Off road

Despite all the misgivings some may have about Korean-made cars, this vehicle was hard to fault for the entire 1300km of combined highway, city and bush bashing that we did over three days.The only glitch was the cruise control, which decided to have a break for about an hour on our way home. It did come back on, so no real hassle, but that could prove irritating on long trips.Otherwise, and sorry to use that word again, but a big solid pass mark for all aspects of this vehicle. Despite trying very hard, my loyal sidekick and I failed to find deficiencies or faults. Everything did the job as required and it provided a comfortable and adequate performance.In the looks department the Sorento, currently part of carsguide's long-term garage, is hardly a standout, but it is far from offensive.The interior was functional and well laid out. The dash and centre console is on the clunky side, with some hard plastics used. But with most of the bells and whistles standard on our EX-L model, including leather trim, cruise control, six-speaker MP3 CD player, dual climate control, eight-way adjustable driver's seat, power everything and trip computer, it was certainly a lot of metal for money at a nudge under $45,000.More importantly, the Sorento CRDi doesn't skimp on safety and security, with ABS, traction control, stability control, dual front and side curtain airbags and immobiliser as standard.The Sorento's standout feature is its wonderful 125kW 2.5L, four-cylinder turbodiesel engine.This is one very refined motor.With a big 392Nm of torque from as low as 2000rpm, the Sorento powered through all conditions, both city streets and off-road.And with a stated fuel consumption of 9.4 litres per 100km (we averaged about 10), it isn't too harsh on the wallet for such a big vehicle.It effortlessly provided extra grunt when required for overtaking on the highway, and negotiating a few steep and rocky inclines deep in the Snowy River National Park. On the downside, the transmission can be a little slow in gear changes, but there's always the option of manually deciding the gears for yourself.From the moment I took off from the inner city and headed south on the M5 to collect my partner in road grime, I found it easy to get myself in a comfortable driving position, with all controls within simple, clear reach. The added bonus of finding an MP3 jack to plug into my iPod to provide the road tunes was a pleasant surprise.The sound system was of an above average quality, but steering wheel audio controls would have been a welcome addition.A sunroof is a surprising addition to the Kia.Although park entrance fees to the Snowies are more than most national parks, you can see where your money goes, with the $5 million raised each year from visitor fees being spent exclusively on the park.As many as 25 camping sites complete with toilet and picnic amenities cover the length and breadth of this natural playground. Most are on pristine creeks, rivers and lakes, making the 4WD and camping enthusiast spoilt for choice.As far as summer activities go, the Snowies provide as much or as little as you'd like. From trekking up Mount Kosciusko, as we did, to simply resting by a babbling river somewhere and reading a book. But beware, bring your insect repellent because flies love it here.Back to the Sorento. On the downside, it is slightly let down by vague handling and wobbly road manners. It isn't meant to be a sports car, but it was noticeable on all road types.Even around the city, its unsteady nature is was evident at fast and slower speeds.There's too much movement in corners and bends and the light steering lacks efficient feedback to make the car feel stronger.However, the fact that the Sorento is a “real” 4WD is a bonus in my eyes.Although we could have done the same trip without the low-range gearings, the added confidence they give on trips like this is a crucial ingredient to having a safe and enjoyable time.And when you saddle the Sorento CRDi up against its competitors, it gives it a distinct advantage over most when it comes to off-road ability at this price and equipment level.

This time around, Toyota's famed Cruiser series has eschewed the workhorse machines and started the four-wheel drive wagon range with the V8 petrol-engined GXL.That's made the entry level that bit higher in price, a bit more packed with gear and technology.It has also placed the 200 Series firmly in the premium SUV category, both in pricing and features.So while in the bush or on the beach it is hard to go past a LandCruiser's ability. There are some European marques offering some dirt track ability with a premium badge outside and luxury fittings inside.And if, having won Lotto, a family was setting off around Australia without concern about travelling budgets, the 200 Series LandCruiser would be the choice of vehicle.The Toyota is a big wagon not out of place in fancy digs nor bush camps, a comfortable rig for long highway hauls or exploring the roughest of country.There is the added benefit of understanding there should be a Toyota dealer or service point in just about every town from Brisbane to Bullamakanka.(And the nice folk at Toyota have given this new LandCruiser a fixed schedule at $180 each for the six standard services over the first three years or 60,000km.That doesn't quite take the sting out of the purchase price, especially that $10,000 premium for the V8 diesel engine, but it is a nice gesture to keep Toyota buyers coming back to Toyota service centres.)So climb aboard the all-new Cruiser and there's an air of familiarity.There is the all-new body but it does not stray too far from Toyota's current style DNA; it looks like a LandCruiser with hints of an overgrown RAV4 or Kluger.It is a big vehicle, 60mm longer and 30mm wider than before.And that size is noticed around the town and in the car park, particularly after a steady diet in recent times of new SUV offerings from the likes of BMW.The Cruiser body, though more aerodynamically efficient than its predecessor, fills out to the wagon's four corners where the Europeans have a little more swoop and curve.The Cruiser's 17-inch alloys look a little short-changed, which may add to the perception the Cruiser's is a big body.And so the 200 Series Cruiser's bulk is noticed in the traffic. It is quite manoeuvrable in tight spots but needs a little extra road room than some.With the GXL now the entry level model there is a wealth of cabin do-dads for comfort and convenience and safety.There is the keyless entry and engine start, trip computer, the extra two seats out back, leather upholstery, dual zone air conditioning and a quality stereo system. (Now it may be a bit sissy, but with all these buttons and dials why no audio controls on the steering wheel?)There is a deal of gear in here, decent instruments and a high and mighty drive position, aided by electric adjustments for the two front seats. There is a good deal of interior space (130mm more cabin length than before) and, as usual, fit and finish is to a decent standard. VX and Sahara models score a busload of airbags; front, side, knee, curtain and second seat.The 200 Series is quite refined for a large wagon that's eminently capable of tackling the worst of conditions.Here the V8 petrol engine is well muted, the five-speed auto transmission quick (and quite adaptive to driving styles).A long highway run, with light load, saw consumption at 14.3 litres/100km. Around town, that edged closer to 16 litres/100km.The VX petrol Cruiser weighs in at 2.6 tonne. As good as the new suspension is, this weight cannot always be disguised.The ride is soft, sometimes it feels too soft at suburban speeds with the smallest hint of wallow. Likewise on tighter turns; at street or highway speeds; there is a touch of body roll and steering response would appear a little slow.So it takes a little adjustment but soon enough the Cruiser fits like a (big) glove and there is always plenty of grip from the four-wheel drive, aided in VX and Sahara models by vehicle stability control and traction control.Switch off the VSC for attacking sand tracks and the petrol Cruiser loafs through deep and soft drifts, the V8 working away, transmission slurring through its shifts.Switch on the crawl control button for attacking nasty off-road inclines and descents in low range. This feature regulates engine responses and braking system to keep vehicle speed steady (there are three speed settings). This is much appreciated as it allows a driver to concentrate on the line of attack, feet off the throttle and brake pedals.It is a very comfortable, comforting machine in the real tough stuff, a big and comfortable wagon for touring tar or dirt roads with the family in safety.The 200 Series is a better riding, more advanced machine than the 100 Series wagon that came before. It is packed with technology and a load of comfort features. It remains one of the world's best four-wheel drives for serious off-road work, it remains a robust tow vehicle.But at these new prices there is now competition for the LandCruiser as a town taxi from some of those European machines and from cheaper, less-frills four-wheel drives (such as Toyota's own 70 Series wagon) for off-road work. 

At a time when most makers are launching their 2008 models and already have their EU4-compliant diesels available, Land Rover has launched its EU4-spec 2007 Defender.But, having taken nearly 60 years to come this far, the Defender has never been a vehicle to rush into anything.The “new” Defender is a stop-gap until an all-new Defender arrives about 2010.To be sold between now and then, it needed an EU4-compliant engine, and the 2.4-litre unit from the Ford Transit fitted the bill (if not the Defender's engine bay).The defining exterior feature of the '07 Defender is the bonnet bulge required because the Ford engine is taller than theTd5it replaces.For the engine to meet Land Rover's criteria for off-road use, ancillaries such as the alternator and air-conditioning compressor were moved higher on the engine and sit snugly under the bump.The new engine is a 2.4-litre iron-block, alloy-head design with 16 valves, common-rail direct injection, a variable-nozzle turbocharger and an intercooler.It produces 90kW at 3500rpm and 360Nm at2000rpm, with more than 315Nm of that torque available from 1500 to 2700rpm.Power is the same as in the Td5, but there's 60Nm more torque. ADR combined fuel figures are 11.0L/100km for the 110 wagon and 11.1L/100km for the 130 double-cab.A new six-speed manual gearbox offers a broad spread of ratios to keep the Defender's modest power on the boil.The torquier engine and wider gearing make it a more relaxed vehicle to drive, delivering 50km/h per 1000rpm in top gear and sub-2000rpm highway cruising.You can now hear your passenger speak at a normal level on the freeway, even though the cabin still lacks the sound deadening and carpet of most modern vehicles.The Defender's interior is now a much more comfortable place, thanks to a new dashboard with integrated air-conditioning.Keen spotters will have noticed that the old vent flaps under the windscreen have been removed — that's because Defender now has a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system that brings it into the 21st century.Land Rover quotes a heap of figures about improved airflow and quicker heating and cooling, but the improvements simply provide what you would expect in a modern vehicle that is sold around the globe. Air-conditioning is fitted as standard equipment.In yet another concession to modernity, there's an all-new dashboard incorporating a Discovery 3 gauge cluster, a modern audio system and simpler heating controls.Combined with the improved seats, you could almost forget you were driving a Defender if it wasn't for the 1950s ergonomics and the handbrake digging into your left leg.The new seats are taller, with proper headrests to make them more comfortable and safer.In the 110 wagon, the second-row seat is also improved. It splits and folds to allow easier access to the rear, where a pair of third-row seats are a $2000 option.Basic as the Defender's interior is, it has to be said the optional third-row seats are among the best and most comfortable available.The Defender's high roof and square sides allow a more upright seat that is raised off the floor, providing proper leg-room and headroom for anyone up to 182cm in height.The two seats sit outboard in the cargo space, leaving a passage between them for passengers to access the rear door.When not in use, the seats fold up to the sides, where they take up a fair bit of cargo space. The third-row seats are a factory option that can't be retro-fitted, and all seats have three point belts.The Defender range in Australia comprises just two models, despite the multitude of variants available in Britain.Only the 110 wagon and 130 double-cab are sold here, although Land Rover Australia says it would like to be able to come up with a viable business case to sell the 90 here.That should be easier now the 90 is available with the option of two extra seats.The 110 and 130 share their driveline components, including full-time 4WD with high and low ranges. Live axles front and rear are suspended on long coil springs which provide plenty of axle travel.The 110 has ABS and electronic traction control, but the 130 doesn't even get a limited-slip rear diff. I can hear the farmer swearing from the bottom paddock, where his Defender ute is stuck in a boggy hole.The value of electronic traction control was clearly shown over a section of deeply rutted track with holes almost perfectly placed to lift diagonally opposing wheels.When the 110 lifted its wheels and stopped, the ETC could be heard braking the spinning wheel and sending drive to the wheels with grip, keeping the wagon moving.When the 130 reached that spot, it simply stopped, wheels spinning in the air. It could advance only by using a lot more momentum.Although the Defender now has a bit of refinement, this has never been a model bought for its comfort. It's a purpose-built enthusiast's vehicle, not a soccer mum's SUV.It continues this tradition for the time being, but it's anyone's guess what will come after 2010.With the Jeep Wrangler's resurgence and the introduction of the Hummer brand to Australia, there's a swell of popularity for military-inspired four-wheel drives — and, in that regard, the Defender is the real deal.

At the same time Defender's loyalists are drawn to the minimalist design, to a vehicle that can take you just about anywhere, that you can treat badly, but that will still bring you home in one piece again.Available in a myriad of variations world-wide, it's a vehicle favoured by the military, aid organisations and government agencies as well as those who simply love the great outdoors.We take two models, the 110 wagon and the 130 cab-chassis, which misses out on traction control.Designed primarily with functionality, practicality and reliability in mind, it's also a vehicle that you can literally hose out when it gets too dirty.But the underlying design could well be the Defender's undoing, with no plans to continue production beyond 2010 when it no longer meets minimum safety standards.The problem here is that with only 25,000 sales a year world-wide, redesigning the car for the 21st century could simply be uneconomic.So, with two years to run, Land Rover has just updated the current 2002 model for what is perhaps the last time, to produce what is arguably the most comfortable Defender ever but one that is still just as tough.Having said that we managed to crack the engine case of our test vehicle, a 130 cab- chassis through bad luck more than bad management.On a particularly tough section of bush track, a stone is thought to have been flicked by one of the front wheels with sufficient force to punch a hole in the crank case in an area otherwise shielded from hard knocks.It was a million to one chance but some putty and a top up for the oil later and the vehicle was back on the road.In a nutshell, that describes what the Defender is all about.For the new 07MY model the TD5 five cylinder diesel has made way for a Ford 2.4-litre four cylinder unit, a six speed manual has been added and cabin comfort has been greatly improved.The new 2.4 litre diesel is the same engine that can be found in Ford's Transit van and is good for 90kW of power and 360Nm of torque, with 90 per cent of torque available from 1500rpm.In comparison, the old engine was good for 90kW and 300Nm.The six-speed manual is a welcome addition with a lower first gear for extreme off roading and a higher sixth gear for more relaxed highway cruising.Fuel economy is rated at 11.0 litres/100km.We reckon second gear in high range is still a little too tall for the speed we wanted to maintain.Defender runs a full time four-wheel drive system, with low range selectable via a traditional transfer lever. We found changing between high and low range tricky at times and the turning circle is terrible.Inside, more elbowroom has been created by moving the front seats towards the middle of the cabin. The seats themselves are surprisingly comfortable and in the wagon a third row of front facing seats are now available as an option.The padded dash draws on instrumentation from the Discovery with a centre mounted analogue clock. You even get a CD based sound system but surprisingly no iPod connection.Gone are the pop up air vents replaced by standard airconditioning.Land Rover has lost count of how many Defenders it has sold in Australia and indeed how many different versions of the car it currently produces.The bushy's bushy has been sold here since 1949 and many a back paddock can attest to its rust resistant alloy body.Defender 110 is priced from $48,990 and 130 from $50,990. 

There are now a couple of ways into the Sportage, the soft-roader compact from Kia.The latest of these Korean wagons offers two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive versions plus the choice of petrol or diesel engines for the four-wheel drive machines. And these revamped packages have some style and value appeal in a crowded part of the market.More than 1.5 million Sportages have been sold worldwide since the launch in 1992; 16,000 of those have been sold into Australia since 1997.But while the original machines were more a rival to Suzuki's four-wheel drive Vitaras, the new generation has eschewed the two-speed transfer box and full chassis. So today's Kia Sportages are more a competitor for the likes of Honda's CR-V, more the soft-road option where it once had some off-road 'heritage.'Around here the turbocharged, diesel-powered, four-wheel-drive version with six-speed manual is considered the best, and most versatile, of today's Sportages.But even that machine, held in first gear, runs a bit too quick for any semi-serious paddock crawling; it likes its engine revs and the gearing is a bit tall so for meandering through serious ruts a bit of clutch-slip may be neededThat's a pity because the original Sportage; with its low range was handy enough for a small four-wheel drive.No, this diesel-engined Sportage prefers more open, faster country; dirt, tar or sand.Indeed, the 2-litre Sportage EX CRDi wagon is a compact flyer and much fun to push along through the traffic, down a country road or over a mountain range.It is forever willing; with maximum power of 103kW arriving at 4000rpm and best torque of 304Nm at 1800rpm it works almost like a small petrol motor; second gear starts are out. And this CRDi is available only with the six-speed manual, which helps contribute to the engine's driveability.Kia's been in the diesel-engine business for some time (primarily on commercial vehicle applications) so have a reasonable head start on some others when it comes to producing refined oil-burners for passenger cars.This one is a little gem and features common rail direct injection plus variable geometry turbocharger where the vanes close a little to increase exhaust pressure, and then more turbo boost, at lower speeds.The torque is available from 1800rpm through to 2500rpm so there's a fair bit of flexibility here. Kia claim it should deliver 7.1l/100km but pushing it around can see that consumption run out closer to 9l/100km.And all this is done with a fair degree of fun, especially at a starting price of $32,490 for a machine of some sophistication.Ride comfort is good and this diesel four-wheel drive Sportage has a decent amount or road balance and grip to match that engine's eagerness.These days the four-wheel drive versions run front-drive until the electronics detect wheel slip and send up to 50 per cent of drive to the rear. For rough-roading at speeds up to 30 km/h the Kia system can be locked in 50:50 four-wheel drive with a dashboard switch.The current generation Sportage is maybe not as distinctive as the first. Most automotive stylists (leaving aside the Chrysler boys and girls for the moment) appear to have taken on this ubiquitous look for the compact SUV class and the Kia effort is more of the same (even if some of those lines toward the rear are contradictory).So after all that fun and excitement, the two-wheel drive LX version with two litre engine and the optional four-speed automatic was not quite the same.This Sportage wagon is happy enough doing the shopping chores, not so much the tourer.Pushed around, the front-drive Kia tends to understeer and kneel at the front in corners; the diesel version appeared to be better-balanced at the front; perhaps the extra weight of the diesel helps here. And with the petrol engine the automatic transmission takes the shine off most press-on drives.It is a compact, well-kitted machine. All Sportages arrive with today's usual list of airconditioning, power windows and mirrors plus ABS for the four-wheel disc brakes plus driver and passenger front airbags.The cabins are well-sorted with no real ergonomic complaints. The rear seats are reasonable for this size and style of vehicle where there is a decent amount of rear cargo area.But while that diesel, four-wheel drive version of the Kia Sportage has some value virtues, the two-wheel drive Sportage may not find as much custom.

Nissan had no real reason to rethink or rework its X-Trail compact four-wheel-drive. It has been doing well. Starring, actually.Its sales figures led in its class in 2003 and have kept it in the top three against the Toyota RAV-4 and the Honda CR-V every year since it came to Australia in 2001.But things are getting tougher, the X-Trail was getting older, and Nissan knew it was time for an update without ruining the original recipe.So it took the standard approach: more room, more power, more economy and better equipment.And it's still priced from $31,990.The safety package is underpinned by anti-skid brakes with brake force distribution, six airbags and electronic stability control.Nissan decided against changing the appearance too much after research showed owners and intenders like the looks. However, every piece of sheetmetal is subtly new and different.The body is bigger and stiffer but the basic lines are the same, apart from a brushover, muscular front bumper and swelling wheel arches.Visibility is excellent. A sloping bonnet and headlight markers give a clear sense of the front corners. Restyled pillars add to the airiness of the roomier cabin.A revised suspension means a lower boot floor and about 50 per cent extra capacity, including a hidden removable drawer.Interior surfaces are improved, and armrests are padded for better comfort. Redesigned instruments and switches add to the feeling of better quality.Nissan has simplified and smartened the X-Trail's electronic AWD system with the choice between two-wheel, automatic all-wheel mode or 4WD lock being selected with a dial on the console.A downhill control uses the brakes to maintain a descent speed of 8km/h, and a hill-start system automatically activates on a slope of more than 10 per cent. The stability control can be deactivated to allow some helpful wheelspin in deep sand or gravel.Surprisingly, there is only one engine — a 2.5-litre petrol motor — though Nissan is looking at the viability of the diesel available overseas with either a six-speed manual or a continuously variable automatic.Buying the $31,990 ST X-Trail gets you all the essentials with fabric trim, 16-inch steel wheels and full-sized spare. The $35,990 ST-L gets 17-inch alloys, foglamps, leather-trimmed wheel and a six-stacker CD audio system.The top-level $38,990 Ti adds leather upholstery, sunroof and heating on the front seats.THE X-Trail has always been a real off-roader. The RAV and the CR-V may be better city choices, but the Nissan has been the real deal off the blacktop. Improvements have increased its on and off-road performance, though it still falls short of being truly car-like.The cabin is fairly quiet except for some tyre noise over rough bitumen.Steering is well weighted and precise in following commands, but the feel is strangely artificial.The engine is a highlight. The 2.5-litre four is a strong unit that serves the X-Trail well, having more on tap than most of its competitors, developing 125kW at 6000 revs and 226Nm of torque at 4400.The manual mode in the CVT is lacklustre unless revs are kept high, but in full auto it takes care of most tasks neatly and very smoothly.The CVT wins out on economy, coming in at 9.3L/100km. The manual is 0.2 higher.The fuel figures, decent price and sturdy reputation will keep attracting X-Trail fans, but you can't help wondering if the new Nissan would win even more Aussies away from the RAV and CR-V if its classy CVT was partnered by the diesel engine. 

Introduced in America in 2003, followed by Japan, Europe and Australia in 2005, it has performed well in the US but has had lacklustre sales locally largely because of intense competition in the luxur

There's a new Wrangler in town, and things have changed — big time. And nowhere in the extensive range of new JK-Series Wranglers are the changes more deeply felt than in the four-door, turbo-diesel variant.Extra doors and diesel donk aside, the big change from old Wrangler to new Wrangler isone of refinement and civility.No longer does the Wrangler drive like a truck and handle like a horse cart. The latest version, at least in four-door CRD guise, is a pleasant place to be regardless of the task at hand.Although the JK Wrangler retains its predecessor's separate chassis/live-axle design,it is, in fact, new from the ground up.The old four-litre, straight-six petrol engine has also been consigned to history. The JK-Series sports either a 3.8-litre petrol V6 or the first turbocharged diesel to appear in a Wrangler.The turbo diesel we tested was backed by a six-speed manual; alternatively, there's an optional five-speed automatic.As well as its turbo-diesel engine and six-speed manual, the test vehicle was fitted with the Renegade Pack, a $2500 option that includes a hardtop (as well as the standard soft top), tinted glass, side steps and a premium audio system with seven Infinity speakers (including a sub-woofer), a 368-watt amp and an in-dash, six-CD/MP3/DVD player.If you're a little confused about Wrangler nomenclature, the Sport is the standard model, the Rubicon is the far more serious off-roader, while the Renegade Pack is the aforementioned hardtop-plus-extras package.The “Unlimited” moniker simply refers to thelong-wheelbase, four-door variants.The Wrangler's live axles may not do much toenhance on-road dynamics, but they're one of thesecrets behind its impressive off-road ability.Live axles, especially in conjunction with coilsprings, provide lots of wheel travel, thusmaximising the chances of the tyres remaining incontact with the ground.In what is an unusual combination, the Wrangler combines live axles with electronic aidsthat include stability control, and bothbrake- and throttle-activated traction control.The throttle-activated traction control cuts the power when the wheels lose traction, while the brake-activated traction (BLDs, or brake-lock differentials, in Jeep-speak) can brake any individual wheel that has lost traction and is spinning faster than its mate on the same axle.The Wrangler's system has three operating modes that allow the driver to dial in the degreeof electronic assistance appropriate forthe situation at hand.With the ESP system fully engaged, full stability and traction control is maintained. Thisisthe default mode.In “partial” mode, the throttle-activated traction control is switched off and the stability control operates at a higher threshold. The brake- lock differentials are still engaged, however.The third mode allows the driver to fully switch off the stability and throttle-activated traction control, but retain the full functioning ofthe BLDs.The Wrangler's off-road strengths also extend to excellent approach and departure angles, good ground clearance, and solid front and rearrecovery points.On the other side of the ledger, the ramp- overangle of the four-door model isn't nearly asgood as the two-door's, visibility from the driver's seat could be improved, and the part-time 4WD system lacks the convenience of a full-time one.The Wrangler isn't so much a 4WD as a lifestyle. Witness the fact the doors can beremoved, the windscreen can be droppeddown and, with the Renegade Pack, youhave the option of a soft or hard top.Half-doors are also an option, and even thehardtop can be configured a couple of ways.Two easily removed panels above the driver and front-seat passenger give the feel of open-air motoring without having to remove the rear section of the hardtop — a two-person job.The interior is also comfortable and roomy with surprisingly good legroom in the rear. Safety features include driver and passenger airbags. Front-side airbags are an option.But there are some drawbacks. The centre rear-seat cushion is poorly shaped; the hardtop generates some wind resonance at highway speeds; there's no electric adjustment for the side mirrors; and the tailgate badly needs a brace to hold it in the open position.Some aspects of the interior fit and finish arealso pretty ordinary by today's standards.But there's no doubt the JK-Series Wrangler is light-years ahead of its predecessor in all theareas that count.The turbo-diesel engine is right up at the pointy end of things in terms of performance, refinement and economy, while the four-door model brings day-to-day functionality that previous two-door models could never achieve.With its various body options, the vehicle can be configured — almost on a day-to-day basis — to suit one's mood, or the activities planned.This is a Wrangler you can use every day, goholiday touring in, or head off for some serious weekend fun. It will do it all.

After all, in today’s field of cosseting off-roaders and outright marshmallow soft-roaders, the rugged Defender still steps up to the plate with pretty the same slab sides, hard edges and very basic design the badge started with about 60 years ago.It’s so far removed from the rest of the Land Rover range it may as well be a separate marque, and as such, it’s a dinosaur squaring off against a modern world of complex technology.And that’s its unique charm. There are absolutely no pretensions about the Defender. What you get is a truck as tough as a stegosaurus, and just as capable of ploughing through the primordial landscape.Unfortunately the stegosaurus has a few problems with tight turning circles and cornering at full gallop on bitumen — but the kind of person who wants to go riding a steggie isn’t going to consider saddling up a Siamese cat simply because it’s a bit more acrobatic.The newly arrived Defender has made a few changes but you’ll have to be a fanatic to spot most of them. The most noticeable is that there’s bump on the bonnet to accommodate the new higher-positioned engine, a 2.4-litre four-cylinder common rail diesel engine sourced from the Ford Transit and given a lubrication and sealing system upgrade to help it deal with the extreme conditions the offroader gets into.The engine develops 90kW of power and 360Nm of torque (20 per cent more than the five-cylinder turbo diesel it replaces). It meets EU4 emissions standards, but there’s also a specially tuned version for countries with especially poor diesel fuel.The new engine gets and anti-stall system and a sixth slot on the manual gearbox that controls the full-time 4WD transfer cases, but there’s still no plan for an auto — although Land Rover Australia general manager Roger Jory says there has been discussion.“An automatic gets talked about a fair bit, but nothing is planned,” Jory says.The springs and dampers have been revised and the Defender name has been replaced on the bonnet by Land Rover badging, but otherwise it’s very much the same tall and narrow box that the company proudly admits has been 'fighting the wind tunnel for 60 years’.However the interior has been given more comfort and style - at least by Defender standards. There are a redesigned fascia and instruments, more comfortable seats, tweeters join the two speakers for the audio system - and extra noise damping gives it (and you) a better chance at being heard.True believers will miss the dashboard vents that used to open straight to the outside, and probably won’t be consoled by the fact that the airconditioning/heating is now much faster and stronger.There are non-skid mats on just about every horizontal surface in the hose-out cabin, and traction control and anti-skid brakes will help you get through the kind of spots that will require you using the hose when you get home.But don’t expect to see airbags, cruise control, buttons to adjust the mirrors, any adjustment at all on the steering column or anything as luxurious as a vanity mirror.The new Defender is offered in the 130 Crew Cab Chassis version for $50,990 and the 110 Station Wagon for $48,990, with the only options being metallic paint for $900 or two comfortable forward-facing extra seats for the cargo area of the 110 for $2000. The company isn’t giving any sales predictions, but is confident of improving the slide that has seen this year’s figures so far down by almost half at 65.It’s a lot less noisy in the new Defender cabin. Land Rover says it’s 30 per cent quieter than the previous model, and while it’s not whisper-hushed at least you no longer have to yell a conversation between the seats.The diesel engine sounds agricultural - music to some ears - and while it seems on paper to be short on the numbers it doesn’t have any trouble doing the job. You get that extra torque across a wide rev range, and hit both torque and power peaks around a reasonably low 2000rpm.You have to reach for the gear change, and the shift action is extremely long throw, but the new top gear is tall and allows you to calm things down a bit for highway cruising, while first gear has been given a lower ratio for even more impressive crawl ability.The suspension improvements give it slightly more composure on the road, but it still bounces around like a Jack Russell on amphetamines. There’s also a lack of steering response, noticeable body roll in cornering and the narrow body means that the interior is cramped.But most Defenders only want to see bitumen in between getting from one gnarly spot to another, and it’s in the dirt that you really see what the stegosaurus can do – clawing its way up and down hillsides, though washouts and (with a 314mm ground clearance and 500mm wading depth) water that would stop most of its rivals.Offroading is helped with short overhangs and the ability to easily judge where your corners are, coupled with some impressive geometry. Maximum gradient is 45°, approach angle is 49° and traverse is 35°, while the 110 has breakover and departure angles of 30.3° and 34.6°, and the 130’s 27.5° and 35.2°.The second hand will sweep a quarter dial before you get to 100km/h, and then some time after that you’ll get to the top speed of 132km/h – with a bit of patience. But this is not a vehicle you buy because you want a drag car, it’s the one you buy because you have a job to do and the Defender can do it.But there’s a price to be paid in comfort, with the ground clearance making it a chore to climb into, and the narrowness that gives it access to virtual goat tracks also meaning it’s cramped for shoulder room, while leg room for the driver is challengingly tight.Jory describes the Defender as "an involving drive". What it involves is as much physical effort as a solid hour in the gym, coupled with having to keep your brain engaged at all times. This is not an idiot-proof offroader that will do all the work and thinking for you. If you don’t know what you’re doing out there, you could get into real trouble. If you do know what you’re doing, there’s probably nowhere on earth you couldn’t tackle in the Defender.Close to 1.9 million of them have been sold, and Land Rover says about 1.2 million of those are still on the road _ and some very rough road at that _ all over the world, many in various defence and emergency services or aid missions that have to deal with remote regions.The factory at Solihull in Britain builds only 25,000 each year, and since a lot of the vehicle is hand-built, it’s unlikely Landy will try to increase production.But the question is whether they’ll keep producing them beyond the current model’s sunset in 2010, when the EU changes emissions regulations for the commercial vehicle classification that has allowed Defender to ignore the passenger vehicle levels other offroaders must meet.That makes this tough and honest dinosaur an endangered species, but we hope Land Rover manages to save it — because its extinction would be a huge loss.Is there really anything tougher than a Landie? Have you owned one? What beats it? Tell us your story in the feedback area below...

We are rolling down the achingly beautiful Rocky River Rd in northern New South Wales and I'm wondering why more people don't head for the path less travelled. We're driving Jeep's first compact SUV, the strange-looking Compass, and it's an eminently suitable vehicle for the task.The compact SUV segment is growing rapidly, untroubled by the economical, environmental and ethically judgmental barriers that trouble large SUVs. Most people who buy compact SUVs do so for their luggage capacity, high driving stance in traffic and seemingly safe passenger cell.Few buy them for their off-road or dirt-road capability. Honda's new CR-V doesn't even make any pretensions in that area. Yet there are a few that are quite suitable out of the genteel suburbs and off the tarmac.Jeep, with its reputation for serious off-roading machines, would hardly jeopardise that with a soft compact. So we put the six-speed manual, two-litre diesel Compass Sport to the test with a weekend away in Tenterfield. Nothing too difficult, mind. No rock crawling, river wading, mudlarking and other activities. Just some craggy dirt roads and small creek crossings.Besides, any excuse to take a hike down Rocky River Rd is good enough for me. To get there, we drive down the tarmac to Boonah, the Compass loping along at ease in cruise control.While the VW-derived diesel engine clatters quite loudly at idle, it settles into a purr under steam. In fact, we can't hear it above the droning in the cabin from the tyre noise. Anyway, we drown that out with song and the reverie of a trip in its infancy.After breakfast at Flavours Cafe in Boonah we veer off on to the dirt road over the vividly named Wild Horse Mountain, along the tracks around the back of the receding Lake Maroon and on to White Swamp Rd.The Compass is now feeling at ease, its slightly jiggly back end working well over the corrugations.Settling into the cabin, we find this a typically Chrysler affair with too much hard plastic and a steering wheel which is not adjustable for reach. Still, the cloth seats are comfortable and there is a light and airy feeling with plenty of room up front and in the back.Mountains, valleys, gorges and heavily cattled fields disintegrate into dust behind us as we forge on down across the border. Several stops for photographs reveal that the powdery dust has found its way into the door wells so when we hop in and out, it is disturbed and settles in the cabin.Back on to the tar, we turn right on the Mt Lindesay Highway and when the road forks, we lurch left toward Urbenville. This stretch of bitumen is broken and lumpy as week-old porridge but the Jeep's plush suspension travel seems to cut right through without the vehicle becoming unsettled.Some 14km along the road we turn off on to Paddys Flat Rd which quickly disintegrates into narrow dirt that winds up and over several ridges, crossing creeks that eventually become the indolent Clarence River.The diesel pulls strongly over the ranges although there is a need to row the gears between second and third, not because of any lack of midrange engine grunt but because of a gap in the ratios and the subsequent drop in revs.With 200mm of clearance the Jeep easily straddles some of the bombers and branches strewn across the track. And when there is a creek crossing with an option of getting the tyres wet or using the old wooden bridge the choice is easy.Here we pull up on the little T-bar control next to the gearshift and lock the Freedom Drive into four-wheel drive to cope with moss-covered rocks in the creek.It's a breeze. Probably didn't need to lock in 4WD. Normally it runs 90 per cent of drive to the front switching to 4WD in low traction, so it could have coped.Back on bitumen and the glorious Bruxner Highway, we stop in at Drake for the pub's jaw-stopping steak sandwiches. Motoring fans will enjoy kicking back for a while here as the hotel has plenty of motorsport memorabilia on the walls, plus two Harleys and an old Honda race bike in the bar.We could easily wind 77km due west to Tenterfield on contented stomachs, but we double back along the Bruxner and deviate down Rocky River Rd.This is a picture postcard around every bend. Contented cows, drooping willows, babbling creeks frothing over granite rocks and campers idling away their Saturday afternoon. Makes you want to throw out the swag and join them.We stop several times for too-few photographs and press on into the blinding afternoon sun through a haze of bushfire smoke and dust toward Tenterfield.The home of Peter Allen's famous saddler is also home to Henry Parkes's famous federation speech and wide street after wide street of old stone cottages and churches, garnished with wisteria, willows, poplars, liquidambars and paddocks stocked with shetlands, goats, sheep and mushrooming granite boulders that look like purpose-built rock gardens.We shake the dust off our Jeep and our boots and settle into the Henry Parkes Comfort Inn for the night. Since there are few restaurants in town we dine in and hit the bed early after a long day in the car.Next morning there is still no need to fill up with the 51-litre fuel tank just over half full, so we head up the dirt road behind Bald Rock to Stanthorpe for breakfast and some wine tasting.We stock up at the Wine Centre and Heritage Estate with local produce, wine, some cheese and Italian sausage, then turn off the New England Highway at the road into Maryland. We get a little lost threading through farmland and across cattle grids, but somehow find our way through to Killarney, putting the last of the dirt and dust behind us.Back on tarmac we try to engage cruise control but it has stopped working. Could be dust-affected. Winding up the mountain toward Queen Mary Falls, the Jeep lurches around the corners that cut into the cliff and dangerously overhang the yawning canyon below.Compass comes with rollover mitigation, so we put our minds at rest and continue up and over, stopping for photographs at the top and gingerly pick our way down the narrow descent.With a quick detour to sample and buy some more wine at Kooroomba Winery near Mt Alford, we stop for lunch at the Dugandan Hotel; typical, wholesome pub fare.It's highway all the way back to Brisbane and we roll into our garage a little road weary from the droning cabin, but the Jeep still has enough fuel for Monday's commute. After about 700km with a variety of hard and easy driving styles, the frugal diesel Jeep has yielded about 7.5L/100km, compared with the claimed 6.5.Occasionally you have to take your compact SUV out of its city comfort zone and add some grime and dust to the exterior. Jeep Compass is just the vehicle for the task.