On The Top Ten Auto show this week we look at the top ten recreational off-roaders of 2001, but which will our panel award top spot to? Watch now to find out!
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MotorTranscript
00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:03 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:31 Hello, this is Dave Lee Travis, and welcome to this week's Top
00:34 10 Auto Show.
00:35 This week, we're looking at the top 10 recreational off-roaders
00:39 of 2001.
00:40 Now, it's the old 4 by 4 cliche, but it's true to say
00:43 the closest most of these soft roaders
00:45 will actually get to being off-road
00:47 is when they're jacked up to change a tire.
00:50 They are status symbols, luxury forms of transport,
00:53 which give the owner the peace of mind
00:54 that it could go off-road if they dared to get it dirty.
00:57 [MUSIC PLAYING]
01:03 At number 10 is the first of the Japanese vehicles
01:06 in our top 10, the Suzuki Granvattara.
01:10 The idea of the Suzuki Granvattara
01:12 as a very capable off-roader used
01:14 to make the likes of Land Rover laugh with hysterics,
01:17 but that was long ago.
01:18 You tend to think of Suzuki as a relative newcomer
01:21 to the 4 by 4 market, but in fact, they've
01:23 been making vehicles like this for over 30 years now.
01:27 Remember the original being launched, the SJ and LJ,
01:31 very basic, tiny little engine vehicles
01:34 that people like Land Rover laughed at and said,
01:37 you couldn't possibly market a lightweight Jeep like that.
01:41 It wasn't long before Suzuki reinvented themselves
01:44 as the ultimate fashion accessory,
01:46 and little white Jeeps with elephants
01:49 on their rear wheel covers soon seen all over town.
01:54 The car is easy to drive, and the controls
01:56 are very ergonomically placed, but like many
01:59 in the Suzuki range, the interior fabrics and plastics
02:02 are pretty poor quality.
02:04 Also on the negative list is the lack of standard equipment.
02:08 Even the top specification models
02:09 do not come with air conditioning, which
02:11 is very much a must these days.
02:14 But what about power?
02:15 A few years ago, the insurance industry
02:17 decided that GTIs weren't worth the risk,
02:21 and the insurance premiums went sky high.
02:24 As a result, lots of people switched
02:25 these little 4x4s.
02:28 Well, with this 142 brake horsepower engine,
02:33 it's more like a four-wheel drive GTI than anything else
02:35 I've driven lately.
02:38 This car really makes a fashion statement,
02:40 but is also an extremely competent off-roader,
02:42 the Suzuki Grand Vitara.
02:44 [MUSIC PLAYING]
02:47 [MUSIC PLAYING]
02:50 In at number nine is the soft roader from Korea,
03:01 the Hyundai Santa Fe.
03:04 Hyundai had a rebadged Mitsubishi
03:06 as its only 4x4 until this came along, their very own,
03:09 the Santa Fe.
03:12 Now, even though Hyundai are pitching the Santa Fe
03:14 to compete with the likes of the RAV4 and the Freelander,
03:17 its size puts it more in between the Freelander
03:20 and the Discovery.
03:20 So straightaway, it's got an advantage on its competitors.
03:23 It really is very spacious in here,
03:25 and there's enough room to sit five adults very comfortably.
03:27 And the boot is absolutely enormous.
03:30 It hasn't taken long for the manufacturers
03:32 to realize that there is a distinctive separate market
03:35 to that of the serious off-roader.
03:37 The Santa Fe screams fashion statement from its soft curves
03:40 to its lifestyle styling inside.
03:43 Taking into account that this type of off-roader
03:45 will spend most of its time on the road rather than off it,
03:48 you need to know that your recreational vehicle can
03:51 perform on the tarmac.
03:53 There's full-time four-wheel drive and a four-speed
03:55 automatic gearbox designed by Porsche, nonetheless,
03:58 and that makes for a very stable and firm ride.
04:01 Cracks and potholes in the road make no difference
04:03 to the Santa Fe.
04:04 And that V6 engine is very quiet and, again, super smooth.
04:08 In fact, it's more like driving a big saloon car.
04:11 Now, saloon car drivers will notice a little bit more body
04:14 roll when you drive one of these vehicles.
04:15 But it's nothing too alarming.
04:17 And even on some of the sharper corners,
04:19 you never feel that the car is going
04:21 to lose its composure or you're going to end up in the field.
04:25 This Korean car really has a lot going for it,
04:27 especially value for money.
04:29 Every model has twin airbags, electric windows, alloys,
04:32 and air conditioning as standard.
04:35 The engine choice was originally
04:36 between the petrol 2.4 and the 2.7 V6.
04:40 But now that the Koreans realize that we Europeans appreciate
04:43 the diesel option, they've added it to the list.
04:45 At number eight, the new maverick from Ford.
05:04 Called the Escape in America, this new lifestyle vehicle
05:08 for the off-road market really hits all the buttons.
05:11 It has a tough, sporty appearance, huge space inside,
05:14 and it's easy to drive.
05:15 What more do you want?
05:16 Well, what about performance?
05:19 The most direct comparison is going
05:20 to be with the Vauxhall Frontera.
05:22 I feel a bit shudder when I mention it.
05:24 So they've got to answer to the impressive Frontera V6.
05:27 And they have with this 3-liter V6.
05:29 It's basically a bore down in large version of the 2.5 liter
05:32 Duratec, familiar to Mondeo owners.
05:34 There is a 2-liter option as well.
05:36 This one will dash from 0 to 60 in about 10 and 1/2 seconds
05:39 and onto a top speed of 118.
05:41 Not much, but it's actually quite respectable
05:43 for a car in this sector.
05:45 The automatic gearbox, however, is only four speed.
05:48 And the V6 has an American-style column-mounted shift,
05:51 which is very annoying for European drivers who
05:54 are not used to it.
05:55 Reach for the indicator stalk, and unless your wits are
05:57 about you, you could find your gearbox flicked into neutral.
06:01 So for the real test for a recreational off-roader,
06:04 what's it like on the road?
06:06 Every time a new 4x4 is launched,
06:09 whoever makes it, the manufacturer will say,
06:11 oh, it drives just like a car.
06:14 Well, it doesn't.
06:15 They never do.
06:15 It's a 4x4.
06:16 It's tall.
06:17 It's got longer suspension.
06:18 It's got huge unsprung weight with the extra transmission.
06:21 But in the case of the Maverick, it's not far off.
06:24 It's not at all bad.
06:25 Big wobbly monster, it isn't.
06:27 OK, then.
06:28 What about off the road, like it matters?
06:31 All right, so it's hardly crossing the Andes,
06:33 but this is about as rough as it's likely to get
06:35 for one of these cars.
06:36 Maybe romping across a field to find the best picnic spot.
06:39 So this is probably a fair enough test.
06:41 It's hardly a mud-plugger's dream,
06:43 but it's got the basics to get you out of trouble.
06:45 Ordinarily on the road, the drive
06:46 is delivered to the front wheels.
06:48 But if you are getting off-road and you detect a bit of slippage,
06:51 power will be transferred to the rear.
06:52 Alternatively, you can do it yourself manually
06:55 by switching to permanent 4x4.
06:58 Overall, though, the new Ford Maverick
07:00 is a very impressive package, and it
07:02 has scored well against some very stiff opposition.
07:05 [MUSIC PLAYING]
07:08 This year's number seven is the Honda CR-V.
07:22 Think of it as a tough family estate.
07:24 It does drive like a normal car, although its height gives it
07:27 a bit of body roll on corners.
07:29 It's very practical with plenty of interior space
07:32 and little cubby holes everywhere.
07:34 There's even a booped floor, which doubles as a picnic table.
07:37 This really tells you the market the Honda's aimed at.
07:40 The Honda CR-V is easy to drive, with height steering
07:43 and a peppy 2-liter engine, offering 145 per 8 horsepower.
07:47 The Honda offers greater value for money,
07:49 considering that all three trim levels offer
07:51 gear-like air conditioning as part of the standard list--
07:55 an excellent and capable soft off-roader.
07:58 [MUSIC PLAYING]
08:02 At number six is a Japanese off-roader
08:04 that started life in the US.
08:06 It's the Nissan X-Trail.
08:08 The Nissan X-Trail is yet another
08:10 in this expanding category of vehicles.
08:12 Launched in America before it came to Europe,
08:14 this Nissan will create plenty of waves in the market here.
08:18 I'm seriously impressed by the interior of the X-Trail.
08:21 It's a very, very well-designed car.
08:23 It's got a very, very good interior design.
08:25 It's got a very, very good interior design.
08:27 It's got a very, very good interior design.
08:29 I'm really impressed by the interior of the X-Trail.
08:32 Nissan are really trying hard to shake off
08:34 their old dull and bland interior.
08:37 And this is another big step forward.
08:40 Like any other off-roader, buyers
08:42 will want to know how comfortable it is on the road.
08:45 The reality is, of course, that the majority of buyers
08:48 of the X-Trail will spend an awful lot of time
08:50 on motorways and clogged up city roads.
08:54 And the good news is, it's a very impressive performer.
08:58 Two-litre engine, very smooth and quiet.
09:01 The gearbox is slick and refined.
09:04 You have the usual high seating position of a 4x4.
09:08 And it's an altogether very relaxing experience.
09:12 What could the self-respecting 4x4 owner ask for?
09:15 Oh, yes, what's it like off-road?
09:17 I'm about to go down the side of what looks like a small mountain,
09:22 full of mud.
09:24 This is the off-road course to see
09:27 whether the X-Trail likes it off the trail.
09:31 Let's have a little look-see.
09:33 # Theme music
09:35 # Theme music
09:37 # Theme music
09:39 # Theme music
09:41 # Theme music
09:43 # Theme music
10:04 # Theme music
10:06 # Theme music
10:12 At number five, the lifestyle off-roader from Land Rover,
10:20 the Freelander.
10:22 Even though there may have been some raised eyebrows
10:24 in the Land Rover boardroom when it was announced
10:26 they were to produce a lifestyle off-roader,
10:28 the Freelander has been an astonishing success
10:30 right across Europe.
10:32 This really is a great little 4x4
10:34 with high build quality and recent styling tweaks
10:37 giving it stunning modern looks outside and in.
10:40 Now, the interior on the early Freelanders
10:42 was a little bit suspect, very plasticky,
10:44 but the revisions made last year have gone some way to improving that.
10:47 It all feels that little bit more refined now,
10:49 better put together,
10:51 and the materials feel quite solid and quite expensive.
10:54 Not too keen on the colour scheme,
10:56 but something like that you could live with.
10:58 Of course, the Land Rover badge has given this soft roader
11:01 the credibility which other manufacturers would have killed for,
11:04 but it's more than just kudos.
11:06 It's a highly practical, well-designed, solid off-roader.
11:10 Another area that has really surprised me on the Freelander
11:12 is the amount of cabin space.
11:14 It's extremely roomy, and if you got in blindfolded,
11:16 well, you'd swear you were driving a Discovery.
11:18 I hope you take the blindfold off before you start driving, though.
11:21 And talking of driving, how is it behind the wheel?
11:24 We know the Freelander performs extremely well off-road.
11:27 In fact, it's the leader in its class.
11:29 This particular one I'm driving today, like the Santa Fe,
11:31 it's got a V6, only this time 2.5 litres,
11:34 and it's taken straight from the Rover 75.
11:37 And it gives the car a whole new sense of urgency.
11:40 0-60 takes just 10 seconds,
11:42 and your top speed, again, 113 miles an hour.
11:45 But that engine package, you do really have to push it hard
11:48 to get the performance, and of course,
11:50 your fuel consumption's going to suffer,
11:52 and it brings it down to about 23 miles to the gallon.
11:56 (MUSIC)
11:59 Hello, this is Dave Lee Travis,
12:12 and welcome to this week's Top Ten Auto Show.
12:14 This week, we're looking at the top ten recreational off-roaders of 2001.
12:19 (MUSIC)
12:24 At number four, the A6 Avant takes to the hills
12:27 in the guise of the Audi all-road.
12:30 Sometimes, car companies move in mysterious ways.
12:34 Surely, common sense would tell you
12:36 that an off-road vehicle is designed for the rough and tumble of rocks,
12:39 boulders, sharp twigs, and loads of mud.
12:42 So, who in their right minds would take an executive motorway cruiser
12:46 like the A6 through this sort of treatment,
12:48 and ruin it on some godforsaken wasteland?
12:51 But that's exactly what Audi did when they designed the all-road.
12:55 Audi's interiors can hold their head up in any company.
12:58 I rate them as amongst the very best in the world.
13:00 So, it's good news that there's no disappointment in here.
13:03 It's every bit an A6 Avant.
13:05 Beautiful, clean, sharp lines everywhere,
13:07 and every single bit made of the best quality materials,
13:10 and fitted beautifully.
13:11 There's no stray lines or big gaps.
13:13 There's all the usual kit you'd expect to find on board,
13:16 including sophisticated satellite navigation,
13:18 electrical, everything, including a seat.
13:20 Sounds very nice, but how can you expect us to believe
13:23 that such a luxurious car can cope off-road?
13:26 Because, when Audi named it the all-road, they did so with good reason.
13:30 It's suitable for all roads,
13:32 and that's not just because it has the quattro four-wheel drive system.
13:35 It also has a very clever air suspension system,
13:37 which allows it to vary the ride height according to the conditions.
13:40 Let me explain and demonstrate.
13:42 Right now, we're at normal.
13:44 About there, for ordinary day-to-day driving around town.
13:48 If you go over 75 miles an hour or press the button to lower it,
13:51 it automatically drops to its lower position.
13:54 Streamline for going really fast.
13:56 If you want to go a bit off-road,
13:58 you hit the button, you go up, past normal,
14:00 and on to high one.
14:01 We've got a bit of extra ground clearance,
14:03 so we don't catch anything underneath. Fine.
14:05 If it gets really tough, we can hit the button again,
14:07 and we go up to high two.
14:09 We're really high up. Nothing can catch us, and we're safe.
14:12 That's the theory. That's just me jumping up and down.
14:15 That's how it works in the car. So we'll try it.
14:18 And we'll try it on all roads.
14:20 The Audi A6 is a brilliant road car
14:23 for the driver who needs off-road capabilities.
14:26 But who will want to get such a beautiful car that dirty?
14:44 And so, on to our top three recreational off-roaders.
14:47 And at number three, another offering from the Far East,
14:50 the Toyota RAV4.
14:52 The RAV4 really was one of the pioneers of this type of vehicle.
14:56 Toyota wanted to bring out a 4x4 with chunky looks
14:59 that was as good to drive as a family car,
15:01 and they succeeded.
15:03 Although early models had very tinny bodies,
15:05 the latest version of the RAV4 is much improved,
15:08 with greater room and an even better drive.
15:10 If I've learnt just one thing in my time with the Toyota RAV4,
15:13 it's to bury some of my prejudice against soft-roaders.
15:16 Because, yeah, they do get a bit of a rough press sometimes.
15:19 But when you just need a car to get you and friends or family
15:22 from one place to another, with all their kit,
15:24 they start to make an awful lot of sense.
15:26 There's actually been loads of times when I've had
15:28 some pretty exotic cars lurking about on the drive.
15:30 But just to make a trip into town,
15:32 I've reached the keys for this, the RAV4,
15:34 just because it's so easy.
15:36 There's even the diesel option now,
15:38 which Far Eastern companies are kicking themselves
15:40 that they didn't offer Europe ages ago.
15:42 You get a great list on the standard equipment up front,
15:45 and the whole package is quite economic to own and drive.
15:49 It's strange to think that it's only been about eight years
15:52 since this car's been on the market,
15:54 and now there are so many pretenders on the road
15:56 and occasionally off it.
16:11 At number two, pip to the post for the top spot,
16:14 the Volvo Cross Country.
16:16 When the first generation Cross Country was introduced in 1997,
16:20 it looked very similar to the V70 on which it was based.
16:23 Sure, it was a bit beefier, but really it was an adapted estate.
16:26 And it still looked like a beefed-up estate.
16:29 So Glenda Mackay took it off-road
16:31 to see if it really was a 4x4 underneath.
16:34 I am driving a car that you'd normally take all the kids in
16:38 through a really big pit of water.
16:41 And it's fine. It's so fine.
16:45 Normally when I'm on roads like this,
16:48 it's in the co-driving seat of a rally car,
16:51 and it's going, "Raaah!" really, really loud,
16:55 and you can't hear yourself think.
16:57 So, almost top marks off-road,
16:59 but this has required some compromises on-road.
17:02 The V70 is a solid drive on the road,
17:07 as you would imagine from a car like this.
17:09 But surprisingly, when you're going around the corners,
17:12 it's ever so light.
17:14 The steering is light and it tends to wallow a bit.
17:17 In fact, it oversteers slightly when you're on a road like this.
17:21 And when I first got in the car, it was ever so slightly unnerving.
17:25 Yeah, it feels solid, but it's all a bit wibbly-wobbly on the top.
17:28 I was speaking to one of the guys from Volvo earlier on,
17:31 and he said that they've had to compromise on the stability of the car
17:35 when it goes around the corners to get it right when it's off-road.
17:38 And I agree with him there.
17:39 As usual for Volvo, this car is brimming with safety equipment.
17:43 An excellent, solid vehicle, supremely practical,
17:46 but it's at a price.
17:48 So, before we look at the number one recreational off-roader of 2001,
18:00 let's take a look at the top ten so far from ten to two.
18:04 [music]
18:08 In at number ten is the fashion statement from the Far East,
18:11 the Suzuki Grand Vitara.
18:14 At number nine, it's no longer just a rebadged Mitsubishi,
18:17 it's the new Hyundai Santa Fe.
18:20 At number eight, this one's not a Tyrano either,
18:23 it's the new Ford Maverick.
18:26 Romping in at number seven, another one from the land of the rising sun,
18:29 the Honda CR-V.
18:31 At number six, and another from our friends in Japan,
18:34 the Nissan X-Trail.
18:36 Down two places from last year at number five,
18:39 the eyebrows are no longer raised, the Land Rover Freelander.
18:43 Holding the same position at number four,
18:45 is it an off-roader or is it an executive car?
18:48 No, it's the Audi Allroad.
18:51 Up three places at number three,
18:53 one of the pioneers of the soft-roader, the Toyota RAV4.
18:57 And up a massive five places at number two,
18:59 all the way from Sweden, the Volvo Cross Country.
19:02 And so, to our number one recreational off-roader of 2001.
19:06 At the top spot for two years running, the BMW X5.
19:17 So, what is an X5?
19:19 Well, take the five from the Super Saloon,
19:21 the BMW 5 Series and the X for Cross Country,
19:24 and there you have it, the BMW X5.
19:28 Like the Volvo Cross Country, the X5 looks like a beefed up estate.
19:32 So, what's it got to make this 4x4 worthy of the top spot?
19:36 The interior, as you'd expect from a BMW, is extremely civilised.
19:40 The instrument panel doesn't favour the driver,
19:43 so that one's passenger can take care of the stereo,
19:45 the air conditioning and that satellite navigation thing.
19:49 Everything is superbly positioned and of course it's all superb quality.
19:53 And there are no complaints about the driving position either.
19:56 In fact, these seats are more comfortable than the sofa in my living room.
20:00 There's plenty of room for the driver, for the passengers
20:03 and for the most important bit of all, the shopping.
20:06 Watch that credit card bill, Ginny.
20:09 Out on the road, well, it might be a large, powerful vehicle,
20:15 but it's surprisingly easy to drive.
20:17 The extra height means you get a great view of everything around you.
20:21 But it doesn't come with any of the rock and roll
20:24 that you normally associate with off-roaders.
20:27 And the performance from that V8 engine also reflects that.
20:31 0-60 takes just 7.5 seconds
20:34 and it easily cruises to a top speed of 128mph.
20:39 It almost seems a shame to take this luxurious and expensive BMW off-road,
20:44 but if you're buying an off-roader, you need to know it can go off-road.
20:47 So, how well does the X5 do?
20:51 Now, because of BMW's connection with Land Rover,
20:54 it will be no surprise to you to discover that quite a few of their gadgets and gizmos are on the X5.
20:59 I'm talking about things like hill descent control.
21:02 Now, this system, rather unsurprisingly,
21:05 controls the engine's speed when you're on a very steep slope.
21:09 It allows it to creep down at a steady 6mph.
21:12 All you do is flick a switch just down here,
21:15 you let the engine do the work for you,
21:17 you don't panic,
21:19 you don't even need to use your feet.
21:22 So, there you have it.
21:40 The BMW X5, the number one recreational off-roader of 2001,
21:45 as voted for by our panel of automotive experts from the top auto magazines.
21:50 And by a big margin, too.
21:52 Looks like BMW have learnt a thing or two through owning Land Rover.
21:55 This is Dave Lee Travis saying thanks for watching.
21:58 See you next week for the Top 10 Hatchbacks of 2001.
22:02 See you then.
22:03 [Music]
22:32 (upbeat music)