Premium Midsize SUV Off-road Battle Royale
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Lexus Test Driver
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Premium Midsize SUV Off-road Battle Royale
Vehicles tested are Q7/Q8, X5/X6, GLE, XC90, RR Sport, Grand Cherokee, and of course the RX.
Spoiler alert: the Range Rover maintains its reputation, if that matters to the 5% of buyers planning to take their lux crossover offroad.
Spoiler alert: the Range Rover maintains its reputation, if that matters to the 5% of buyers planning to take their lux crossover offroad.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Yeah.....Range Rover by a mile. No comparison. But, even apart from that, it shows how important good approach/breakover/departure angles, true locking differentials, suitable tire tread pattern, and an effective AWD/4WD system are. For difficult off-road conditions, not enough SUVs, today, provide those things......they are essentially raised station wagons. Of course, as Motorola notes, few people actually use SUVs like that today.
Lexus Fanatic
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Pole Position
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From: The Jet City
True.......Is the manufactures saying they're a real offroader or is the ppl that buy these say so? Or what?
Lexus Fanatic
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From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Actually, to a large extent, neither. Only 4-5% of most SUV owners (Wranglers are an exception) actually drive on significant off-pavement conditions...by that, I mean more than just a simple grass field or dirt/gravel road.
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Lexus Fanatic
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Yes Range Rover. Land Rover RR, Mercedes (G-Class), Toyota (LC and LX) are some of the most competent off-roading vehicles out there. Jeep is also extremely impressive with the iconic Wrangler, but if we're talking a bit more luxury, the Jeep Grand Cherokee offers three 4x4 systems which I'd wager the Wagoneer will have access too as well. Those are Quadra-Drive II 4x4 System with Rear Electronic Limited-Slip Differential, Quadra-Trac I 4x4 System, and Quadra-Trac II 4x4 System. Yes the most obvious competitors will be Tahoe and Expedition. But the Wagoneer will be six digits in some forms, hence the mention. Keep in mind the next JGC and upcoming Wagoneer will be more premium than ever.
The most stunning off road vehicles will be electric because you can have 4 separate motors... and that combo means as perfect a traction setup as could be made.
all the mechanical contraptions on 'traditional' vehicles have trade-offs in cost, weight, complexity, traction, etc.
all the mechanical contraptions on 'traditional' vehicles have trade-offs in cost, weight, complexity, traction, etc.
Lexus Fanatic
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Racer
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^ seems like Jeep is already doing it with their 4xe coming out. https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a3...brid-revealed/
And having an electric motor at each wheel means each can be adjusted, in microseconds to atleast a tenth of percentage for power output. Talk about incredible control.
Jeep says all the 4xe's high-voltage components are sealed and waterproof.
The most stunning off road vehicles will be electric because you can have 4 separate motors... and that combo means as perfect a traction setup as could be made.
all the mechanical contraptions on 'traditional' vehicles have trade-offs in cost, weight, complexity, traction, etc.
all the mechanical contraptions on 'traditional' vehicles have trade-offs in cost, weight, complexity, traction, etc.
Lexus Fanatic
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From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Even if that doesn't harm the mechanicals, it probably won't do the tires any good. That's why we were taught, in Flight School, not to pivot an aircraft around on the ground, while taxiing or maneuvering at close quarters, with only one of the toe-brakes. (many aircraft, unlike vehicles, have separate brake-pedals for left and right main wheels, which work by pressing the tops of the dual rudder-pedals)