"Best SUVs for Off-roading" According To Forbes Auto

[Thai]

Link:

Fobes 10 Best Off-roading SUVs

Top 10 SUVs for Off-roading:

1 Hummer H1 Alpha
2 Hummer H2
3 Mitsubishi Montero
4 Land Rover LR3
5 Toyota FJ Cruiser
6 Land Rover Range Rover
7 Jeep Grand Cherokee
8 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
9 Lexus LX 470
10 Lexus GX 470

Oh well, my truck did not make it...neither did Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. Damn it, even the Montero made the list!

 

[mjweber96]

How could it not? That thing is like a tank on 4 wheels!!

 

[Thai]

It's interesting...if you read the article, it says that two of the criteria for a good off-roader are body-on-frame design and good angles. Well, the Montero is UNIBODY with a departure angle of 18 degrees!:bonk: :bs:

 

[RonMAIDEN]

The Wrangler Rubicon isn't an SUV as per the others. The Montero does have an impressive approach angle since it has almost nothing in front of the wheels but that rear could be tricky but it is well protected underneath and I've seen a couple in action and they do an impressive job in stock trim.

The funny part is the odds of seeing most of those vehicles actually off roading is pretty slim.

 

[Thai]

The Wrangler Rubicon isn't an SUV as per the others. The Montero does have an impressive approach angle since it has almost nothing in front of the wheels but that rear could be tricky but it is well protected underneath and I've seen a couple in action and they do an impressive job in stock trim.

Wrangler is a SUV by classification i believe. It's kinda like the Miata of cars.

Montero: (remember, i am talking about the current generation of Monteros, not the older models)

- Approach angle is excellent...i agree. However, breakover and departure angles are not very good at all! Therefore, due to the very limiting breakover and departure angles, i feel that it's tremendous approach angle is useless under most off-roading circumstances.
- Zero wheel articulation from it's fully-independent suspension. And i am not kidding you...very little wheel articulation!
- Underbody protection is courtesy of plastic skidplates. Yes, plastic. Now, i understand that plastic in certain areas does a decent job of protecting. However, i prefer steel over the major mechanical stuff. Montero has ALL plastic skids.
- Finally, it's a UNIBODY. Rocker panels are low.

IMHO, Mitsu ruined the current Montero. I wished that they kept the old bodystyle along with rear axle and body-on-frame design.

 

[Fourty-four]

I can understand the Range Rover.....but the Range Rover Sport?

And where is the Xterra? That should have made the list ahead of the Montero.

 

[OUTRNNR]

Taking automotive advice form Forbes is like having a librarian recommend the best kind of plasma TV. They just don't know what they're talking about...

Mitsubishi Montero?!?!?!
Jeep Grand Cherokee!?!?!?

If you're going to put these jokers on there, then the 4Runner and Xterra should be present too...

 

[RonMAIDEN]

I figure the 4Runner is represented by the GX but they claim the GX is better off road.

I wish they could explain why certain models didn't make the criteria especially the Xterra since it does well in almost all of it's reviews by other mags and shows. I'd like to see those SUVs in some vids on trails and do the same obstacles and really see the action up close.

 

[Fourty-four]

Mitsubishi Montero?!?!?!
Jeep Grand Cherokee!?!?!?

If you're going to put these jokers on there, then the 4Runner and Xterra should be present too...

You don't think the Jeep is good off road? Even though the most current version is a bit watered down, it's still one of the better SUVs for off road. It has a good 4wd system (with the QDII) and decent articulation and approach/departure angles. It does lack a bit of ground clearance and has smallish tires, but it's still very capable off road.

 

[Thai]

GX is better than 4runner because of the optional KDSS system.

Jeep GC's biggest problem is not it's ground clearance, but it's BREAKOVER angle. I think that it's around 20.5 degrees. And i am not a big fan of unibody in an off-roader. It's underbody is pretty clean, even a bit cleaner than 4runner.

 

[RonMAIDEN]

The Jeeps QTII isn't without faults as I've seen the system struggle in person a bit when the going gets tough but it does suffer from ground clearance issues but it'll still go where most will go leaving a little undecarriage paint behind.

 

[05SportV8]

I wonder who put that list together.
I can only think that who did it had a "Minimum" limit in tha price range to put it there. Maybe $35.000 or $40.000 . If it is cheaper than XXX that should no appear there, even if it is a better offroader (then I don't know about the FJ, maybe because is new).
My guess is also that who did the list owns a Montero.
Still don't know why the Toureg, G500, Xterra, 4R are not in place of the Montero. I really don't think there is a place that a Montero can go where the 4R will not pass.


Bottom line: that list is Crap!! Tell the forbes dude to go buy some stocks and forget about making 4x4 comments.

 

[pipspeak]

Well that's a crock for one reason... two Range Rover models? I've never seen any such list that includes two cars from the same model line.

The only one I'm surprised about is the Montero too, just because the current model has been so soccer-mommed. All the rest seem pretty obvious (Hummers, Jeeps, Land/Range Rovers, FJ), though I agree there are some omissions.

And being Forbes, of course, they opt for the Lexus vs. the Toyota equivalents. Those Forbes readers needs their gadgets while crossing the Kalahari, after all. The Landcruiser is just too spartan!

 

[AlexJet]

I had 2003 Montero and I traded it in for 2005 4Runner just because on-road handing of Montero is sucks and off-roading 2 out of 10. My 4Runner is much better on the road and 10x times better off-roading, even in stock configuration. I agree, Montero is more city SUV, Dakar version is awesome, but it completely different to street one.

 

[Doubledown]

I was curious to know how the 4Runner stacks up against the GX. What is the KDSS system mentioned earlier?

 

[AlexJet]

I was curious to know how the 4Runner stacks up against the GX. What is the KDSS system mentioned earlier?

KDSS is some sort of disconnecting front sway-bar.
Both, 4Runner and GX has the same frame and V8 engine. GX has better aproach angle. So, I'd say pretty much the same.

 

[Thai]

KDSS disconnects sway bar front and rear at slow speed to help with articulation. I think that FourWheeler found that KDSS added about 100 to the RTI (ramp travel index)...from 420 to about 520. So, it definitely improves wheel articulation both front and rear.

Here is the Lexus video of KDSS:

http://lexus.com/models/gx/performance.html

Just scroll down.

 

[Kensho4rnr]

Forbes needs to put down the crack pipe!

4rnr Xterrra Old Cherokee Sport

 

[Koz]

Silly, useless information. The 4Runner is a much better off-road vehicle, then the GC.

Koz

 

[jrc_bar]

I think some of the cars listed on that Forbes List are not supposed to go there. But then again you might have to remember Forbes Is a high income reader oriented magazine. Meaning they need to list something an executive of a company would buy. Something sort of for status. Just to say my car is on the top off road vehicles according to Forbes.
I agree the should have added the Jeep Wrangler, and they did left out lots of other great off road cars. Including the G class which if I remember correctly is a far better offroader than a Hummer H1. The H2, give me a brake... that thing is a Chevy Tahoe with a nice body. I agree it has good ground clearance but is not as good as a Land Rover or a Jeep off road.
I have had to pull out with my Discovery more than once the H2 of a friend as he often gets stuck. O by the way they also forgot about the Porsche Cayenne or the VW Touareg, talk about ground clearance with the air suspension.
Any way as I said in my opinion that list is intended for another kind of consumer, some one more into the status market than the performance market. I can say that I do have two status oriented off road SUV's but you will never see them waxed and shining like if the just had come out of the dealer. jejeje
Here is one example of my 99 Range Rover