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Vehicle Tests > 2007 4WDOTY Contenders
2007 4WDOTY Contenders
Overlander 4WD's annual 4WD Of The Year award is open to any new or significantly revised 4WD released in the 12 months encompassing November 30, 2006 to November 30, 2007. Significantly revised means it must have a new body, or a new engine or driveline, not just a styling or equipment makeover, and to be eligible, the vehicle in question must have been driven by us on Australian soil before the cut-off date.
The 12 months from November 2006 to November 2007 saw another swag of new 4wds and SUVs hit the Aussie market. 24 new models with countless variations to provide a vehicle supposedly suited to everyone.
Unfortunately they don't all stack up as Overlander 4WD of the year contenders. Not that there's necessarily anything wrong with them but more like they don't bring anything new to the marketplace or they are too onroad oriented for this title. This makes it easy for us to compile our short list of 4WDOTY finalists.
Another aspect that instantly discounts a vehicle from 4WDOTY contention is its spare tyre. Offer anything less than a spare that matches in size the other four on the vehicle for unrestricted use and you're out. Space savers, run flats or temporary tyres don't cut it.
The only way around it is if the manufacturer offers a factory fitted spare wheel carrier as an option like the Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne. Eligible vehicles that were discounted on this fact include the second generation BMW X5 and Range Rover Sport TDV8, both excellent vehicles but hobbled by the lack of a matching spare wheel and tyre.
Vehicles that were left behind because they were considered too soft road oriented to be contenders for the Overlander title include the Nissan X-Trail, Holden Captiva diesel, Dodge Nitro, Land Rover Freelander, Jeep Compass and Patriot, Honda CRV and Toyota Kluger.
Vehicles that were new and relatively good 4WDs but not offering anything new or significant to the market were the Rodeo 3.0tdi, Mahindra Pik-up, Ford Ranger, Jeep Wrangler Sport diesel, Kia Sorento, Land Rover Defender 130, Mitsubishi Triton diesel auto, Land Cruiser 78 and 79 series, Nissan Patrol 3.0L cab-chassis, Ssangyong Kyron 2.7 and Ssangyong Actyon.
So what does that leave us with? Seven finalist vehicles, all with real off road ability and class leading features. In alphabetical order they are -
Hummer H3 Adventure
The millitary icon toned down for civvie use became the Hummer H1 and even more sedate is the H3 we now have available here. With high clearance, steep approach and departure angles, low gearing, rear diff lock and 180kW the H3 Adventure promises great offroad ability and at less than $60K good value for money. If nothing else, it certainly attracts attention, particularly in bright yellow as tested but not available to buy here.
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon
Overlander has had the Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon as a long term tester for a few months now and it has impressed with its offroad ability. Front and rear lockers, deep low range gearing and a clever front sway bar disconnect all helped the Jeep take our ultimate Offroader title back in December. The V6 petrol engine is adequate, not exceptional, but a sub $45K price tag puts it at the top of the value list.
Land Rover Defender 110
60 years in the making, the iconic Land Rover received a new engine and gearbox plus new dashboard and HVAC to bring it into the 21st century in 2007. The option of third row seating increases the 110 wagon's usability. A real offroad wagon with a full one-tonne payload at $50K makes the basic Land Rover functional and affordable.
Range Rover TDV8
The third generation Range Rover was good enough to win the 4WDOTY title when it was launched back in 2002. That was with the BMW straight six turbo diesel engine which has now been replaced by the new 3.6L TDV8 backed with a six-speed auto. Toss in Land Rover's acclaimed Terrain response for the first time and the Rangie is more impressive than ever despite its $170K price tag. It was a tough call not to include the RR Sport with the same engine but rules are rules and the TDV8 Sport only has a speed-limited spare tyre.
Land Cruiser 76 Series GXL
Toyota's answer to the Defender, the 76 Series is an old body with a nose job and a new engine. And what a great engine it is. The 4.5L D4D V8 lopes along like diesels used to, never wanting for more torque. The bare bones body lends itself well to offroading, touring and customisation but skimps on features considering it sells for $57,490 and it needs the $2735 optional diff locks for serious off road work, while air con adds another $2640.
Land Cruiser 200 Series
The 200 Series was the last big 4WD launch of 2007 and it was one you couldn't ignore. New Land Cruisers don't come along every day so when they do you pay attention. Both the petrol and turbo diesel V8 engines are impressive and the clever Aussie developed Kinetic suspension system works well. We took both engine options on 4WDOTY - a GXL turbo diesel and VX petrol.
To help the judges with their assessment of the vehicles, Overlander has a long established list of five criteria to score the vehicles against. Each vehicle is scored out of 10 against the five criteria for a total out of a possible 50. The judges' scores are then tallied to determine the winner.
The five criteria are -
Value for Money
This is simply what you get for your money with consideration given to the fact that what may be expensive to some is affordable to others. It really is how much vehicle you are getting for the money.
Soundness of Engineering
A measure of how well the vehicle is engineered. How well does the engine and transmission work; how much fuel does it use; how well does the vehicle ride and handle in all conditions; how good is the dust sealing; the air-con; the interior; does the vehicle appear to be 'bolted' together properly; even simple things like the quality of the tie-down hooks in the luggage area are taken into account.
read on below advertisement
Fulfilment of Intended Function
All vehicles, even different 4WDs, are designed to do different things. This is a measure of how well a particular vehicle fulfils its design brief. Obviously a 4WD ute is designed to do a very different job than a luxury soft-roader.
Progressiveness of Design.
This is a measure of design/technical advancement and covers every aspect of the vehicle: engine, driveline, chassis, suspension, body, interior, etc. A particular design element doesn't have to be new that year to be significant. A particular manufacturer may have introduced a new feature several years back, but that feature may still be right up at the pointy end of design.
The Overlander Factor
This factor represent the 'bush practicality' of the vehicle: genuine 4WD ability; design robustness (underbody protection etc); touring range; load space/carrying capacity; tyre practicality/alternate tyre choices; and the potential to fit factory and after-market accessories to enhance bush practicality.
4WDOTY Route 07
As always, the route taken for the 4WD of the year test program was designed to take the finalist vehicles over the many varied terrains that your average Aussie 4WDer would expect to find. Steep, rocky fire trails, sand dunes, muddy tracks, back roads and highways all make up the route which in 2007 covered close to 1300 kilometres over five days.
Day one of the test started early at Vic Widman's Great Divide Tours driver training facility near Braidwood in southern New South Wales. Here we are able to assess each of the vehicles side by side on 'control' hills and obstacles to see how the various traction systems operate, gauge engine braking on descents, check clearances and generally get a feeling for the individual vehicles. All the judges first watch as each vehicle is driven over the set pieces then there's a free for all when everyone gets to drive each vehicle over the different terrain.
After lunch we packed the swags and fridges and hit the road from Braidwood through Araluen and into Deua National Park. We took the Dry Creek Trail to cross the river and then followed the undulating Merricumbene Fire Trail into Bendethera Valley for our overnight camp. The Merricumbene gave the drivers a great opportunity to sample the climbing and descending characteristics of the vehicles as well as the ride and comfort on less than perfect tracks. Rain and sleet added a slippery element to the terrain.
Day two saw the convoy climbing out of the valley and through the plantation forests back to Braidwood. The limited fuel capacity of some of the petrol vehicles on test meant we had to return to town to top up before an afternoon loop through Monga National Park. More steep terrain in low range before we broke from the hills for the flat country.
The plan was to finish up on the sands of Stockton Beach so a roundabout way of heading north took us through Guineacor Gorge and the Blue Mountains N.P. towards the state's mid-west and our overnight accommodation at Chesleigh Homestead (www.sofala.net.au) near the historic gold mining town of Sofala. The mix of open and winding dirt roads plus quicker sealed back roads gave a perfect opportunity to gauge the touring 'feel' of each of the vehicles.
The Turon River winds its way from Sofala through country built on the back of the gold rush. We followed it along twisting gravel roads through to the blacktop and took the highway through Kandos, Rylstone, Bylong and into the upper Hunter before edging our way across to the coast near Tea Gardens and our overnight lodgings.
Here we had a vehicle hoist allowing us to have a look at the underside of the vehicles, how suitable they are to offroad use and how well they coped with our test drive so far.
From here it was an easy drive down to the dunes of Stockton Beach for the final day of testing, the final fuel fill and odometer check. A hot day ensured the vehicles copped a work out on the sand, even having to tow a punter's overheating rental car off the beach.
Thankfully we had no such problems and at the end of the test we were glad to have minimal vehicle damage. The passenger-side rear door on the VX Cruiser had a ding in it after a 'roo tried to get in without opening the door; a brake pad wear indicator sensor pulled out of the rear brakes on the Rangie; the Jeep's front indicators weren't working (water in wiring) but we hadn't even had a tyre puncture.
The return run into a classic Sydney summer storm quickly brought us back to the reality of traffic chaos.
4WDOTY Judges
For the 2007 4WDOTY road test, Overlander 4WD once again assembled a team of 4WD vehicle judges from a variety of backgrounds including professional vehicle road testers, 4WD accessories specialists, workshop owners and tour operators, who were generally all experienced 4WDers and bushmen. It's a team that we think provides a balanced view of what makes the best 4WD on the market today.
The 2007 team of judges were -
Fraser Stronach - Senior Overlander 4WD road tester and columnist.
Robert Pepper - Overlander 4WD contributor, 4WD driver trainer and author.
Norm Needham - Overlander's longest running contributor, well travelled bushman and former owner of Traction 4 in Sydney.
Glenn Torrens - Professional motoring journalist and improving catering officer.
Vic Widman - Proprietor of Great Divide 4WD Tours and Overlander 4WD columnist.
Michael Whitehead - Long time 4WDer and offroad competitor.
Matt Raudonikis - Current Overlander 4WD editor.
Overlander 4WD would like to thank all the judges for their time and input to the 4WD of the Year test. Particular thanks to Vic Widman for the use of his driver training facility and his assistance in planning the drive route, Norm Needham for the hospitality at his home and the use of his vehicle hoist, and Glenn Torrens for catering the test. Special thanks to Chesleigh Homestead for their warm hospitality on our stay there.
The 12 months from November 2006 to November 2007 saw another swag of new 4wds and SUVs hit the Aussie market. 24 new models with countless variations to provide a vehicle supposedly suited to everyone.
Unfortunately they don't all stack up as Overlander 4WD of the year contenders. Not that there's necessarily anything wrong with them but more like they don't bring anything new to the marketplace or they are too onroad oriented for this title. This makes it easy for us to compile our short list of 4WDOTY finalists.
Another aspect that instantly discounts a vehicle from 4WDOTY contention is its spare tyre. Offer anything less than a spare that matches in size the other four on the vehicle for unrestricted use and you're out. Space savers, run flats or temporary tyres don't cut it.
The only way around it is if the manufacturer offers a factory fitted spare wheel carrier as an option like the Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne. Eligible vehicles that were discounted on this fact include the second generation BMW X5 and Range Rover Sport TDV8, both excellent vehicles but hobbled by the lack of a matching spare wheel and tyre.
Vehicles that were left behind because they were considered too soft road oriented to be contenders for the Overlander title include the Nissan X-Trail, Holden Captiva diesel, Dodge Nitro, Land Rover Freelander, Jeep Compass and Patriot, Honda CRV and Toyota Kluger.
Vehicles that were new and relatively good 4WDs but not offering anything new or significant to the market were the Rodeo 3.0tdi, Mahindra Pik-up, Ford Ranger, Jeep Wrangler Sport diesel, Kia Sorento, Land Rover Defender 130, Mitsubishi Triton diesel auto, Land Cruiser 78 and 79 series, Nissan Patrol 3.0L cab-chassis, Ssangyong Kyron 2.7 and Ssangyong Actyon.
So what does that leave us with? Seven finalist vehicles, all with real off road ability and class leading features. In alphabetical order they are -
Hummer H3 Adventure
The millitary icon toned down for civvie use became the Hummer H1 and even more sedate is the H3 we now have available here. With high clearance, steep approach and departure angles, low gearing, rear diff lock and 180kW the H3 Adventure promises great offroad ability and at less than $60K good value for money. If nothing else, it certainly attracts attention, particularly in bright yellow as tested but not available to buy here.
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon
Overlander has had the Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon as a long term tester for a few months now and it has impressed with its offroad ability. Front and rear lockers, deep low range gearing and a clever front sway bar disconnect all helped the Jeep take our ultimate Offroader title back in December. The V6 petrol engine is adequate, not exceptional, but a sub $45K price tag puts it at the top of the value list.
Land Rover Defender 110
60 years in the making, the iconic Land Rover received a new engine and gearbox plus new dashboard and HVAC to bring it into the 21st century in 2007. The option of third row seating increases the 110 wagon's usability. A real offroad wagon with a full one-tonne payload at $50K makes the basic Land Rover functional and affordable.
Range Rover TDV8
The third generation Range Rover was good enough to win the 4WDOTY title when it was launched back in 2002. That was with the BMW straight six turbo diesel engine which has now been replaced by the new 3.6L TDV8 backed with a six-speed auto. Toss in Land Rover's acclaimed Terrain response for the first time and the Rangie is more impressive than ever despite its $170K price tag. It was a tough call not to include the RR Sport with the same engine but rules are rules and the TDV8 Sport only has a speed-limited spare tyre.
Land Cruiser 76 Series GXL
Toyota's answer to the Defender, the 76 Series is an old body with a nose job and a new engine. And what a great engine it is. The 4.5L D4D V8 lopes along like diesels used to, never wanting for more torque. The bare bones body lends itself well to offroading, touring and customisation but skimps on features considering it sells for $57,490 and it needs the $2735 optional diff locks for serious off road work, while air con adds another $2640.
Land Cruiser 200 Series
The 200 Series was the last big 4WD launch of 2007 and it was one you couldn't ignore. New Land Cruisers don't come along every day so when they do you pay attention. Both the petrol and turbo diesel V8 engines are impressive and the clever Aussie developed Kinetic suspension system works well. We took both engine options on 4WDOTY - a GXL turbo diesel and VX petrol.
To help the judges with their assessment of the vehicles, Overlander has a long established list of five criteria to score the vehicles against. Each vehicle is scored out of 10 against the five criteria for a total out of a possible 50. The judges' scores are then tallied to determine the winner.
The five criteria are -
Value for Money
This is simply what you get for your money with consideration given to the fact that what may be expensive to some is affordable to others. It really is how much vehicle you are getting for the money.
Soundness of Engineering
A measure of how well the vehicle is engineered. How well does the engine and transmission work; how much fuel does it use; how well does the vehicle ride and handle in all conditions; how good is the dust sealing; the air-con; the interior; does the vehicle appear to be 'bolted' together properly; even simple things like the quality of the tie-down hooks in the luggage area are taken into account.
read on below advertisement
Fulfilment of Intended Function
All vehicles, even different 4WDs, are designed to do different things. This is a measure of how well a particular vehicle fulfils its design brief. Obviously a 4WD ute is designed to do a very different job than a luxury soft-roader.
Progressiveness of Design.
This is a measure of design/technical advancement and covers every aspect of the vehicle: engine, driveline, chassis, suspension, body, interior, etc. A particular design element doesn't have to be new that year to be significant. A particular manufacturer may have introduced a new feature several years back, but that feature may still be right up at the pointy end of design.
The Overlander Factor
This factor represent the 'bush practicality' of the vehicle: genuine 4WD ability; design robustness (underbody protection etc); touring range; load space/carrying capacity; tyre practicality/alternate tyre choices; and the potential to fit factory and after-market accessories to enhance bush practicality.
4WDOTY Route 07
As always, the route taken for the 4WD of the year test program was designed to take the finalist vehicles over the many varied terrains that your average Aussie 4WDer would expect to find. Steep, rocky fire trails, sand dunes, muddy tracks, back roads and highways all make up the route which in 2007 covered close to 1300 kilometres over five days.
Day one of the test started early at Vic Widman's Great Divide Tours driver training facility near Braidwood in southern New South Wales. Here we are able to assess each of the vehicles side by side on 'control' hills and obstacles to see how the various traction systems operate, gauge engine braking on descents, check clearances and generally get a feeling for the individual vehicles. All the judges first watch as each vehicle is driven over the set pieces then there's a free for all when everyone gets to drive each vehicle over the different terrain.
After lunch we packed the swags and fridges and hit the road from Braidwood through Araluen and into Deua National Park. We took the Dry Creek Trail to cross the river and then followed the undulating Merricumbene Fire Trail into Bendethera Valley for our overnight camp. The Merricumbene gave the drivers a great opportunity to sample the climbing and descending characteristics of the vehicles as well as the ride and comfort on less than perfect tracks. Rain and sleet added a slippery element to the terrain.
Day two saw the convoy climbing out of the valley and through the plantation forests back to Braidwood. The limited fuel capacity of some of the petrol vehicles on test meant we had to return to town to top up before an afternoon loop through Monga National Park. More steep terrain in low range before we broke from the hills for the flat country.
The plan was to finish up on the sands of Stockton Beach so a roundabout way of heading north took us through Guineacor Gorge and the Blue Mountains N.P. towards the state's mid-west and our overnight accommodation at Chesleigh Homestead (www.sofala.net.au) near the historic gold mining town of Sofala. The mix of open and winding dirt roads plus quicker sealed back roads gave a perfect opportunity to gauge the touring 'feel' of each of the vehicles.
The Turon River winds its way from Sofala through country built on the back of the gold rush. We followed it along twisting gravel roads through to the blacktop and took the highway through Kandos, Rylstone, Bylong and into the upper Hunter before edging our way across to the coast near Tea Gardens and our overnight lodgings.
Here we had a vehicle hoist allowing us to have a look at the underside of the vehicles, how suitable they are to offroad use and how well they coped with our test drive so far.
From here it was an easy drive down to the dunes of Stockton Beach for the final day of testing, the final fuel fill and odometer check. A hot day ensured the vehicles copped a work out on the sand, even having to tow a punter's overheating rental car off the beach.
Thankfully we had no such problems and at the end of the test we were glad to have minimal vehicle damage. The passenger-side rear door on the VX Cruiser had a ding in it after a 'roo tried to get in without opening the door; a brake pad wear indicator sensor pulled out of the rear brakes on the Rangie; the Jeep's front indicators weren't working (water in wiring) but we hadn't even had a tyre puncture.
The return run into a classic Sydney summer storm quickly brought us back to the reality of traffic chaos.
4WDOTY Judges
For the 2007 4WDOTY road test, Overlander 4WD once again assembled a team of 4WD vehicle judges from a variety of backgrounds including professional vehicle road testers, 4WD accessories specialists, workshop owners and tour operators, who were generally all experienced 4WDers and bushmen. It's a team that we think provides a balanced view of what makes the best 4WD on the market today.
The 2007 team of judges were -
Fraser Stronach - Senior Overlander 4WD road tester and columnist.
Robert Pepper - Overlander 4WD contributor, 4WD driver trainer and author.
Norm Needham - Overlander's longest running contributor, well travelled bushman and former owner of Traction 4 in Sydney.
Glenn Torrens - Professional motoring journalist and improving catering officer.
Vic Widman - Proprietor of Great Divide 4WD Tours and Overlander 4WD columnist.
Michael Whitehead - Long time 4WDer and offroad competitor.
Matt Raudonikis - Current Overlander 4WD editor.
Overlander 4WD would like to thank all the judges for their time and input to the 4WD of the Year test. Particular thanks to Vic Widman for the use of his driver training facility and his assistance in planning the drive route, Norm Needham for the hospitality at his home and the use of his vehicle hoist, and Glenn Torrens for catering the test. Special thanks to Chesleigh Homestead for their warm hospitality on our stay there.
