2004 SUV of the Year Value Comparison

Standout safety features include the Durango's thick headliner, designed to better protect its occupants in a rollover accident. However, its engineering compromise is headroom. Anyone six feet or taller will want to remove his hat in the Durango.

As the incompatibility of SUVs and conventional sedans in collisions becomes a hot safety issue, Dodge touts low bumper heights on the Durango to prevent it from running up and over a passenger car in an accident. That safety feature translates into an SUV that has a kind of hot-rod stance, with a tall greenhouse quickly tapering to a low snout. One more thing: The Durango has an occupant-sensing system for the front-passenger airbag that automatically turns it off if it detects a child-safety seat.

Other cool ideas include side tubes in the sills of both the Cayenne and Touareg. The BMW X3 has a front driveshaft placed through the oil sump for a low center of gravity and better handling. The RX 330 features adaptive headlamps that pivot left and right, Tucker-style, as it turns corners. Both the Murano and FX35/45 have active head restraints for the front seat, and the Infiniti offers a preview option for its standard brake assist. The system uses intelligent cruise control to detect a vehicle in the same lane ahead and pre-pressurizes the brake system for better braking response.

Value

Sport/utility vehicles tend to cost more than the family sedans they've replaced in so many households. With V-6 engines and all-wheel drive, popularly priced crossovers, like the Mitsubishi Endeavor and Nissan Murano, average about $30,000, compared with prices in the low $20s for the typical four-cylinder midsize sedans sold by such manufacturers. That makes the value equation especially important for sport/utilities.

The Pacifica had a troubled launch because dealers got well-equipped examples with prices in the $37,000 to $42,000 range. The vehicle is designed, in part, to help Chrysler restore its reputation as an upper-middle-priced marque. But even with its Mercedes-inspired interior, most buyers will find front-drive Pacificas listing at $32,000 or less a better bargain.