Off road

From the liberation of Kuwait to our city streets, the Hummer has been a surprising success in the automotive world.Back in the '80s Hummer was building Humvees for the US Army. They hit the spotlight in the first Gulf War and pretty soon celebrities like Arnold Schwarzenegger bought them for the streets.Hummer replied with the roadworthy H1, then a slightly downscaled H2. These are only built in left-hand drive and the only ones you can buy here have been converted in Gympie.Soon GM will import the right-hand-drive cute “baby” of the brawny Hummer family, the H3.We would have had it now, but for minor ADR production problems at the right-hand-drive Hummer plant in South Africa pushing the national launch back to the start of October.I recently drove a H3 in California for 10 days. The smaller military-style SUV still stands out from the crowd, even on the big SUV-dominated interstates of southern California.Perhaps it was the burnt orange colour that attracted attention, but it enjoyed favourable stares everywhere it went. Except San Francisco. Here, the tree-hugging hippy liberals in their small hybrid cars gave it disparaging looks.One unscrubbed homeless gent even mumbled something rude under his breath and spat in the general direction of the H3 as I fed the hungry parking meter. At least he didn't bother asking me for change.Like its bigger brother, the H3 is a boxy-looking car with a high floor and low and wide interior.It seems like a big machine, but inside it is quite cosy for four adults.You could fit five, but the middle rear seat has a pull-out drinks container which makes the seat hard and uncomfortable for long stints.That hot rod slit-window look also has its drawbacks for rear passengers, making them feel a little claustrophobic.A big sunroof at least quelled some of those feelings for my two teenage daughters and gave them a bit of a sightseeing advantage on the Golden Gate Bridge and among the giant sequoia trees of Yosemite National Park.The slitty windscreen doesn't inhibit the forward view, but the rear view is limited by the narrow window with the door-mounted spare tyre cribbing even more of the space.However, there are some advantages of the steep and small windows.Firstly, the sun doesn't get into the cabin which means you don't drive with your knuckles and knees in the sun and the interior stays cooler, longer when parked outside and locked up.That's a big advantage in 40C heat when dad is having a sleep in the carpark at one of the many premium factory outlets that dot the Californian landscape, while the rest of the family is indoors melting the plastic credit card.The advantage is that the short windows wind up and down quickly for paying tolls. California was in heatwave conditions when I was there, so the shorter time the windows were open, the better.While the airconditioning coped well with the record temperatures, there are no vents in the rear compartment to circulate cool air.Despite being a truck-like vehicle, the commanding driving position, ride and handling are very car-like.The seats are soft yet supportive and multi-adjustable, which is good since the steering wheel is height- but not reach-adjustable.There are also no audio controls on the steering wheel and there is only one control stalk which services the blinkers, lights, cruise control and wiper/washers.Build quality is solid throughout; a little too solid since the heavy back door is a real chore to open and close, especially when parked on the steep inclines of a San Francisco street.The model I drove had chrome bumpers, side steps, petrol cap and roof racks. It is not yet known whether these will be standard or options on the Australian models.Despite its army exterior styling, the interior is quite comfortable and refined and has won awards for its class.Out on the road, there is surprisingly little wind or road noise, despite the steep rake of the windows and the chunky off-road tyres.This SUV is actually built for rugged off-road conditions with its front and rear recovery hooks, electronic transfer case, big clearance, big wheels and sophisticated stability control. It's not really designed for the tarmac.On the interstate concrete pavements and smooth streets of Frisco, the H3 actually feels a little highly sprung with the leaf spring rear getting quite bouncy over carpark speed bumps. This is not typical of American cars which are usually softly sprung.We headed for Yosemite, hoping to put the on-paper off-road credentials to the test. Sadly, the national park roads are all smoothly paved and you can't drive on the trails.The off-road credentials show an intent for rugged work, except for the omission of a hill-descent function.Still, it coped quite well with the steep inclines of Frisco and the world's wiggliest and steepest street, Lombard St, where the speed limit is 8km/h.Along Big Sur, which is a windy coast road the breathtaking equivalent of Victoria's Great Ocean Rd, the H3 felt a little sloppy with plenty of pitch and roll.It is not yet known whether the suspension will be tweaked for Aussie conditions and driving tastes, but it would be expected.We packed four adults and a mountain of gear into the vehicle with some cramming. The cargo space is not as big as it looks because of the high floor.With all this extra weight the 3.7-litre engine struggled a little.It seemed to rev a lot to get going and to accelerate for overtaking. But once on a roll, it rarely baulked at hills with its grunty dose of torque.However, in the record heat and on some of the longer and steeper inclines of the Sierra Nevada, the engine temperature went uncomfortably high.The four-speed auto transmission seems rudimentary, but coped well without any indecisiveness, hunting for gears or flaring.A five-speed manual may also be available here.The strong disc brakes got a good workout on long and dangerous descents down windy roads into Yosemite Valley without any hint of fade.Steering is typically American with a vague centre and plenty of play. It goes into corners with some understeer.If its off-road credentials stack up the way they do on paper,  transmission aside, it should sell well here as a rugged alternative to the gentrified SUV competition.One company that will be monitoring sales is Toyota whose lookalike FJ Cruiser has been a success in the US and could be a goer here.I parked the two side by side at Yosemite and drew an instant crowd of fans, even though it was just a couple of days after Al Gore's worldwide greenie concert.Of course, the first thing these admirers wanted to know was the fuel economy.I drove high-speed interstates, cities, steep canyons, you name it. This was no economy drive, so the average consumption was about 15.2 litres per 100km.That may seem high, but given the conditions and the fact that 'gas' costs only 80-85 a litre, I wasn't complaining.

Barely 15 minutes into a two-hour cruise on the East Alligator River, and the reason there have been so many deaths over the years became apparent. Three European tourists decided to play Russian roulette by wading across the water at Cahills Crossing, water teeming with large saltwater crocodiles.The Aboriginal boat operator, a keeper of the land in the tourist-ridden spiritual area of the Northern Territory, was mortified. This is the location that has claimed plenty of cars, the odd truck and more than a few lives; including a fisherman who had his head torn off by a croc which leapt from murky water.The three senior travellers survived, (this instance of foolishness at least) because a driver in a 4WD Toyota HiLux making the short crossing from Kakadu to Arnhem Land stopped and politely put the fear of God into them.Earlier we had driven the 200km from Darwin along the Arnhem Highway in the new Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series wagon, taking in the scrubby landscape which transforms into jagged prehistoric-looking rocky topography the deeper you trek into the pristine reaches of the Kakadu National Park. Sandstone escarpments provide a magnificent sentinel to Arnhem Land near Ubirr, which stretches beyond a wetland area that is NT's own Garden of Eden.The country is alive with paper bark trees, pandanus palms, spear grass and sedges, while flowering water lilies thrive in the wetlands.There are constant outbreaks of spot fires near and around the main arterial roads, thankfully not sparked by ignorant smokers flicking butts, but by landholders regularly managing the environment themselves. Burning patches of land, lit generally around mid-afternoon in the cooler months, prevent catastrophic fires raging out of control. The fire slows as the temperature drops in the evening and is put out by the morning dew. The 70 Series tripped around Kakadu for a couple of days, seating three in comfort with loads of luggage space in the rear.This wagon variant of the long-serving 70 Series troop carrier and cab chassis is a first, joining the Cruiser model which was revised a few months ago. Among the changes are the switch to a more environmentally friendly 4.5-litre turbo diesel V8 that meets Euro 4 emissions standards. When parked next to the 11-seat troopy, it's not hard to see where the wagon's roots lay, with the revised leaf-spring rear suspension and squared-off wheel guards.This wagon does a good job of blending recreational offroader and serious working truck. It drew more than a few comments from inquisitive 4WD owners around the well-worn sights, such as the vast Mamukala wetlands, 7km from the meandering South Alligator River.Kicking up a trail of dust along rutted dirt tracks the 70 Series was at home as it trucked through areas full of buffalo, wallaby, magpie geese and clouds of white cockatoos. There is reasonable comfort in the cabin, although three adults on the rear bench seat can be a squeeze, particularly on a tour like this.You won't find any of the plush trappings of the hot-selling Euro SUVs. Although the 70 Series wagon has a CD player with MP3 capability, there are no airbags. The dash is largely as it has been over the generations and features squared-off hard edges and exposed screws in the trim.It retains a rather agricultural edge but that is the market it plays up to.This truck pulls and pulls. You can sneak away almost from a standstill in third gear and it won't protest, which supports the figure of 430Nm of torque being available from a measly 1200rpm.From the first fill on this northern adventure we squeezed about 550km of use from the 90-litre tank. Diesel at Kakadu was $1.45 and the 70 Series wagon was guzzling about 16.4litres/100km with about 113km done in short bursts around Darwin and the remainder at 130km/h on the signposted limit on the Arnhem highway.There are sizeable approach and departure angles and a huge 230mm worth of ground clearance to tackle serious terrain. There is some more power-assisted steering at low speeds dialled into this wagon.This high-standing truck picks up a lot of breeze when the air is moving on the open road and as the laws of physics dictate, the 70 Series can wander off trajectory. Off the beaten track, it can tackle any task with two-speed transfer case, manual front hubs and limited slip differential.It is an honest truck that delivers no false promises and does not pretend to cosset passengers in any degree of luxury.

Strip away the Jeep badges and no one would know that the new Compass has the longest and strongest bloodline in the four-wheel-drive world.It is more like a Korean people mover than a 4WD Jeep, even if it has the brand's signature seven-bar grille on the nose.That will be good for people who want a practical city wagon that is not one of the crowd.And the $32,490 starting price and chance for diesel drive make it a little more appealing.But you have to question a Jeep that was designed to lure twentysomethings to the brand in the US and is not remotely capable of taming the famed Rubicon Trail, America's toughest off-road test in northern California.Compared with the latest Wrangler, the classic Jeep that did so well in our recent test, the Compass seems like a sellout.A bit like a piece of designer clothing with a famous name as the selling point.Still, it will make some shopping lists against cars such as the Toyota Kluger and Subaru Outback.That is because the Compass is an all-wheel-drive wagon with plenty of cabin space, engines with 310Nm as a turbodiesel and 125kW with petrol power, and even a hi-tech constantly variable transmission.Chrysler Group Australia has landed the Compass as part of the model explosion that has added so many newcomers under its Jeep, Chrysler and Dodge badges.They run from compact city cars to full-sized four-wheel-drives and the cult favourite 300C, which helped put an end to the Ford Fairlane.The difference, this time, is that the Compass is a big brand stretch behind a badge that has made its name and reputation for serious 4WD ability.But that does not worry the head of Chrysler, Gerry Jenkins.“We expect there to be a growing demand for SUVs with fuel economy, ride comfort and roomy, efficient packaging, and the Compass means that the Jeep brand is ideally placed to meet this,” he said.“Customers are increasingly interested in family hatchbacks with 4WD because they offer better handling and enhanced safety on the road. The Compass fits the bill and it is designed to reach younger customers who may not have previously considered the brand but value the distinctive Jeep look.”The Compass line-up runs to two models and three mechanical packages.Both the Sport and Limited are available with the 2.4L four-cylinder engine hooked to either a five-speed manual or the CVT transmission.The turbodiesel is only available as a manual. Prices run from $32,490 for the petrol manual Sport to $40,490 for the diesel Limited.Equipment is good and includes everything from electronic stability control and six airbags to the usual electric gadgets, alloy wheels, airconditioning and the rest.The AWD system in the Compass is called Freedom Drive, but does not qualify the car as “Trail Rated.” The Jeep rating for vehicles that can tame the Rubicon though an upgraded model with more off-road ability is on the way.

Forget everything you ever heard about Land Rover's littlest child, the Freelander. The misbegotten, ill-mannered brat that arrived in Australia in 1998 — and spent the next decade throwing tantrums, sulking and shedding its clothes and toys in a trail behind it — is gone. Not even sent just somewhere to learn manners and dress sense, but locked away in its room forever, never to be seen in polite company again.The compact off-roader had been successful overseas — it sold about 500,000 globally over its life span — but sensibly, we never really took to it down here, and it eventually evaporated from our showroom floors.In its place, Land Rover has spawned a much better heir, with DNA from its Volvo and Ford stablemates, and some etiquette and lessons in facts of life from its bigger sibling, the Discovery 3 and Range Rover Sport.Starting with a completely blank sheet, the Freelander 2 delivers what the first never did — a well-balanced package that's equally at home on and off road, with a premium fit-out and a good whack of the latest technology.It arrives with only a five door body, but with the choice of two engines, both mated as standard to a six-speed automatic with simulated manual mode. The $49,990 petrol version is a new 3.2-litre transversely mounted inline six developing 171kW and 317Nm, with claimed performance of 0-100km/h in 8.9 seconds and consumption of 11.2L/100km.The $51,990 oilburner, borrowed from Volvo's XC90, is a terrific direct injection 2.2-litre turbodiesel that pumps out 118kW and a chunky 400Nm, using 7.5L/100km and getting to 100km/h in 11.7 seconds, and has a manual transmission as an option.But in either of them, just about everything inside and out now looks like quality, and like it actually belongs in the Landy line.While there are still faint hints of the first Freelander's stepped roof and `clamshell' bonnet, the body's strong lines and bold shape more closely echo the popular Disco, with a similarly brawny grille and a much more coherent overall design.Even at the base SE trim level, the interior feels upmarket, with excellent embossing and feel to surface plastics, set off by subtle metallised accents on steering wheel, air vents and centre console and a few clever touches like the special CD-case slot in the glovebox.Standard equipment includes a multifunction steering wheel, 17" alloys (with full-sized spare), six-stacker audio system, dual-zone airconditioning, rain-sensing wipers, rear park control and the seven airbags that have helped it to a five star crash rating for occupant protection.And at $7000 more with either drivetrain, the HSE is a handsome thing, with a well-fitted leather wardrobe, 18" alloys, bi-xenon headlights, upgraded audio with extra speakers, memory settings for seats and mirrors and a general air of luxury all round. There's also the option of a Technology Pack for $6890 that adds touchscreen DVD satnav,The only grumble we had was a small squeak that appeared after about an hour of driving. But when we tracked this down to a bit of friction where the audio system was set into the dash, a sharp admonitory tap silenced it for the rest of the drive — a lot of which involved off-road stresses.The powered seats offer great lumbar support and with tilt and reach steering adjustment, the driver has no trouble finding a comfortable position. Freelander 2 is bigger as well, with a noticeably wider track and more shoulder room. Although even the extra length still leaves taller rear passengers with their knees touching the front. But at least the kneecaps will be lightly brushing, rather than banging, with the Freelander's new-found composure due to a focus on technology aimed at offering the best possible drive in any situation.Key to this is a rock-solid body sitting on a compliant suspension that allows a fair bit of travel but is stiff enough to prevent too much wallowing on bitumen. On this base, Landy has added a brilliant terrain response system, with four settings — general driving; grass/gravel/snow; mud and ruts; and sand — that take over where your skill set might be lacking.The intelligent full-time four-wheel drive system that uses Haldex centre coupling technology to continuously adjust the torque between front and rear, ranging from a minimal amount in normal driving to almost all being fed to the rear when things gets gnarly under there.Traction and stability controls, including a gyroscope-based roll prevention system and hill descent and gradient release control that `walk' you down tough slopes , work on the hefty anchors (316mm on the petrol version and 300mm on the diesel) to keep you as composed as possible. What all that means on the road — and off — is that no matter what you throw at the Freelander, it's pretty well up to the challenge.Scooting around hilly bitumen and gravel at enthusiastic speeds, the vehicle offers a smooth, car-like ride in the general mode, and had impressive poise, although while the steering responds quickly, there's a remote feel to it. And after a couple of hundred kilometres of this, we still posted 9.6L/100km in the diesel.But the real fun came in several rounds over an off-road course, where the Freelander never faltered. Up and down the steepest of slopes, and through sections of slime or ruts deep enough to lose sight of a herd a cattle, the vehicle made even the least competent — and that would be me, folks — look like a professional dirt dueller.Equally impressive was a test where, stopped over huge humps with one wheel high in the air — a stance guaranteed to reveal any sign of body flex or drop — you could open and close the doors without any problems. We went over the course several times with both drivetrains, and have to say that while the petrol handled it easily, the diesel did it effortlessly.Land Rover says they benchmarked Freelander 2 against the BMW X3, which has had a monopoly on the premium compact SUV segment until now. There is more competition on the way from Mercedes, Audi and Land Rover's own partner, Volvo. But for now, the Freelander itself will be keeping BMW on its toes, especially with off-road abilities that best the X3 and a price that shaves it by close to $20,000.

Step into the cabin of Toyota's latest LandCruiser and it's like opening the door to a time machine: the latest 70 series is a serious workhorse and its maker doesn't apologise for its utilitarian design.There's plenty of 1980s-looking plastic, old-fashioned dials and controls and painted metal, and although there are some comforts (a CD player with MP3 capability and air conditioning), there aren't air bags or anti-lock brakes.The wagon's big appeal is its toughness and go-anywhere ability. It also showcases Toyota's spanking new turbo diesel V8. It's a real gem with plenty of grunt and, thankfully, doesn't have the penalty of excessively high fuel thirst.Its mechanicals are from the “tried and trusted school of engineering” rigid live axles, manual hubs to engage the front wheels, manual mirrors, high-rise snorkel for deep creek crossings and leaf springs for the rear suspension — terrific for loads but body jarring when unladen. In short, it feels bullet-proof.The new old-looking Cruiser was launched in Australia in March and so far has won widespread acclaim from testers. That has flowed on to strong customer interest, with Hobart dealer CoOp Motors reporting about 20 outstanding orders, which won't be filled until August because of demand. Most of those orders are from farmers and tradies for the ute-chassis version, although this latest Cruiser comes in three variants with a choice of two specification grades (Workmate and GLX).The cab-chassis and stretched 11-seat Troop Carrier carry over but Toyota has added a five-seat wagon to fill the gap left by the discontinued entry-level 100 series wagon; it's ideal for farming families or logging contractors who need to get a crew of three or four to bush sites.The difference between the no-nonsense Workmate and the plusher GLX is the latter gets cloth instead of vinyl trim, more chrome, front door armrests, bigger wheel flares, power-operated radio aerial, alloy wheels, carpet, power windows, fog lamps and central locking.The built-like-a-block styling (Toyota says it expresses strength) looks unchanged but everything is new from the A-pillar forward. The Cruiser's footprint is wider than before to improve handling and ride.Prices start at $53,990 for the Workmate cab-chassis and wagon, which is up 2.8 per cent on the old six-cylinder models. Troopy prices start at $59,990, while the dearest model is the GLX version of the Troop Carrier at $61,490.If you want air conditioning it's $2640 more for all models; dif locks, worth considering, add $2735. If you don't need the rear seats in the Troopy Workmate, the price drops by $1100 and you can choose not to have the secondary fuel tank on the Workmate to save again.The new 4.5-litre clean-burning, common-rail V8 diesel with turbocharging and intercooler is used across the range. It has 430Nm of torque available from 1200rpm to 3200rpm, making it wonderfully flexible. Power is a modest 151kW at 3400rpm. This engine, with even more grunt, will be used in the coming 200 series Cruiser. On the road You'd think a big boxy, diesel-powered off-roader with big-tread tyres would be a pig of a thing on the highway but it's far from it, although the 'Cruiser would be even better if it had an overdrive sixth gear instead of the five-speed manual box for more relaxed cruising.As it is, it pulls 2200rpm at 110km/h, with bucketloads of torque in reserve when needed. Expect some understeer and body roll, which come with the design. The recirculating ball and nut steering is well weighted and makes the wagon easy to drive, although there is occasional kickback through the wheel at crawling speeds when it comes to tackling the rough stuff.Point it up steep hills and it takes it all in its stride without a whimper, its ability limited by the tyre's tread pattern. Steep downhill runs can be a bit tricky if you don't have dif locks engaged.The cabin is surprisingly comfortable but the sometimes odd, scattergun approach to the layout of controls takes time to get familiar with, and the audio system sounds awful.The big surprise was fuel consumption. You'd expect a big, heavy wagon to cost an arm and a leg (perhaps both legs) to keep on the road but Toyota claims an average of 11.5 to 11.9L/100km, depending on the model. That gives it a theoretical range of about 1500km on dual tanks. I couldn't match that but certainly a fuel return of under 13L/100km is easily achievable for normal city and highway use. Off-road, however, is another story. 

Land Rover's Freelander 2 is nothing like the original.That's a good thing because it was something of a problem child.We hear those people who bought one are actually quite fond of them but, unfortunately, we don't share those sentiments.The first Freelander lacked any real off-road ability and was, for the most part, under-powered while the interior decor incorporated plenty of nasty hard plastic.It's no wonder then that when it came to the replacement, Land Rover's designers decided to scrap the whole thing and start with a clean slate.Freelander 2 is new from the ground up with no carry over parts from the original, apart from design cues like the clam shell bonnet.Even the badge adorning the front radiator grille has been changed.If anything, Freelander 2 looks more like a mini Range Rover than its predecessor with its neat, square but rather conservative styling.That fits well with Land Rover's plans for the car because it has tried to take it up-market to compete in what it describes as the 'emerging' premium compact off-road segment.Until now BMW's X3 has had the running almost to itself, but as well as the new Freelander there are several more competitors to come in the near future.Prices for the new model start at $49,990 and it's a rather impressive debut.That figure gets you a 3.2-litre six-cylinder Volvo engine, six-speed automatic, leather upholstery, climate air conditioning and a long list of standard gear.There is a fuel-saving 2.2-litre Peugeot diesel but it has a $2000 premium.Both versions are fitted with the Japanese Aisin auto, which includes a manual change mode.Although a six-speed manual is offered with the diesel overseas, we will not be getting it here.Land Rover is not saying how much it has spent on Freelander's development, but it produced 150 prototypes in a 30-month period that it tested over four continents.We were invited to test both petrol and diesel versions of the five-seat wagon in the back lots of  Gold Coast this week.It was slightly larger in all dimensions than the previous model and this is particularly noticeable inside where driver and passenger are no longer rubbing shoulders.There is slightly more rear leg room and the boot capacity has increased, although some load space has obviously been sacrificed for a full-size spare which sits under the floor.On the road the new Freelander offers a refined ride, with a little body roll at low speeds but can be driven hard with confidence over dirt or bitumen roads.Predominantly front-wheel drive, the all-wheel drive system automatically sends power to the rear wheels as needed.We were particularly impressed with the strong performance offered by the in-line six, with 171kW of power and 317Nm of torque.It has a nice rasp under hard acceleration and sprints from 0-100km/h in 8.9 seconds, with fuel consumption rated at 11.2 litres/100km.However, the diesel remains the more practical alternative with 118kW of power and 400Nm of torque as it delivers 8.5 litres/100km.It is expected to account for up to 65 per cent of sales.Off-road the new Freelander has plenty of electronic aids to compensate for the lack of low range gearing. Ground clearance is 210mm and the vehicle has a wading depth of 500mm, with dial in 'terrain response' to suit a variety of driving conditions - just like the Discovery and Ranger Rover.The Freelander comes with seven airbags including a knee bolster, it was also awarded a maximum five stars in Australian crash safety tests. 

Jeep was a bit slow on the uptake in the small SUV stakes, but it has made up ground quickly with an assault on this constantly-growing segment.Earlier this year Jeep introduced its first soft-roader, the Compass, to the local market. Now comes its second small SUV, creating a virtual “his and hers” set.While the Compass is aimed at women, the Patriot is packaged and priced for the blokes wanting an entry-level Jeep.A challenging northwest US launch route for this latest creation, carrying the trademark Jeep signatures — a seven-slot grille, round headlights, clamshell bonnet and upright windshield — showed the maker can confidently class it as a vehicle that goes beyond the typical soft-roader.Starting about $1000 below the Compass base price of $32,490, the Patriot is classic Jeep. Its rugged looks are expected to turn the heads of those looking to downsize but wanting to retain the style.Jeep already has the most fuel-efficient SUV in the world, in the Compass, at 6.5 litres of diesel per 100km combined consumption for the 2.0 TDI model. The squarer, more traditional-looking Jeep Patriot, is only marginally behind that, at 6.7 litres.Both share the same Dodge Caliber platform, a near-identical features list and the Freedom Drive I system — a full-time, active four-wheel-drive system with lock mode.Safety measures include standard side-curtain air bags, brake traction control, driver-controlled three-mode electronic stability program, brake assist, electronic roll mitigation and anti-lock braking system.The mirror-image theme continues within, with removable flashlight and central armrest designed to hold an MP3 player or mobile phone and a flip-down speaker system in the tailgate.Patriot features a standard 2.4-litre world engine, with dual variable valve timing providing 125kW of power and 220Nm of torque.The engine is mated to a standard five-speed manual transmission or an available, continuously-variable transaxle, which has been calibrated by Chrysler Group engineers and delivers a fuel economy improvement of six to eight per cent, compared with a traditional four-speed automatic transmission.As with the Compass, the state-of-the-art Volkswagen direct-injection, two-litre turbo diesel is also an option in the Patriot. Producing 103kW/310Nm and matched to a six-speed manual transmission, this is a model hard to look past.The Patriot will come to Australia in August in two guises, Sport and Limited.Sport includes as standard the 2.4-litre petrol engine and five-speed manual. It takes side-curtain airbags, ESP, brake traction control, ERM and ABS as standard and comes with cloth seats and 17-inch alloy wheels, among a long list of “features” new cars are expected now to have. Diesel adds about $4000 to the petrol manual-version price, with the CVT model sitting snugly between the two.The Limited adds speed control, a roof rack with cross-bars, body-coloured fascias, bodyside mouldings, fog lamps, leather-trimmed bucket seats and leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls.Also in the Limited models are heated front seats and a power express sunroof. Limited models will be about $4000 extra across the range. All Australian-destined Patriots have a full-sized spare wheel as an available option.Jumping behind the wheel of the new entry-level Jeep on the imposing US northwest coast — where rugged forest-capped mountains run to rolling sand dunes and a furious coast — it was clear the off-roading specialists wanted to break the perception that compact SUVs could not be capable beyond the bitumen.Nimble, with a comfortable ride on the sweeping-cornered blacktop surface, the Patriot's first off-road test was going to be its toughest.That test came in the form of a sprawling range of sand dunes, littered with quad bikes and looking much the home of the toughest off-roaders.Jeep heads, wary of the embarrassment that would be a Patriot buried in the soft sand, joined drivers for a tour of the dunes, navigating the way of the Patriots, which were fitted only with three-season road tyres. They had little to worry about, given the failed attempts of the Australian contingent to bog the cars.Logging tracks over those imposing mountains were the next test. Unfortunately for Jeep, the American authorities take a great deal of care with even their most isolated roads and Lthe tracks were hardly a test. The winding tracks did, however, raise some quibbles and concerns.Most in question is the durability of the Patriot, which rides relatively low for an off-roader. With 200mm of ground clearance, it is not going to make a rock-hopper.And, depending on your driving ability, the ESP's eagerness to kick in, even when you've technically turned it off, can be either annoying or reassuring.While they'd never make it over Big Red and you would not risk a solo outback adventure in the Patriot, it would make a quite worthy and bush-ready weekender.

"Who needs a sports car when you've got one of these?" It's not a phrase you'd expect to hear from a passenger in a Toyota LandCruiser Troop Carrier. And it is also less likely to be heard when the said vehicle is diesel powered.But it was said... although we cannot say with confidence that the enthused passenger - obviously excited by real-life handling and performance expelled from this gawky beast - has a great deal of authority when it comes to recommending cars.We will leave it that he is a good mate and a good photographer - responsible for the pictures of the Toyota Troopy which carried us into the South Australian countryside on a 800km-plus road test.The comment was even stranger considering the new 70-Series Troop Carrier is the first car in the CARSguide garage for quite a while that comes without airbags or ABS brakes. In fact, the Troopy is very much a rough-and-ready beast with a new turbodiesel V8.It growls, rumbles and even sounds a little like it's got a cold - the standard snorkel breathes near the top of the driver's door and it has a rattly breath with every gear change. Not that there needs to be that many.The Troopy has arrived with the turbodiesel V8 that it will eventually share with the 200 Series LandCruiser (albeit with more grunt). In this guise, it offers 151kW of power at a guttural and amusing 3400rpm, and a useful and even more amusing 430Nm of torque at just 1200rpm.The diesel V8 roars with gusto but can also dribble along on the ample torque.It can dribble for a long way, as well. With a 180-litre tank it uses, a claimed 11.9 litres of diesel for every 100km travelled, means it could cover more than 1500 country kilometres.The features list includes tilt-only power steering, manual mirrors (another novelty), variable intermittent windscreen wipers and front power windows (the rest slide horizontally).There's cloth trim and a bit of in-cabin storage, including square-shaped central cup holders, ideal for holding iced coffee cartons.Also in the relatively sparce cabin is a CD-equipped, four-speaker sound system which can generally make itself heard above the din, but airconditioning appears on the options list.It is practical, more than glitzy and, again, not a vehicle you would say is befitting of the silly off-the-cuff sports car comment.So, what prompted that comment from my offsider?It was most likely the 2115mm high Troopy's road-sticking ability at a decent clip which gave him the initial thought, followed by the fact he was not flung all over the place while using his laptop while trying to meet a deadline.For such a large beast, with a 235mm ground clearance, the new Troopy behaves pretty well on the open bitumen - even with its big, knobbly off-road tyres on 16in steel wheels creating plenty of noise on our coarse roads.The 70-Series LandCruiser Troopy weighs in at 2335kg and behaves itself on the open road with a decent load in the back.But where this big fella is going to shine most is in the off-road stakes, where the pizza-cutter rubber, tough suspension and ground clearance come into play. With the optional diff locks topping off a drivetrain that oozes off-road cred, the big two-door wagon will saunter through rough stuff unfazed.Wet, slippery forest tracks can be traversed with gusto and the Troopy has surprising agility for a wagon 2.1m in height.But it was a muddy farm track that brought the diff locks into play. Slithering along the trail, made even more entertaining by recent heavy rain, diff locks and low range were engaged just to be sure.The big wagon sauntered through the mud with only a couple of slithers and repeat journeys with progressively fewer features locked in didn't halt the progress - it just made it more amusing for the driver.For $60,000, it's a big chunk of change for such a spartan machine, but if you need to go everywhere and be certain of the return trip, there aren't many better vehicles to pick.

Toyota has been king of the 4WD market in Australia for decades. Some models, such as the best-selling LandCruiser, are synonymous with offroading in this country and the staple transport of many country folks.In recent years Cruisers have often become part of the suburban scene as well. However, they are truck-like in some respects and many suburban dwellers look for something softer, though still with a degree of toughness in looks and physical makeup.Enter, in late 2003, the Toyota Kluger. Slightly smaller than the traditional LandCruiser but still capable of carrying seven people, provided two of them are child-size, Kluger has more offroad ability than most owners will ever need.Based on the front-drive Toyota Camry, and a close cousin of the recently introduced Lexus RX330, the Kluger is a large, conservatively styled station wagon that performs almost as well as a conventional wagon in on-road conditions but is aimed at those who don't actually want a 4WD but rather the macho looks and practical interior space they provide.Cynics may laugh at vehicles like this but Toyota is merely being pragmatic in providing a tough-looking people-mover. And sales figures confirm Toyota has hit the nail on the head because it has been a winner here since the day it arrived. So there is already a good number on the used-4WD market.The limiting factor of the Kluger by 4WD standards is poor ground clearance. Kluger ride height is about halfway between that of a normal 4WD and a passenger car.However, the 4WD system is a good one that gives the Kluger good grip on slippery dirt roads so you can do some off-the-beaten-track running with little risk of getting stuck.But beach driving should be attempted only if the sand is reasonably firm as deep ruts can get the Toyota bogged down to its belly.Because of the lower ground clearance, ride comfort is good and Kluger's suspension soaks up typical Australian bush roads well.Handling on-road is better than average for the class. Interior noise levels are well suppressed almost to passenger car standards, because there's some Lexus in every Kluger — the two share a fair bit of underbody gear.Kluger can carry four adults and three children in comfort. The rear seat has a 60/40 split and slides backwards and forwards depending on how much passenger/luggage space you require. Rear-seat legroom with it pushed all the way rearwards is impressive.The front seat backrests can be folded back at right angles to make a not-very-comfortable emergency bed.The rearmost seat row is an optional extra that folds completely out of sight. When you buy a Kluger as a five-seater you get handy underfloor luggage spots. Build quality is good and, although relatively new to the Australian market, the Kluger looks set to have a long and trouble-free life.Toyota's dealer network is legendary in Australia for its reach and competence. Though not all outback dealerships will carry spare parts for the Kluger, they can generally get bits freighted to them within a day or so.Spare parts prices are about average for this class and we have heard of no complaints about availability.Underbonnet space is good and the competent home mechanic should be able to do routine servicing and maintenance work.As always, leave safety-related items to experts. And we recommend having a workshop manual on standby before you pick up the first spanner.Insurance costs are reasonable for a vehicle in this class. The fact that Kluger is really regarded as a car by virtually all owners certainly stands it in good stead in this area.UNDER THE BONNETPower comes from a 3.3-litre twin-cam V6 engine with plenty of grunt, even in the low-to-mid-range areas.At this stage the Kluger's engine hasn't been upgraded to the 3.5-litre engine seen in the Lexus RX350, but we expect that will be only a matter of time.The Kluger five-speed automatic is a sophisticated unit that's smooth and intelligent in its operation. It's easy to use it manually, though it's not a full sequential transmission in the modern mode.As befits a relatively upmarket passenger car, there's no option of a manual gearbox.DANGER SIGNSKluger's still quite new on the market, so there's no real history of problems at this stage, nor do we expect any.Be sure the engine starts within a second or so of you turning the key, and that it settles into a steady idle immediately it kicks over.Check that an automatic transmission doesn't hunt up and down through the gears and doesn't hold onto too high a gear when it should change down.Look over the body for signs of crash repairs. Examine the underbody for damage. The most likely areas to suffer are the bumper corners and the door sills. So few are taken into real offroad conditions that it's probably best to pass up on one that has.

It's the sort of gamble a pure numbers man would dismiss out of hand, but Michael Tynan is made of more adventurous stuff. "I am glad our financial controller is not here to hear this, but I reckon we have put in about $5 million" Tynan, head of the family-run Tynan Motors and TMI Pacific, said this week at the launch of the Indian-manufactured Mahindra Pik-Up.The bet is that TMI can convince enough buyers that the one-tonner from the Sub-Continent is a good fit in the Aussie landscape. The pay-off is a footprint in the highly-competitive Australian new car market and a place in industry folklore.There may even be a dollar or two in it."It's not a spur-of-the-moment thing," Tynan says. "It has been talked about, tested, prodded and poked for a couple of years now."Rob (Lowe, a Tynan Group executive) was on a private trip heading for Kenya and I asked him to drop in to Mahindra and take a look at the cars."He called and told me I had better get over there as these things were pretty good and there could be an opportunity for us ... and it went from there."The culmination of the program - and the first test of whether the gamble is likely to pay off — was the launch this week of four Pik-Up derivatives, a single and dual cab in both 2x4 and 4x4. Cab-chassis models with the option of any rear configuration are expected to be available within months.With a three-year, 100,000km warranty and 12 months' roadside assist - and starting at $23,990 for the single cab 4x2 through to $29,990 for the dual-cab 4x4 - the Pik-Up is certainly priced to grab attention.But don't call it cheap."We knew what we were getting ... we did not want a pretty vehicle, and we wanted it not to be the cheapest," Tynan says."That's somewhere you don't want to go" but we wanted it to be the best value and the most reliable.""We have had Pik-Ups in Australia for some time with farmers and other rural people."Essentially we just told them to take the cars away and do with them whatever they would do normally - basically, go away and break them - 12,000km later they came back with a few dog and kangaroo marks but nothing else. Not a hint of a problem and nothing fell off."It is that ruggedness, the apparent acceptance of the utes by those who use them hardest, and the competitive price, that TMI hopes can overcome a disastrous previous visit by Mahindra to the Australian market. Of that foray, Mahindra automotive sector president Dr Pawan Goenka concedes: “That was a mistake."The timing was wrong and we were not well informed about the market."This time is very different. We have done our homework and, with our partners TMI, considered carefully the market we are going into. We are well aware that in selling our products outside India the perceptions people may have is about the quality."With that in mind we — and most other Indian companies — have concentrated on the quality of our product, both in the engineering and production."Dr Goenka says although the Pik-Up is rated a one-tonner for Australia the car is actually engineered for an Indian tonne. "They are loaded until the suspension almost touches the ground, at least two tonnes," he says. The Pik-Up shares many of its components with India's most popular SUV, the Scorpio. The commonality ends only at the B-pillar, with some changes to the floor pan to accommodate the load tray and the use of a leaf-spring rear suspension.The power plant is a 2.5-litre commonrail turbo diesel with a modest 79kW@3800rpm and a narrow peak torque band of 247Nm between 1800-2200rpm.In the domestic market, the engine is a 2.6-litre unit but the stroke has been shortened to keep it under 2.5-litres for export markets, particularly Europe.Drive is through a clunky five-speed manual — a six-speed DSI-developed automatic will be available early next year.Standard across the range is power steering, limited-slip differentials, steel side steps, foglights and, on the 4x4 variants, automatic locking hubs and electric-shift 4x4 activation for the two-speed Borg-Warner transfer case.It features a 1:1 high-range ratio and a 1:2.48 low-range with sufficient ground clearance to make it a useful off-roader.The electric shift function is on-the-fly from 2WD to 4WD high, but requires stopping to go to low range and back and then back to 2WD - including the need to reverse a metre or two to disengage the hubs. The Mahindra Pik-Up is not going to win any beauty contests. Its look could best be described as functional industrial - if a little dated.The high, square-cab design means plenty of headroom front and rear but the cabin is narrow with minimal shoulder room. Interior trim is from the school of inoffensive cloth, mid-range plastics and a carbon-fibre print for the centre console.Standard features include air-conditioning, power windows, remote central locking, a Kenwood AM/FM/CD/MP3 sound system that has USB and SD card ports, an alarm, immobiliser, tilt-adjustable steering wheel, driver's footrest, front/rear window demisters and front/rear 12-volt outlets.What is missing, at least until September, are airbags and an ABS system for the disc/drum brakes. However, the seats are firm and a little too flat but not uncomfortable.Noise, vibration and harshness levels are surprisingly good and the build quality, at least from the two cars we drove, worthy of comment. Broken fire trails, steep inclines and rutted rocky sections produced not a single rattle or squeak in an unladen truck.The engine drives better than raw figures suggest. The narrow torque spread calls for some concentration if you don't want to slam up and down the gears, but it managed difficult sections without undue fuss.Throttle actuation isn't precise but that's an advantage in low-range on broken ground. TMI hopes to sell 600 Pik-Ups this year from 15 NSW outlets before going nationwide.