New for 2002 is electroluminescent lighting on the gauges--the dials appear to glow at night compared to conventional gauge lighting where the pointers and numerals are lit against a darker background. It's a pleasing look.

The front seats are comfortable, with thickly padded longitudinal ribs, but they seem a bit cushy for serious off-road driving. The bottom cushion has ridges to keep you in place, but the backrest has no lateral support. This makes it easy to slide into while wearing a bulky coat, but when you charge into a hard corner such as an entrance ramp that leads onto a 65-mph freeway, you may need to use the door to hold yourself in place.

Rear legroom is tight. That hurts on the marathon runs with four fishing buddies, but you won't notice much cramping on an evening with two couples. Climbing into the back seats is much easier than before, however, because the rear doors are wider.

More space is available for cargo because the spare tire was moved from its upright position on the left rear side of the cargo compartment to lie down under the load floor. As a result, you'll have to lift groceries a bit higher because the load floor is relatively high.

The Overland's wood and leather steering wheel isn't as plush or thick as a similarly styled Jaguar wheel, though it has remote stereo switches on the front of its horizontal spokes. That feature relieves the long reach to the dashboard for the radio controls. The long reach is a function of the high seating position. It's also tough to tell at first glance, but the Overland's Redwood Burl inserts in the dash and door panels are real wood.

The initial view from the driver's seat leaves you with the impression the hood is too high, but it slopes down on its sides, so your vision isn't blocked while turning.