Rubicon - Evoque sd4 - Ranger - Pajero - Panda 4x4 - Garage des blogs - S01e04

This fourth episode of the Garage des Blogs is dedicated to off-road crossing. We will put to the proof five vehicles the Ford Ranger, the Ranger Rover Evoque, the Mitsubishi Pajero, the Fiat Panda 4x4 and the mythical Jeep Wrangler. Three off-road test fields: the first, trail typed the second with more technical crossing area and a final area with an off-road faster track. The Rubicon is equipped with a 2.8L, 200hp diesel engine. The difference with the classical Wrangler is that you can activate or deactivate at will the front and rear differential lock and that is this plastic reinforcements all around the bodywork. On tracks, he is at ease. The suspensions are a bit stiff but as we are talking about a crossing vehicle they have to transmit the information to the driver. About crossing areas, nothing to say! I think it might be able to climb to the trees! It crosses on his own, even when struggling a bit… « Well, it doesn’t climb. We tried. We can try again. » … we go backward, then onward, no issue at all, it sticks to its position. On the faster track, same thing, it handles it easily. With the short gear transmission, you may have a lot of fun as the ESC deactivates automatically This is a great added value for this 4x4, you don’t have to search for the dedicated switch. I was really impressed by the Rubicon as I thought that a pure crossing vehicle would be a hell to drive on highways. Finally, no problem at all, the 200 hp make you feel at ease. Stabilized at 130 km/h on the highway, you activate the speed regulator; it is very stable and comfy. On standard roads, with these big tires, it rolls a little and the balance is not as good. But well, it is not its main purpose so in my opinion, it has a good general behavior. In three words : small, surprising, and surprising ! In everyday driving, it remains a small city car. The tested version is a 75 hp diesel. Something I was really amazed by is the level of quality inside the car. Compared to the rest of Fiat products and to its opponents, it is really unbelievable. The air con, the BT radio, the global level of finish, the chosen materials, it is all good perceived quality. What is also suprising is that despite it is a city car adapted to 4x4 crossing it does not have to blush to be compared to all the other cars we are trying today. It goes everywhere. On the first test field, on off-road tracks, it is at ease, very pleasant and comfy. On the other side, the head rests are very stiff and knock your head but for the rest of it: very good. Regarding the crossing areas, it can’t be ashamed face to the others. Its little volume makes it cross everything, sneaking through the obstacles. It a very short first gear that helps a lot. On the faster track, we can blame a little lack of power and torque compared the four others but it remains a nice player and cute car. You have in front of you a pure crossing machine of Mitsubishi: the Pajero. It is the limited edition Sport Black, 200 hp inside. Off-roads, it encounters no real difficulty, it is very comfortable, with a soft gearbox that is easy to handle. On open roads, which is clearly not its favorite playground, the car shakes and you are not very well hold in the vehicle. Crossing sections are its real playground. The engine / chassis / transmission package makes a wonderful work. Its four wheels are looking for and finding some grip anytime. Even with an open road configuration, with road tires, you may take the Pajero in very difficult areas. And if you get stuck, you just lower the tyre pressure, you lock the differential and the engine torque takes care of the rest. With specific off-road tires and by removing a fiew superfluous elements to get a little bit more ground clearance, almost nothing can stop the Pajero. It is also a great pleasure to drive that car quite fast because the 200 hp are there and allow you to maintain nice slips! It is well balanced in the corners so you never feel in danger. The Ranger is equipped with a 200 hp, 3.2L turbo diesel engine. It has a six gear automatic gearbox, very efficient, switchable from long to short mode. Generally speaking, you can say it is a big efficient American pick-up. On a flat ground, the suspensions absorb perfectly the shocks and allow you to drive without being shaken from one side of the car to another. On the crossing test area, the big amount of torque available is a plus. Despite the consequent wheelbase, we can climb everywhere, included the areas you thought it might be hard to go. Really impressive. On fast track, it remains very playful, handy and fun. The Range Rover Evoque in three words: design, life aboard and multipurpose. It is clearly the design that stands out with a very futuristic design and lower lines, more pronounced than on the other vehicles. Technically speaking, it is the « little » Range Rover, the SD4 developing 190 hp. First test, the off-road driving.The car is surprising, a real pleasure to drive in these conditions. On the crossing point of view, it is as well surprising, more than the others! Its ground clearance is very low, 21 cm. You really need to think of the angles of approach or you will scrape the bottom of the car. When facing a big climb, even if you have to stop in the middle, you will be able to continue your climbing. At last, on the fast track and compared to the others, you also need to remain careful, still related to its ground clearance and the lack of bodywork reinforcements. When driving, you are a little bit worried of damaging it, so you drive carefully. It really is a SUV ++! When driving in town, you have 5 cameras. It is really impressive, as the park assist. You can really say it is made for town. But when driving off-road, you realize that it is able to cross many obstacles. Not all, but really a lot of them. The perfect detail in my opinion: you can disassemble the car! There are levers to disassemble the roof, the doors, etc. You can take down all these elements and lighten the car to make it a terrific crossing machine! The stinking detail... In fact I have two: the preeminence of the plastic reinforcements at the front of the car. I can’t see the purpose of it, it adds 40 cm and you can’t see it when driving and parking, not easy though not to knock other cars. And, when crossing, you also risk to touch this area. There is also a lack of ergonomics on certain levers in the car. For instance, to light the inside lights, you have to turn the road lights lever to the end. The killing detail: the ELD, the differential managing system with balances the traction on the rear wheels, it is very well designed. The stinking detail: the head rests! It is really the one item to be redesigned on the car; they are not pleasant and too stiff. You always have the feeling they’re knocking your head each time you touch them. The killing detail: I’d say it is the gearbox, very soft. When compared to the Wrangler, the gearbox even when in crossing areas, is always shaking a lot and the switches from one gear to another are really tough. The stinking detail: it is the fact that we did not have dedicated crossing tires, which limited the vehicle crossing abilities. Also, the superfluous elements as the footboards. The killing detail is the rearview camera which is integrated in the rearview mirror. It is very handy and smart, with the accuracy of the rearview camera. The car is very well equipped, is modern and comfortable. The only bug is the caliber… You can’t park it anywhere you want. The stinking detail to me is the integrated lockable roll cover... (french joke – not translatable) ...which is not very practical to open and close. I would have appreciated an electric version. The killing detail? I will answer globally: the onboard quality. Two USB ports, the colors choice, a HMI is very complete. It is impressive. I will add a global Ranger Rover detail : by night, the profile of the car is projected on the ground. It is beautiful. The stinking detail, unfortunately, is the ground clearance. With 10 more centimeters, it would be more dreadful on off-road sections. It is really this ground clearance that tarnish the appraisal. Which vehicle would I go with? No hesitation, the Rubicon. It is to me a perfect compromise. You can have fun and be very efficient in off-road tracks and crossing areas and nonetheless it is comfortable to drive in all-day driving. Today, if I had to choose a vehicle only for crossing, it would be the Pajero because of its outstanding abilities to cross whatever you want. Among the five, I’d choose the Range because… I’m an unchallenged fan boy of the Ford Ranger! We’ll win! Nice slope! Right, right! Go on Charles! It is mission, impossible! It is hell... 3…2…1… Go! Come on! You be careful. When I say left, it’s left! Yes and not the other left? Yes, the right left! Did I look so dumb when driving? Oh yeah, you looked like as dumb as him Left, all left now! All straight now! He touched! he touched! We saw it, the tyre was hit It’s not the tyre, it is the stake!? All the obstacles were homologated by a track commisionary before, so stop. All this because they loose… Trust me... A nice acceleration, then nothing to save You didn’t put the mask on Audrey, come back ! Come on ! Backwards ! STOP ! On the right, on the right… No, NO ! Step back everyone. On the right, on the right That was horrific ! I really don’t feel well, I think I’m gonna puke ! They wanna cheat, we did not touch the tyre!