WIDE WORLD OF SPORT-UTILITIES: LET THE COMPETITION BEGIN
By Tony Swan
Detroit FreePress
Wheels spun. Muck flew. We were stuck.
Our quest for the best sport-utility vehicle had brought us to this godforsaken bog in the wilds of Huron National Forest near Mio. Would it take us any farther?
We bravely waded into the calf-deep mud and tied one end of a tow-strap to the rear of our mired-down '95 Ford Explorer, and the other to the tow bar of a Land Rover Discovery.
With engines whining, the tow-strap snapped taut, but didn't break. As eight, big tires tore into the soggy remnants of the forest road, the Discovery helped haul the Explorer to safety.
Contest over? Discovery wins?
Well, no.
Life is rarely that simple, and there's certainly nothing simple about buying a $20,000 to $35,000 sport-utility vehicle.
Of course no one wants to drive a wuss.
We want a tough truck that can handle rocky roads, mud bogs and sand hills. That's how we know it can jump a curb in an emergency or get us home in the worst snowstorm of the winter.
But a great sport-utility vehicle involves more compromise than testosterone because we also want a smooth, quiet ride on city streets, lots of room, up-to-date safety features and all of the comfort and convenience options we've come to love in our cars.
So we took five of the best compact sport-utility vehicles we know on a 450-mile test drive that covered everything from suburban streets to dirt tracks.
Our benchmark was the Jeep Grand Cherokee, which generally has been considered the best sport-utility vehicle on the road.
Our challengers were the four new or redesigned trucks that have gone, or are going, on sale this year: the Chevrolet Blazer, Ford Explorer, Land Rover Discovery and Honda Passport.
Since this was the first side-by-side comparison test anyone had ever done with these trucks, we had some big questions to answer.
Explorer has been the best-selling sport-utility in America ever since it debuted in 1990. Could the new version be the best, as well as the best-selling, sport-utility on the road?
The original S-Blazer was pretty much the first compact sport-utility, and almost certainly the best, until Explorer and Grand Cherokee came along. Could the new Blazer reassert itself as a leader?
Discovery is not only Land Rover's first compact sport-utility vehicle, but its first attempt to build an affordable family truck. Could Discovery deliver the same performance and panache as the British truck-maker's bigger, pricier models?
Passport is Honda's first sport-utility as well, although it's actually built by Isuzu to almost the exact same specifications as the Isuzu Rodeo. Could Passport deliver the kind of quality and top-notch performance we've come to expect of Hondas?
All of the answers are inside.
You'll find our report on each truck as well as our rankings.
One peek at our chart tells you that this was close--and that your own test drives might very well produce different preferences.
We also can say that if off-road capabilities were the prime criteria, the results would be much different.
But for most of us, sport-utility vehicles are essentially cars with extra ground clearance, four-wheel drive, extra cargo capacity, an added sense of security and an extra measure of rugged panache.
So our judgments are based largely on the same standards we apply to automobiles, with safety features right up at the top of the list.
1. Ford Explorer
Although most members of our test crew agreed that the Limited version of the Explorer wouldn't be their choice if they actually were going to sign on the dotted line--too much money--we also agreed that a less lavishly equipped Explorer looked like the best bet in this tempting field.
The new Explorer carries forward the key virtue of the original: best-in-class roominess. It adds improvements in almost every other area, including a simplified (but sophisticated) four-wheel-drive system we think is the best in the business.
It's also one of only two sport-utility vehicles that includes dual air bags--a key point--and even though it was a preproduction sample, its construction quality was excellent.
This isn't the best choice for serious off-road use. But for the kind of sport-utility driving most of us do, we think the new Explorer is the champ.
2. Chevrolet Blazer
Although we think the Explorer is tops, we also think it would be a mistake to omit the Blazer -- or its GMC Truck twin, the Jimmy--from your list of possibilities.
In fact, only a couple of items kept this test from being a dead heat: The Blazer lacks a passenger air bag, and the four-wheel-drive system wasn't nearly as easy to use.
However, all hands enjoyed the Blazer's smooth ride, and the performance of its V6 engine was best-in-test, hands down.
We also give a small edge to the Blazer's new exterior design, which embraces the whole vehicle, rather than just the front end.
The Blazer and Jimmy aren't quite as refined or roomy as the Explorer, but they're gutsy performers and provide the best value.
3. Jeep Grand Cherokee
We were impressed with the Grand Cherokee's ability to clamber over uneven terrain. When it comes to picking your way over really rough stuff, the Jeep is second only to the Land Rover.
However, limited rear-seat legroom, limited cargo capacity, the absence of a passenger air bag and a heavy price tag held our Grand Cherokee Limited back in the final tally. Even without the extras on our test vehicle, the least expensive, two-wheel-drive Limited costs nearly $29,000.
If you're partial to the Grand Cherokee's styling, and those drawbacks aren't important to you, a better bet is the SE model, which starts at about $25,000.
4. Land Rover Discovery
The Discovery drew mixed reviews on the pavement, but it's clearly top gun when the pavement ends--the Duke of Dirt.
It also has a commendable array of safety features, including dual air bags, and full-time four-wheel-drive is standard equipment.
But for all its size, the Discovery isn't very roomy inside, nor is it quiet. Its sheer mass, attributable in part to ultra-rugged construction, limits the performance of its engine, the only V8 in the group we tested.
The Discovery also is expensive. Our loaded test truck had about $3,500 worth of stuff you easily could do without, but with a base price of upwards of $29,000, the Discovery still isn't what you'd call a bargain.
Nevertheless, the Discovery has a quirky British charm and character all its own. And if there's dirty driving on the horizon, it's got the right stuff.
5. Honda Passport
The Passport's spot in our rankings is deceptive. Members of our test crew who had never driven this vehicle--even when it was known only as the Isuzu Rodeo--were pleasantly surprised by its good road manners, its capable off-road performance and its roominess.
We were all impressed by its price. This was the only vehicle in the test that cost less than $25,000.
But with no air bags, and antilock brakes on the rear wheels only, the Passport and Rodeo are clearly behind the times in terms of safety features. The interior is just as
clearly behind the times in design.
Still, if safety features aren't on your list of priorities, the Passport is a very good buy.
Copyright, Detroit Free Press
12/01/94
CHEVY BLAZER
Based on preview drives in preproduction vehicles, we were prepared to be impressed by the Chevy Blazer. And we were--with a couple of reservations.
Like the Ford Explorer, the Blazer and GMC Jimmy have been extensively redesigned for '95: new skin, new interior, lots of work with the chassis and suspension. The smooth new aerodynamic styling, which goes well beyond the Explorer's front-end job, was first by a nose in the beauty contest, lurid purple paint and all. But the Blazer's real strong suits were on the functional side of the score sheet, starting with ride quality.
The suspension setup in our test vehicle, a well-appointed LS model, was tuned for a little extra comfort on the street, which it delivered, best of t
