When we finally hit the dirt trails in and around beautiful Lake Tahoe, our money was on the H3. With the best approach and departure angles, the best crawl ratio, and the best tire diameter, it was nearly unstoppable and it was the only vehicle that none of us felt guilty taking off-pavement. In the dirt, the H3 is in its element, and with a stiff, well-built structure, the H3 never once creaked or squeaked. We also threw attaboys at Hummer for the beefy shackles that made any recovery operation a breeze. Other than a slightly stiff ride (compared to the rest of the field) and high window sills, which made leaning out to spot trail obstacles nearly impossible, the H3 impressed on the trail and keeps company with the best factory four-wheelers available.
Off the pavement, the Range Rover Sport also did everything we asked of it, though some testers felt that the Terrain Response learning curve was too steep. Terrain Response, while great for 'wheeling novices, left our experienced testers frustrated that it took their driving expertise out of the equation. Despite the staff's split on Land Rover's electronics, the Sport is still an awesome vehicle off-pavement, feeling so seamless at times that our drivers couldn't tell when they lifted a wheel. The few complaints in the logbook surrounded the harsh ride in the highest suspension setting, and the lack of a fullsize spare when the low-profile tires are so susceptible to sidewall cuts.
The Toyota Land Cruiser had the best articulation of the bunch and put it to good use, easily winning over some staffers who thought they already had their favorite trail machines pegged. Another benefit of the Toyota is a low beltline with expansive glass and outboard-mounted seats, which brings the driver close to the door panel, granting some of the best sightlines in the test. Toyota really raised the bar with the new adaptive shocks, and even on the highest suspension setting, the Cruiser never rode harshly. Despite only being equipped with a center diff-lock and electronic traction control, the Land Cruiser confidently powered through the obstacles without breaking a sweat. We also scored it high for having three different recovery options in the rear: a hook, a loop, and the hitch.
We expected the Trail Rated Jeep Commander to be exceptional off-pavement, but in this group, it just didn't stand out from the crowd. The Quadra Drive II four-wheel-drive system felt jerky in comparison to other types of systems in the test, and when driven back-to-back against the Range Rover Sport and Land Cruiser, which felt like rolling terrariums, the Commander just didn't offer the same command seating position and outward visibility. It also had the highest crawl ratio in the group. And even when ESP was turned completely off, the Commander had a tough time in the sand, sticking itself over and over and over again. It's not that the Jeep Commander doesn't get it done off-pavement-we can tell you that the Commander excels at going fast over unchallenging terrain, but when it comes to the harsher stuff, there are just others that do it better.
On the dunes, there was only one vehicle that everyone fought over: the Suzuki Grand Vitara. Thanks to a lightweight chassis and a good power-to-weight ratio, the little Suzuki blasted around the dunes like it was a sand rail in its former life. At one point when one vehicle got stuck, along with the two recovering it, the little Suzuki was used to pull out the bigger machines. If sand is where you play, there isn't a better vehicle in the group. However, when the trail turns rough, the Grand Vitara's low undercarriage becomes a symphony of rock clinks, which can become a bit disconcerting, considering the Suzuki lacks major skidplate protection. While the Grand Vitara is happiest being thrown sideways, rally-car style, on fire roads, it was still capable enough to go everywhere the big boys went and we never once had to leave it behind.
After a week of testing five vehicles, with five distinct personalities, over diverse terrains, choosing a winner wasn't as easy as you might expect. After lots of debate, we collected the logbooks, tallied up the score sheets, and came up with a winner that we think is deserving of the prestigious 2006 Four Wheeler of the Year award.