Road Test/Toyota Land Cruiser: In case you weren't aware, there's a debate raging as to what type of car Jesus would have driven, writes Michael McAleer.
It has been sparked by the anti-4x4/SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle) brigade in the US who are intimating that, by driving your SUV, you are not only harming the environment in this world, but severely denting your chances of getting through the pearly gates in the next.
Without tending towards blasphemy, we would have to conclude that Jesus would not in fact drive a glorified washing machine, as these folks would like to have us believe. In fact, as a well-travelled Arab with a need to get around fast and reliably, we suggest he would in fact drive a Toyota Land Cruiser.
It isn't a great leap of faith (excuse the pun) to argue the case considering the Land Cruiser has long been the transport of choice in the tough terrain of the Middle East for years.
The camel's greatest threat, the SUV loses much of its S (sport) when it comes to criss-crossing the Arabian Desert.
And for all the Irish fondness for imitation 4x4s, there is only a handful of real off-roaders, and the Land Cruiser is among the best. Take the recent Iraqi conflict.
Our eyes focused on the billowing smoke and the tanks as they entered Baghdad but close behind, if we cared to see, was a convoy of 4x4s from one of either three companies that powered the war effort on either side: GM, Land Rover and Toyota.
The popularity of Toyota Land Cruisers in the Arab world clearly signifies not just some shrewd marketing on the part of the Japanese firm, but a well-earned reputation for reliability and quality in some of the toughest terrain that keeps the oil-rich sheikhs and the Bedouins coming back for more every time.
After a week behind the wheel we can begin to understand. Whenever there's trouble, the UN and the Red Cross don't rush out to their Suzuki Jimnys and hit the road. They pin the flag to the front of the Land Cruiser, and mix it with the convoy of tanks. This is the real workhorse in the 4x4 market, as is well proven by its popularity with those who actually work, as opposed to the school-run mums who block our roads every morning in their under-utilised 4x4s.
On the road it handles itself well, considering it weighs in at a whopping 1,900kg unladen. The D4D common-rail 16-valve 3-litre engine we drove offered impressive take-off speed for such an ungainly beast and offers good pulling power even from start. On the narrow back roads we comfortably cruised, and the four-speed automatic box offered no significant lag. Fuel consumption was also relatively impressive, with a combined figure 27.2 mpg for the automatic.
However, while the engine was well powered for the body, you were never left in any doubt it was diesel. And the lack of tiptronic controls for the automatic left us waiting for reaction at certain times.
In corners, while it leaned when pushed - and what car doesn't at this height it was never really unnerving. In traffic it handles itself surprisingly nimbly, though it could do with some reversing sensors given its size (at 4,850 mm) and their relatively low cost. Nevertheless we had no problem slotting it in parking lots and height (at 1,865mm) was of more concern than vision. We were particularly taken by the truck-like door mirrors on either side that give a full clear vision of all behind you.
The suspension, made for conquering 20-foot sand dunes on the way to the oil field with only the mildest of displeasure, ate even our most cavernous potholes as if they were appetisers for the main meal.
No matter where we pushed it - onto severed edges of our road network, over the rock-strewn back road to a local beach and even up steep grass-covered sand dunes - we stared at the sky through the windscreen while the Land Cruiser toiled away underneath, in low gear but never uttering any great struggling whine.
The changeover from high-ratio to hill climbing low-ratio is one of the easiest to operate, and once you've mounted that ditch or climbed that sandhill you get that itch for ditch and it needs scratching.
Before long you find yourself tearing up the front garden, traversing the rockery and climbing up the front steps, all for the sake of research, of course. Unfortunately a great deal of the working elements for off-roading do not come as standard.
But there is more to the Land Cruiser than crossing deserts and conquering footpaths. The Land Cruiser is also capable on the motorway stretches and in many ways is a worthy competitor with the executive set. Certainly if you are of a mind to pull a horsebox or tow a boat, the Land Cruiser may offer the mix of pulling power and general ability that may fit your needs. For a working vehicle of its kind, it features a slip differential that adjusts power, or torque, between the front and rear wheels if it detects slippage in either. However, the great advances, such as air suspension (that raises or drops the height of the vehicle by 30mm) active traction control, hill assist and downhill assist and stability control are all options.
Aesthetically, the redesign may have been too influenced by irrelevant competitors and elements of the smaller RAV-4. In particular the front lights look better suited to a mid-range motorway family executive than a working 4x4. It may win the hearts of some of the school-run set, but we preferred the rougher edges.
Our test vehicle came with the optional row of back seats, making it a seven-seater, though the two seats at the back are quite tight, so anyone with plans for taking eight had better be with the circus. The back row of seats also limits the boot space but they could be folded away to the sides. The main rear seats also folded back effortlessly offering enough space for those of six-foot or less to stretch out and have a siesta as they prepare for their next trek.
Inside, and the leather was functional rather than impressive, and the lack of a cover for the luggage area would seem to invite thieves. The lack of air conditioning was a big disappointment, considering the price tag is over € 63,000.
Also, although the interior was better trimmed than some of the other working 4x4s, it was not of a standard that would compete with the likes of the Range Rover (though it is substantially cheaper). Our final qualm was with the radio, which was fidgety and not practical enough for such an all-round practical vehicle like this. But these are more niggles than issues, and no doubt specification problems can be argued out with the dealers.
In the end, with such a comprehensive package, the Land Cruiser would make it onto our everyday shopping list if the price were not so steep. That's the one hill it struggles to conquer.
FACTFILE:
ENGINE: 2,982cc 4-cylinder 16V DOHC with a 4-speed auto transmission. It offers 163 bhp at 3,400 rpm and 343Nm of torque from 1,600 rpm.
PERFORMANCE: Top speed of 103 mph and a 0-62 mph of 12.8 seconds.
SPECIFICATION: Only front airbags as standard; our GX came with optional back row of seats: no A/C as standard.
FUEL: Urban 21.6 mpg. Extra urban 32.5 mpg. Combined 27.2 mpg.
PRICE: €47,935 to €108,600.
THE COMPETITION:
Toyota Landcruiser D-4D LWB GX (Auto). 2982cc; 12.8 (0-60); 104 max speed; 163 bhp; 27.2 mpg combined; €63,950.
Land Rover Discovery TD5 HSE. 2495cc; 16.3 (0-60); 95 max speed; 136 bhp; 30.1 mpg combined; €58,950.
Nissan Patrol GR 5DR AUTO. 2953cc; 15.4 (0-60); 99 max speed; 156 bhp; 26.2 mpg combined; €63,995.
Hyundai Terracan 2.9 TD. 2902cc; 13.7 (0-60); 103 max speed; 148 bhp; 27.7 mpg combined; €41,000.
Isuzu Trooper 3.0 TD Exec A/C Auto. 2999cc; 15.8 (0-60); 99 max speed; 157 bhp; 26.9 mpg combined; €58,207.