Vehicle Tests > 2007 4WD of the Year

What the diesel delivers on the road is even more effortless performance than the already effortless petrol V8. Nail the diesel's throttle and it responds instantly in any gear. And, with steady-speed cruising on undulating roads, there's less gear changing and locking/unlocking of the torque converter with the diesel than with the petrol.

Even the diesel's refinement is impressive. Sure, it's not as smooth or quiet as the highly impressive petrol but there's very little in it and on most roads at most speeds other NVH issues assume more importance than the small differences between the two engines.

Of significance here also is the diesel's touring range and it's worth remembering that the GXL is the only diesel with twin fuel tanks and the full 138-litre capacity as the up-spec diesels get a single 93-litre tank.

Sand
The diesel's stronger torque also helps it outperform the petrol 200 on the beach. Here the GXL is not just capable, but easy and effortless given its not inconsiderable weight.

Inside
The bite with the 200 diesel comes with equipment for the money and nowhere else is this more obvious than with the cabin appointments. With the option of KDSS, ou test GXL is $82,490 plus on-road costs. That translates to not a lot of change from $90,000. For that money you get cloth seats with manual adjustment and not even height adjustment for the driver's seat. If it weren't for the Toyota badge you would think you were looking at a BMW or a Mercedes-Benz...

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Incidentals
The heavier kerb weight of the diesel means a lower payload than the equivalent petrol models, but with payloads in the 600 to 700kg range for both petrol and diesels, the payload figure isn't all that high either way.

Noted elsewhere is the fact that the petrol's Crawl Control system is not available on the diesel but we don't see this as a problem. As one of our testers succinctly put it, "Crawl Control is the answer to a question no-one asked".

Summary
One thing separated the two 200s from all of the other 4WDOTY short-listed vehicles. Where the other five vehicles were strong in some elements of the week's test but weak elsewhere, the two 200s performed well everywhere; the set-piece offroad sections, on the tracks and trails, on gravel roads, on the highway, and on the beach.

Separating the two 200s is $10,000 (plus some for options), and fuel economy, performance, and functionality. Is the diesel's extra bang worth the extra bucks? We think so. The new turbo diesel 200 is not just 4WDOTY for 2007. It's good enough to be 4WD Of The Decade.

SPECS
Base price: $79,990
Price as tested: $82,490 (KDSS $2500) + on-road costs

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