Yes, the sound system reference was about the premium sound system in the interior. As for variable power steering, it’s my understanding that variable hydraulic power steering started to be put in non-luxury cars in the early 90s.
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I still see this as a win, considering I used a 1968 body (Scrapmetal 1968 Wagon) as the base. 
While I mainly chose it to not have the same body as most of the other entries, I did embrace somewhat of a retro look as too modern fixtures wouldn´t work aesthetically on this body.
Looks like reliability is one of my overall weak points on recent challenges. I´ll have to keep an eye out to that in future challenges.
The Results, Part Two
5th - KMA KX1 2.0 - @abg7
In terms of delivering a combination of on-road comfort and offroad capability, the KX1 is one of the best vehicles in its class. In fact, the KX1 arguably could be considered one of the very top vehicles–or perhaps even the top vehicle–in its class if either (1) we found the KX1 more visually appealing or (2) we felt that buyers in this market segment were more likely to value offroad capability. But in fact, we find the KX1 rather visually bland, especially on its rear that has a large blank surface taking up approximately the bottom third of the vehicle. And we also feel that most buyers in this segment are likely to be content with something that offers a bit more offroad capability than an ordinary sedan without being a proper offroader.
Overall, the KX1 is loaded with features that make driving it an easy, comfortable experience. These include a car-like chassis with fully independent suspension, a smooth 5-speed automatic transmission, variable-assist power steering, all-wheel drive, and electronic stability control. Offroad capability is also among the top in the class, and reliability is anticipated to be solid. Engineering-wise, drawbacks are few, but they do exist. Fuel economy of 26 mpg overall is quite respectable, although slightly below average for the category. In addition, even though the 4-cylinder engine puts out a respectable 140 hp, an 11.1 second 0-60 time makes it one of the slower vehicles off the line.
On the whole, the KX1 is a well-rounded package, especially for anyone who might disagree with our opinion of its appearance. But we find it rather lacking in visual appeal, leading us to rank it below some other vehicles that might not be as mechanically competent in some areas as the KX1.
Wendy and Earl decide that the next few cars would be best seen in person. They travel to the next town over to test drive a KX1at the KMA dealership there. They are greeted with a red 2 liter example. “Well, it’s a handsome enough looking car,” Wendy states. “I suppose so, though it’s also a bit on the plain side. It’s not really grabbing me. And what’s going on with the rear? It’s almost like they forgot to add a rear bumper. And I can’t say I’m sold on the name. KMA KX1 doesn’t really roll off the tongue. Perhaps it drives better than it looks?” They take it out around town and return to the dealership 30 minutes later. “Well, what do you think?” Wendy asks. Earl thinks for a moment before replying, “It seems to be fine. But at the same time, it doesn’t seem to excel at anything either. The best thing going for it is it’s class leading utility, and I don’t think that’s enough for us to buy this.” “I would have to agree. It is best we keep looking.”
4th - Vergel Cantaro - @missionsystem
The Cantaro is essentially a comfortable, efficient on-road cruiser dressed up in a handsome package that suggests more offroad prowess than it actually has.
The Cantaro is the most comfortable vehicle in its class by a wide margin, with a quiet, well-trimmed interior and a smooth-riding fully independent suspension. Driving it is also a breeze thanks to features including on-demand all-wheel drive and a continuously variable transmission. Overall fuel economy is, quite astonishingly, over 37 mpg–also top in the class by a wide margin–even while the Cantaro delivers a respectable 9.0 second 0-60 time. Safety scores are respectable, as are cargo space and load capacity. In other words, if you want a commuter car with a little extra room and some enhanced offroad capability, the Cantaro is a good pick.
But don’t expect too much offroad capability. Even for a class not exactly brimming with offroad ability, the Cantaro is below average. And while the Cantaro might be easy to drive, it’s also absolutely joyless to drive due a combination of the rubber-bandy CVT and vague-feeling electric power steering. We also have concerns about the Cantaro’s long-term reliability, which we project to be at the bottom of the class. It’s not so much that there’s any one particular component of the Cantaro that causes us concern, but more so that Vergel generally doesn’t seem to have invested much more than the bare minimum in build quality.
There’s ultimately a lot to like about the Cantaro, tempered by some noticeable drawbacks. It could be an ideal vehicle for someone looking for comfortable around-town transportation who plans to update cars every few years. But for someone looking for any degree of driving excitement or long-term durability, there are better options.
The next car they check out is the Vergel Cantaro. “Oh, I love the color of this one. It is rather classy. And the whole car has a nice premium feel to it.” “I agree, hon, it does seem rather upscale.” “And it says here on the window sticker that it gets 37 miles a gallon! That is very good!” “Perhaps, but it also says that premium gas is recommended, not sure how that’s going to affect reliability in the long run.” They hop in and Earl remarks after just a couple of miles of driving, “This…isn’t terribly exciting. The steering doesn’t feel like it’s connected to anything. And while it does have good punch off the line, it feels like it runs out of steam fast. And why isn’t the transmission shifting? This would be an alright car, but it is let down by how poorly it drives.” Wendy replies, “Hmm, perhaps your right. Maybe it could be better. Perhaps we should look at the others?”
3rd - Sayoko CR-O 1.8 EcoDrive All-Terrain - @Hilbert
If you ask us, Sayoko’s entry is the most handsome-looking vehicle in its class, with an attractive front fascia, nicely designed interior, and excellent attention to detail throughout. The beauty of the CR-O is also more than skin-deep. Like the top two finishers, the CR-O not only is easy to drive but also manages to be a fair bit of fun to drive. It’s not an extreme performance machine, with a relatively slow 10.4 second 0-60 time and cornering grip that’s just about average for the class. But unlike a number of competitors with a soul-sucking CVT, the CR-O uses a 4-speed automatic that delivers shifts that are both reasonably smooth and crisp. Variable-assist power steering and a slightly stiff suspension also make the CR-O feel connected to the road.
Just make sure it’s truly a road the CR-O is on, though, and not a trail. The CR-O is a unibody vehicle with four-wheel independent suspension, hard rubber tires, and that slightly stiff suspension–none of which make the Sayoko a pleasant or capable vehicle to take offroad. The suspension tuning also makes the CR-O just a tad uncomfortable on the road as well, with the rear semi-trailing arm suspension setup also contributing to a bit more jostling than some competitors’ more advanced rear suspension designs. Otherwise, the CR-O is generally competent, with most of its other traits close to average for the field. Fuel economy is also good at over 30 mpg overall.
Even with its limited offroad ability, we think the Sayoko will appeal to many buyers who might want something sporty and stylish but need something more like a station wagon or a minivan. And since we suspect that many crossover buyers will fall into this category, we give the Sayoko CR-O the bronze medal in our comparison test.
After some lunch, Wendy and Earl head over to the Sayoko dealership to try out a CR-O. “Oh-ho-ho, would you look at this! Now this is a good looking car! Would be worth buying just on looks alone.” Wendy adds, “Yes, I would agree. It is very cute. The only thing I’m not a huge fan of is the color, but the brochure shows that it does come in a lovely yellow and black. We may have to ask the salesperson if we could get that instead.” Earl and Wendy open the doors and hop inside. “Oh, this is very nice. The two-tone works quite well here.” “And check out the CD player,” Earl replies, “It is pretty fancy.” They pull out of the dealership and onto the highway. “Now, this is a lively car! It drives far better than the stats show on the window sticker.” “Yes, but the reviews say it’s one of the worst in it’s class when it comes to doing things offroad. Is that a compromise we want to take? There are two more cars on the list, maybe it would be best we look at those first before coming to our decision.”
2nd - Pleiades Mojave - @the-chowi
The Pleiades Mojave has many similarities with the Sayoko CR-O, but it does a few things better enough to beat the Sayoko out for 2nd place in our comparison test.
We find the Mojave to be one of the better-looking vehicles in its class, especially with a handsome front fascia that suggests truck-like capability. Mechanically, it has a car-like unibody chassis and delivers an engaging on-road driving experience. In fact, while none of these crossovers will be mistaken for sports cars, the Mojave stood out to us as the most fun-to-drive of the bunch. With a 9.1 second sprint to 60 mph, it’s faster off the line than most of the competition, and it has excellent grip in the corners for this category. A quick throttle response from the boxer-4 engine and variable-assist power steering, a competent 4-speed automatic, and not-too-soft but not-too-hard suspension tuning round out the rather engaging driving experience. While the ride is fairly compliant, the cloth seats were just OK, and the quick throttle response sometimes threw us back into our seats a bit more than we would have expected with a vehicle in this class. As a result, the Mojave is decently comfortable–and more comfortable than the more stiffly-sprung CR-O–but it’s still in the middle of the pack in terms of comfort.
For the most part, the Mojave is a competent, well-rounded vehicle, with decent crash scores, respectable overall fuel economy of 27 mpg, and average expected reliability. Offroad capability, however, lags the competition, even if it’s somewhat better than the CR-O and still better than one would expect from a sedan or station wagons. If you can’t live with too much compromise in offroad capability, we recommend looking at the KX1 or our first place finisher. But if you want the most engaging driving experience you’ll find in a crossover, the Mojave is your car–and our comparison test silver medalist.
Next up for the couple is the Mojave. “Oh, this is very handsome. It looks quite rugged,” Wendy says. “The green on tan works really well.” “Indeed it does, Wendy. But I feel I’ve seen something like this from another company? I don’t know.” “I don’t know if I like the interior though. It seems well put together, but it not quite as plush as the last car we looked at.” “I would agree with you on that. But this blows the CR-O out of the water in the way it drives. This feels more like a sports car than a crossover. And it looks like it offers excellent utility.” Wendy glances at the spec sheet before replying, “Yes, but it doesn’t seem to do much better offroad than that one. And the predicted service costs seem a bit high. It seems like it would be a pretty good car. But maybe we should check out the last one before deciding.”
1st Place - Nordwagen Skadi Trekk T 4x4 - @moroza
Readers of our magazine have become accustomed to seeing a Nordwagen at or near the top of the rankings, and this comparison test is no exception. The runners-up each have some noticeable shortcomings. The KX1 is capable but not a looker. The Cantaro is an extremely comfortable but boring vehicle with questionable reliability. The CR-O and Mojave are engaging but come up short on offroad capability. But the complete package? That can be found only in the Nordwagen.
As you might expect from a Nordwagen, it’s slightly on the pricey side and is more expensive than most to service. But those shortcomings–which are only financial in nature, not truly a reflection of the vehicle’s performance–are the only ones we could identify with this vehicle. Otherwise, we ranked the Skadi average or better in every scoring category, with notable strengths in being engaging to drive while also delivering excellent offroad ability for the class. With a 0-60 time of 8.3 seconds and .8 Gs of lateral grip at low speeds, the Skadi is an excellent performer. The engaging driving experience is helped by a 6-speed manual transmission and front-and-rear double-wishbone suspensions. Even with the additional mental load of the manual transmission, the Skadi doesn’t feel like a chore to drive. Features including an offroad-specialized sway bar, a skidtray, and all-wheel drive make the Skadi one of the most competent off-roaders in the class. Crash scores are respectable, and projected reliability is slightly above average. While there are more comfortable vehicles in the class, the Skadi is also in the top half of the test, with premium interior materials helping with the overall comfort levels. Gas mileage is also an excellent 35 mpg overall.
So for providing the most complete overall package, we rank the Nordwagen Skadi Trekk T 4x4 as the overall winner of our crossover comparison test.
With the afternoon winding down, Wendy and Earl pull into the Nordwagen dealer. Up front they see a Skadi Trekk in dark blue. “Hmm, you sure this is a crossover? Looks more like a wagon to me,” Earl states. “But it does have all wheel drive and is rated excellent for offroad travel. At any rate it is a very good looking car. It’s quite prestigious and sporty.” “If you say so dear.” “It also says here that it gets 35 miles per gallon. That will save us money in the long run.” “Perhaps,” Earl counters, “But it looks like what savings we’d get would be sent on service. Still, it’s probably best we take it for a spin.” They hop in and take a gander at the interior. “Oh, this is very nice. Are these leather seats? And I think this is real wood on the dashboard.” “I think it is, yeah. This is a very classy place to be.” Pulling out onto the road, they take their time during their drive. “Well, it will take some getting used to driving a car with a manual, but at least it’s shifts nicely. It doesn’t seem as sporty as the Pleiades, but it is still pretty good. I think I could live with this. What are your thoughts, Wendy?” “Oh, yes, I quite like it. The only downsides I see would be in it’s costs. But I think it would be worth paying those for this. I think this is the one we should get.” “I agree. Lets go back to the dealership and sign the papers.”
This concludes JOC6E. From oldmanbuick and myself, thank all of you for participating! See you in the next challenge. The full stat list can be seen here.
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great challenge and great reviews! thanks to the hosts and congratulations to the winner 
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@moroza, will you be hosting next round? If not, what about @the-chowi or @Hilbert?
As I’ve stated previously, I’ll accept hosting duties unless any of the top four can do so.
I have ideas for a JOC6F, 7A, or 3D, but I won’t host anything until ATC is done. If someone wanted to co-host any of those, I’d be interested, otherwise @the-chowi it’s yours.
(I say, my entry looks quite fetching in the review photos. Did yall repaint it, or did it just import that way?)
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I also have an idea and am up for hosting 6F for sure, I’ll take it.
Expect something by friday at the latest.
Unles someone comes forward to cohost with moroza before then ofc.
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No, that’s just how it imported. I did have to repaint the-chowi’s entry, since it imported in plain red for some reason, but that had no effect on judging.
ah that would be because you don’t have PBR materials
they’re in this mod
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OK, I figured it might be something like that, but it didn’t say any mods were missing, so I figured it was a glitch.
It does not do that for photoscene mods
new round is up