Off-road driving or off-roading is no longer as daunting as it is made out to be thanks to the tech-laden SUVs you get these days. It’s a different matter that owners of 4x4 SUVs seldom take them into terrain that would test their off-road prowess. That’s why companies like Toyota and Jaguar Land Rover organise events to show owners and potential customers what their vehicles are capable of.
Truth be told, the terrain and obstacles picked out by these auto-makers ensure that off-roading happens in a safe and controlled environment, with expert instructors at hand. The Quint explores two such events – a Toyota Fortuner Off-Road Drive and the Land Rover Experience program – at two opposite ends of town, with vehicles of different capabilities.
The Toyota Fortuner has a lot going for it in terms of off-road ability. It is a body-on-frame SUV (which means it has a separate ladder frame chassis on which a body is bolted on). This makes it more rigid and better suited for the rough stuff.
The new Toyota Fortuner comes with a 2.8 litre diesel engine pumping out about 177 bhp and 450 Nm of torque. It has a six-speed sequential automatic transmission and part-time four-wheel drive system with a low-range gearbox. It also features adaptive traction control, hill assist and hill descent control, which ensure that it has adequate grip at all times.
Toyota had set up artificial obstacles at a park in Gurugram to demonstrate the vehicle’s capabilities. Steep ramps, articulation tests, rumble strips and slush were all part of the mix. However, it all seemed way too easy, as the vehicle is laden with tech. The driver just has to point the car in the right direction and sail through.
Jaguar Land Rover on the other hand had selected natural terrain on the banks of the Yamuna river to show off the capabilities of the Range Rover Evoque and the Land Rover Discovery Sport.
Both these vehicles come with 2-litre diesel engines and 9-speed automatic transmissions with an all-wheel drive system. It has selectable modes for the varied terrain – rock, sand, mud and ruts or grass and gravel. Again, all one has to do is select the mode, point and shoot.
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