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Vehicle Tests > Commander vs Pajero vs Prado
Commander vs Pajero vs Prado
Issue: February 2007
Words by Glenn Torrens Photos by Thomas Wielecki
4WD road test - Commander v Pajero vs Prado
* Good ol' US-Japan rivalry
* Three of the best carmakers
* Grunty engines go for gold
Fight club
New kid Jeep Commander muscles in on the seven-seat 4WD market but Pajero and Prado may have a thing or two to say about that when school's out.
Take a rollcall of 4WDs that do double-duty as family cars as well as 'real' offroad work and Toyota's Prado and Mitsubishi's Pajero will most likely be top of the page. And deservedly so. Prado and Pajero have been competently combining the tasks of shifting Aussie families around the suburbs and into the bush for over 10 and 20 years respectively.
Both were recently revised for 2007. Prado has a new diesel engine and transmissions (see First Drive, page 20) and Pajero has a crisp new appearance as well as revised mechanicals. The Jeep Commander, the US brand's first attempt at muscling into the seven seater-family 4WD market, has now joined them in class. So, two Aussie family favourites being challenged by one of the most enduring names in 4WD history: Will it end with cheers or in tears?
The basics
The Jeep is the oldest family name but the Commander is the new kid in this class. But it's not shy. With its brawn and smouldering attitude, straightaway it's the back-row tough kid, the one leaning back in its chair and raising teachers' eyebrows and begging the question: troublemaker or class clown? Launched mid-2006, Commander inherits most of its Grand Cherokee brother's uni-body DNA, plus its 4.7-litre V8, 5.7 HEMI V8 and (on test) 3.0-litre DOHC V6 turbodiesel engines. Commander, like Grand, uses a five-speed auto (hardware specific to each engine) with a sports shift mode delivering to Jeep's QuadraDrive II full-time 4WD system. This system employs electronically controlled centre, front and rear locking diffs overseen by traction, stability and anti rollover control with of course, ABS brakes. Suspension is by coil-sprung five-link live axle rear and coil-sprung front on upper and lower wishbones. Technically, the car is identical to the Grand up as far as the door handles and dashboard, including the spare wheel location (under the rear of the car) and lift-up tailgate.
Above the window line, the body flares out and squares itself up to a boxy wagon that seats seven and polarises opinion. The Chrysler brand's current design philosophy is one of funky urban innovation (as displayed in the king-hitting 300C executive sedan) but maybe what designers call 'styling influences' have been overdosed-on with the Jeep. Sure, a tough stance and character is not a bad thing, but deadset, the Commander looks like an artillery case. And fake allen key bolt heads inside the headlights, as well as scattered liberally over interior surfaces, is maybe taking things just a bit too far.
Sitting at the front of this schoolroom is the Prado. Studious and mild of manner with polished black shoes, the separate-chassis Prado arrives in class ready-to-go with its recently updated 3.0-litre 'D4-D' turbodiesel engine and transmissions under its almost-nerdy bonnet. Apart from the 'D4-D' worn like a prefect badge on the sides - and some minor model-to-model equipment changes - it looks almost identical to any other diesel Prado Australians have bought, in ever-growing numbers, for the last four years.
The petrol Prado continues with its excellent 4.0-litre variable twin-cammed V6 but the new-for-2007 turbodiesel four on test here offers a bit more poke and twist (127kW at 3400rpm and 410Nm at 1600-2800rpm) than the 96kW/343Nm of the old similar-sized donk. Behind it is a six-speed manual or (as tested) five-speed auto trans (depending on model, but both familiar from the V6 Prado) and Toyota's trusted and effective full-time 4WD system without (on the tested GXL diesel auto) any Driver Assist Technology (despite the window stickers) controlling electronics apart from ABS. The auto refrains from the now common 'pseudo manual' shift functions, too, simply offering an easy shift from 5 down to L with a shift of the lever through a wiggle-gate path. Like Commander, Prado has a coil-sprung live rear and wishbone front suspension but its spare wheel, mounted on a side-swung tailgate, frees up space under the car to allow a whopping 180 litres of fuel to be carried in two (non-isolated) tanks.
Occupying a chair a row or two behind Prado is Pajero. Think new school uniform over a pair of slightly scuffed runners and waiting - wanting - to get busted chewing gum, the Pajero is the cool kid of the class. Really, the Pajero's old high-set flared front guards never looked quite right in many people's opinions but the new crisp and clear-eyed expression is right in line with current class fashion led by Land Rover Discovery. And it's not just change for change's sake, either - the cheeky appearance opens up the rear side window area and centres the spare wheel on the side-swing tailgate. That means the tail-lights can once again satisfy Aussie design rules mounted where they should be - in the body, and not stuck low in the bumper. As hundreds of drivers (including Overlander's test team on more than one occasion) have discovered over the years, the previous Pajero's rear bumper and tail-lights were vulnerable to ripping in sand and mud, often leaving the lights inoperative. Not only are the lamps now up out of harm's way, but the under-car edge of the bumper is further protected by cross-car tube. Good thinking, Mr Bishi.
Both engines in Pajero were revised at the facelift - the 3.8-litre petrol V6 gained some induction hardware changes (Mitsubishi's MIVEC variable intake timing system) to lift power by 23 percent to 184kW at 6000rpm (with 329Nm at 2750). The as tested 3.2-litre turbodiesel's new common rail injection system delivers 125kW at 3500rpm (and 358 at 2000rpm when mated with the auto), which beat the old Prado's 96kW, but not the new one.
The suspension and rack and pinion steering systems have been altered slightly in specs but Paj retains its innovative and technically interesting (only the Range Rover is similar in the 'real' 4WD world) monocoque body and all-independent suspension with upper and lower wishbones and coil springs at each wheel. It's intelligent: Pajero offers full driveline safety electronics (traction control and stability control as well as ABS) on every model in the range.
Behind the test car's diesel is the five-speed auto with sports shift function and Super Select II 4WD/AWD system. It offers the smorgasboard of 2WD, 4H, 4H locked centre diff or 4L locked operation. With the safety net of electronics, the driveline allows safe full-time 4WD operation on bitumen.
On the road
Within seconds of entering the Jeep, you know you're in for...well, an adventure. And within minutes, you're wiggling your butt trying to get comfortable and stop the growing numbness in your left leg. No, the Jeep doesn't look after its front seat occupants very well due to a narrow footwell and seating position on a cushion that is not only too thin, but tends to push the base of your spine forwards, encouraging slouch. The only comfortable place for the left foot seems to be back toward the seat, which tends to twist your body toward the centre of the car. And all the time, the small windows and solid pillars and windscreen header rail conspire to make you think you're peering out of an underground bunker.
Some people may find it an appealing characteristic but none of our testing team did - especially when looking rearwards either over-shoulder or through the rear vision mirror. It's a very difficult car to see out of. And weird controls for the trip computer etc don't make many friends either.
The middle-row seats are far nicer. Set higher, the middle passengers (the outer two, anyway) have a clearer view over the road and are less trouble by the far-set windscreen that, due to its distance from the driver's eyes, tends to concentrate focus on smeared bug guts rather than the road ahead. The middle passenger has to deal with a hard backrest. Up the rear - easily entered via the middle row's flip seats - it's dark and tight and behind the privacy glass, would be like solitary confinement without the test car's sunroof package.
read on below advertisement
Storage-wise, there's little left behind the rear seat. Jeep offers a knick-knack storage tray with a lift-up lid and 12V up back - and seats up or down, the load area is very high. In fact, it wasn't possible to completely lift the lid of the fridge loaded for most of our test.
The grunt of the Jeep's diesel almost has to be experienced to be believed. Anywhere, anytime, it just gets up and goes and simply eats the Pajero and Prado for breakfast. But the engine's output is at the mercy of suspension that quickly loses the plot. Lumpy bitumen or dirt/gravel sees it at first leaning and lurching, then bucking and skipping as springs break away from too-soft damper settings. Even unloaded, it's possible to bottom-out on fast country bridge approaches. Thankfully, it's quiet inside at most speeds, with a distant thrum from the tyres and wind noise that does increase as speeds rise.
Lighter and brighter inside - even with the subdued two-tone biscuit and black of the test Exceed - is the Pajero. Up front, the new series' instrument cluster will appeal to many (not all - they are a bit PlayStation, especially with the altitude recording graph thingo in the test Exceed's centre stack) and the seating is firm and light years ahead of the Jeep. The Exceed's leather tends to allow a bit of slip, though, and the steering wheel doesn't reach as high as ideal.
On faster surfaces - bitumen and grippy dirt - Pajero offers crisp, tight handling and around town it's generally a good day-to-day package with possibly too-slow steering a minor gripe. The third row seats disappear below the load floor, leaving a large load area you almost have to reach down into but the second row occupants will be slightly knees-up. No biggie.
Despite Mitsubishi's efforts in recent years to cut the clatter with extra soundproofing, the diesel makes itself known inside. But not as much as general road noise. Having the suspension - itself tuned tight for good handling, of course - mounted almost directly to the monocoque body means there's a lot more noise transmitted to the cabin. It's at its most vocal on fast gravel corrugations where there's enough going on with body and suspension to get the dashboard dancing.
The Prado has no such issues. One or two testers lamented the lack of driver's seat height adjustment and the odd arc of the steering wheel on its highest setting on first entering the Prado, but that was the end of the whinges. Most people will find it easy to almost immediately feel comfortable behind the clear gauges and logical controls of the Prado. It feels a little taller and initially more cumbersome around town but the higher seating position and better general view soon comes into its own. The mid-row seat is the pick of the three but the rear two seats flip sideways, '80s-style, and impinge on the load area that is itself higher than Pajero's, behind the heavy door that has a daggy steel stay in contrast to Pajero's gas strut.
On fast surfaces (bitumen and dirt), Prado's cabin is subdued with cast-from-concrete body integrity over everything. Onroad or off, there is hardly a murmur (except the rattly rear seats hung up in the rear) even when pounding over potholes. But when conditions deteriorate, the Prado seems to keep its confidence longer than Pajero, with considered responses to road conditions and driver input, despite lacking the safety net of stability control. It takes time to trust, but after one particularly long, fun dirt road section of our test, I was letting the Prado run fast into corners with a dab of left-foot braking to set up some drift. In contrast - although it's not a valid comparison - the Pajero was noted by most of our team as very keen to activate its stability system. In short, Prado's more supple suspension seems to allow its sensible limits to be higher, traction aids or not. But make no mistake: that doesn't consider the situation where something goes wrong and two tonnes starts heading for the trees. Or worse.
Offroad
Anybody who doubts the ability of the Pajero to cross terrain - and there are those that do, based only their simpleton opinion that independent suspension doesn't 'cut it' - has rocks in their head. But even so, Pajero's not as 'pure' as it could be due to a vulnerable above-grille engine air intake that may get careless first-time creek crossers into trouble. The Jeep's is even more vulnerable, mounted just behind the grille. But that's why 4WDs have quoted wading depths... Apart from those two problems - which Prado doesn't share thanks to an inner-guard intake - there's no glaring initial mess-ups with any of this trio's suitability for general offroad use (inspect each car's Outback ability in greater detail in our 4WDOTY feature, p40).
In fact, take all three through some offroad low range little athletics and the qualities of all three shine. As hinted, top of the pecking order for most family weekend activities and touring use is Pajero: with the lever shifted forward into 4 Low Lock, its traction control electronics allow it keep going almost indefinitely, wheels lifted or not. But its touchy throttle contrasts with the millimetric inputs allowed by Jeep and Prado. The Jeep's offroad system is arguably the easiest to drive and operate: a flick of a switch in neutral engages low-range and desensitises the throttle electronically to allow absolute control over its swell of torque.
Lifted wheels mean nothing to the Jeep either. Its system of three locking diffs, rather than Pajero's traction control (with locked centre diff and LSD rear), eliminates wheelspin and channels torque to the tyres with traction in extreme conditions. But less than ideal ramp over and under-axle ground clearance causes it to scrape its belly and roll rocks more often, too. Although it never came close to dragging its arse anywhere, it bruised its nose earlier than Prado (thanks to its height) or Pajero (due to its forward-mounted wheels and lack of chin).
Prado's floor lever and deep low range gearing (3000rpm equals walking speed) is old-school but allows terrific control, especially with descents. Over-bonnet view is the best of the lot (although the fall of the bonnet sometimes leaves you wondering) and with the tall body its possible to lift yourself in the seat for a clearer view.
For what it's worth, despite Jeep's whipping of Prado and Pajero (in that order) onroad, Prado waltzed away from the other two on sand, both fast driving, and with finding and maintaining momentum in slower stuff.
Prado may keep its tyres on the dirt longer thanks to its long-travel suspension (especially at the rear) but no reigning-in electronics means - at least - no further progress without revising the line or - worse - a busted driveline thanks to wheel-spin induced shock. Time and again on our set-piece exercises, the Prado kicked up dust and hurled rocks where the other two - especially the Jeep with its locked diffs - hardly moved a grain.
The report card
Its 4WD system is simply phenomenal, but the Jeep Commander could be so much better. Jeep had 20 years (in the case of Pajero) of international seven-seat design wisdom to look at and improve on yet the Commander just doesn't seem to pack its people or equipment in effectively. Its straight-line performance is grin-inducing, it's good on fuel and you could almost live with its suspension tune - it's comfortable at around-town speeds - but its ergonomics are second-rate and its body packaging (i.e use of room) inefficient, ruling it out for anything more than weekend camping. Fashion over function? The chintzy exterior detailing confirms it.
The new improved Pajero is a terrific all-rounder and (in lower-spec guise) possibly the best value for money in this market today, considering it has the safety electronics standard across the range and has other gems of design such as the fold-flat third row seat. But it uses more fuel for less performance than Prado's new diesel and generally doesn't treat its passengers as nicely.
Which of course, leaves Prado. It's not without faults, but the kid sitting at the front of this class doesn't have to learn much.
Words by Glenn Torrens Photos by Thomas Wielecki
4WD road test - Commander v Pajero vs Prado
* Good ol' US-Japan rivalry
* Three of the best carmakers
* Grunty engines go for gold
Fight club
New kid Jeep Commander muscles in on the seven-seat 4WD market but Pajero and Prado may have a thing or two to say about that when school's out.
Take a rollcall of 4WDs that do double-duty as family cars as well as 'real' offroad work and Toyota's Prado and Mitsubishi's Pajero will most likely be top of the page. And deservedly so. Prado and Pajero have been competently combining the tasks of shifting Aussie families around the suburbs and into the bush for over 10 and 20 years respectively.
Both were recently revised for 2007. Prado has a new diesel engine and transmissions (see First Drive, page 20) and Pajero has a crisp new appearance as well as revised mechanicals. The Jeep Commander, the US brand's first attempt at muscling into the seven seater-family 4WD market, has now joined them in class. So, two Aussie family favourites being challenged by one of the most enduring names in 4WD history: Will it end with cheers or in tears?
The basics
The Jeep is the oldest family name but the Commander is the new kid in this class. But it's not shy. With its brawn and smouldering attitude, straightaway it's the back-row tough kid, the one leaning back in its chair and raising teachers' eyebrows and begging the question: troublemaker or class clown? Launched mid-2006, Commander inherits most of its Grand Cherokee brother's uni-body DNA, plus its 4.7-litre V8, 5.7 HEMI V8 and (on test) 3.0-litre DOHC V6 turbodiesel engines. Commander, like Grand, uses a five-speed auto (hardware specific to each engine) with a sports shift mode delivering to Jeep's QuadraDrive II full-time 4WD system. This system employs electronically controlled centre, front and rear locking diffs overseen by traction, stability and anti rollover control with of course, ABS brakes. Suspension is by coil-sprung five-link live axle rear and coil-sprung front on upper and lower wishbones. Technically, the car is identical to the Grand up as far as the door handles and dashboard, including the spare wheel location (under the rear of the car) and lift-up tailgate.
Above the window line, the body flares out and squares itself up to a boxy wagon that seats seven and polarises opinion. The Chrysler brand's current design philosophy is one of funky urban innovation (as displayed in the king-hitting 300C executive sedan) but maybe what designers call 'styling influences' have been overdosed-on with the Jeep. Sure, a tough stance and character is not a bad thing, but deadset, the Commander looks like an artillery case. And fake allen key bolt heads inside the headlights, as well as scattered liberally over interior surfaces, is maybe taking things just a bit too far.
Sitting at the front of this schoolroom is the Prado. Studious and mild of manner with polished black shoes, the separate-chassis Prado arrives in class ready-to-go with its recently updated 3.0-litre 'D4-D' turbodiesel engine and transmissions under its almost-nerdy bonnet. Apart from the 'D4-D' worn like a prefect badge on the sides - and some minor model-to-model equipment changes - it looks almost identical to any other diesel Prado Australians have bought, in ever-growing numbers, for the last four years.
The petrol Prado continues with its excellent 4.0-litre variable twin-cammed V6 but the new-for-2007 turbodiesel four on test here offers a bit more poke and twist (127kW at 3400rpm and 410Nm at 1600-2800rpm) than the 96kW/343Nm of the old similar-sized donk. Behind it is a six-speed manual or (as tested) five-speed auto trans (depending on model, but both familiar from the V6 Prado) and Toyota's trusted and effective full-time 4WD system without (on the tested GXL diesel auto) any Driver Assist Technology (despite the window stickers) controlling electronics apart from ABS. The auto refrains from the now common 'pseudo manual' shift functions, too, simply offering an easy shift from 5 down to L with a shift of the lever through a wiggle-gate path. Like Commander, Prado has a coil-sprung live rear and wishbone front suspension but its spare wheel, mounted on a side-swung tailgate, frees up space under the car to allow a whopping 180 litres of fuel to be carried in two (non-isolated) tanks.
Occupying a chair a row or two behind Prado is Pajero. Think new school uniform over a pair of slightly scuffed runners and waiting - wanting - to get busted chewing gum, the Pajero is the cool kid of the class. Really, the Pajero's old high-set flared front guards never looked quite right in many people's opinions but the new crisp and clear-eyed expression is right in line with current class fashion led by Land Rover Discovery. And it's not just change for change's sake, either - the cheeky appearance opens up the rear side window area and centres the spare wheel on the side-swing tailgate. That means the tail-lights can once again satisfy Aussie design rules mounted where they should be - in the body, and not stuck low in the bumper. As hundreds of drivers (including Overlander's test team on more than one occasion) have discovered over the years, the previous Pajero's rear bumper and tail-lights were vulnerable to ripping in sand and mud, often leaving the lights inoperative. Not only are the lamps now up out of harm's way, but the under-car edge of the bumper is further protected by cross-car tube. Good thinking, Mr Bishi.
Both engines in Pajero were revised at the facelift - the 3.8-litre petrol V6 gained some induction hardware changes (Mitsubishi's MIVEC variable intake timing system) to lift power by 23 percent to 184kW at 6000rpm (with 329Nm at 2750). The as tested 3.2-litre turbodiesel's new common rail injection system delivers 125kW at 3500rpm (and 358 at 2000rpm when mated with the auto), which beat the old Prado's 96kW, but not the new one.
The suspension and rack and pinion steering systems have been altered slightly in specs but Paj retains its innovative and technically interesting (only the Range Rover is similar in the 'real' 4WD world) monocoque body and all-independent suspension with upper and lower wishbones and coil springs at each wheel. It's intelligent: Pajero offers full driveline safety electronics (traction control and stability control as well as ABS) on every model in the range.
Behind the test car's diesel is the five-speed auto with sports shift function and Super Select II 4WD/AWD system. It offers the smorgasboard of 2WD, 4H, 4H locked centre diff or 4L locked operation. With the safety net of electronics, the driveline allows safe full-time 4WD operation on bitumen.
On the road
Within seconds of entering the Jeep, you know you're in for...well, an adventure. And within minutes, you're wiggling your butt trying to get comfortable and stop the growing numbness in your left leg. No, the Jeep doesn't look after its front seat occupants very well due to a narrow footwell and seating position on a cushion that is not only too thin, but tends to push the base of your spine forwards, encouraging slouch. The only comfortable place for the left foot seems to be back toward the seat, which tends to twist your body toward the centre of the car. And all the time, the small windows and solid pillars and windscreen header rail conspire to make you think you're peering out of an underground bunker.
Some people may find it an appealing characteristic but none of our testing team did - especially when looking rearwards either over-shoulder or through the rear vision mirror. It's a very difficult car to see out of. And weird controls for the trip computer etc don't make many friends either.
The middle-row seats are far nicer. Set higher, the middle passengers (the outer two, anyway) have a clearer view over the road and are less trouble by the far-set windscreen that, due to its distance from the driver's eyes, tends to concentrate focus on smeared bug guts rather than the road ahead. The middle passenger has to deal with a hard backrest. Up the rear - easily entered via the middle row's flip seats - it's dark and tight and behind the privacy glass, would be like solitary confinement without the test car's sunroof package.
read on below advertisement
Storage-wise, there's little left behind the rear seat. Jeep offers a knick-knack storage tray with a lift-up lid and 12V up back - and seats up or down, the load area is very high. In fact, it wasn't possible to completely lift the lid of the fridge loaded for most of our test.
The grunt of the Jeep's diesel almost has to be experienced to be believed. Anywhere, anytime, it just gets up and goes and simply eats the Pajero and Prado for breakfast. But the engine's output is at the mercy of suspension that quickly loses the plot. Lumpy bitumen or dirt/gravel sees it at first leaning and lurching, then bucking and skipping as springs break away from too-soft damper settings. Even unloaded, it's possible to bottom-out on fast country bridge approaches. Thankfully, it's quiet inside at most speeds, with a distant thrum from the tyres and wind noise that does increase as speeds rise.
Lighter and brighter inside - even with the subdued two-tone biscuit and black of the test Exceed - is the Pajero. Up front, the new series' instrument cluster will appeal to many (not all - they are a bit PlayStation, especially with the altitude recording graph thingo in the test Exceed's centre stack) and the seating is firm and light years ahead of the Jeep. The Exceed's leather tends to allow a bit of slip, though, and the steering wheel doesn't reach as high as ideal.
On faster surfaces - bitumen and grippy dirt - Pajero offers crisp, tight handling and around town it's generally a good day-to-day package with possibly too-slow steering a minor gripe. The third row seats disappear below the load floor, leaving a large load area you almost have to reach down into but the second row occupants will be slightly knees-up. No biggie.
Despite Mitsubishi's efforts in recent years to cut the clatter with extra soundproofing, the diesel makes itself known inside. But not as much as general road noise. Having the suspension - itself tuned tight for good handling, of course - mounted almost directly to the monocoque body means there's a lot more noise transmitted to the cabin. It's at its most vocal on fast gravel corrugations where there's enough going on with body and suspension to get the dashboard dancing.
The Prado has no such issues. One or two testers lamented the lack of driver's seat height adjustment and the odd arc of the steering wheel on its highest setting on first entering the Prado, but that was the end of the whinges. Most people will find it easy to almost immediately feel comfortable behind the clear gauges and logical controls of the Prado. It feels a little taller and initially more cumbersome around town but the higher seating position and better general view soon comes into its own. The mid-row seat is the pick of the three but the rear two seats flip sideways, '80s-style, and impinge on the load area that is itself higher than Pajero's, behind the heavy door that has a daggy steel stay in contrast to Pajero's gas strut.
On fast surfaces (bitumen and dirt), Prado's cabin is subdued with cast-from-concrete body integrity over everything. Onroad or off, there is hardly a murmur (except the rattly rear seats hung up in the rear) even when pounding over potholes. But when conditions deteriorate, the Prado seems to keep its confidence longer than Pajero, with considered responses to road conditions and driver input, despite lacking the safety net of stability control. It takes time to trust, but after one particularly long, fun dirt road section of our test, I was letting the Prado run fast into corners with a dab of left-foot braking to set up some drift. In contrast - although it's not a valid comparison - the Pajero was noted by most of our team as very keen to activate its stability system. In short, Prado's more supple suspension seems to allow its sensible limits to be higher, traction aids or not. But make no mistake: that doesn't consider the situation where something goes wrong and two tonnes starts heading for the trees. Or worse.
Offroad
Anybody who doubts the ability of the Pajero to cross terrain - and there are those that do, based only their simpleton opinion that independent suspension doesn't 'cut it' - has rocks in their head. But even so, Pajero's not as 'pure' as it could be due to a vulnerable above-grille engine air intake that may get careless first-time creek crossers into trouble. The Jeep's is even more vulnerable, mounted just behind the grille. But that's why 4WDs have quoted wading depths... Apart from those two problems - which Prado doesn't share thanks to an inner-guard intake - there's no glaring initial mess-ups with any of this trio's suitability for general offroad use (inspect each car's Outback ability in greater detail in our 4WDOTY feature, p40).
In fact, take all three through some offroad low range little athletics and the qualities of all three shine. As hinted, top of the pecking order for most family weekend activities and touring use is Pajero: with the lever shifted forward into 4 Low Lock, its traction control electronics allow it keep going almost indefinitely, wheels lifted or not. But its touchy throttle contrasts with the millimetric inputs allowed by Jeep and Prado. The Jeep's offroad system is arguably the easiest to drive and operate: a flick of a switch in neutral engages low-range and desensitises the throttle electronically to allow absolute control over its swell of torque.
Lifted wheels mean nothing to the Jeep either. Its system of three locking diffs, rather than Pajero's traction control (with locked centre diff and LSD rear), eliminates wheelspin and channels torque to the tyres with traction in extreme conditions. But less than ideal ramp over and under-axle ground clearance causes it to scrape its belly and roll rocks more often, too. Although it never came close to dragging its arse anywhere, it bruised its nose earlier than Prado (thanks to its height) or Pajero (due to its forward-mounted wheels and lack of chin).
Prado's floor lever and deep low range gearing (3000rpm equals walking speed) is old-school but allows terrific control, especially with descents. Over-bonnet view is the best of the lot (although the fall of the bonnet sometimes leaves you wondering) and with the tall body its possible to lift yourself in the seat for a clearer view.
For what it's worth, despite Jeep's whipping of Prado and Pajero (in that order) onroad, Prado waltzed away from the other two on sand, both fast driving, and with finding and maintaining momentum in slower stuff.
Prado may keep its tyres on the dirt longer thanks to its long-travel suspension (especially at the rear) but no reigning-in electronics means - at least - no further progress without revising the line or - worse - a busted driveline thanks to wheel-spin induced shock. Time and again on our set-piece exercises, the Prado kicked up dust and hurled rocks where the other two - especially the Jeep with its locked diffs - hardly moved a grain.
The report card
Its 4WD system is simply phenomenal, but the Jeep Commander could be so much better. Jeep had 20 years (in the case of Pajero) of international seven-seat design wisdom to look at and improve on yet the Commander just doesn't seem to pack its people or equipment in effectively. Its straight-line performance is grin-inducing, it's good on fuel and you could almost live with its suspension tune - it's comfortable at around-town speeds - but its ergonomics are second-rate and its body packaging (i.e use of room) inefficient, ruling it out for anything more than weekend camping. Fashion over function? The chintzy exterior detailing confirms it.
The new improved Pajero is a terrific all-rounder and (in lower-spec guise) possibly the best value for money in this market today, considering it has the safety electronics standard across the range and has other gems of design such as the fold-flat third row seat. But it uses more fuel for less performance than Prado's new diesel and generally doesn't treat its passengers as nicely.
Which of course, leaves Prado. It's not without faults, but the kid sitting at the front of this class doesn't have to learn much.
