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In the market for a good, honest, hardworking 4WD ute? Welcome to Australian 4WD Action’s bi-annual ute of the year award
Words by Glenn Torrens
Photography by Robb Cox
This year, 11 vehicles, representing nine different models, were drawn together for evaluation by our dirty dozen testers.
Making headlines for the 2005 award is the all-new Toyota HiLux in both petrol and diesel models. With the HiLux on the market for only a short time (see launch details last issue) the 2005 UOTY test was the first opportunity to compare it to its marketplace adversaries. For this reason, we decided to include both diesel and petrol models, putting it head to head with similarly-equipped vehicles from Holden’s impressive Rodeo range.
UOTY was also the first opportunity we’ve had to sample the new 4.0L V6 recently installed in Ford’s Courier. For logistical reasons, and to give the greatest amount of feedback on this popular market segment, we decided to evaluate dual-cab utes where possible. Mazda couldn’t supply a dual-cab Bravo so we settled for the ‘Freestyle’ body with its clever and sensible suicide rear doors. Of course, the basics of the Ford are almost identical to the Bravo. Unfortunately, Mitsubishi couldn’t provide any Tritons but Nissan weighed in with a top-line Navara ST-R diesel. Last but not least is Ssangyong’s Musso Sport dual-cab ute.
As you will see over the next pages, not every engine and transmission combination is represented here, either, but we’re confident our choices will give you, dear reader, the inside running on what’s hot and what’s not.
Filling out the heavy-duty end of the range were Nissan Patrol coil cab, Toyota LandCruiser 79 trayback and Ford’s stand-alone F250 monster truck. We’ve had these big boys head-to-head in the past but thought it would be interesting to have them along again. Who knows? The opinions and experiences of this almost all-new testing team might result in a different outcome!
Unlike previous years where contenders’ scores were tallied by a point system, the decision was made to streamline proceedings for 2005 and use a simple ‘first past the post’ voting system. Over our four-day testing schedule covering bitumen, dirt and off-road, our testers were asked to evaluate all aspects of the vehicles’ features and performances both on-road and off when considering a vehicle as worthy of the title ‘4WD Ute of the Year’.
Sit back, crack open a tinnie and learn how the battle was run and won…
SSANGYONG MUSSO
We reckon some of you will be surprised with the inclusion of Ssangyong’s Musso Sport in the UOTY contest. Your surprise is entirely justified, to be honest. We never seriously considered it as a contender for UOTY but we’ve also never directly compared it to the Fab Five work trucks from Toyota, Holden, Ford, Mazda and Nissan and saw it as a perfect opportunity to run a test-within-a-test. The Ssangyong’s keen price and high feature levels were qualities that we were keen to stack up against the others. As was its off-road ability…
Most of you will recognise the Ssangyong as being a cut-down Musso wagon from the mid-1990s. Ssangyong has done little more than chop the body behind the rear seats and add a separate tray over the coil spring rear end. The wagon/truck compromise favours the passengers more than the payload with plenty of room – and unlike many dual-cabs, comfort - for five.
The mechanical package is one of Mercedes-design, a Ssangyong manufactured, 120kW/255Nm 5-cylinder, 2.9L intercooled turbo-diesel and an Australian-made four-speed auto. Like all ‘proper’ work trucks, it runs a separate chassis and is suspended by an independent front on torsion bars and a five-link live-axle under the rear.
The driver is faced with a simple dash that, like the Mazda and Ford twins, was styled a decade ago. All the basics are there, of course, and the Musso out-punches much of the field with such niceties as climate control, electric windows and leather on the steering wheel. The Musso’s front seating was loved by some, tolerated by others but scored a big tick from one of our taller testers for being one of the only cars that he could comfortably fit in.
Out back, the tray gets a thumbs-up for having a poly liner and four tie-down hooks, but that’s about all. There’s no tonneau. Oddly, the tailgate’s latch is included in the central locking (that automatically locks at around 20km/h). Oh, and with a rating of just 400kg, the Musso certainly won’t win any load-carrying competitions. It’s more play than work.
ON-ROAD
It’s no surprise that the Musso has the ambience of a family wagon. On-road dynamics are pleasant, but you’d better not be in a hurry. The comfortable ride is a cut above the rest of this pack, but the trade-off is that with our coupla-hundred kilos test weight, it tended to float, even on bitumen. The turning circle is quite respectable but the steering doesn’t quite get the isolation/feel/kickback compromise quite right. There’s mixed messages coming through the leather-covered rim.
Power is quoted at 121kW but surrounded by similarly-specced diesels, it feels far less, unfortunately. Acceleration from a standing start with our 200kg ballast on board was lethargic – easily the slowest of this group – and although the engine seems to wake up above 2000rpm, freeway cruising is not much more than fair. Overtaking? Forget it – the Musso seems to take minutes to creep from 90 to 120km/h and its top speed is less than what some others here will do – with another gear to go. Most of the engine’s enthusiasm is found in the last half-inch of pedal travel but it still isn’t enough to make the Musso a comfortable interstater. With the right pedal flat to the floor, the trans defaults to its ‘power’ mode, which is also driver-selectable from the console.
OFF-ROAD
The on-road float doesn’t help the Musso’s cause on fast dirt and even in 4WD H the car feels a little ungainly, with a tendency to get the tail out. Corrugations upset it and interior noise and drumming is about mid-field. The 4WD system is part-time and is selected by a dash-mounted knob.
The engine’s lack of torque – combined with the transmission’s torque converter that seemed to smother the engine at around 1500rpm - absolutely killed its chances on the off-road test sections. One particular ramp-up was insurmountable for the Musso until Big Glenn gave it a tug on its bullbar. Glenn’s input (one hand…) was enough to get the Musso out of its predicament. But as Glenn said, it was in a gutter that would be considered extreme by most of its ‘target market’ owners. In general, off-road, the Musso MUST be driven with the right foot floored.
The long-travel, soft suspension does two things for the Musso off-road. It allows it to keep its wheel on the ground – good – and also sets up a bounce at the point where it loses traction – bad – leaving the Musso bobbing up and down on steeper ruts. The hill holder function – a surprise to all of us – helps when off-road and the handbrake is strong. Once again, full throttle and patience must be used off-road. It takes some seconds – yes, seconds - for the Musso to creep forward from a steep hill start. With plenty of gear-stick rowing, the Musso was impressive on our heavy sand test section despite its lack of go, managing to barrel along quicker than half the field.
WINNER OR ALSO-RAN?
Despite its soggy handling and lack of real urge, the Korean kid made several new friends on this test and certainly didn’t make any enemies. If you only have around $30K to spend, take a look. But just as we all thought, the Musso isn’t going to be our UOTY winner.
SPECS
MODEL: Ssangyong Musso Sports 290S auto
BODY: Separate chassis four-door five-seat crew cab
ENGINES: 120kW/255Nm 2.9L five-cylinder SOHC intercooled turbo-diesel
TRANSMISSION: Four-speed electronic automatic with winter and sports modes
4WD SYSTEM: Part-time dual-range 4WD by dash knob. Low-range: Rear LSD
SUSPENSION: F: upper and lower wishbones with torsion bars. R: five-link live axle with coils
BRAKES: Four-wheel discs – vented front.
WHEELS AND TYRES: 16x7in alloys with 225/65 tyres
OFF-ROAD STATS: Entry: 29 degrees. Rear: 23 degrees. Ramp: not quoted. Clearance: 195mm. Creek: not quoted
KERB WEIGHT: 1900kg
TOWING CAPACITY: Unbraked: 750kg. Braked: 2500kg.
PRICE (RRP): from $29,990
MAJOR OPTIONS: Alloy wheels $1500. ABS $1500
WARRANTY: 3 years/100,000km
FORD F250
The F-series Super Cab ute really is in a class of its own in this company, and in general. Where else can you buy a 4WD truck – and it is a truck – like this? Nothing even comes close. Surprisingly, its load rating is relatively modest (just on a tonne in the tray) but it can tow 4500kg which makes it a favourite for fifth-wheel caravan users.
The Effie sits on a huge chassis and rides on beam axles and leaf springs front and rear. It’s built in Brazil and arrives in Australia as a right-hand drive, not as a left-hander like so many earlier F-series imported privately during the 80s and 90s. The steering column twists to a RHD steering box that works via a dummy box mounted on the left, to finally act on the front axle. Despite this somewhat indirect path from fingertips to tyres, the steering works very, very well – far better than you would expect for a truck of this enormous size.
Power is provided by an International diesel measuring 7.3 litres, turbocharged and intercooled. Output is a modest 175kW but the true measure of the truck’s performance is the torque: an enormous 684Nm delivered at just 1800rpm. Fed through an industrial-strength auto (four speeds) the Effie is an easy drive, once you get used to the column shift being on the ‘wrong’ (right) side of the steering wheel.
Despite the Effie’s enormous size, the cabin is quite tight. It’s a shame, because just an inch more rear legroom would make the world of difference. The ‘suicide’ rear doors are very handy and make a lot of sense (Ford also offers a conventional-doored Crew Cab with a little more room). The instruments are clear but the dash looks as imposing as an honour wall at a war memorial. And there’s no glovebox… instead, there are two-storey pockets in each door and a centre console compartment the size of a kids’ toybox.
The rear seat has no headrests and there’s only a lap-only centre belt. It’s almost four bums wide, but tighter than the Navara for leg room. That’s a shame – but as we said, the Crew Cab is the pick for those that wish to carry more heads in more comfort. The vinyl floor is super-practical and fold-down armrests make life easy up front. The seating – especially the driver’s seat - is an odd shape. They’re big and soft and don’t really have much support. The steering wheel is mounted offset to the right.
Despite only being rated at one tonne, the tray is reminiscent of an above-ground swimming pool. There are four tie downs and the tops of the sides are treaded and wide enough to walk on which is handy. The underside of the tray sides can accept a hook for load tie-down, too. The tailgate can’t be dropped completely in this spec (bumper gets in the way) but the nightlight is a good idea.
ON-ROAD
The big F-Series is quite a pleasant surprise on-road… well, out of town, anyway. Around town it’s like being in control of you own small island: in fact, it’s big enough to have its own post code and almost crosses into the next suburb when turning corners. Having said that, it’s not unwieldy, it just needs lotsa room and a wary eye. All that size means it not only pushes a lot of wind out of the way (wind noise is noticeable, but not unreasonable), but it is easily blown around by crosswinds, even with the relatively crisp steering.
Bags of torque zing the F-Series away from the line easily. The turbo is noisy – too noisy - and the rest of the engine provides plenty of clatter, too, despite the efforts at soundproofing. Top whack is around 140km/h and hills simply don’t matter. ABS brakes take care of the stopping – and they do it well.
OFF-ROAD
The big Effie handles fast dirt with aplomb. But the short travel suspension – especially at the front – allows it to thud-out on even small bumps and dips. It’s not real keen on corrugations, either. Until then, the ride is smooth but firm and it’s possible, when you have the room, to have a bit of tail-out fun with the big lad. But you have to be ready for it, losing the tail in tight situations could be disastrous!
Huge, hip-height chassis mounted recovery hooks are a reminder to be careful where you take it and to stay out of trouble. Attempting a recovery of the 3200kg unladen F-Series would not be something I would enjoy.
With the bumpers at hip height, approach and departure angles are commendable but the long wheelbase kills its ramp over angle. But it is so high it doesn’t really matter much in the real world. Even with comparatively short suspension travel, sheer mass meant the wheels simply didn’t leave the ground so forward progress wasn’t ever disturbed.
The first part of our little car-size course was like a series of speed humps to the big truck; its wheelbase and track allowed it to simply step over just about every obstacle put in front of it. But forget forestry work or bush exploration with this one – it’s simply too large, unless you want to push over trees with it. Wide open spaces are this truck’s home grounds.
WINNER OR ALSO-RAN?
Huge ‘bloke’ appeal for many of the testers – it’s the truck that several of our testers said they’d buy if the lottery man knocked on the door… But really, it’s a crude and rude truck with great appeal for open-cut mines and for towing horse floats… and not much else!
SPECS
MODEL: Ford F250 Super Cab pick up 4WD
BODY: ‘Super cab’ five-seat ute on separate chassis
ENGINE: 7.3L 175kW/684Nm turbocharged and intercooled diesel V8
TRANSMISSION: Four-speed automatic
4WD SYSTEM: Part-time 4WD by dash control
SUSPENSION: Leaf springs, beams axles front and rear
BRAKES: Four-wheel discs, ABS
WHEELS AND TYRES: 16x7-inch alloy; 265/70 tyres
OFF-ROAD STATS: Entry: 32 degrees. Rear: 19 degrees. Ramp: 19. Clearance: 205mm. Creek: not quoted
KERB WEIGHT: 3160kg
TOWING CAPACITY: Braked: 4500kg. Unbraked: Unstated
PRICE (RRP): From $75,100
WARRANTY: 3 years/100,000km
FORD COURIER
Mazda’s Bravo, these days, is manufactured in Thailand while the Ford Courier is sourced from South Africa. But ever since Adam was a lad, the Courier has shared most of its DNA with the Bravo, including body styles and drivetrains. So for the buyer, up until now, it’s been a matter or flip a coin or screw down the best deal.
But the Ford now has an advantage: the availability of a German-built 4.0L V6 engine that has been added to the range recently and gives the Courier the guts and go to match the V6s that are under the bonnet of Rodeo and HiLux.
The new engine is a SOHC per bank V6 that employs balance shafts and a dual-length intake manifold to give a good compromise between smooth power at high revs and torque at low revs. So equipped, the Courier delivers 154kW at 5250 and 323Nm at 3000rpm. A five-speed manual or five-speed adaptive shift auto with overdrive lockout backs the new V6 engine – we had the auto on test.
The chassis and body remain similar to before – an IFS by torsion bars and beam rear on conventional leaves. For the new V6 installation, Ford has tweaked the suspension for slightly higher ride height. The Ford’s dual-cab body is dimensionally identical to the similar bodies from Mazda.
Virtually all of the comments applicable to the Mazda’s interior layout – old looking but simple to use - can be applied to the Ford, with a few key differences related to specification. The Ford XLT spec has classier cloth trim, two airbags, electric windows and a refrigerated centre console that is large enough to keep a six-pack of cans cold. Air is standard on the top-line XLT.
The Courier’s dual-cab rear seat offers more room than the Navara, but is not as commodious as the Rodeo or HiLux and misses out on a centre lap/sash seatbelt. The tray, like the Mazda, gets a quiet nod of approval for being fitted with tie-down rails down each side.
ON-ROAD
The V6 feels punchy with its power delivery, and just 150-ish kW from a double-cammer is less than some all-iron V6 passenger cars I can think of. But leave the foot to the floor and the Courier will get you to its electronically-limited top speed (around 160km/h, from memory) pretty quickly. The five-speed auto is a gem at full throttle, shifting smoothly and keeping the engine right in the fat of its rev range during each gearshift.
But you better hang on tight - with two heads high in the engine bay compared to the diesel or four-cylinder petrol engines, the Courier has a lead-tipped arrow feel, even on gentle corners. And with the V6’s power biassed toward the top end, it almost feels like there is too much engine for the rest of the package, especially for the soft and soggy suspension and approximate steering. Obviously, the difference in mass over the front axle makes a big difference to the on-road character of the Courier as the Bravo (with shared suspension basics) was preferred for its steering feel.
OFF-ROAD
‘Terrible’ is one word scrawled in the Courier’s notes for its behaviour on dirt. That may be harsh judgement, but it’s fair to say the Courier didn’t win many - any - hearts for its dirt-road performance, either. That under-done suspension, plenty of grunt and no shortage of interior noise certainly raised eyebrows among the testers. Rather than being compared to Rodeo et al, several testers based their comments about Courier on comparison with the dirt-road wooden-spooner, the Musso.
The V6 XLT uses the Ford/Mazda shift-on-the-fly 4WD system controlled from a knob on the console. The throttle copped a few comments for being too sensitive in the rough stuff, causing surging of the engine just when it wasn’t required.
We canned the Mazda for a having an important component (intercooler) mounted where it can be easily damaged and the Ford is not much better. This time, the offending item is a secondary transmission cooler mounted externally to the engine bay. It’s too low – lower than the bottom crossmember of the radiator - and would, like the Mazda’s intercooler, be damaged by the vehicle’s first Ooops into a hole or bank.
To add injury to insult, our tester embarrassed itself by dropping lube from its front diff, which counted it out of some of the tests…
WINNER OR ALSO-RAN?
The little Ford was possibly the least favourite vehicle on test. The new engine is a highlight (but really, not as good as Rodeo or HiLux) but itself highlights the flop in the rest of the package.
SPECS
MODEL: Ford Courier XLT
BODY: Four-door dual-cab ute
ENGINE: 4.0L V6 154kW/323Nm
TRANSMISSION: Five-speed auto
4WD SYSTEM: Part-time dual-range by console knob. 2.48:1 low range
SUSPENSION: F: IFS by torsion bars. R; leaf springs, beam axle
BRAKES: Front vented discs, rear drums
WHEELS AND TYRES: 15in alloy wheels, 265/70R15 tyres
OFF-ROAD STATS: Entry: 38 degrees. Rear: 26 degrees. Ramp: 26. Clearance: 210mm. Creek: not quoted
KERB WEIGHT: 1867kg
TOWING CAPACITY: 700kg (unbraked) 1800kg (braked)
PRICE (RRP): From $43,190
WARRANTY: 3 years/100,000km
MAZDA BRAVO
Mazda’s little Bravo, like most here, is available in a wide range of 2WD and 4WD models with both petrol and diesel power and we chose the diesel. The basic design looks like it has been around for ages – and it has – but the ‘Freestyle’ body is a more recent addition to the range.
With rear-hinged side doors and no B-pillar to speak of (it’s like the F-250) the Mazda B series is possibly the most useful compromise for work and play. It allows equipment and paperwork to be stored behind locked doors, with the freedom to be able to carry two passengers on flip-down occasional seats. The rear seats are little more than padded park benches, but are fine for short urban trips. This layout makes a lot of sense for a tradesman (or, with some imagination and with the addition of some slide-outs, a tourer).
That tall, slightly ungainly-looking body has its advantages, too - being taller than Navara, for instance, it provides a decent driving position and in four-door form (such as the Courier also on test) provides more rear seat room.
The dash, like the Ford’s with which it is virtually identical, looks old-school. White faces give it a lift, but as with most, daytime headlight running, especially with sunnies on, makes the numerals hard to read. Along with its Ford cousin, the Bravo must be the only vehicle on the planet that continues to use an under-dash handbrake. Some larger—booted drivers commented that the pedals were too close together. No airbags in Bravo 4WDs.
Underneath the Bravo there are generally no surprises, with a IFS/torsion bar chassis with a beam rear end. Power is from an old-school (it even looks old!) 2.5L diesel with just 82kW so the Mazda is down on both capacity and power compared to the status quo.
The 1-tonne tray gets a big thumbs-up for having external rails. Sure, they might not look like they are aerodynamically designed, but they’re great for load lugging which is, of course, what you buy a ute like this for. Unfortunately, most tradies I know would find tie-down hooks in the tray just as – if not more – handy on a day-to-day basis.
ON-ROAD
Due to what are effectively two huge open sides, you could be excused for expecting the Mazda’s body to be looser, noisier or squeakier than the rest on test, but it isn’t. In that regard, Mazda seems to have done its homework with stiffness.
However, the Bravo is under-done in the suspension department. Passengers – especially those that might be riding in the rear - may appreciate the soft ride but none of our drivers enjoyed the floaty roadholding or vagueness in the steering. The turning circle is usefully tight.
With just 82kW, the acceleration is leisurely but it makes a mockery of the Ssangyong’s 35+ kilowatts more – we didn’t ‘race’ the two side by side but my money’s on the Mazda! Despite the lack of on-paper power, the Bravo earned some compliments for its on-road performance, especially as it was carrying an extra 200kg compared to all the other dual-cabs. Engine braking was commented on by several as being good on-road which, of course, is a good sign for off-road.
Some liked the hard-ish front seats, others didn’t, but there were no complaints about the driving position in general apart from the reach to the under-dash handbrake.
OFF-ROAD
Overall, the Bravo is not really very happy on dirt. Corrugations confuse it and the wallow on-road (an advantage for dirt-road ride in some vehicles) is no real help when the Bravo runs out of bitumen. It drifts its tail at far lower speeds than the rest of the pack – except the Ford, of course, with which it shares its basics.
The Bravo’s 4WD system is part-time, with manual hubs and an old-school lever on the floor. It’s off-road specs have some highlights and some lowlights. Its wading depth is a full 750mm – deeper than LandCruiser – and it has a hand-throttle that adds to its appeal for rural use. It has a large air cleaner and the underbody doesn’t have any obvious chinks in its armour.
But it has some downright silly engineering, too, with the intercooler being the best example. It hangs down low in front of the radiator with almost nothing in the way of protection. Our test car’s had already been damaged by the sharp edges of the plastic bumper bar in front of it. The bumper itself was not damaged, but it had obviously been flexed back far enough – 50mm or so - to damage the fins of the intercooler. Not good… and it would be totalled with just one crunch into a hole or bank. Having said that, the Mazda passed the test course, including a run on sand, without putting a foot wrong.
WINNER OR ALSO-RAN?
The Bravo had fans among the testers, especially for its rear doors that rated well for usefulness. Its lack of poke and iffy handling can be overlooked as it gets the job done. But general lack of pizazz (such as silly intercooler mounting) relegated it to the ranks of the also-rans.
SPECS
MODEL: Mazda Bravo Freestyle DX
BODY: Four-door ‘freestyle’ occasional four seater ute
ENGINE: 82kW/271Nm 2.5L intercooled turbo diesel
TRANSMISSION: Five-speed manual
4WD SYSTEM: Part-time by lever. 2.2:1 low-range. Manual front hubs
SUSPENSION: F: IFS by torsion bars. R live axle, leaf springs
BRAKES: F: ventilated discs. R: drums
WHEELS AND TYRES: 15x7in alloys with 265/70 tyres
OFF-ROAD STATS: Entry: 34 degrees. Rear: 22 degrees. Ramp: 28 Clearance: 218mm. Creek: 750mm
KERB WEIGHT: 1680kg
TOWING CAPACITY: 700kg unbraked, 1800kg braked
PRICE (RRP): $31,490
WARRANTY: 3yr/100,000km
TOYOTA 79 SERIES LANDCRUISER
Writing these words, it is 19 years and 11 months since I first sat in this generation of LandCruiser ute – far more than half my life. Enthusiasts will know that since its launch in 1985, it’s had several new diesel and petrol engines, a stretched cabin (for the ute) and a new coil-sprung front end over the years. But park this next to Farmer Joe’s farm truck – or Gulliver – and it’s easy to see that Toyota has screwed every last cent – and more - from its 80s investment in design.
Our tester RV – the top-line ’Cruiser - was fitted with cloth bucket seats and carpet making the cabin a little more civilised than the regular farmers’ favourite ’Cruiser. Electric windows and a snazzy-looking instrument cluster have also snuck into the cabin. The ’Cruiser’s cabin stretch (a three or four-inch increase in length) a few years ago is a boon for occupants – and not just tall blokes, either. As well as allowing much better comfort, the extra inches allow a little bit of storage behind the seats – both have map pockets. Having just two seats rather than the lesser model’s three allows Toyota to fit a tiny centre console storage bin but the area around the gearshift knobs is wasted.
There are other compromises in the cabin, too, such as the driver’s seat canted to the right and the electric window control on the driver’s door that rubs your right leg. And don’t go looking for any safety features such as a padded dash or airbags, because they don’t exist. It’s not a vehicle you’d want to crash.
Powering our tester was the 4.2L turbo-diesel. Unlike the big brother 100 Series wagon, there’s no intercooler on the ’Cruiser ute (no room in the nose for the heat exchanger) but power is a willing 122kW and 380Nm at an astonishingly-low 1400rpm. Behind it is a five-speed and 4WD is of course, part-time with DIY front hubs.
The tray – optional - is simple and large with a chequerplate floor and removable sides, of course. One compromise – or advantage – is the spare wheel’s mounting location, screwed to the front rack of the drop-side tray. That makes room for the two fuel tanks which are ’Cruiser trademark, ute or Troopy.
ON-ROAD
Two decades of refinement leave the big Toyota ute better than it really has any right to be on-road, considering its architecture and layout. It’s eons behind current benchmarks, but after even a short drive, it’s not something you’d shudder at if confronted by a day or two behind the wheel. There are a few vibrations and hums from the dash and firewall, but the steering – especially – is quick and well-weighted on-road (as long as you don’t get silly, when a vague feel takes over away from centre). The front axle is tied down well without being too firm or transmitting a ‘whumple’ up through the steering wheel over undulations like the Patrol’s. But the turning circle sucks…
Vision is terrific from up high in the ’Cruiser – the low window line in relation to the driver’s elbow helps when placing wheels etc in the rough stuff. Optional air-con in this model means no quarter vent windows, which reduces, but doesn’t eliminate, wind noise.
With so much torque so low in the rev range, off-the-mark willingness and throttle response is great and once through the gears, the big ’Cruiser is happy to cruise along at freeway speeds, although there’s plenty going on under the bonnet with revs high-ish at 2600rpm. With the boost arriving early, there’s little need to paddle the truck along with its gearstick; that’s a good thing as the stick is just a little too far from the driver for first and third to be comfortable.
OFF-ROAD
The Toyota retains old-school free wheeling front hubs and part-time 4WD system so a simple stick slick to 4WD high – obviously - doesn’t offer any benefit on dirt unless the hubs are locked in. On rural roads, the big Toyota swallows dirt like almost no other. Corrugations are no drama and there’s enough travel at both ends to soak up dips, washouts and bridges without punching the bumpstops.
For real off-road work, few things come close to the big ’Cruiser thanks to the fact that ground clearance, approach and departure angles and underbody layout are just about top of the pile.
Several of our testers regarded the engine as the best in this field. With a deep low-range and oodles of torque, even the most tentative of off-road excursions demonstrate why the ’Cruiser has been so popular with so many for so long. It simply idles over, up and through just about anything put in its way. It really is a purpose-built tractor. The only compromise seems to come from its rear leaf suspension lifting wheels earlier than, say, the Nissan’s coils. It didn’t impress in sand, either, struggling where others sung.
WINNER OR ALSO-RAN?
It’s an icon with unrivalled toughness in long-term rough conditions. A terrific engine and simple driveline does the job without fuss. But time and technology have left it far behind – especially in the areas of driver comfort and safety. The Nissan kills it with day-to-day driving and with rear coils, seems to get further off-road.
SPECS
MODEL: Toyota Landcrusier 79 Series
BODY: Two-door ute
ENGINE: 122kW/380Nm 4.2L turbo-diesel six-cylinder
GEARBOX: Five-speed manual
4WD SYSTEM: Part-time dual-range 4WD by lever. Manual front hubs. Rear LSD.
SUSPENSION: Live axles; coil springs and leading arms at front, leaf rear
BRAKES: Four-wheel discs
WHEELS AND TYRES: 16x7in alloys with 265/70 tyres
OFF-ROAD STATS: Entry: 39 degrees. Rear: not quoted. Ramp: not quoted . Clearance: 235mm. Creek: 700mm
KERB WEIGHT: 2050kg
TOWING CAPACITY: Unbraked: 750kg. Braked: 3500kg.
PRICE (RRP): from $55290
MAJOR OPTIONS: Aircon: $2570. Dealer-fit tray: approx $2400 fitted and painted.
WARRANTY: 3yrs/100,000km
NAVARA
Nissan’s Navara nameplate has been a part of the landscape for two decades and the current-generation diesel ST-R model has, in the past, been well regarded by the team here at A4WDM for its blend of on- and off-road go and ability. It’s powered by almost the same 3.0L turbo-diesel engine as the Patrol (it’s installed without an intercooler in Navara), backed up by a five-speed. The chassis uses the common mix of torsion bar IFS up front and a leaf/beam rear.
It’s a popular package with buyers but not one without compromises, especially with interior layout. The driving position is low and legs-ahead which is great for a ‘sports car’ feel, but it reduces the room available in the back seat of the dual cab models. The low, long front seating positions and seemingly low roofline results in the Navara having the tightest rear seat knee room and foot room of all the ‘proper’ dual cabs in this test and there’s no lap/sash seatbelt for the centre rear.
The gauges are fitted with currently fashionable white faces and the trim in this top-line ST-R uses a ‘technical’ silver/grey cloth - which looks something like chequerplate – surrounded by almost-black trim. The basic styling of the dash is years ahead of the Ford and Mazda – for what it matters – and the controls are all easy to navigate (the heater etc uses old-school sliders). The door pockets, drivers airbag (passenger is optional) and electric windows get a big tick from our testers, but the lack of other hidey-holes or drink holders doesn’t.
The tray carries just over a tonne and has four tie downs mounted high in each corner, which is less than ideal for most tie-down situations. Low-mounted hooks are far more useful for most people, most of the time.
ON-ROAD
The engine felt flat and not as torquey as many remembered it (even in the Patrol), especially against the Rodeo. My own notes state ‘nothing too flash – engine feels under-done’ and others noted similar. It’s okay once you get it going, but it needs to be rowed along by the gearshift to show its best. Top speed is, like the Rodeo, around 140km/h and overtaking is leisurely.
Not everybody likes that low front seating position. It is not as easy to see out of and it’s compromised by the wide transmission tunnel (and with such a low seating position, it’s difficult to compensate for by placing your foot further back on the floor) and the pedal heights are irregular. Interior noise levels are reasonably low for buzz and wind noise, but not as hushed as the Rodeo or the HiLux, especially in relation to the thrum from the engine. You certainly know it’s there.
The gearshift is long and lanky, being both high in the cabin and with long throws that require a deliberate action.
Overall, the ride is pliable but some testers noted the ride as being wallowy and underdamped and there’s a definite out-of-phase characteristic with the front and rear ends over bumps and dips with a couple of hundred kilos on board.
OFF-ROAD
On dirt, the Navara did the job well with reasonably high levels of adhesion. The slight on-road wallowing equates to a little more compliance on dirt which gives the Navara decent stability. The steering lets a bit of chatter up the column but similarly, its on-road indirectness provides a bit of ‘sneeze factor’ when peddling fast dirt. Overall, the Navara is probably happier on dirt than bitumen!
The Nissan’s 4WD is a part-time system by a lever with auto hubs. The engine’s lack of oomph down low and a low-range that doesn’t seem to have the overall reduction of the rest of the vehicles on test means the Navara isn’t as comfortable performing slow or steep off-road work. For instance, it was impossible to get the car moving on sand in high range – not usual practice, but a simple demonstration of its weak will. Against some others, especially the Toyota HiLux, the Navara has a more effective LSD.
With the seating so low, it’s difficult to see out of for rough-road work and the handbrake was only just capable of holding the Navara on our test slope, after which plenty of revs and clutch slipping was required to get it going again without stalling.
WINNER OR ALSO-RAN?
It’s done well in past tests, but the Navara is feeling old and out-classed by Rodeo and HiLux these days. It’s tight on rear seat room and its apparent lack of urge from the 3.0L diesel doesn’t impress as much as the Holden and Toyota HiLux here.
SPECS
MODEL: Nissan Navara ST-R turbo diesel
BODY: Crew-cab ute
ENGINE: 110kW/314Nm 3.0L turbo diesel
TRANSMISSION: Five-speed manual
4WD SYSTEM: Part-time dual-range by lever. Low-range: 2.02:1
SUSPENSION: F: IFS by torsion bars; R: bean axle, leaf springs
BRAKES: Front discs, rear drums
WHEELS AND TYRES: 7x16-inch alloys with 265/75 tyres
OFF-ROAD STATS: Not supplied. 235mm ground clearance
KERB WEIGHT: 1895kg
TOWING CAPACITY: 750kg unbraked. 2800kg with brakes
PRICE (RRP): from $43,490
WARRANTY: 3 years/100,000km
NISSAN PATROL
The ’Cruiser and Patrol fourbies have the marketplace to themselves when it comes to tough, bush-capable load luggers or camper/tourers. The Patrol wagon was refreshed last year with a new dash and front sheetmetal and an upgrade to models and trim, but the cab/chassis model retains the previous ‘GU Series One’ identity that the range has had since its launch seven years ago.
Facing the driver is the dashboard and instruments familiar to anyone who has piloted a GU. Although it’s a few years old and has been highly revised in the wagon, it still looks sharp, is smooth and easy to clean, and does the job. Having the instruments deep under a hood keep reflections to a minimum and the heater/air commands are controlled by nice ‘n’ easy twist knobs. Significantly, aircon is standard and there’s a hand-throttle. Electric windows are also part of the deal with ST. It’s a shame Nissan doesn’t offer an airbag (at least as an option) which is a feature of the wagons but overall, safety appears to be far more in line with current expectations in the Patrol than the ’Cruiser.
Unlike the remainder of the range that can be ordered with 4.8L petrol and 3.0L turbo-diesel power, the ute is only available with the 4.2L intercooled turbo diesel straight six that delivers 114kW and 360Nm of torque. It’s a good, honest engine but significantly, the torque output is higher up in the rev range to the LandCruiser ute, the vehicle with which it competes for the ute-buyers’ buck.
Like the ’Cruiser, the Nissan runs a three-link coil-sprung front end and our tester had the coil-sprung rear that is available in base DX or standard in up-spec ST. Nissan also offers a leaf-sprung Patrol ute in the base-model DX, giving buyers the choice of a smoother ride with coils, or the ability to handle an extra 250-odd kilos in the tray for consistent heavy loads in rough conditions.
Reflecting its status in life, the chassis is almost as big as they get and with its height, heritage and intended use, all underbody bits are located well out of the way. The Nissan – like the ’Cruiser- has dual fuel tanks. In the Nissan, they are of 80 and 95 litres giving it excellent range. The spare is mounted under the rear which, depending on your outlook, frees up room in the tray or makes the spare harder to access.
ON-ROAD
Sitting in and driving the Patrol is a treat after the LandCruiser. And you would expect so, with the big Nissan sharing its dash basics with its wagon brother where the Toyota’s cabin is little more than a metal rack for instruments and a rainproof box for two seats.
The Patrol has a much quieter and more serene cabin to the LandCruiser ute when on the move. It’s years ahead – and it would want to be, being based on the contemporary Patrol. Sure, some people like the high seating position of the ’Crusier, but others prefer the long-distance comfort the Patrol offers with its more car-like driving position.
Acceleration isn’t quite as good in the Patrol as it is in the Cruiser, with the Patrol requiring a firmer right foot and more frequent gearchanges in most conditions. The ’Cruiser’s torque comes in harder, earlier whereas the Patrol takes some time and momentum to get into boost.
OFF-ROAD
On dirt, handling is, for a large truck, quite satisfying – it’s more chuckable and feels lighter on its tyres - but there is a little more shudder evident from the front axle than in the ’Cruiser. Like the ’Cruiser, the Patrol simply eats corrugations and the body is tight and drum-free.
The Nissan ST has a traditional part-time 4WD system with a lever on the floor and DIY free-wheel front hubs. Its low-range is a somewhat high 2.02 and combined with the engine’s less willing torque delivery, the Patrol doesn’t feel quite as enthusiastic in the steeper, rougher stuff. The ’Cruiser idled up the steepest of our test slopes, where the Patrol required a touch of throttle to prevent stalling. The lower driving position may be nice on the open road, but it does sacrifice some vision when in arduous conditions off-road.
But the Patrol does have an advantage over the ’Cruiser with its coil rear suspension and what appears to be a more effective LSD. Ruts and bumps will have the ’Cruiser’s rear axle scrabbling for traction, where the Patrol simply walks over the top.
WINNER OR ALSO-RAN?
The Patrol / ’Cruiser battle is as old as the hills and different folks have different strokes. The ’Cruiser has the measure of the Patrol in sheer pulling ability, but thanks to its rear suspension, the Patrol can get its lesser power down better, for longer. Combine that with its far nicer on-road comfort and the Patrol is the pick of the biggies, according to all 11 of our judges.
SPECS
MODEL: Nissan Patrol ST coil cab
BODY: Two-door ute
ENGINE: 4.2L intercooled turbo-diesel six-cylinder 114kW/360Nm
TRANSMISSION: five-speed manual
4WD SYSTEM: Part-time dual-range by lever. 2.02:1 low-range
SUSPENSION: F: Coil springs, beam axle, leading arms. R: live axle, coil springs
BRAKES: Four-wheel discs
WHEELS AND TYRES: 16x8in alloys with 265/75 tyres
OFF-ROAD STATS: Entry: 37 degrees. Rear: n/a degrees. Ramp: 27 degrees. Clearance: 230mm. Creek: 700mm
KERB WEIGHT: 2028kg (no tray)
TOWING CAPACITY: Braked: 2500kg, Unbraked: 750kg
PRICE (RRP): from $51,890
WARRANTY: 3 years/100,000km
RODEO
The Rodeo was considered quite a radical design on its debut but it has aged the last two years quite well. Like most of its direct rivals, it’s built on the industry-norm chassis running torsion bar front and leaf springs under the rear. Like its rivals, it’s available in a variety of 2WD, 4WD diesels and petrols with single, ‘Space’ or dual cab bodies with tray or ute rears.
For UOTY, we settled on a base-model diesel trayback (cab chassis) manual DX and an up-spec 3.5L V6 petrol LT. Of course, most of the other ‘basics’ are the same with details of trim differing – the petrol was an up-spec LT model and had extra spice inside such as airbags and electric windows.
The petrol engine is good for 147kW (at 5400rpm) and 280Nm at 3000rpm which is close to the top of the class. It will probably be replaced by GM’s 3.6L ‘High Feature’ all-alloy ex-Commodore V6 in the near future. Behind it was a four-speed auto for our test.
The intercooled turbo-diesel is more humble than the class average these days, with 96kW at 3800 and 280Nm at 2400rpm backed by a five-speed for UOTY.
Oddly, the petrol engine’s management system sits on top of the intake manifold. I can recall doom and gloom comments about this site for a computer when this engine was first installed in Rodeo years ago, but I have never heard of any reliability dramas. Electronics are far tougher these days than the 1980s, when computers had to be located in vibration-free, climate-controlled locations.
The Rodeo driver is presented with a classy and well-finished dashboard that has a bluff centre section. Airbags are available on higher spec models either standard or optional, as are electric windows and better cloth, but even the base-model diesel we had on UOTY didn’t have us feeling like we were sitting on a park bench.
The rear seats in Rodeo are capable of taking three blokes with less legroom and/or width compromises than Courier and Navara. A big plus for the Rodeo is the fact it is fitted with a proper centre rear seatbelt – a lap sash retractable.
The Rodeo’s factory tub (fitted to the petrol V6) has four tie downs at mid-height and can handle a hook being placed under its edge. The diesel tray was a Holden dealer fit.
ON-ROAD
The Rodeo has a very well-calibrated suspension system that nary puts a foot wrong on bitumen or dirt, diesel or petrol. Naturally, it’s the petrol that is the most fun to drive and it doesn’t seem to give much away to the newer, larger petrol-powered Courier or HiLux on the road. It’s streets ahead of the Courier, however, when it comes to handling, comfort and noise suppression – in fact, the Rodeo, diesel or petrol, has the quietest and most subdued cabin of every vehicle here.
The petrol V6 has been around for a few years now but it still impresses with its blend of torque and power, although some commented that it felt a bit flat on the open road. Its 147kW (at 5400rpm) and 280Nm at 3000rpm look a little high and mighty for a truck, but in reality it doesn’t feel as peaky or slack down low as its figures may suggest. It feels fatter earlier than the Courier’s larger-displacement petrol, for instance.
The diesel is willing but it’s no use flogging it. Much better to shift up early and let the torque do the work. Often, lower engine outputs seem to allow more flexibility and ‘luggability’ (the diesel Prado is a good example) and that’s true for the Rodeo with a talent for staying on one gear without the need to shuffle down to the next gear. Top speed is around 140km/h for the diesel and we didn’t try the petrol.
The Rodeos’ driver’s seats drew some comments for not having enough side support and not all like the dash, regarding it as ‘plasticky’.
OFF-ROAD
Both Rodeos were super-stable and quiet on dirt. The steering lets you know what’s going without chattering, the ride is smooth and stable with very good phasing front to rear (no pitching or bottoming out) with our 200kg on board. Gravel noise in the wheel arches seems far more distant than the others.
The petrol Rodeo seemed to have the easiest time of the three petrols in our off-road tests, with only a tiny touch of throttle required to complete the exercises. The throttle response is dull enough to not get into jerky-jerky mode when negotiating the rougher stuff. Good suspension travel and LSD operation combined to get the Rodeo up and over the course without the scrabbling and dust-raising of the Courier and HiLux.
The manual diesel was just as impressive; possibly more so. Deep overall low-range gearing of the Rodeo and plenty of oozing torque at idle meant it was the only vehicle apart from the Landcruiser that completed our steep hillclimb with no throttle and without stalling.
WINNER OR ALSO-RAN?
Diesel or petrol, the Rodeos are very, very good packages. Both are demonstrably better all-rounders than Navara, Bravo and Courier (not to mention the Ssangyong) both on and off-road and have a better back seat than the lot – especially with the inclusion of the third retractable seatbelt.
SPECS
PETROL MODEL
MODEL: Holden Rodeo V6 LT
BODY: Four-door crew-cab ute
ENGINE: 3.5L OHC V6 petrol: 147kW/280Nm.
TRANSMISSION: Four-speed auto
4WD SYSTEM: Part-time dual range by dash button. 2.48:1 low-range
SUSPENSION: IFS by torsion bars, rear beam on leaf springs
BRAKES: Front vented discs, rear drums
WHEELS AND TYRES: 16x7-inch alloy, 245/70 tyres
OFF-ROAD STATS: Not stated. Clearance: 225mm
KERB WEIGHT: 1806kg
TOWING CAPACITY: 750kg unbraked/2000kg braked
PRICE (RRP): From $43,990
WARRANTY: 3 years/100,000km
DIESEL MODEL
MODEL: Holden Rodeo DX
BODY: Four-door crewcab trayback
ENGINE: 3.0L four-cylinder intercooled turbodiesel. 96kW/280Nm
TRANSMISSION: Five-speed manual
4WD SYSTEM: Part-time dual-range by dash button. 2.48:1 low-range
SUSPENSION: IFS by torsion bars, rear beam axle with leaf springs
BRAKES: Ventilated front disc, rear drums
WHEELS AND TYRES: 16x7-inch steel, 245/70 tyres
OFF-ROAD STATS: Not stated. Clearance: 225mm
KERB WEIGHT: 1787kg (no tray)
TOWING CAPACITY: 750kg unbraked/2000kg braked
PRICE (RRP): From $39,290
WARRANTY: 3 years/100,000km
HILUX
The HiLux is the youngest of the cars here, with its launch coming just weeks before our UOTY test. It’s a totally new design for HiLux but uses a nice slice of Prado underneath – the front suspension and petrol engine are almost straight swaps meaning the HiLux stands alone here in having coils holding up its independent front suspension rather than torsion bars.
For its new load-bearing role, Toyota has spliced in a set of leaf springs rather than retaining than the Prado’s coils. While they were at it, the Toyota blokes made the HiLux wheelbase longer, placing the wheels closer to the centre of the carried load, and allowing more room for the rear seat passengers in dual-cab models.
Up front is an all-new dash that is vaguely Prado-ish in its appearance and no doubt uses some of the same components behind the scenes. Possibly the best cup holder in the business on the driver’s side – it slides out from the lower edge of the dash. But the slot where the passenger’s side cup holder should be is simply a blank slot. There are bigger sports drink holders in the door pockets, too.
As we read last issue, the petrol engine is similar to the Prado’s 4.0L V6. The diesel is a brand-new 3.0L unit with common rail/direct injection and electronic control that is chasing a high class average with 120kW of power at 3400rpm and 343Nm of torque from 1400 to 3200rpm.
The manual transmission is a five-speeder, as is the petrol’s auto. The new auto is a smart bit of gear with what Toyota calls artificial intelligence shift control that looks at driver behaviour over time and shifts accordingly, like some passenger cars.
The HiLux is almost ungainly high. That works wonders for the interior room – higher front seats give a good legs-down driving position and more foot room and knee room for the rear seat.
The Rodeo has been the best in the rear seat department until now, but the new Prado… err HiLux adds an inch or two in all directions to finally give the apprentices similar room to a normal sedan. The rear seat is also higher-riding rear seat residents of the requirement to sit with knees under chins. But a big red cross for the HiLux’s seatbelts – a lap-only centre rear is a big no-no in the 21st century.
ON-ROAD
Both HiLuxes are impressive all-rounders. The cabins are quiet, seating is excellent and controls such as gearshift, clutch and brakes are all ‘corporate’ Toyota in feel. But the steering gathered criticism from several of the testers for being dead and heavy in around-town and slow off-road conditions.
The auto gearshift was a little ambiguous with ‘D’ and a very closely-spaced ‘3’ on the console not immediately obvious that they are in fact two different gears, not D3. That problem is common to Prado and LandCruiser, too, but first-time drivers realise the second time around. Having the ability to engine brake with just flick of a wrist makes up for any minor lack of understanding! The manual is not above criticism either, with several testers noticing a very long throw. The clutch is very light and the engine seems to hold revs between gears when driven briskly.
The petrol’s output of 175kW was V8 luxury sedan stuff just a decade ago so there’s no shortage of herbs. The cruise control picked up a comment or two for an apparent lurch in its function – something that you would not normally expect in something with this much power. Or, from Toyota.
The diesel, too, is spritely. You don’t buy a diesel to race from the traffic lights, but it’s nice to know that owning a diesel these days doesn’t mean you have to be as far behind the traffic as you once were!
OFF-ROAD
On dirt, the HiLux was quick, tidy and quiet. More than one tester decreed it the best dirt demon of the pack with its blend of great driving position, steering precision (despite the weighty feel) and stability. Corrugations pass by almost unnoticed – the work in stiffening the body/chassis has paid off – rather than bucking the HiLux sideways.
The stiffness of the new body/chassis unit could be easily seen in the off-road sections of the test – diagonal bumps that allowed visible tray/body flex in the other vehicles didn’t twist or bend the HiLux at all.
Some commented that the longer wheelbase might affect its off-road ability and to some degree that’s correct as the HiLux was out-maneuvered off-road by others - especially the Rodeos. That was the work of an under-performing LSD that let the HiLux’s forward progress grind to a dust-raising halt. Approach and departure angles and other off-road characteristics didn’t cause any issues on the test circuits.
Both engine’s throttles were the picks of the crops, being easy to feed-in for more delicate off-road work. The petrol (manual) required just the lightest of touches to see it tractor its way up the test slope at minimal speed – it’s happy to lug away at below than 1000rpm but when on and off the throttle, there’s significant driveline snatch.
The manual’s clutch is very short, making clutch-and-grab hill starts a delicate matter. The handbrake was great, with a light action and the ability to hold the car with plenty of ‘clicks’ left.
The high seating position generally allowed good visibility, but the high ‘face’ of the HiLux compromises over-bonnet vision.
WINNER OR ALSO-RAN?
The new HiLux is an impressive bit of gear, but it’s not without faults. It’s not as accomplished off-road as others here, but it is better on-road. The engines are terrific – especially the new diesel – but the driving experience is marred by lifeless-feeling steering.
Where the HiLux really shines is in its interior comfort. It blurs the line between car and truck like no other, and not only has it caught up to, but raises the bar from the level set by the Rodeo.
SPECS
PETROL MODEL
MODEL: Toyota HiLux SR5
BODY: Four-door crew cab ute
ENGINE: 4.0L DOHC V6. 175kW/376Nm (auto)
TRANSMISSION: Five-speed manual
4WD SYSTEM:
SUSPENSION: F: Upper and lower wishbones, coil springs. R: Live axle, leaf springs.
BRAKES: F: ventilated discs. R: drums
WHEELS AND TYRES: 15x7in alloys. 255/70 tyres
OFF-ROAD STATS: Entry: 30 degrees. Rear: 23 degrees. Ramp: not quoted. Clearance: 210mm. Creek: not quoted
KERB WEIGHT: 1775kg
TOWING CAPACITY: 2250kg (braked) 750 (unbraked)
PRICE (RRP): $49,920 as tested
WARRANTY: 3 yrs/100,000km
DIESEL MODEL
MODEL: Toyota HiLux SR diesel crew-cab
BODY: Four-door crew cab ute
ENGINE: 3.0L four-cylinder intercooled turbodiesel. 120kW/343Nm.
TRANSMISSION: Four-speed automatic
4WD SYSTEM: Part-time by lever on floor. Auto hubs
SUSPENSION: F: Upper and lower wishbones, coil springs. R: Live axle, leaf springs.
BRAKES: F: vented discs. R: drums
WHEELS AND TYRES: 16x6in steel, 205 8PR tyres
OFF-ROAD STATS: Entry: 30 degrees. Rear: 26 degrees. Ramp: not quoted. Clearance: 210mm. Creek: not quoted
KERB WEIGHT: 1880kg
TOWING CAPACITY: 2250kg (braked) 750kg (unbraked)
PRICE (RRP): $43,030 as tested
WARRANTY: 3 yrs/100,000km
AND THE WINNER IS:
Toyota HiLux Diesel
With 11 vehicles, it was a long convoy but after a couple of days of testing, it was obvious to all that two vehicles rose to the top of the pile – the Rodeo and the HiLux. Both cars had fans and foes; the HiLux was praised for its on-road sophistication and performance but raised a few eyebrows for throwing in the towel earlier than the Rodeo when off-road.
There were other points of discussion among the judges, too – the HiLux retains rear drum brakes and doesn’t include a centre-rear lap/sash seatbelt in its safety armoury. On the flipside, the Rodeo’s body isn’t as quiet and refined as the new HiLux and it doesn’t have the same vigour on-road.
So there was plenty weighing on the minds of the testers when asked to cast their votes for vehicle and engine on the last night of the test. Just like Survivor, voting was ‘secret’ and the score was close, but when the paper slips were drawn out of the hats, the HiLux diesel picked up the most votes from the 11 testers.
Congratulations Toyota! The HiLux diesel is our 2005 Ute of the Year.
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