Articles by Fraser Stronach

It took a while but Toyota has finally added electronic traction and stability control to its HiLux SR5 dual-cab diesel. There are additional changes to the SR5 as well, and some other upgrades down the model range, but the addition of the electronic chassis controls to the SR5 is really the main-event news.You may not think that this isn't anything to get too excited about and, if this is the case, you probably need to think again. Electronic stability control is a significant on-road safety bonus while traction control can make a huge difference off-road.In the case of a vehicle like the HiLux, the addition of these electronic controls are even more deeply felt due to the design compromises that are inherent with all utes.Toyota, of course, is not the first to introduce these upgrades to mainstream Japanese utes as both Mitsubishi, with its Triton and Nissan with its Navara, beating Toyota to the punch.Nissan's situation is much the same as Toyota with the electronic controls only available on its top-spec dual-cab 4WD diesel (the ST-X) whereas Mitsubishi has traction and stability control available right across its 4WD Triton range, either standard or as an option.We drove the HiLux on some moderately difficult off-road tracks and while a HiLux without traction control would have probably made it through, the addition of traction control makes it that much easier for both the driver and vehicle.The essential off-road limitation with all utes (at least when they are unladen) is a lack of weight on the rear wheels. Add in the fact that a leaf-sprung live axle, standard fare on the rear of all the utes in this class, doesn't have the travel of a good coil-sprung live axle, and you can quickly struggle for traction in more slippery or demanding terrain.To overcome this, most drivers simply use a little more momentum to get up, over or through any tricky bit. In practice this generally works well but it does risk more damage to the vehicle. The beauty of traction control is that you can tackle the worst bits at a far easier pace and if one or more wheels start to lose traction and spin, the traction control will intervene as good as instantaneously to stop the wheel spinning without any interaction by the driver. In a word, the addition of traction control has pushed the HiLux right up to the front of the pack off road once again.The only notable change for 2011 is the wheel and tyre package have been changed from the 255/70R15s used previously to 265/65R17s. The 15s were good in terms of off-road practicality, but the ever-diminishing choice of 15-inch tyres was a problem. The 17s also improve the on-road steering and handling, especially the turn-in precision.As ever, the HiLux diesel offers an excellent spread of power, even though it may be down on claimed maximum power, and high levels of refinement. At this stage however, Toyota is yet to upgrade the towing capacity which, at 2250kg, is now well behind the class average.

Nissan Pathfinder is back again this year thanks to a significant upgrade via a new, more powerful and fuel-efficient turbo diesel that is now standard in all the model grades. With a new generation common-rail fuel-injection system and a bigger, now electronically controlled turbo among other changes, the peak power has jumped from a claimed 126kW to 140kW while the claimed torque figure is up from 403Nm to 450Nm. With its fully independent suspension and road-oriented Goodyear Wrangler HP tyres we expect the Pathfinder to really struggle on the muddy set-piece but that's not the case. While it works harder than the Challenger, it's as good as the HiLux and better than the Navara and considerably more at ease than the Jeep with which its shares fully independent suspension. The Pathfinder works harder on the set-piece 4WD loop as the fully independent suspension struggles to keep all four wheels on the ground. As a consequence the traction control is very busy and, in the meantime, both the rear mudflaps and the sidesteps touch down on more than few occasions. Yet for all that the Pathfinder still makes it around comfortably enough with none of the low-speed throttle surging that sometimes trouble the Navara. Like the Navara, the low-range reduction is also good for an automatic. More wheel-up action on the trails but again the Pathfinder does what is asked of it in a capable and comfortable enough manner. More over-bonnet visibility would be nice and the auto 'box can get confused in 'Drive' which means resorting to the manual tip-shift. Regardless, this is a far better automatic off-road than that of the Challenger. Performance aside, one of the big advancements of this updated Pathfinder is that the new engine and the five-speed auto are far happier companions than in the pre-update models. With the previous model, the six-speed manual was really the only way to go as the automatic was almost always unhappy in more demanding touring environments. Now buyers, most of whom prefer automatics to manuals anyway, don't have to suffer that compromise by opting for the auto. The only 'sin' the auto now commits is that sometimes wants to hold onto the taller gears longer than it should on long, steep climbs. For its part, the new engine is strong in the mid-range and top-end but could be stronger off the bottom. It's also reasonably quiet and refined and goes about the business of getting from A to B with little fuss. And, while the Pathfinder's fully independent suspension isn't the ideal set-up off-road, it certainly comes into its own on the road. Here the Pathfinder rides a little on the firm side but is generally poised and composed with only some understeer to detract from its tidy and sporty dynamic ability. The Pathfinder's boxy shape works well in terms of interior space efficiency. The front is roomy and comfortable and the rear seat has good space and the advantage of adjustable backrest. The second-row seat also folds individually in three sections for enhanced load/people carrying flexibility while the third-row folds into the floor of what is a generous luggage space. For an automatic the Pathfinder turns in decent economy while its 80-litre tank further enhances the touring range. A handy 3000kg towing capacity is also a bonus while, under the bonnet, intake air is sensibly drawn from the inner guard. No room for an additional battery however and single recovery points front and rear. To read the full report, see this month's edition of Overlander, on sale now ...

Unlike the 4WD Of The Year contest which is only open to vehicles new that year, these awards are open to any 4WD currently on the market no matter how long ago it was released. With the champion Discovery 3 TDV6 no longer available, the Best Overall and Best Large Diesel Wagon categories were up for grabs. On paper the new Discovery 4 looked the natural candidate to take over from the Discovery 3, but which Discovery 4, given the expanded engine options? And is the Discovery 4 really better than the Discovery 3? And what about the new LandCruiser Prado 150, given the 120 had come close to toppling the Discovery 3 in previous years? What turned out was really a two-part decision. While the Discovery 4 gathered sufficient 'points' to put it in front without too much problem, the decision between the 3.0L TDV6 and the 2.7L TDV6, the pick of the two engine options given the cost and thirst of the new 5.0-litre V8, proved more difficult. The new twin-turbo 180kW/600Nm 3.0L is more costly than the 140kW/440Nm 2.7L but it offers far better performance and at no significant cost in fuel use. In fact, under some circumstances the 3.0L is even more economical than the 2.7L. That would be enough to give victory to the 3.0L, you would think. Except there's a problem. The smallest wheels you can fit to the 3.0L (due to its bigger brakes) are 19s. And that puts a major compromise on tyre selection. In fact, the standard tyres (240km/h rated 255/55R19s) are extremely puncture-prone in off-road conditions. A partial fix is to fit a tyre with a lower speed rating (i.e., heavier construction) or to fit a Light Truck (LT) tyre rather than a Passenger (P) tyre. This can help but it's only a partial solution and both of these 'solutions', especially the LT tyres, come with their own compromise. In the end, this real lack of bush practicality saw the decision go in the way of the 2.7L. Yes, it's not as powerful as the 3.0L but it's cheaper and the fact that you can equip it with 17-inch wheels makes it far more practical. Like the Discovery 3 before it, it's a deserved winner of the Best Overall Award and along the way it also picks up the Best Large Diesel Wagon Award. We gave an honourable mention to the Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series D-4D. It's a  great all rounder but expensive, a little thirsty and not as powerful as it should be. So-so on-road handling doesn't help either. The best value for money 4WD and best Medium Diesel Wagon  award went to the Mitsubishi Pajero Di-D. This is the fifth year it has won the best value category but it's taken a while for the diesel Pajero to take the Best Medium Diesel Wagon crown from Toyota's Prado. The Prado has held this category even since the then-new D-4D engine debuted in 2006. That was in the 120 Series, a vehicle that was replaced late last year by the 150 Series Prado. So why didn't the 150 take over from where the 120 left off. Well, in a word it's simply not good enough and in many ways a backwards step from the 120. On paper it's slightly bigger inside and marginally more fuel-efficient but neither of these two advantages play a significant role in the real world. The 150 is also slightly heavier than the 120 and with 127kW four-cylinder diesel carried over it's actually a little down on performance and, according to our testing, not quite as good on fuel despite its better ADR fuel figure. In addition, the seating capacity has been reduced from eight to seven and the packaging of the third-row seats under the cargo floor takes up a fair bit of luggage space. In another backwards step, the fuel tank capacity is down from 180 litres to 150 litres. All this was sufficient to see the Pajero, which hadn't changed in the last year and was only a smidge behind the 120, edge ahead of the 150 by a nose. The Pajero in question is the NT model that arrived in late 2008 (for 2009 model year). It came with a heavily revised engine with 147kW and a new five-speed automatic gearbox. These changes were the highlight of the new package but Mitsubishi also worked hard to improve the often-criticised noise deadening and general running refinement of the Pajero. Compared to the Prado 150, the Pajero offers stronger performance, sharper on-road handling and more kit for less money. And while its neither as capable, or as comfortable as the Prado in difficult off-road conditions, it still does an excellent job when the going gets tough. The Pajero also continues as the winner of the Best Value for Money category, which it has dominated for five years now.

The 2010 Overlander Awards Best of the Best category has been taken out by Land Rover Discovery 4, for the third year in a row. The rest of the 2010 Award winners will be announced in the September issue, on sale this week. The Overlander 4WD Awards considers all 4WD vehicles available on the market– no matter how long ago they were released. This provides a broad market review across the full spectrum of 4WD vehicles available at the point in time of judging, not just new vehicles released. "While all the 4WDs tested for the awards this year were of the highest quality, several contenders really stood out and there was very little between them in the overall assessment," Overlander editor Trent Nikolic says.  The category winners are: Best Overall 4WD: Land Rover Discovery 4, 2.7L TDV6Best Large Wagon Diesel: Land Rover Discovery 4, 2.7L TDV6Best Medium Diesel Wagon: Mitsubishi Pajero Di-DBest Large Petrol Wagon: Toyota Land Cruiser 200 Series Best Medium Petrol Wagon: Toyota Land Cruiser Prado 150 V6 4.0LBest Small Wagon: Suzuki Vitara DDiSBest Diesel Ute: Mitsubishi Triton Di-D Double CabBest Petrol Ute: Nissan Nivara D40 4.0L V6 Dual CabBest Luxury: Range Rover Vogue TDV8Best Offroad: Jeep Wrangler RubiconBest Value for Money: Mitsubishi Pajero Di-D

The Land Rover Discovery 3 ceased production in 2009. With its passing, Overlander 4WD's Best Overall 'throne' is left vacant. The contenders for 2010 are (in alphabetical order)...LAND ROVER DISCOVERY 4 3.0L TDV6At first glance the new Land Rover Discovery 4 3.0 TDV6 looks like a shoe-in for taking out the Best Overall Award for 2010. After all, it's based heavily on the former winner, the Land Rover Discovery 3 TDV6, but comes with a bigger 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel with 29 percent more power and 36 percent more torque than the outgoing model.But the Discovery 4 3.0L TDV6 is let down by its tyres that are seriously flawed for remote-area touring let alone serious four-wheel-driving as they are too puncture and damage prone.And, it's not simply a matter of changing the tyres. The trouble lies more deeply than this as the standard 19-inch wheels severely limit the tyre options, and in turn the Discovery 4's new, bigger brakes limit the wheel size options to an impractical minimum of 19-inches. So, without a major brake and wheel re-engineering job, you are left with fitting tyres with a lower-speed rating, or tyres designed for light-trucks, or both, as your best option. This will give you a more robust tyre, but not without further compromise, and it still won't bring a full resolution to the problem.All of which is a shame as the new 3.0-litre engine with its stump-pulling 600Nm of torque is brilliant, as is the rest of the Discovery 4 package.LAND ROVER DISCOVERY 4 2.7L TDV6The Discovery 4 3.0L TDV6 may be compromised as a 4WD by its tyre and wheel package, but not so the Discovery 4 2.7L TDV6. It comes with more practical 18-inch wheels but the big bonus is the fact that it has the smaller (but still more than adequate) brakes of the Discovery 3, which allow you to fit 17-inch wheels and with them tyres that are far more practical in the bush, in the Outback and anywhere off road.This Discovery 4 2.7 TDV6 also has the same engine of the Discovery 3, a 2.7-litre V6 turbo diesel that produces a claimed 140kW of power and 440Nm. In the Discovery 3 this engine was a marvel but somehow in transition to the Discovery 4 it seems to have lost some of its sparkle with our testing to date showing it isn't as quick as it was in the Discovery 3 despite the on-paper numbers being the same.What the Discovery 4 does bring compared to the Discovery 3 is far better steering at commonly used road speeds (60 to 100km/h) and better running refinement. Interior changes however bring mixed results in terms of the driver control interface.MITSUBISHI PAJERO DI-DMitsubishi's diesel Pajero has been regular category star in these Awards for many years with regular upgrades keeping it fresh and up with the competition. For four years now it's been voted "Best Value for Money" and now, with the passing of the Land Rover Discovery 3, the Pajero has a shot at the Best Overall Award.The Pajero in question is the NT model introduced for the 2009 model year. The NT came with a new, more powerful but more fuel-efficient and cleaner engine with a healthy 147kW of power and 441Nm of torque. It is mated to a new five-speed automatic gearbox. The 2009 NT-model update also bought a whole raft of other changes most of which are aimed at addressing refinement and noise issues of the previous models.The Pajero is well equipped in terms of safety with electronic stability and traction control standard on all models and side and curtain airbags available right across the range.As ever, the Pajero's appeal lies in its ability to offer first-class on road driving dynamics courtesy of it all independent suspension and monocoque construction combined with genuine ability when the going gets rough.TOYOTA LANDCRUISER 200 SERIES D-4DLike the Pajero turbo diesel, Toyota's 200 Series LandCruiser has been a regular category star in these awards but only in petrol V8 guise. Now the LandCruiser 200 Series diesel gets its shot at the Best Overall Award given that the Discovery 3 is no more.Like the petrol engine option, the diesel is a V8, all 4.5 litres of it, complete with twin turbo chargers. Toyota claims 195kW of power and 650Nm of torque (from a low 1600rpm) from this engine but no doubt there's lots in reserve as these are very modest figures from such a big engine. But that's the Toyota way. Engineering that's conservative but promotes longevity.As ever, the big LandCruiser's strengths lie in its all-round practicality and its no-fuss performance in even the toughest 4WD conditions. It may not be the sharpest tool on the road but point the 200 at any sort of off-road terrain and it will just eat it up thanks in part to its brilliant KDSS adaptive roll-bar system that effectively 'tunes' the suspension for different conditions without aid of any electronics whatsoever. All the while the 200 is supremely quiet and refined save for the whine when the transfer case is in low range.TOYOTA PRADO 150 SERIES D-4DToyota's new 150 Series Prado has no history in these awards. Like the Discovery 4 it is new and also like the Discovery 4 it has a distinguished predecessor, in this case the 120 Series Prado. The 120 was a runner-up to the Discovery 3 in the Best Overall Award for the last three years and was also a category winner during that time.Compared to the 120, the 150 is bigger and heavier, yet more aerodynamic and is claimed to be marginally more fuel-efficient. That's party due to the slicker aerodynamics but also due to a number changes to the five-speed automatic gearbox. Otherwise the 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel powertrain remains unchanged aside from new injectors for the engine designed to address the injector noise problems experienced with the 120 since the introduction of the D-4D engine.Like its 200 Series big brother (remember the Prado is part of the LandCruiser family), the 150 is a solid all-rounder that's just as happy in a tough off-road environment as it is taking the kids to school or doing the shopping. And it comes at far more affordable price than the 200.

Welcome to Overlander’s annual awards.

Mitsubishi's Triton took the prize because of its then newly introduced 'Super Select' 4WD system, effectively a full-time 4WD system that gives the driver the option of using high-range 2WD.The new ML model, at least in GLX-R spec as tested here, carries over this 'category-busting' feature but what is more significant is the availability of electronic stability and traction control, and side and curtain airbags on all Triton 4WD dual cabs. This is another category buster and the GLX-R gets both as standard.Set-piece hill climb/test track Despite all their technical advantages, the Triton comes close to matching the two Prados on the most difficult of the set-piece climbs. Like the Prados it hangs up on its rear diff housing, but a little earlier than they do.Trail Drive The GLX-R (and the lower spec GL-R, but not the GLX) has what Mitsubishi calls Sports suspension. The result is a more comfortable ride than what you except for a ute on rough and rocky trails. It's not Prado comfortable but it's good.Touring With the benefit of full-time 4WD and stability control, the Triton tackles loose gravel roads with far more confidence than normal for this class of vehicle. The only glitch here is that the steering is little vague and a tad on the slow side, and the front suspension feels too underdamped at higher speeds. The Triton is okay in the very soft sand of our test venue but needs low range and the stability control cancelled to give its best.Inside The Triton has side and curtain airbags as well as the usual driver and passenger airbags. Add in three lap/sash belts and three headrests for rear seat passengers and you have the pinnacle of dual-cab safety. Summary The Triton wins this contest on the grounds that anyone who wishes to purchase a dual-cab ute rather than a 4WD wagon for wide-spectrum use including recreational four-wheel driving no longer has to compromise on safety as was the case previously. This new Triton has what it takes to be a game changer in the 4WD market.2nd place: Toyota LandCruiser Prado 150 Series D-4DToyota's 3.0-litre D-4D four-cylinder diesel, introduced in 2006 and good enough to win our 4WDOTY award that year in the Prado 120, is carried over largely unchanged to the new 150.  Despite new injectors, and moving the intercooler to front-mount rather than top-mount, the maximum power and torque figures remain unchanged. Set-piece hill climb/test track As with the Prado V6, the deep wheel ruts of the hardest of our set-piece hill climbs are the D-4D's nemesis as its rear diff gets caught up. It does about as well as the Prado V6, and better than the Triton but not as well as the two LRs. Even the rear locker doesn't help…Trail Drive Thanks to its supple KDSS-enhanced suspension and torquey turbo diesel, the 150 diesel is unfussed on the steep high-country trails. Yes, better vision would be welcome and the Toyota's five-speed auto isn't as smart as the ZF unit in the D4 and the RRS but these aren't really problems, more observations. Touring With the extra weight of the bigger and better equipped 150 to deal with, the carried-over 127kW D-4D diesel is asked to do a lot on the open road. Somewhat surprisingly it rarely feels underpowered even if it suffers on the long hills and doesn't overtake with any great authority. The D-4D steers and handles well enough at highway speeds given its supple ride.Inside The diesel 150 Kakadu has an identical interior to the V6. It's comfortable, roomy and versatile and seats seven. Good safety too with seven airbags but, like the Kakadu V6, the layout of the switchgear is confused and confusing.Incidentals Plenty of practical features here including room for a second battery under the bonnet but as with the 120 the 2500kg tow rating is now below class standards.Summary The 150 D-4D did very little wrong on our extended test and most things very well. More power for more arduous driving on the open road would be welcome but otherwise there's very little to dislike about the diesel Prado. 3rd place: Land Rover Discovery 4 TDV6 3.0LBackground The new Discovery 4 takes its place in the 4WDOTY final five thanks almost exclusively to its new 180kW/600Nm 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo diesel (but you could be pedantic and say it's not really a 'twin-turbo' as the two turbos aren't twins at all). Changes have also been made to the suspension via stiffer roll-bars, the steering and the brakes are now bigger on all but the budget 2.7-litre TDV6 model. The D4 also gets a new interior, a revised exterior look and revisions to the 'Terrain Response' system. Set-piece hill climb/test track The Discovery 4 makes a better fist of the most difficult of our set-piece hill climbs than any of the vehicles thanks to the fact that, like the RRS but unlike the two Prados and the Triton, there's no live-axle diff housing to get hung up on the tall centre ridge that exists between the deep wheel ruts. Trail Drive The 3.0-litre TDV6's big brakes need big wheels for clearance, 19s being the smallest diameter that can be fitted. These carry slightly taller tyres (255/55) than the Range Rover Sport (255/50) but, like the Sport, still prove puncture and damage prone on the rocky and sometimes tree-branch strewn high-country tracks. Touring The full benefit of the new 3.0L TDV6 was felt on the open road where even pushing the considerable mass of the D4 it feels strong and effortless with the modest overtaking response of the 2.7 TDV6 a thing of the past. Inside The D4 has a large, functional and intelligent cabin. It may look like a box-on-wheels look but the interior space and the capacity to seat seven adults in a comfortable and safe environment is highly impressive. Incidentals Like the RRS, the D4 has solid front and rear recovery hooks (hidden behind clip-off plastic covers), a full-size alloy spare that's mounted below the vehicle, a generous 3500kg towing capacity and a practical, horizontally split tailgate. Summary The D4 is a brilliant vehicle crippled in this contest by its 19-inch wheels and low profile tyres. That combination may be fine for general touring but it's not fine for 4WD touring. For the full review of judging and detailed opinions, see the February issue of Overlander 4WD on sale Wednesday 27th January.

To be eligible for 4WD Of The Year, a vehicle has to be completely new that year, or significantly revised. By 'significantly revised' we mean a major mechanical change like a new engine or drivetrain, or a new body. Styling, equipment or interior facelifts don't cut the mustard.To be eligible, the vehicle in question also has to have a full-size spare wheel either as standard, or available as an option. No full-size spare equals no start. On this count, the Peugeot 4007, Volvo XC60, Audi Q5 and Mitsubishi Outlander were all eliminated automatically.That left a number of other soft-roaders that do come with a full-size spare to consider. These included the Kia Sorento, Hyundai Santa Fe, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX400h and the Nissan Murano. The fact that so many new soft roaders didn't go down the space-saver route is good news but at the end of the day they are still soft roaders and with so many strong candidates among the ranks of the serious 4WDs, we couldn't warrant their inclusion.The new 'serious' 4WDs included the Prado 150 Series, the Land Rover Discovery 4, the Range Rover Sport and Vogue, the new Land Rover Defender variants, the ML Series Triton, and the revised Jeep Wrangler.   Further culling of the numbers saw the Wrangler and the Defender eliminated on the grounds that they are both variations on well-known themes while the Range Rover Vogue, with its new petrol 5.0-litre V8, was deemed to be too expensive in relation to the new Range Rover Sport with its new 3.0-litre TDV6.In the end it came down to the Discovery 4 with its new TDV6 engine (in SE spec), the Range Rover Sport with the same engine (only one spec level), the top-spec ML Triton as this is the only model with all the new features as standard, and the Prado in both petrol and diesel guise. To us, these five vehicles represented an extremely strong field … a classic Land Rover verses Toyota battle with the wildcard Triton thrown in.Find out which vehicle won in Australia’s leading offroad magazine, Overlander, on sale Wednesday Jan 27.

What you pay, what you get The GLS Pajero Di-D is the least expensive of our three contenders and in auto guise lists at $59,790. And for that money you get electronic traction and stability control and side and curtain airbags as standard. At $61,040 the Prado GXL D-4D automatic also has the latter mentioned items but misses out on the electronic driving aids and extra airbags although both are available as an option pack.The Discovery TDV6 S is a $67,590 ask. While the TDV6 S misses out on third-row seating that's standard on both Prado and Pajero it does come with the aforementioned height-adjustable air suspension, a 6-speed auto (the others both have 5-speeders), electronic traction and stability control, front, side and curtain airbags, cruise and climate control, and 17-inch alloys.Horses or ponies? All three contenders are common-rail turbo diesels but where the Prado and Pajero have 4-cylinder engines of 3.0 and 3.2-litres respectively, the Discovery is powered by a 2.7-litre V6. And, as mentioned above, the Disco has a 6-speed auto while the other two have 5-speeders. Both Disco and Pajero have 'manual' control via tip-shift functions whereas the Toyota's box has a dogleg-gated shift (no shift release) that gives good manual control once you learn the layout of the gate.For its part, the Pajero's winning performance is tarnished by the fact that the engine is noisier and less refined than the other two and its gearbox is not as decisive as it could be. In between is the Prado. For noise control and general running refinement it's a far better prospect than the Pajero but it's still not up to the high standard set by the Land Rover.A dynamic argument There are three different schools of thought on chassis design here. The Pajero is a monocoque design with fully independent suspension and, as such, is the most 'car' like. The Discovery also has fully independent suspension but is a separate-chassis design (admittedly a very sophisticated one) while the Prado is the most traditional vehicle here with live rear axle/independent front suspension, and a conventional separate chassis.And, on the road the Prado doesn't feel as sharp as the other two, but this is not just the fact that it lacks independent rear suspension. Toyota has deliberately opted for a soft suspension tune that puts comfort ahead of sharp dynamics. What's more, and perhaps this is deliberate as well, the Toyota will more readily understeer when pushed. Combine all this with the least accurate and direct steering of the three and the Toyota is far from a 'driver's' car although there is nothing actually 'wrong' with its handing.The other two are harder to separate with the Discovery having the advantage of height-adjustable suspension and slightly sharper steering than the Pajero. But ultimately, the Disco's weight plays against it and it lacks of agility of the Pajero, a fine handling 4WD by any standards.The downside of this is that the Pajero has the harshest and noisiest ride.The Discovery's ride is between the two. Interestingly, despite the fact that we have driven more Discovery 3s then we can remember, this must be one of the very few that we've driven on the standard-spec 235/70R17 tyres. And we are impressed. They are far more forgiving and comfortable than the lower profile hoops on the 18s more commonly fitted to the Discovery 3s driven previously.A muddy story All three vehicles here are more than handy off road and all are capable of performing off road feats.There's also an important question here of off road ability verses off road comfort, as the two don't necessarily go hand in hand.The most comfortable of the three off road (although not by a great margin) is the Toyota. Thanks to its soft springing and decent suspension travel it soaks up the bumps better than the other two. But, despite the on-paper advantage of its live rear axle, its lack of traction control sees it trail the field in terms of off road ability.Next up the ladder in terms of off road ability, but the poorest in terms of off road comfort by a good margin is the Pajero.Comfortably ahead of the Pajero, let alone the Prado in off road ability is the Discovery. Mind you, the Disco was fitted with the optional rear locker that we know from previous experience makes a considerable difference. But at just $1050, it hardly makes a difference to the overall cost of the vehicle and, unlike the Pajero where (manual) activation of the optional rear locker negates the traction control, with the Discovery the rear locker engages automatically and leaves the traction control active so it can take care of front axle control.Summing up Picking an absolute winner between Pajero and Prado is difficult to say the least although the Pajero does have more points in its favour. Compared to the Prado it's less expensive but still better equipped. It's also a stronger performer and handles better on road. It's also more capable off road, at least at this spec level where traction and stability control isn't standard. It also has a higher towing capacity.Taken alone you would think all that would be enough to seal the deal. But the Toyota is strong in some very important areas. Most significantly it's far more refined, quieter and more comfortable on road. It's also more comfortable off road. It also has a monster touring range, seats eight not seven and has a higher payload. The choice between Prado and Pajero can only come down to your personal priorities.As for the Discovery, in many ways it feels twice the vehicle the other two are, and not just something that's $8000 more expensive than the Pajero and only $4000 more expensive than a Prado optioned with the safety gear that's standard on the other two. The real killer with the Discovery is the cost of the third-row seats although this may not matter to you.What's not diminished however is the huge gap in technology between Discovery, and Prado and Pajero ... and what that technology advantage delivers.Read the full article, plus more great 4WD and off-roading news in the latest edition of Overlander magazine or visit overlander.com.au

People regularly ask us the question, should I buy a Prado or a dual-cab HiLux? … almost as often as the question what's the best, Prado or Pajero.Prado and HiLux are the biggest selling vehicles in their respective classes so it's not surprising that the wagon versus dual-cab ute question most often revolves around these two. For the purpose of this comparison exercise we have chosen the popular turbo-diesel models (in automatic guise) rather than the V6 petrols.SPEC TESTEDThe Prado is a mid-spec GXL model while the HiLux is a top spec SR5, the nearest equivalent to the Prado GXL in terms of equipment given that Toyota doesn't offer (not yet, anyway!) luxuries like leather, sat-nav or safety kit like electronic stability and traction control in a 'Lux.PRICINGAt these spec levels the Prado asks $61,040 (plus on-road costs) while the HiLux is $53,980. Add $2500 for a genuine Toyota or aftermarket canopy to bring the ute up to the storage functionality of the wagon and you are looking at a difference of less than $5000.One may be a ute and the other a wagon, but Prado and HiLux share much in common as far as suspension, safety and engines go. But there are differences, and important ones at that.SUSPENSIONThe HiLux's rear axle is sprung and located by traditional leaf springs while the Prado's rear axle is sprung via coils and located by four trailing arms and a Panhard rod.4WD SYSTEMSJust as significant is the fact that the HiLux uses old-school part-time 4WD while the Prado has full-time 4WD via a torque-sensing centre differential.ENGINESThe HiLux's engine is also in a lower state of tune than that of the Prado. While both make similar maximum power (126kW for the HiLux and 127kW for the Prado), the Prado has a higher maximum torque output (410Nm versus 343Nm). This extra torque translates to more power right through the rev range with the HiLux only coming close to matching the Prado in the higher reaches. The Prado also has the added advantage of a five-speed automatic while the HiLux has to make do with the four-speed auto that was used in the Prado before the five-speeder was introduced.With considerably more power just about everywhere and the benefit of its five-speed auto the Prado has the wood on the HiLux for performance. But the difference is not as much as you might think, as the HiLux is some 300kg lighter than the Prado.What's more noticeable than the actual performance difference is the fact that the Prado feels more relaxed and effortless than the HiLux, which seems to work harder to achieve less. Much of this comes down to the two gearboxes. The Prado's five-speeder is 'smarter' and more decisive than the HiLux's four-speeder and it shifts more quickly and more smoothly. For its part, the HiLux's box shuffles between the gears more and slurs the changes and doesn't feel as effective in getting the most out of the engine.FUEL ECONOMYInterestingly both HiLux and Prado have an ADR fuel figure of 9.3 litres/100km, which suggests the Prado's more powerful and sophisticated powertrain makes up for the HiLux's weight advantage. Our test figures from a driving mix that included a fair proportion of off-road work saw the HiLux consume 11.9 litres/100km while the Prado was slightly thirstier at 12.8 litres/100km.OFFROAD ABILITYThe Prado continues to win the battle off road. While a standard GXL Prado doesn't have the advantage of the traction control that's standard on top-spec models and optional other automatic Prados (including the GXL), it does have a couple of advantages over the HiLux. Most importantly its rear axle has more travel than the HiLux but it also benefits from lower gearing.But more significant than these advantages is the fact that the Prado is far more comfortable off-road than the HiLux, at least when the HiLux is lightly loaded. With the extra weight of a canopy and/or gear in the tray the HiLux's ride would be more forgiving but, unladen, or even lightly loaded, the ride is hard. That's just a fact of life with a ute.WAGON VS UTEAside from the fact that the Prado seats eight while the HiLux seats five, the wagon does have other advantages over the ute. The Prado's front seats are far more comfortable and the rear seat more accommodating than the HiLux's in terms of leg, shoulder and hip room. The Prado also has lap-sash seat belts for all eight passengers while the HiLux's rear centre seat is fitted with a lap-only belt.Read more great 4WD and off-roading news in the latest edition of Overlander magazine or visit www.overlander.com.au