AUBURN HILLS, MI – Motor Trend has announced that the Mercedes-Benz GL450 is the magazine's 2007 Sport/Utility of the Year. The GL was selected from a field of 22 vehicles — the largest crop of sport/utilities Motor Trend had ever evaluated. The first full-size sport/utility from Mercedes, the GL offers a seven-speed automatic transmission and a V-8 engine with 335 horsepower. It will also be available in a version that runs on the new low-sulfur diesel fuel for greater gas mileage. The GL represents the increasingly popular crossover category of vehicles that offer both the off-road capability of an SUV but also the driveability and feel of a car, according to Motor Trend. Motor Trend’s editorial staff conducted exhaustive off-road, street and track testing, and carefully considered essentials such as driving performance, engineering, design, safety, features and overall value. The complete report on the Motor Trend 2007 Sport/Utility of the Year testing and selection will be published in the December issue of Motor Trend, available on newsstands Nov. 7, 2006. The other 21 vehicles evaluated were:

• Acura MDX
  

• Acura RDX
  

• Audi Q7
  

• Cadillac Escalade
  

• Chevrolet Suburban
  

• Chevrolet Tahoe
  

• Chrysler Aspen
  

• Dodge Nitro
  

• Ford Edge
  

• Ford Expedition EL
  

• GMC Yukon Denali XL
  

• Honda CRV Ex-L
  

• Hyundai Santa Fe
  

• Jeep Wrangler
  

• Lincoln MKX
  

• Lincoln Navigator
  

• Mazda CX-7
  

• Mitsubishi Outlander
  

• Suzuki X17
  

• Toyota FJ Cruiser
  

• Toyota RAV4