Left to its own, it sends 40 percent of driving torque to the front, up to 53 percent if the rears spin, and reduces front drive to 29 percent during steering. The test truck had full-time four-wheel drive with a Torsen center differential that's lockable by dash switch. The 4.7-liter V-8 is exceptionally refined in its sounds and vibrations. The 4Runner has sophisticated machinery below. LOWS: Overboosted brakes, hood scoop blocks view, ugly climate controls, ridiculous location for fuel-filler door release. HIGHS: A dancer's chassis muscles, well-calibrated throttle motions, disciplined V-8 noises. The result is an enveloping, no-sliding-around bench that earned our highest comfort marks for two passengers. It almost always feels better than leather. Once you're seated, comfort is quite good. The low roof doesn't make entry to the second row easier, either. But why is the roof low, closer to the floor? And why the low seats, barely off the floor, down at sports-car elevation? Toyota thinks this arrangement adds sport to its sport UV. The 4Runner has a high floor, not uncommon with body-on-frame construction. Blame it on this truck's people skills, and on the contrary packaging. This is not the expected rating for Toyota's extremely capable SUV. Fuel economy averaged 14 mpg over our evaluation trip, slightly above the mean for the group. Acceleration was middle of the pack, with 0-to-60 in 8.2 seconds.
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The driver's bucket is firm, with good thigh support for those long of leg. It has the best seating accommodations of the bunch although the low third-row cushions are not great for adults, they're tolerable. The Explorer finishes our trials having earned a great deal of respect. Inspecting the bottom later revealed scuffs but no wounds. Watch the oil pressure! Steer the wheels over the high spots! Along in here somewhere, our usually well-modulated technical director is heard to say, "This is some sick s**t."Īt the trailhead, the Explorer simply drove away, straight to the carwash, same as all the others. If you raise the seat fully, you can see out very well over the low beltline. You can squeeze on just the right amount of power to ease over rock steps. On the road the Explorer always maintains a certain prudent reserve it responds slowly to the pedals and steering. LOWS: All-bran brown interior, odd hounds-tooth printed metal on dash. HIGHS: The $$ incentives, roomy (relatively) three-row seating, no worries about overstimulating your cardiac condition. Darn, no heated seats in the Explorer! But we have warmth, not to mention six cup holders, a CD changer in the dash, and two rows of back seats complete with DVD movies.Īnd we got there, on top of Chicken Point, amazed at the view and the achievement. Let's just say we welcome Mommy's favorite ballet bus to the climb, and if it can do a demi-plié on Chicken Point, there'll be high-fives in PTA meetings across the land.Ī cold, early-January wind is blowing at the top, and the open-air riders on their Pink Jeep tours shiver in their heavy jackets. And if these rebates were as predictable as, say, lunar cycles, we could pull them into our as-tested calculation. The price? Uh, a blur of incentives lets you buy an Explorer right. Instead, we'll opt for AdvanceTrac full-time all-wheel drive and Roll Stability Control. What about the most ubiquitous SUV ever, 14 years as an American bestseller: the Ford Explorer? With two-wheel drive, it's as common as dandelions. We're aiming for a base sticker in the $35,000-to-$40,000 range. The Mitsubishi Montero has intriguing off-road capability, too, including the ability to be shifted from rear drive to all-wheel drive on the fly at speeds up to 62 mph.įrom VW, the agile Touareg might be pulled down to popular prices if we stay with the standard 237-hp, 3.2-liter V-6. The optional V-8 won't go breathless on us at altitude. Toyota's athletic 4Runner is certainly right for the mission.
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The spring season has two all-new mainstreamer SUVs: the Jeep Grand Cherokee, now with Hemi power, and a Nissan Pathfinder built on Titan bones.
#2005 ford explorer limited edition v8 rear hub driver#
Broken Arrow is a slow-speed trek demanding plenty of ground clearance and driver expertise. Exactly which SUVs? First, the all-important qualifier: The vehicles must have low and high ranges.