan Murano SL AWD From radical to conventional in four short years, the Murano is a good indicator on the rapid acceptance of CUVs in the marketplace. Loosely based on the Altima, the Murano’s drivetrain options are limited to a 245-h.p. version of Nissan’s ubiquitous 3.5-litre V6 with a similar semi-all-wheel-drive system as the Toyota with one of the first continuously-variable-transmissions (CVT) on the market as standard. The Murano’s handling is definitely more controlled than the Toyota’s with less roll and tire squeal in tight corners. The downside is a sharp and brittle ride, the worst of this CUV trio. The steering is very accurate but compared to the Toyota or Mazda, feels slower. In application, the Nissan V6 falls below the Toyota and above the Mazda in refinement and on-the-road performance. But let’s discuss that CVT: Although Nissan trumps this tranny for its fuel saving and acceleration attributes, the four-year Nissan only posts mid-field ratings. TESTOSTERONE ALTERNATIVE Nissan Xterra S/Automatic $35,048 BOTTOM LINE Best for cargo and occupants, the pioneering Murano works well at 7/10ths driving. But when the CVT is caned, the mismatch between engine revs and actual forward motion can be jarring to a driving enthusiast’s expectations. 

FIRST PLACE: 2007 Mazda CX-7 GS AWD Instead of jarring, the Mazda is surprising—surprisingly good. Drive the CX-7 like a sports sedan, and you won’t be disappointed. The driving position is spot on; the hydraulic steering is weighted nicely with effort increasing as you turn into a curve. There’s no getting around the CX-7’s height and weight, but once it takes its set, the Mazda is very stable entering and exiting in corners. Quickly. Initial understeer can be dealt with its throttled, and the AWD system helps here as torque bias shifts continuously from a nominal 100-percent front bias up to an even 50/50 front/rear split. Mazda's standard stability control system is driver-tuned as well, unlike the obtrusive Toyota. The weakest CX-7 ink is its mill. The same 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder found under the hood of the Mazdaspeed6 sedan, it’s been tuned for a broader torque range with 258 lb.-ft., arriving at 2,500 versus 3,000 rpm. To better match the six-speed automatic transmission. Heavier than the Toyota, the Mazda is the slowest CUV is a straight-line, yet, delivers the worst fuel economy. TESTOSTERONE ALTERNATIVE Mazda doesn’t have a boony-basher, so sticking in the Ford family, try a Ford Sport Trac XLT, $ $30,599 BOTTOM LINE Before the CX-7, all the “drives like a car” CUV boasts were just that—hype. The likelihood of a future Mazdaspeed6 Sport Wagon is slimmer than Stephen Harper hosting a toga party for the Press Gallery. But the CX-7 is the best driving CUV yet, and wouldn’t look out of place sitting in your garage next to your Miata.

- John LeBlanc, Publisher, www.straight-six.com

THIRD PLACE 2006 Toyota RAV4 V6
ENGINE 3.5 L DOHC vee-six
POWER 268 hp @ 6,000 rpm; 246 lb-ft of torque @ 4,700 rpm
ACCELERATION Zero to 96 km/h 6.5 seconds
FUEL ECONOMY L/100 km 11.1 city, 7.8 hwy
BASE PRICE $32,990

SECOND PLACE: 2006 Nissan Murano SL AWD
ENGINE 3.5 L DOHC vee-six
POWER 245 hp @ 5,800 rpm; 246 lb-ft of torque @ 4,400 rpm
ACCELERATION Zero to 96 km/h 7.5 seconds
FUEL ECONOMY L/100 km 12.1 city, 8.9 hwy
BASE PRICE $40,998

FIRST PLACE 2007 Mazda CX-7 GS AWD
ENGINE 2.3 L turbocharged inline-four
POWER 244 hp @ 5,000 rpm; 258 lb-ft of torque @ 2,500 rpm
ACCELERATION: Zero to 100 km/h 8.0 seconds
FUEL ECONOMY L/100 km 12.9 city, 9.2 hwy
BASE PRICE $33,995

© National Post 2006. This article originally appeared in The National Post's Driving.