It's comfortable and provides a confident drive. It offers vast cargo space, has an attractive two-tone interior, a well-designed console and boasts of plenty of impressive option packages.

But sometimes subtle qualities or subtle deficiencies are more impressive or problematic than a vehicle's overt characteristics.

So it is with new Blazer. While recently showing car to several friends, one sat in second row of seats. Surprisingly, his head easily hit roof. My friend is 6-foot-3, and while that's tall, he's not a giant by any stretch.

"I've got a Scion and there's plenty of rear seat headroom," my friend commented.

The quick analysis made a good point. As largest and most powerful Blazer available, shouldn't a 6-foot-3 person sit comfortably in middle of car's three rows?

Conversely, an SUV hardly seems like a vehicle for a remarkable sound system. But Bose premium sound system available in Blazer's Sun, Sound and Entertainment Package is superior. The combination AM/FM stereo, six-disc changer, XM satellite radio and eight speakers are arguably finest music package I've experienced in any test car in past two years.

Beyond a curious space limitation and a wondrous sound system options, Blazer offers an odd mixture. It's a well-designed SUV with plenty of space for family and cargo. It has adequate steering and handling, and it offers a quiet ride considering its status as a large SUV with 17-inch tires.

Yet, Blazer falls short in other key areas.

But Outlander faces a tough challenge. In a popular category that includes best-buy choices like Ford Escape, Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester, Outlander doesn't offer any outstanding qualities that could sway potential buyers.

My test drive for week was new all-wheel drive limited edition Outlander. It joins previous LX and XLS models and features an impressive list of upgrades from previous models.

All Outlanders offer a 4-cyclinder, 160-horsepower, 2.4-liter engine. With its standard automatic transmission, vehicle performs adequately in city driving. But it lacks acceleration for highway journeys, and it struggles on long inclines, even with only two adult front-seat passengers.

Steering and handling are adequate and automatic transmission shifts smoothly. Mitsubishi's all-wheel drive system is a plus and it's reminiscent of AWD feature Subaru first offered. The Outlander limited edition includes 17-inch alloy wheels and four-wheel independent suspension. But such features don't ease tough go over city street speed bumps, even at slow speeds.