Meet the SUV on steroids.You’ve seen them on the roads – enormous gas gulpers that practically block out the sun, not to mention the view of traffic signals ahead.
Lincoln Navigators, Cadillac Escalades, Toyota Land Cruisers. We’re talking vehicles that tip the scales at over 5,000 pounds and stand so tall that they tower over the older generation of sport utility vehicles.
Defying all practical sense – not to mention what was supposed to be a trend toward sleek, more fuel-efficient modes – the new generation of SUVs is bigger, more powerful, more expensive and even thirstier for gasoline.
What’s up with that?
After spending my share of time cursing the behemoths from behind the wheel of a Subaru, I drove two of the most popular super-sized vehicles, the Lincoln Navigator and the Cadillac Escalade.
Stepping up into the driver’s seat of an Escalade was like climbing to the nose-bleed seats at Madison Square Garden. The car, which stands 6-feet-4-inches tall, puts a driver head and shoulders above the traffic.
So there I was, facing a dashboard laced with dials, lights, switches and gizmos, preparing the Escalade for takeoff. A bit of sweat on the palms, looking out at the broad sweep of metal, I gave the car some gas.
A touch of the pedal brought the massive, 345-horsepower V-8 engine to life, and the vehicle moved away from the curb with ease.
Once I got over the thought of maneuvering the 161/2-foot package of steel through Midtown streets, I was amazed at how easy it was to drive. I could get used to this.
OK, the sneers from other drivers and pedestrians were a little off-putting at first. But seduced by the leather seats, electric moon roof and a Bose sound system, I found myself growing comfortable with opulence.
People take notice of a vehicle this large, and that included the state troopers and National Guardsmen guarding the entrance to the Midtown Tunnel in Manhattan. They flagged me over immediately.
These guys were looking for terrorists. God only knows what they thought of me and my enormous black vehicle with tinted windows. A quick search of the car convinced the guardsmen that I wasn’t a threat.
Driving the Lincoln Navigator was much the same. It’s the first version of the mega-SUV; Lincoln plans to introduce an updated Navigator next year to keep up with the Cadillac.
My hunch is the new Navigator won’t be any smaller.
These vehicles – technically, they’re trucks – come equipped with every luxury appointment and electrical amenity known to Motor City, setting a new standard for excess.
Navigators first hit the streets in 1998 and were quickly followed by the Escalade. Now, Toyota, Range Rover, Lexus, BMW and Mercedes are all joining the fray, with new vehicles designed to dwarf the competition.
Excess doesn’t come cheap. The Escalade driven by The Post sells for about $52,000, and the Navigator would set back the typical tycoon about $50,000.
Fuel economy? Forget about it.
The Cadillac and the Lincoln get 12 miles per gallon in the city, and 18 on the highway. Only their Congressionally designated status as trucks spares them the gas-guzzler tax.
After sneering at these vehicles, I found myself a little teary-eyed when I returned both the Cadillac and the Lincoln – that is, until I got stuck in traffic behind one.
