Anti 4x4 prepare yourselves

[willman]

If someone's going to buy a large, expensive, 4x4 for on road use anyway, then one of these isn't a bad to do it, but...

They'll never be used off road, which begs the question, why buy a 4x4?

Running costs cheaper than a vectra? that will be excluding depreciation then...

Fuel economy is 34.9 mpg combined, which is good compared to a petrol powered 4x4, but not compared to anything else.

it may not have a road area much larger than a regular family car, but the weight sure is at over 2 tonnes compared to 1.5 tonnes for a mondeo diesel, explaining why 272bhp still only gets it to 124mph

It, like all 4x4s, has a high centre of gravity and hence has the performance compromises inherent compared to a normal saloon of equivalent weight/cost/performance.

 

 

i took the tester off road, well slightly - it has to tow a horse box or its no good to me.

35mpg is not bad compared to some older saloons,people carriers and sports cars.

and as for the speed,anyone who buys a 4x4 and tries to drive @ 124mph wants banning from the road.

i dont think i can spring for 40k but when one of the Asian boys introduce them i think it could be on my shopping list.

[Darbees]

Why don't you lease one here, they are apparently very good deals. The site is worth looking at anyway just for humourous impact, it is very funny. Anyone travelling east on M62 recently near the very high bridge at Scammonden Dam will have seen an old Russian rocket launcher (6 x 6) advertising this company which is run by a very funny Chinese woman. http://www.lingscars.com/

[kurlymunky]

35mpg is not bad compared to some older saloons,people carriers and sports cars.

 

35mpg isn't very good these days. I'd expect 40+ from any new car. The main reason 4x4s are known for being gas guzzlers is due to the 4 wheel drive. Aparently you lose 15% of your fuel due to friction in the extra gears, diff and axel. If you can get a decent 4x4 that can be put in 2 wheel drive mode you'll get much better mpg out of it in everyday use.

[muddycoffee]

the electric 3.5l engine was quiter than Grannies electric scooter.

 

How can you have an electric engine which has a capacity of 3.5Litres?

 

The size of an electric engine would be measured in Kw. Which would be it's maximum power output.

[willman]

How can you have an electric engine which has a capacity of 3.5Litres?

 

The size of an electric engine would be measured in Kw. Which would be it's maximum power output.

 

why not read the link which answers questions like that.

Engine: 3311cc, V6, 24 valves, 136kW at 5600rpm plus electric motors of 125kW and 51kW.

or where youi just pointing out i'd missed out the word hybrid after electric and before 3.5L.

[Bartfarst]

For those who might complain these cars are too big, the only dimension of Lexus RX400 which is more than an inch bigger than a Ford Mondeo is the height which is about 10"

 

Bart, the dust to dust winner is Jeep Wrangler. Just thought I'd be a pedant to confirm my car nerdiness.

A point of accuracy and therefore valid.

 

it is pretty amazing though that it turend out to be an American 4x4 - who would have guessed that?

 

The tree-hugging Chelsea types will have to go out and swap their electric cars for Jeeps now! Maybe the Chancellor will lower tax on some models based on those new figures.

[plekhanov]

it wasn't intended too, but perhaps it may enlighten us further as to how many people actually do only dislike the "driver" of these vehicles.

'cos personally this car is more eco friendly than most standard cars on the road, so any environmental arguments could now become void.

a 4x4 thats cheaper to run than a vectra and better for the environment than a toyota corolla.

What's your source for those figures?

[willman]

if you look on the web, the lexus website actually states it's better for the environment than a corolla. and as Toyota make the Lexus i have to assume it's accurate.

my next door neightbour runs an old vectra that returns lower fuel figures than the Lexus, and it's just failed it's MOT on emissions.(so only anecdotal actually) and as it will run on electric i think potentially it will be cheaper to run(from a fuel perspective) than a lot of family cars.

[stackmonkey]

Lexus, probably .

 

Like a good marketing dept., they'll have cherry-picked a petrol Vectra that has a worse combined fuel economy and the about-to-be-replaced-Corolla with lower recyclable rates in its build.

 

I suspect that if the horsebox isn't towed often, and that the towing is the sum total of the off roading, it would be more environmentally friendly to run an older, diesel, 4x4 for the towing and a conventional, small engined, car for the rest of the time.

 

 

edit: if you really want an environmentally friendly 4x4, Fiat have done a special version of the Panda for the Dakar rally with a 103bhp 1.3turbodiesel engine.

[willman]

Lexus, probably .

 

 

I suspect that if the horsebox isn't towed often, and that the towing is the sum total of the off roading, it would be more environmentally friendly to run an older, diesel, 4x4 for the towing and a conventional, small engined, car for the rest of the time.

 

 

 

tbh your probably right, i probably have to tow a horse box, trailer or water bowser at least every weekend so its not too often.but for 40 grand i'd be getting my moneys worth from it.

(we do tend to drive an Mg when the conditions are suitable)

all the lexus is technically an SUV and not a true 4x4,i'd still hate to comtemplate taking it sand duning.