2008 Hyundai Veracruz

Editor-at-large Arthur St. Antoine, a lover of fine cigars, spirits, and gadgets, says, "I almost hate to admit how much I like this Veracruz -- so much for my Pennzoil-fed enthusiast's heart. It goes down the road expensively. It shifts expensively. It rides expensively." Yet, at $38,320, it's not as expensive as comparably equipped seven-seat crossovers. He adds that "the nav system -- hooray -- lets you input addresses while on the fly, and the controls work without fuss or needless complexity."

He concludes: "The 'Cruz doesn't bug you by trying to be 'modern' or 'techno'; it just does its job well." Copy editor James Dryden concurs: "Second time driving the Veracruz from L.A. to Arizona. What's changed? Nothing. Still the same smooth, almost luxury ride, with a killer sound system. Man, I could just keep driving this thing."