Excellent off-road cap- ability, with panache.

The LR3 in an impressive achievement. While other mid-luxury SUVs are surr-endering off-road comp- etence, the LR3 continues to combine responsive on-road performance with go-anywhere off-road capab- ility in a single comfortable, safe and secure vehicle.

The LR3 offers the competence of the Range Rover and some of its luxurious feel. Underway, the LR3 feels composed and secure, with little noise and vibration transmitted into the cabin. The brakes are excellent. The LR3 incorporates the latest in electronic systems, which select the best combination of traction, power, gearing, and braking to suit any type of terrain and surface, to put serious off-road trekking within the reach of most enthusiasts. Simply twisting a knob to Grass/ Gravel/ Snow, Mud/Ruts, Sand, or Rock Crawl optimizes the settings for the LR3's mind-boggling array of electronic controls and traction aids. In short, the LR3 can go just about anywhere on the planet. And it does it in style.

The LR3 has a spacious, airy cabin with comfortable seats and intuitive controls. It can seat up to seven passengers with the optional third row, and the seats fold flat into the floor individually, making this a versatile utility vehicle.

Playcraft wrote the book on performance pontoons several model years ago at the Lake Rescue Shootout on Lake of the Ozarks near their Richland, Missouri, factory.

The top speed title has changed hands several times since, but PlayCraft has held its edge in sporty looks, fun and durability.

We tested this boat with a whisper-quiet 250 hp Suzuki outboard that allowed a comfortable conversation at all but faster speeds, when wind and water noise whipped the quiet hum of the motor away from the boat along with voices.

Suzuki's engineering offers a compact, light outboard by centering the powerhead over the drive shaft and connecting power to prop with a durable chain and sprocket system that eliminates disposable rubber belts. Power comes from the engine's huge displacement instead of turbo chargers, and if you choose it, an electronic bus system lets you monitor your engine functions and fuel flow for optimum operating life and fuel conservation.

For pontoon boaters, relaxation is a big part of the equation. So in front of the horsepower, PlayCraft laid out one of the most comfortable passenger decks in pontoon boats. Firm foam is sculpted into attractive camel-back lines on the lounges. Then they are upholstered with top-grade vinyl in a carefully stitched patchwork of racy colors.