SUVs 20 years later

[paddlenbike]

1994 Motortrend SUV of the Year test:
http://image.motortrend.com/f/images/10003725+w670+h419+cr1+ar0/9506_mtrp_01_i_pt-1-sptut.jpg

-Ford Explorer
-Jeep Grand Cherokee
-Isuzu Trooper
-Mitsubishi Montero
-Nissan Pathfinder
-Land Rover Discovery
-Toyota 4Runner

2015 Motortrend SUV of the Year test:
http://image.motortrend.com/f/oftheyear/suv/2015_suv_of_the_year_contenders_and_finalists/76462922+w644/2015-motor-trend-suv-of-the-year-group-shot-03.jpg

-BMW X4
-BMW X5
-Cadillac Escalade
-Chevrolet Suburban
-Chevrolet Tahoe
-Ford Expedition
-GMC Yukon
-GMC Yukon XL
-Lincoln MKC
-Nissan Rogue
-Lexus NX
-Mercedes-Benz GLA
-Volvo XC60
-Subaru Outback
-Porsche Macan

What do you think is missing from their rating criteria?:
"Design Advancement - The judges are looking for well-executed exterior and interior styling, innovative vehicle packaging, and good selection and use of materials.
Engineering Excellence - Total vehicle concept and execution; clever solutions to packaging, manufacturing, and dynamics; and cost-effective technology that benefits consumers.
Performance of Intended Function - How well the vehicle does the job its planners, designers, and engineers intended it to do.
Efficiency - The judges consider fuel efficiency and carbon footprint size relative to the vehicle's competitive set.
Safety - The judges take into account each vehicle's ability to help the driver avoid a crash, as well as the secondary safety measures that protect its occupants during an accident.
Value - Each vehicle's price and equipment levels are compared with those of vehicles in the same market segment."

Hello? Off highway capability, where are you?! All of the SUVs in the test have a lower profile tire than any sedan or sports car I have ever owned.

I know it's a sign of the times, but I sure did enjoy the SUV of the Year tests back when they beat the piss out of them offroad doing hill climbs, light light crawling, high speed fireroad test and even jumped them.

Thankfully, there are people out there that are 'like us.' Motortrend posted an article asking "How should Toyota Improve the Next Generation 4Runner?" and there is lots of 3rd gen love in there. http://wot.motortrend.com/1407_totd_how_should_toyota_improve_the_next_gen_4 runner.html

[Good Times]

Not surprised one bit on the changes over the last two decades.

Though I must say they've got some great "cars" in those mix! Wouldn't mind driving a few of those for fun.

[paddlenbike]

Not surprised one bit on the changes over the last two decades.

Though I must say they've got some great "cars" in those mix! Wouldn't mind driving a few of those for fun.

On the bright side, the trails we like won't be crowded by any of those...

[Kryptoroxx]

On the bright side, the trails we like won't be crowded by any of those...
I definitely chuckled when I thought about a new Tahoe on a trail.

Many things are not made as they were back in those days. I loved how all of the comments wanted a diesel as an option. I think that would be a great idea although expensive as hell.

[Good Times]

On the bright side, the trails we like won't be crowded by any of those...

I would hope that's the case but I suspect the new ATV's that's hitting the market that's heavily modded will definitely fill in the void.

At any rate, they need to bring some foreign vehicles into the mix for testing. I can definitely a bunch of "more qualified" SUV's that'll definitely rock their scoring!

[Robinhood4x4]

I just saw the new cherokee and it's a disgrace to the cherokee name.

[Bob98SR5]

i would say buck the trend and go smaller. every year, the 4runner gets bigger and uglier. Esp the front end. WTH is up with these gigantic grills that look like Cyclons from Battlestar Galatica? The styling of the 5th gen Sport Edition was this generation's saving grace. All others with the big plastic-y bumpers are fugly beyond belief.

I'd say go with something more boxier like the 5th gen SE, get rid of the big plastic bumpers, something smaller and more nible, stick in a diesel with 5 or 6 speed manual transmission option, and stock clearance of the 96-00 4Runners (whatever the hell that was)

And a loud horn.

[paddlenbike]

And a loud horn.

Amen. The Cadillac trumpet horn package (4 horn) should be standard equipment.

[YotaFun]

I see the Rouge in there, where was the new Rav4 or the New CR-V? Those fit in the the broad category of 'SUVs' they have there.

Lance you are def hitting the nail on the head with the new ATVs clogging up the trails, now that most of them are tiny SUVs that are about the price of a new compact car.....

Bob hit the nail on the head of what would be nice to see, unfortunately, we may see half of that, such as the diesel option we have potential of seeing, as for the manual trans, I doubt it, with the way the world is going or at least the US with EPA standards, they are finding better gas mileage with the autos with 8-9 speeds or the CVTs

Louder horns FTW! I had a set of Cadillac Horns to put in the 4Runner, I had taken them out of my car while I was cleaning it out, forgot that I had put them in the path of the 4Runner, went to play musical cars and ran them over D'OH! Though i think I found another option as well for a loud horn, the Pontiac G8 has a very pronounced loud horn similar to the Cadillac.

[paddlenbike]

I see the Rouge in there, where was the new Rav4 or the New CR-V? Those fit in the the broad category of 'SUVs' they have there.



Believe it or not, those vehicles, including the 5th gen, didn't even make the cut to get a spot in the test.

[Kryptoroxx]

To be fair automatic transmissions have come a LONG LONG ways in the past 20 years. I remember when manual trannies did get better mpg by a mile or 3 but with the development in how tough auto trannies have gotten I support the lack of the manual option with one caveat. You need to either be able to paddle shift or sport shift through each gear.

As an example of how tough automatics are now they are making an impact in the truck shipping industry. For a transmission to handle 80k+ loads and get competitive gas mileage is quite a feat.

Don't get me wrong I love my manual but if I scored a d4d I would aim for the auto vs the manual.

[paddlenbike]

From a technical standpoint, yes, they are better. But I have a 1.5 year old Acura in the garage and it's paddleshift automatic is just as boring to drive as anything. I know I'm very much in the minority here, but I just don't enjoy driving cars with automatics. I'll even add that the Leaf has no transmission (it's a 1-speed), and I like that WAY better than an automatic.

[Kryptoroxx]

From a technical standpoint, yes, they are better. But I have a 1.5 year old Acura in the garage and it's paddleshift automatic is just as boring to drive as anything. I know I'm very much in the minority here, but I just don't enjoy driving cars with automatics. I'll even add that the Leaf has no transmission (it's a 1-speed), and I like that WAY better than an automatic.
I can see that. They are fun to drive. What I like best though is being able to hold the vehicle in any gear I choose.

When I hate having a stick is in the city or LA traffic. That's when I would love to have an auto or hybrid.

[paddlenbike]

When it came down to it, the car my wife and I wanted was not available in a standard transmission anyway, so we had no choice but go auto. As you said, one advancement the new autos have is gear-hold. For example, the Acura knows when we are going downhill and if you ride the brake for more than a second or two, it will automatically downshift with no user intervention and hold that gear until you accelerate. If you are in drive, you can still use the paddle shifters to make temporary transmission changes, like a downshift, for example. For complete control you have to put the floorshifter in Sport mode and then the paddles will let you do most anything that won't break the car. (The Acura has a fun 7400 RPM redline.) But it's still an automatic and not nearly as much fun to drive as the manual transmission version. (To clarify, the 2013 TSX sedan is available with either transmission, but the wagon version that we got is auto only. Boo.)

What I like about the LEAF transmission (or lack of transmission) is the regenerative braking. I work in congested downtown stop-and-go traffic and I can drive the car just using one pedal as the regenerative braking starts as soon as I left off the accelerator. It is strong enough that the friction brakes are only needed to get the car from that last couple of MPH to a complete stop. By comparison, any other car, auto or standard, seems like more work to drive.