Motor Trend, the world's number one automotive authority and part of the Primedia Consumer Automotive Group, today announced the selection of the Land Rover LR3 as Motor Trend's 2005 Sport/Utility of the Year.

"We're proud of the significance the Motor Trend awards have in the automotive industry and want to congratulate Land Rover for coming out ahead of the pack in this year's diverse field of sport/utilities," said Angus MacKenzie, editor-in-chief of Motor Trend. "Our readers trust us to select the vehicle that best demonstrates overall superiority, significance and value, and this year the LR3's outstanding on-road refinement and off-road ability earned it the top spot in the sport/utility market."

Motor Trend's editorial staff selected this year's winner from a field of seven vehicles after comprehensive evaluations, which included off-road, street and track testing. Eligible vehicles were new or substantially redesigned sport/utilities scheduled to be on sale by January 1, 2005. This year's contenders were: Chevrolet Equinox, Ford Escape Hybrid, Ford Freestyle, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Infiniti QX56, Land Rover LR3 and Nissan Pathfinder.

After days of grueling testing, the Motor Trend editors agreed the Land Rover LR3 sets a new benchmark for its segment in terms of design, packaging, technology and functionality. The crisply executed exterior styling is clean, confident and cutting edge, and wraps around a roomy interior with third row seating that will comfortably accommodate adult passengers. Land Rover's unique Terrain Response System brings together the sophisticated electronics controlling the LR3's height adjustable air suspension, 300hp V-8 engine, brakes, and transmission to provide optimized settings to suit surfaces from freeway to gravel, snow, mud and rocks. The correct settings are selected via a knob on the centre console.

"The LR3 resets the sport/utility benchmark in terms of the compromises between on road refinement and off-road ability," said MacKenzie. "You just point, click, and drive. Whether it's Rodeo Drive or the Rubicon Trail, there isn't a sport/utility in the world that will cover the terrain as quietly, confidently or comfortably."

About the Testing and Evaluation Process
Each year since 1949, the editorial staff of Motor Trend has evaluated eligible vehicles based on three key categories: Significance, Superiority, and Value. Significance refers to innovation in engineering, technology, design, safety and packaging. Superiority levels the playing field and looks for class-leading levels of vehicle dynamics and performance, build quality and execution, and how well the vehicle performs its intended function. Finally, the all-important Value question asks, "What does this vehicle deliver in relation to what the consumer has to pay to purchase and own it?"

The complete report on the Motor Trend 2005 Sport/Utility of the Year testing and selection will be published in the December issue of Motor Trend

For desktop images from the test, visit the 2005 Sport/Utility of the Year Wallpaper Gallery