Vehicle Tests > 2007 4WD of the Year

Things do get better though. The Rangie's vision in the tight turn at the top of the hill is excellent, and the turning circle is the best here. Plenty of engine braking too for the downhill run and bonus points for the hill descent control's speed variation via the steering wheel mounted cruise-control buttons. No problems either for the Rangie on the test loop thanks to its generous clearance and good vision.

Trail Drive
Not too far into our first day on the trails we come to the conclusion that the 20-inch tyres are the significant problem that we expected them to be. On the rocky stuff and over sharp-edged bumps the Rangie's ride is harsh and unforgiving. Noisy too. Where extra clearance is needed and the Rangie is jacked up via its height-adjustable air suspension the ride quality is even worse.

Thankfully the engine/gearbox package is beyond criticism. The gearbox in particular deserves praise for its intuitive changes. It's the 'smartest' auto on show here.

Touring
Leaving the trails behind also means leaving the Rangie's troubles behind. On the road it is supremely comfortable, sharp handing, and able to cover great distance with dismissive arrogance. Only some noise on gravel roads and coarsely surfaced bitumen detract from the state of bliss created by a touring vehicle good enough for the gods.

read on below advertisement



Sand
Disable the electronic stability control, select 'Sand' on the Terrain Response dial and move the shifter across to the 'Sports' mode and the Rangie copes well in the soft sand. Anything less will see it work hard as the 20-inch rubber doesn't 'bag' out like more conventional tyres with their higher sidewalls.

Inside
What can you say? The Rangie's cabin comfort, ambiance and all round appeal makes driving any other vehicle here feel like you're slumming it. The rear seat is also the best here and the luggage space generous enough without being as cavernous as that of the 200 Series. The Rangie's full-size spare is mounted under the cargo area's floor though, making it a pain to get at when the cargo area is fully packed.

Incidentals
The TDV8 comes with a 'patented device' in the fuel-filler neck that prevents the vehicle from being filled with petrol rather than diesel. We're not sure how it works but it sounds like a smart idea.

And the biggest surprise with the Rangie? We didn't get a flat tyre despite many kays of rough, stony trails. How that happened we do not know...

Summary
Ideally for the torture test that is 4WDOTY we would have liked the $142,900 'base-model' TDV8 on standard 19s as the optional 20s and the extra kit of the $166,900 Luxury model did Britain's finest no favours. Would the less expensive model on 19s have won? No, but it would have no doubt fared better.

next page »

 

« go back