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Vehicle Tests > 4WD Roadtest - From the Bottom to the Top
4WD Roadtest - From the Bottom to the Top
Issue: June 2008
Words and photos by Howard Shanks
The Rodeo nameplate might be on the way out, but for this roving trucking editor, the Holden Ute has proven to be the perfect vehicle to take him from the tip to tail of Australia's east coast.
The bottom end of Australia is a most unlikely place to see the orange Queensland 'Outback' number plates and bright reflective 'Roadtrain' sign stretching across the top of the windscreen on an RA Holden Rodeo that belongs to a trucking documentary maker and roving heavy truck editor. However, getting around the remote areas of Australia is all part of this Rodeo's job and it's here in northeast Tasmania where the Rodeo got a real work out on a firewood gathering exercise. The next assignment was up north, about as far north as you can go, Cape Yoke in fact. Not a bad test run from the bottom of Australia to the top.
It is difficult to single out one reason why the Rodeo does its job so well, because it has a number of outstanding features that stem from ride and handling qualities to economy and reliability. The dual cab version affords the luxury of being able to take a crew of men on the job along with a healthy load of equipment in the tray. Then after work there's enough room to take the family and bikes out for a blast in the scrub, hence versatility rates very highly as well.
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This RA Rodeo, runs much the same specs as my older 2002 Rodeo, even down to the paint colour, 3-litre turbo-intercooled diesel, five-speed transmission and of course the transfer box that delivers the power to final drive with a 4.3:1 ratio.
There are a few subtle changes and the jury is still out on whether they are for the better or not, most noticeable is the re-routing of the intercooler from the top of the engine to a position in front of the radiator. In addition EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) has been added to make the engine meet the latest emission standards. The end result is that the 2007 RA Rodeo produces 120kW compared to the older 2002 Rodeo, which punched out 96kW from the same displacement engine.
Not so noticeable is the ratio change in the transmission. First gear is 4.008:1 compared to 3.767:1 on the 2002 model. Needless to say, it leaves the lights a little quicker, which is handy enough when driving it like a 'Toorak Tractor' around town. However, where it really counts is out on the job, and the RA Rodeo pulls off the mark a lot easier with a fully laden trailer and when it comes to hill climbing off the beaten track, it just does it so much easier. For highway cruising, overdrive on the RA Rodeo is 0.828:1 compared to 0.809:1 on the 2002 model and from a bum in the seat perspective there is little difference between them, although when compared to the automatic variant that has 0.694:1 in overdrive where there is noticeable difference on the tacho.
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Words and photos by Howard Shanks
The Rodeo nameplate might be on the way out, but for this roving trucking editor, the Holden Ute has proven to be the perfect vehicle to take him from the tip to tail of Australia's east coast.
The bottom end of Australia is a most unlikely place to see the orange Queensland 'Outback' number plates and bright reflective 'Roadtrain' sign stretching across the top of the windscreen on an RA Holden Rodeo that belongs to a trucking documentary maker and roving heavy truck editor. However, getting around the remote areas of Australia is all part of this Rodeo's job and it's here in northeast Tasmania where the Rodeo got a real work out on a firewood gathering exercise. The next assignment was up north, about as far north as you can go, Cape Yoke in fact. Not a bad test run from the bottom of Australia to the top.
It is difficult to single out one reason why the Rodeo does its job so well, because it has a number of outstanding features that stem from ride and handling qualities to economy and reliability. The dual cab version affords the luxury of being able to take a crew of men on the job along with a healthy load of equipment in the tray. Then after work there's enough room to take the family and bikes out for a blast in the scrub, hence versatility rates very highly as well.
read on below advertisement
This RA Rodeo, runs much the same specs as my older 2002 Rodeo, even down to the paint colour, 3-litre turbo-intercooled diesel, five-speed transmission and of course the transfer box that delivers the power to final drive with a 4.3:1 ratio.
There are a few subtle changes and the jury is still out on whether they are for the better or not, most noticeable is the re-routing of the intercooler from the top of the engine to a position in front of the radiator. In addition EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) has been added to make the engine meet the latest emission standards. The end result is that the 2007 RA Rodeo produces 120kW compared to the older 2002 Rodeo, which punched out 96kW from the same displacement engine.
Not so noticeable is the ratio change in the transmission. First gear is 4.008:1 compared to 3.767:1 on the 2002 model. Needless to say, it leaves the lights a little quicker, which is handy enough when driving it like a 'Toorak Tractor' around town. However, where it really counts is out on the job, and the RA Rodeo pulls off the mark a lot easier with a fully laden trailer and when it comes to hill climbing off the beaten track, it just does it so much easier. For highway cruising, overdrive on the RA Rodeo is 0.828:1 compared to 0.809:1 on the 2002 model and from a bum in the seat perspective there is little difference between them, although when compared to the automatic variant that has 0.694:1 in overdrive where there is noticeable difference on the tacho.
next page »
