Before 17 June 1970 there was no such thing as a luxury 4WD wagon and the term 'all-wheel drive' -- as opposed to '4WD' or the American '4X4', let alone the slightly irritating 'SUV' for sports utility vehicle -- was very much in future tense.
Any vehicle with drive to all four wheels was intended for practical work in mines or on farms, and no marketing types had intervened with ideas about luxury trimmings and strong on-road performance. These were trucks with no connotations of glamour.
When the Range Rover was unveiled to a group of prominent (and almost exclusively British and European) motoring journalists in West Cornwall on this aforementioned date, it was immediately clear that here was a totally new type of vehicle. Britain's second RR combined most of the luxury of an upmarket sedan with unprecedented offroad ability, considerable style, good performance from its 3.5-litre V8, and an amazingly comfortable ride.
What was far from clear in 1970, or even a decade later, was that this first generation Range Rover marked the beginning of a worldwide trend to high-ridin' wagons loaded with creature comforts.
While nothing could match the Rangey offroad -- no, not even the hardy Land Rover -- there were very few 1970 cars that delivered as satisfying a driving experience on tarmac. It took many years before any would-be competitor got close to achieving a comparable formula, but it was the British vehicle that threw down the challenge to combine workhorse characteristics with automotive civility.
In 1992, during the third-last year of the original shape Range Rover (1970-1994), Toyota introduced a Land Cruiser that had far superior dynamics to any Japanese predecessor as well as a powerful 4.5-litre 24-valve six-cylinder engine. A plushly trimmed Sahara variant was offered and for the first time it was possible to pay $90,000 for a Toyota.
In May 1998 the big Land Cruiser wagon appeared under the guise of the Lexus LX470 complete with 4.7-litre V8 engine. And there was still no other direct rival to the Range Rover in view.
By the end of year 2000, it was game on. The Range Rover -- by then nearing the end of its second (and rather troubled) P38A generation -- was being challenged from below by the US-manufactured six-cylinder Mercedes-Benz ML270 and on the same level by the BMW X5, which was also built in the US and was initially offered only with the 4.4-litre petrol V8 so sought after in the home of the SUV. DaimlerChrysler offered a 4.3-litre V8 in its ML range from March 1999.
Ultimate offroad ability was beginning to matter less to many buyers than on-road status, a factor grasped by the Range Rover people before 1980, by which time the term 'Toorak Tractor' had entered the language. Nevertheless, all these vehicles had considerable competence on mountain trails, even if few owners were likely to chance the metallic paintwork.
The third generation Range Rover was developed when the firm was part of the BMW group but by the time it was released in 2002 the Land Rover company had been split off from Rover and was owned by Ford. Under the bonnet lay the same 4.4-litre V8 engine that powered the rival X5. So, despite the change of brand custodianship, this may still be regarded essentially as the BMW Range Rover!
By 2005 the world had changed again. Diesel engines were highly sought after in this style of vehicle, while the V8 petrol engines grew bigger and more powerful. Porsche introduced the new Cayenne to create an überklasse. Less expensive but sharing the same platform was Volkswagen's Touareg.
Here then is our comparison of 2004-05 luxury all-wheel drive wagons: Range Rover, BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz ML and Volkswagen Touareg. All have now dropped in price from $100K (or plenty more) when new to $60K or less, depending on variant. Many will be one-owner vehicles serviced by the book and with fewer than 100,000 kilometres on their account. (Indeed, many vehicles get traded just before the 100,000 service falls due!) In most cases there will be no need to check the underbody for signs of serious four-wheel driving.
There are others that you might want to consider in this context, notably the Volvo XC90, Lexus RX330 and Honda MDX. All three are towards the lower end of the category in terms of price.
In the 2004-05 time frame even the Volvo did not offer the option of a diesel engine. The five-cylinder diesel model went on sale in October 2006.
The MDX, the most American in feel of any luxury SUV, sold in low numbers and was available only with a sporty style of high-revving V6 that on the face of it seemed unsuitable for a vehicle designed to carry heavy loads and for occasional offroad forays. It slipped off the market in April 2007 and is a comparatively rare sight on Australian roads (or off them).
The RX330 was a petrol-only offering until the arrival of the RX400h hybrid model in October 2006. Unlike the LX470, it has no claims to offroad ability.
At the premium end of the market is the Porsche Cayenne, a vehicle which not only costs more to buy but much more to maintain by the maker's book.
Before choosing any one of these vehicles, the first question to ask is will you ever want to venture far off roads, whether bitumen or dirt. If the answer is yes, then your choice comes down to Range Rover or Lexus with both offering long travel suspension and dual-range gearing.
All the others perform excellently on the beach or in the snow and will also tow an indecently heavy load. But if you nurture fantasies about demanding mountain trails with extreme gradients and deep culverts, then only Land Rover and Toyota/Lexus have the right wagons for you.
BMW X5
In January 2004 BMW Australia released a mildly upgraded X5 range, the highlight of which was a new self-locking electronic centre differential known as xDrive. At the media launch a convincing demonstration of the upgraded X5's ability to go mud wrestling was a highlight.
The least expensive of the new models was the 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol model at $84K, followed by the 3.0-litre diesel for an extra $500 -- a keen marketing decision! The 4.4-litre petrol V8 now had 235kW instead of 210, with maximum torque unchanged at 440Nm. It was priced at $111,800. In August an even lustier X5 variant arrived with a 4.8-litre petrol engine which gave maximum power of 265kW with 490Nm of torque. This was the $157,300 4.8is.
For most drivers, even the 3.0-litre petrol six gave enough urge with 170kW of power and 300Nm of torque, although it was obviously outclassed by both the same-size diesel and the V8 petrol models when it came to towing. Only the diesel could be realistically described as economical in mixed driving conditions, but the 4.4i can be coaxed down to about 10L/100km at a steady cruising speed of 100km/h.
Interior appointments are luxurious and the X5 presents more like a sports sedan than a big all-wheel drive wagon. The compromise is in luggage space and the rear seat needs to be folded down (leaving room for just two occupants -- driver and passenger) if you want to carry a round-Australia type load. Or you can resort to carrying light objects on the roof racks, which will further compromise fuel economy. That's why the current generation X5 is physically larger with a substantially increased area behind the rear seat.
This may seem like a weird thing to say about any big sports utility vehicle -- BMW coined the term Sports Activity Vehicle to describe its X5 (and has modified it to Sports Activity Coupe for the extraordinary X6) -- but the real joy of this car is in the driving. The steering has excellent weighting and is precise, so that you actually feel you are at the wheel of a sporting machine. Handling and roadholding are remarkable. There is some tradeoff in ride comfort but most owners will be happy.
With the decline in demand for large petrol engines, the V8 models have depreciated quite heavily to offer outstanding value for money -- unless you're planning to do most of your driving around town! Prices of 3.0-litre and 4.4-litre V8 are now similar at around $50K. Typically, diesels cost at least $5000 more.
Find used BMW X5 models for sale here
LEXUS LX470
The LX470 was introduced in 1998 and was upgraded in October 2003 when a rear-view camera was included as standard. This heavyweight wagon is best thought of as a marriage of Lexus plushness and Land Cruiser ruggedness.
In a clever marketing move Toyota rebadged the topline Land Cruiser Sahara as a Lexus. With its smooth, torquey V8 engine, lush leather trim and extensive range of standard equipment, Toyota executives hoped the LX470 would steal sales from the Range Rover and, later, the BMW X5. The LX470 is indisputably the most trucklike of this group with go-anywhere credentials and a hefty thirst for petrol. That Toyota tradition (obscured, but not completely hidden beneath the upmarket Lexus badging) -- as much part of the Australian bush as R.M. Williams and Akubra -- allied to the superb finish and extraordinary toughness make it the odd one out in this group.
With just 170kW of power from 4.7 litres and a hefty kerb weight, the LX is no powerhouse but it has excellent torque of 410Nm and tows very well, thanks also in part to its additional mass. This engine is a variation on the 209kW engine used in the 1998 LS400 sedan with revisions to favour torque. No diesel engine was offered.
This Lexus-Toyota is at the opposite pole from the BMW X5 and will not offer keen drivers the pleasures of a sports sedan disguised as a truck. The LX470 delivers the best ride under most conditions and is quiet in the fashion expected of the marque. It has spaciousness and all-round ability on its side and at about $50K for a 2004-05 model, offers great value.
Find used Lexus LX470 models for sale here
VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG
The mood in the Australian automotive market was more positive in 2003 and the first variant of the Volkswagen Touareg to be introduced here had the 4.2-litre V8 version with maximum power of 228kW and generous torque of 410Nm.
In performance terms it is close to the slightly lighter BMW X5 4.4i but uses more fuel. The 3.2-litre petrol V6 is less thirsty but with just 162kW of power and (more to the point) 305Nm of torque, the hefty Touareg punches under its weight.
In May 2004, Volkswagen Australia added the V10 TDi variant to the range. This one has an impressive 230kW of power and a huge 750Nm of torque. But at $138,500 it bore a premium of not far short of $40K over its petrol V8 counterpart.
Pit 750Nm against 305, and you begin to imagine the difference in real world performance. The 2.5-litre five-cylinder diesel models went on sale in October 2004, priced from $69,990.
Packaging is not a Touareg strong point. Despite typically impressive Volkswagen interior design and finish, space is at a premium. Furthermore, the driving position is more reminiscent of a people-mover than a big all-wheel drive wagon that may venture beyond the limits of suburbia.
The Touareg handles well but has less feel to its steering than the BMW. Ride comfort is good. Touareg offers dual-range, and when not in use its low overall gearing is useful when tackling steep trails. Volkswagen's all-wheel driver won't go where a Range Rover or LX470 is happy to tread the light fantastic, but edges ahead of the X5.
Perhaps the Volkswagen nameplate does not help in this market sector because six-cylinder petrol Touaregs are now on offer below $30K. For a vehicle so closely related to the Porsche Cayenne this looks like a serious bargain.
The V8s don't come up often and you'll pay upwards of $45K for an excellent example. Predictably, the impressive five-cylinder diesel models command a higher retained value than their counterparts. Expect to pay at least $45K for a diesel Touareg.
Find used VW Touareg models for sale here
MERCEDES-BENZ ML
The Mercedes-Benz ML320 was introduced locally in September 1998, initiating huge buyer interest in luxury all-wheel drive wagons. It used the 3.2-litre V6 petrol engine seen in various Mercedes sedans and was priced at $69,990.
March of the following year brought the ML430 V8 and a pricetag of more than $100K on the road. In February 2000 the ML270 diesel version was introduced. Since then there have been steady improvements.
In May 2003 a significant upgrade with styling revisions inside and out, saw the 3.2-litre petrol V6 replaced with a 3.7-litre unit -- confusingly, again, the name was ML350 rather than the logical ML370: blame the marketing people not the engineers.
By 2004-05, the 2.7-litre diesel engine had been dropped in favour of a 3.0-litre unit which produces a stupendous 510Nm of torque (and the confusing badge ML320 CDI!). Coincidentally, this output was matched by the ML 55 AMG which made its debut in January 2001 and took the Mercedes wagon into the $140K range; previously the preserve of topline Range Rovers. The 4.3-litre V8 was replaced by the 5.0-litre in November 2001 to create the ML500 Luxury at the same price.
Despite being produced in the US like BMW's X5, these two vehicles are surprisingly different. The Mercedes uses advanced technology which gives it impressive offroad ability.
A microprocessor controls the distribution of torque to each wheel which improves traction on slippery surfaces. Unlike the X5, the ML has dual-range gearing for a climbing performance of more than 60 per cent. So while it cannot quite match the Range Rover or Lexus LX470 in offroad ability, it deserves to be regarded as a serious contender rather than a compromise.
Especially in today's expensive fuel context, the pick of the engines is the 3.0-litre diesel, which produces 50Nm of torque more than the 5.0-litre petrol V8 and uses about 30 per cent less fuel. But it still endows this 2.1-tonne wagon with lively acceleration -- the zero to 100km/h time is less than nine seconds.
The ML is a neat handling vehicle with quite good ride quality but it does not deliver the involving and sporty driving experience that distinguishes the BMW X5 from every vehicle in this group. Although there are no obvious shortcomings in its dynamic performance, the ML is not quite what can be termed a 'driver's car'. The steering is very light and lacking in feel.
Build quality of the early models was only average and well below the standard normally associated with the marque. The 2003 facelift brought marked improvements and you should certainly at least drive a Mercedes before settling on any of the others.
You can find ML270s for around $40K but, typically, an ML320 diesel commands closer to $60K as does the ML350 petrol variant. A 2004 ML500 is typically just below the $40K mark.
Find used Mercedes-Benz ML models for sale here
THE DRIVER'S CHOICE
More than in most other comparisons of a range of vehicles in a market segment, this one comes down to the intended use. You don't use an axe to open a walnut, or expect to eat a large jar of yoghurt with a teaspoon.
If you are one of the majority of consumers of so-called sports utility vehicles, then you may venture up a sandy track or across a beach on occasion but never onto a demanding mountain trail. So all that advanced technology engineered into a Range Rover or Lexus LX470 will be wasted on you. But if you also happen to be a driving enthusiast, you will find the BMW X5 clearly the pick of this collection.
If, on the other hand, you really need offroad ability as well as a pleasurable everyday driving experience, then the Range Rover is an equally simple choice.
THE SENSIBLE CHOICE
Once being 'sensible' enters a motoring choice, the word 'Toyota' is likely to close at hand. The Lexus LX470, which is a Toyota by a fancier name, is the pragmatic choice. In the long term it is likely to give fewer electrical glitches. Resale value will be strong even if petrol prices continue to rise because a Toyota Land Cruiser is always likely to be sought after by a group not immensely concerned with the cost of fuel. And the LX470 with its blend of truck toughness and luxury car appointments has special appeal, even if it would never be the first choice of the driving enthusiast.
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