In the growing SUV market, although urbanized SUVs are the biggest contributor to the growth of the entire market, the growth of the traditional hardcore SUV segment cannot be ignored. The overall competitiveness has been significantly improved, and its all-around performance can make it gradually become a new choice for practical home consumers.
For automobile manufacturers, it seems very simple to create a hard-core off-road vehicle. For example, four of the five vehicles participating in this comparison are all from the pickup truck platform, but the fact is not so simple. With fierce market competition and increasingly discerning consumers, creating a truly all-round hard-core off-road vehicle is far more than simply “changing the pickup truck”.
Speaking of the five protagonists in this comparative evaluation, the Ford Everest is based on the Ranger pickup platform, the Isuzu mu-X is based on the D-MAX platform, and the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and Toyota Runner share the platform with the two classic pickups Triton and HiLux respectively. The only exception is the Nissan Patrol Y61, and the Patrol Y61 has been on the market for the longest time among the five models. Although it is one of the flagship models of this level, I wonder if the Y61, which has been on the market for many years, can withstand these four new models. The challenges are also really interesting.
Model price
Except for the Patrol Y61, the prices of the other four SUVs are all between 50,000-55,000 Australian dollars (about 249,890-274,880 yuan). The price of Mitsubishi Pajero Sport Exceed is the cheapest, at 52,750 Australian dollars (about 263,635 yuan), but this is already the top model in the Pajero Sport series. Isuzu mu-X LS-T is also the top model of its car series, and its price is 54,000 Australian dollars (about 269,880 yuan).
The price of Ford Everest Ambiente and Toyota Runner GXL is the same, both are 54,990 Australian dollars (about 274,830 yuan). The most expensive of the five models is the Patrol ST, which reached 60,390 Australian dollars (about 301,820 yuan).
configuration
Although the price of Nissan Patrol ST is the most expensive, the configuration of Patrol ST, which has been on the market for the longest time, is somewhat outdated. Nissan provides it with cruise control, Bluetooth phone, 17-inch wheels, full-size spare tire and other configurations. But manual air conditioning, four-channel stereo and three rows of cloth seats seem a bit shabby for a car of this class.
Ford Everest Ambiente is the lowest configuration model of the entire car series, and its standard configuration list is not too long. Compared with Patrol Y61, it only has more reversing camera, eight-channel audio and automatic headlights. The configuration of the Toyota Runner GXL is more abundant. Toyota has equipped it with a 7-inch touch screen on the center console integrated with Toyota AppLink, a one-button start system, automatic wipers, and ten-channel audio. The configuration of Isuzu mu-X LS-T is even richer. The standard configuration includes automatic air conditioning, navigation system, 10-inch entertainment screen in the second row and leather seats.
The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport Exceed is the most well-equipped of the five, with front and side cameras, a multimedia system compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, blind-spot monitoring and 18-inch wheels. And this SUV is also the lowest price among the five models. From the perspective of configuration alone, its cost performance is very good, but the shortcomings of Pajero Sport are also obvious. Among the five models, only it is a five-seater model, while the other four SUVs are Both are seven-seaters, which will also cost Mitsubishi some potential customers.
interior
Pajero Sport not only has a high standard of configuration, but also has excellent interior workmanship, and the materials used are also superior to those of other models. The leather seats with electric heating function are very comfortable, and the 360-degree surround video is also a very practical function. The interior layout of this SUV is relatively neat, and the exquisite workmanship of the aluminum trim also increases the sportiness of the interior. Mitsubishi even equips it with steering wheel shift paddles, but the actual frequency of use of this configuration will be very low.
Pajero Sport’s rear passenger space is at the mid-range level of the same class. The taller second row of seats allows passengers to have a good front view, but the headroom is a bit cramped for tall people. This SUV is not equipped with rear air conditioners. air outlet. Since there is no need to arrange the third row, the trunk space of Pajero Sport is very large, and the backrests of the rear seats can be folded down and turned forward, thus forming a storage space with a very large vertical depth and completely flat, the fly in the ointment is its The trunk width is narrow.
The interior of the Toyota Runner is also very luxurious. Although the mid-range models still use cloth seats, the materials and assembly quality of the cabin are very good, and the multimedia system in the center console is also very easy to use. The space in the second row of the Runner is the largest except for the mu-X. It is also very convenient to fold the second row of seats down, but the access to the third row is quite cramped, and the space in the third row is only suitable for emergency use. . In addition, the trunk floor of this SUV is relatively high, and it will be quite difficult to carry heavy objects.
Isuzu mu-X has the most spacious seating space among the five cars, and the third-row space performance is also very good. The LS-T version of the top model is quite rich in configuration, but the biggest problem with this SUV is that the interior workmanship is relatively rough, the center console is mainly made of hard plastic, which seems to be lacking in grade, and the operation interface of the multimedia system is also poor. The handling is more casual, and it looks more like an aftermarket optional product.
The compartment of the Ford Everest also relies on space to win. The second row of head and lateral space are very generous, and the second row of seats can be moved back and forth, and the third row of seating space is only slightly smaller than that of mu-X. Better than the other two cars, the Everest has a large trunk volume. However, the configuration of this beggar version is indeed very shabby, and the workmanship of the cabin is also relatively cheap.
Although the Nissan Patrol Y61’s cabin design looks outdated, the assembly process is still excellent, and the touch of various materials is also very good. The large windows create a very good sense of openness inside the car. Although the body size is larger, the rear space performance of the Patrol is not as good as that of the mu-X. In addition, the external spare tire also makes it more laborious to open the tailgate.
The Patrol, which has been on the market for the longest time, suffers even more in terms of safety performance. This SUV is only equipped with four airbags, and its A-NCAP crash score is only Samsung. The Isuzu mu-X is equipped with six airbags. The Everest, Pajero Both the Sport and the Runner are equipped with seven airbags, and all four have five-star A-NCAP crash scores.
power system
The five SUVs are all equipped with diesel turbocharged engines without exception, and the five models tested this time also use automatic transmissions, which is also a popular choice for most household consumers. In fact, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and Ford The Everest isn’t even available as a manual transmission.
The 3.2L five-cylinder engine equipped on the Ford Everest is the largest displacement among the five models, and it is also the only non-four-cylinder engine. The maximum output power of this engine is 143 kilowatts/3000rpm, and the peak torque is 470 Nm/ 1750rpm, the transmission system uses a six-speed automatic transmission. Mitsubishi Pajero Sport ranks second in terms of power data. Although the 2.4L engine equipped with Pajero Sport is the smallest in displacement, its maximum output power reaches 133 kW/3500rpm and its peak torque is 430 Nm/2500rpm. A high-revving diesel engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission with the most gears of the five.
The Toyota Runner is equipped with a 2.8L engine with a maximum output of 130kW/3400rpm and a peak torque of 450Nm/1600rpm, matched with a six-speed automatic transmission. The 3.0L engine equipped with Isuzu mu-X has a maximum output power of 130kW/3600rpm, but a peak torque of only 380Nm/1800rpm. Isuzu is equipped with a five-speed automatic transmission. Nissan Patrol’s engine displacement is also 3.0L. This engine was a very advanced product on the market a few years ago, but now it seems that its maximum power is 118 kW/3600rpm and its peak torque is 354 Nm/2000rpm Already underwhelming, this SUV uses a four-speed automatic transmission.
In addition to the power performance of the engine itself, the vehicle weight is also a factor that has a great impact on performance and fuel consumption. The vehicle weight of Pajero Sport is 1992kg, which is the lightest among the five models, followed by mu-X at 2060kg. The gap between the Toyota Runner and the former is not too big, it is 2095kg, and the vehicle weight of the Ford Everest has reached 2311kg, but it is still much lighter than the 2438kg of the Patrol.
In terms of fuel consumption, the overall performance of the four new cars is not much different. The Pajero Sport with the lowest fuel consumption under comprehensive working conditions is 8.0L/100km, the mu-X is 8.3L/100km, and the Everest and Runner are 8.5L/100km. 100km and 8.6L/100km, Nissan Patrol needs to consume 11.8L diesel per 100 kilometers.
Although all are turbodiesel engines, the power characteristics of the five engines are quite different. Although the 2.4L engine of Pajero Sport has the smallest displacement, thanks to the light weight of the vehicle and the efficient transmission performance of the eight-speed gearbox, the power output of this SUV is quite active, and the acceleration data from 100 kilometers also confirms this point. The 0-100km/h acceleration time of Pajero Sport is only 9.6 seconds, which is the fastest among the five cars.
Although the 2.8L engine displacement of the Toyota Runner is not dominant, the power output of this engine is still quite powerful, especially in the Sport mode, the engine speed can be pulled very high, and the continuous power can be It is effortless to drive this SUV of about 2 tons to run fast. The runner’s 0-100km/h acceleration time takes about 11 seconds, which is at the middle and upper reaches. It is also worth mentioning that Toyota’s engine has done a good job in noise control, and its running noise is basically the same as that of an engine with the same displacement. comparable to gasoline engines.
The 3.0L engine equipped with Isuzu mu-X is close to Toyota’s 2.8L engine in terms of power performance, and the 100-kilometer acceleration performance of the two cars is almost the same, but the biggest problem with this Isuzu engine is that it is very noisy. The interior noise performance of the X is basically at the level of a pickup truck, but it is difficult to reach the level of a mainstream family SUV.
The engine on the Everest has the largest displacement and one cylinder more than the other four engines. This engine itself is still very powerful, but the heavy vehicle weight of the Everest drags down its dynamic performance. People’s feelings are obviously not as flexible and fast as mu-X and runners. Of course, the Toule is also dragged down by the weight of the whole vehicle. In addition, the engine itself is not advanced enough. The power performance of the Toule on the road is slightly inferior, and the four-speed automatic transmission also seems a bit powerless.
towing capacity
For this type of SUV, having a strong towing capacity is also one of its biggest advantages over ordinary urban SUVs. According to official data, Pajero Sport has the strongest traction capacity, reaching 3100kg, Everest and mu-X are both 3000kg, Runner and Patrol are 2800kg and 2500kg respectively. The test used is the Sterling series trailer of EzyTrail, which belongs to a 2000kg trailer.
Except for Patrol, the other four models are equipped with rear cameras, which is also a very practical configuration when towing a trailer. The panoramic image system of Pajero Sport can provide the most viewing angles, but it is a pity that the display effect of the screen is not good and the graininess is too heavy. Although the Everest’s screen is relatively small, it provides a wide rear viewing angle, which is somewhat similar to the effect of a fisheye lens. The image display effects of mu-X and Runner are relatively normal.
After attaching a nearly 2-ton trailer, the power performance of the five SUVs will of course be affected. In contrast, both the mu-X and the Runner are relatively relaxed, and the engine can cope with the extra load effortlessly. Pajero Both the Sport and the Nissan Patrol were a bit weak at the beginning, but the performance at high-speed cruising is still very good. The power performance of the Everest is between these two styles. All in all, these five SUVs can handle about 2 tons. The towing load is not a problem.
road driving
For hard-core SUVs, the driving comfort performance on urban roads and highways is a major shortcoming compared with urban SUVs, but with better and better tuning, this gap is constantly being narrowed. For these five cars, walking around the city can also be done easily.
Mitsubishi Pajero Sport uses oversized 18-inch wheels, which also affects its road comfort performance to a certain extent, especially when driving at high speeds, subtle road surface unevenness will bring more obvious body bumps, but this Plus points for the SUV are excellent interior noise control, quick shifts from the eight-speed gearbox, and light steering feel in the Pajero Sport.
The Toyota Runner also has a good performance in terms of quietness and steering, especially the hydraulic power steering system does a good job in power control. In addition, the Sport mode can also bring faster acceleration performance to the runner. . The vibration filtering performance of Isuzu mu-X is impressive, and the excellent stability performance also makes mu-X have the most comfortable second row to sit on, but the steering of mu-X is relatively heavy, which is not enough for low-speed urban shuttles Light and flexible.
The performance of the Ford Everest is relatively balanced. The suspension with moderate softness and hardness will not be easily exposed when facing urban roads. The electronic power steering system also makes this SUV very light to drive. The interior of the car is not absolutely quiet, but It also maintains a good level of sound insulation. In contrast, the interior noise of the Patrol is a bit louder, and the engine is a bit sluggish during rapid acceleration, but the high sitting posture and wide side windows of the Patrol make its driving vision very good.
off-road performance
Let’s first look at a set of data. The minimum ground clearance of the five cars is not much different. The largest mu-X is 230mm, the Everest and the Runner are both 225mm, the Pajero Sport is 218mm, and the Patrol has the smallest ground clearance. It is 210mm. However, the approach angle of the Patrol reaches 36 degrees, which is the largest among the five models, and the departure angle is 24.2 degrees. The approach angle/departure angle of the other four cars are basically the same, all around 30 degrees/25 degrees. The winner in terms of the maximum wading depth is the Everest, which reaches 800mm, the mu-X is the smallest at 600mm, and the other three cars are all 700mm.
The road conditions of this off-road test drive are also very complicated. Every car has to pass through a gravel road with a steep slope, and sometimes encounter steep roads, wading sections, and slippery embankments. Pajero Sport has inherited Mitsubishi’s excellent off-road genes. The accelerator and brake systems are very sensitive and quick to respond to complex road conditions. The multi-off-road mode selection system is very practical, and the side camera can help the driver to observe The road conditions on both sides of the vehicle, but the position of the rear tow hook somewhat affects the departure angle of this SUV, and the steering feel of the Pajero Sport is a bit vague.
In contrast, the steering feel of the Toyota Runner is significantly better. Although the hydraulic power steering system is heavy, the force feedback from the road is very direct. What runners are best at is passing quickly on slightly uneven gravel roads, and the body can maintain good stability. The soft chassis of Isuzu mu-X can maintain stability well when facing uneven roads, but it is not good enough in terms of roll control. The slope control system is a very practical configuration, but mu- The X is the only car out of the five that doesn’t come with a rear differential lock, and the mu-X’s steering is a bit bulky for off-road driving.
Ford Everest is the only full-time four-wheel drive model among the five models. The electronic power steering system is also very competent in off-road driving, and the powerful off-road mode selection system can effectively help drivers easily cope with various situations. The excellent wading depth also means that it can cross deeper wading sections that other SUVs cannot pass. As the big brother among the five hardcore SUVs, the Nissan Patrol has high expectations for its off-road performance, and its actual performance is well-deserved. It is a natural advantage in driving, but compared with the other four cars, Patrol does not have an absolute leading position.
Warranty and Maintenance
Mitsubishi provides a five-year/100,000km warranty for Pajero Sport, with a maintenance interval of 12 months/15,000km. In addition, Mitsubishi also provides one-year free roadside assistance services. The warranty period of the Toyota Runner is three years/100,000 kilometers, and the maintenance interval is shorter at 6 months/10,000 kilometers. The maintenance interval of Isuzu mu-X is the same as the former, but its warranty period has reached five years/130,000 kilometers, and free rescue services are provided during the full warranty period.
Ford provides Everest with a three-year/100,000km warranty, with a maintenance interval of 12 months/15,000km. Nissan Patrol also has a three-year/100,000km warranty with a maintenance interval of 10,000km.
general comment
Nissan Patrol: As the veteran model among the five models, the Patrol Y61 is still obviously old in front of several powerful new models, and has obvious deficiencies in both the cabin environment and dynamic performance. Although the Patrol is a classic hardcore SUV, with today’s abundant market choices, this is not enough to be a reason for most consumers to choose it.
Isuzu mu-X: This SUV does have the strength to become the winner on the sales list. Excellent power performance, road performance and spacious interior space are all factors that consumers value. The fly in the ointment lies in mu-X The interior quality of the 2019 is subpar, and it should also do better in terms of steering and noise control.
Ford Everest: This is an SUV with balanced road and off-road performance. The light steering also makes city driving easier, but the configuration of low-end models is indeed very shabby. For consumers who pay attention to quality It is said that it is reasonable to choose a model with a higher level of configuration, but this also makes the Everest less cost-effective.
Mitsubishi Pajero Sport: The price of this SUV is the cheapest among the five models, but it has a high level of configuration, a long warranty period, and mature dynamic performance. Pajero Sport is a model with a high overall cost performance , but the lack of a third row of seats will cost it some potential customers.
Toyota Runner: If you look at any aspect alone, the Runner may not be the one who does the best, but whether it is the interior and configuration, or the power and dynamic performance, the Runner is not obvious in every aspect. The short board, if measured by the barrel effect, the runner will be the best choice at this level.
