1990 Ford Explorer
Category: The New American Station Wagon
Some of you more hardcore types will wonder how such a tame machine got mentioned here, never mind how it won FWOTY for 1990. Again, it's a case of looking beyond the trail and realizing that not everyone fits into the grit-in-yer-teeth crowd. The very affordable Explorer filled a void that the demise of the good 'ol American station wagon left behind. The Ford added a modicum of trail capability and a good dose of all-weather friendliness to the station wagon equation. There's an art to all that, and Ford succeeded brilliantly at it.
1991 Jeep Grand Wagoneer
Category: A Giant Topples
In 1991, the world said goodbye to one of the last testaments to American big-iron technology. The Wagoneer, which had become "Grand" after the introduction of the Wagoneer XJ in '84, had soldiered on for more than 28 years, but ever more stringent C.A.F.E. (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards and upcoming new models gave Jeep some difficult decisions to make. These were made doubly difficult because they were still selling reasonably well to a very loyal and upscale customer base. In the end, the company decided to say adios. Four Wheeler lamented its passing in a December '91 story and the world said goodbye to a piece of beloved automotive history.
1992 Blazer K1500
Category: Hello and Good-Bye
The year 1992 marked the true end of the old Chevy look that dated back to '73. The pickups had been given sleek new skins in '88, but the SUVs wore the old clothes through 1991. Four Wheeler was smitten with the sleek new Blazer. That it had IFS wasn't held against it, and when compared to other new offerings that year, it snatched the FWOTY trophy quite handily. The soon-to-be-Tahoe proved comfortable and capable, and though two-door Tahoes now are history, they had a good run in the market.
1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Category: Modern Classic
Most people don't know that the Jeep Grand Cherokee ZJ dates back to before the Chrysler takeover. It started development almost immediately after the XJ intro of '84, but AMC's financial problems kept it on a slow track. Chrysler was busy with reorganizing for a time after the buyout, but when they dusted the project off in the late '80s, they got excited and put it on a fast track. When it debuted in late '92 as a '93 model, it created a storm of interest. It combined comfort, luxury, and street friendliness with trail prowess that was truly awesome in its class. It was as close as anyone had come to bridging the street/trail gap in an SUV. For that reason, and many others, it won Four Wheeler's coveted FWOTY award for '93.
1994 Land Rover Defender 90
Category: Pay to Play
Land Rover had expanded its model line in late '92 by introducing the limited-edition (500 numbered copies) Defender 110 four-door station wagon. It was Daktari all over again! We were even more stunned when the Defender 90 was introduced. Unlike the D110, which epitomized the stately, skinny-tired image of the traditional African bush machine, the D90 had the attitude and accoutrements of a fat-tired trail brawler. Few could argue at the time that it likely was the most capable stock short-wheelbase rig ever to be introduced here. It easily won FWOTY for '94. Too bad it was overpriced and underimported. The Defender 90's basic coil-spring chassis had been in production since 1983 and had direct, but leaf-sprung, ancestors back to 1948. As a result, it proved difficult to update to federally mandated safety and emissions standards, and it's not likely we'll see any more beyond the couple of thousand imported to 1997. They're rare, and talk about resale value! You can buy a new TJ for what a used D90 costs.
1995 Land Rover Discovery
Category: Trail Prowess for Soccer Moms
The "Disco" had been introduced in England as a '90 model in 1989 and for many years, sales were just short of mobs storming the dealerships. They were introduced here for '94, but Land Rover missed the FWOTY competition that year. It won the '95 trophy handily, however. The Discovery combined comfort, street manners, and a totally unique package with a trail-capable platform. It went pretty far upscale while keeping the price semi-reasonable. It has appeared regularly in the pages of Four Wheeler, even in its new Series II upgrade, and remains a well-respected piece of machinery.
1996 Toyota Tacoma Xtra Cab
Category: A Pickup for 'Wheelers
Toyota started a winning trend in the early '80s with a line of compact 4x4 trucks that hit the marks for cost effectiveness and trail prowess. Toyota won the first PTOTY award, and the Tacoma won for '96, '98, and again in '01. The reason: lots of performance for the money-pure and simple. In the '96 test, the Tacoma won by winning Second place in many categories, and also a couple of Firsts. The Tacoma line continues to offer features that attract a more enthusiastic crowd, such as the rear locker in the TRD models, relatively large tires, and the clutch lock-out bypass switch.
1997 Jeep Wrangler TJ
Category: A True Jeep
The introduction of the '97 TJ in mid-1996 was an emotional moment for Jeepers. Round headlights again! Hurrah! It didn't hurt that this was the best-performing outta-the-box Jeep ever produced, and likely the best OE trail performer ever offered in America. There's only one thing that will drive a die-hard Jeeper into buying a new Jeep, and that's a better Jeep. TJ is the last, and now the only, truly trail-capable short-wheelbase rig sold in the United States, and it may well represent the end of an era.
1998 Ford F-Series Super Duty
Category: A Real Truck
You may have heard that Ford dealers can hardly keep Super Dutys in stock. Why is this truck so popular? Could be the burly look. Maybe the line of powerplants that range from Clydesdale to locomotive. Maybe it's because the Super Duty is one of the last solid-axle pickups. Real trucks. None of that wussy IFS stuff. The new Super Dutys debuted in '98 as '99 models. Four Wheeler gets lots of requests for Super Duty stories and the staff is only too happy to comply.
1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ
Category: The Sequel is Even Better
Most times, the original is better than the knock-offs that follow. The first Rambo movie, for example. But not always, as proven by Jeep. The new version of the Grand Cherokee, the WJ, was a perfect example. Everything that was done only added to the vehicle's performance. Four Wheeler liked it a lot. Enough to give it a FWOTY award. Visually and ergonomically, the designers took all the good stuff and made it better. Under the sheetmetal is where the award was won, more specifically, via the drivetrain. The testers were amazed. The Vari-Lock axles and Quadra Trac II T-case come as close to 100-percent, no-brainer four-wheel drive as you can get. The system is so transparent that you can barely feel it on the street, but when needed, all four wheels will pull. This is very good indeed.