You’re conflating vehicle form factor with age and features.
Comment on Australians are obsessed with SUVs and huge utes, but experts say they are making our roads deadlier
UnfortunateDoorHinge@aussie.zone 6 days ago
Not gonna deny, but people often misrepresent SUVs. Take away the full-sized Land Cruisers, they are almost always more fuel efficient, much more reliable and easier to drive.
My EF Ford falcon when I was on my Ps was 5m long, had no ABS, no airbags and had a 4L engine that averaged 16-18L/100km around town. My mother in law’s new RAV4 has an engine half the size, hybrid, and gets 5L/100km. It has back up cameras, and sensors all round.
As for duel cabs and wannabe overlanders, yes, I hate them as much as the next person. They are truly a master of none and don’t even fit in the garage. Toyota’s like “fuck it let’s charge $100k for something we designed in the 80s”, and boomers flock to it like flies to shit. I’ve driven one which was so heavy and full of mods it needed it’s Gross Vehicle Mass rating upgraded (costs about $5k), thus having heavy rock hard suspension. It drove as if it had no suspension and was an absolute slug.
DavidDoesLemmy@aussie.zone 6 days ago
Salvo@aussie.zone 5 days ago
Different vehicles for different purposes.
My brother had a V8 VB commodore and his mate had a L6 VC commodore. The big V8 was much more economical on the highways, while the inline 6 was much better when stuck in traffic.
I used to have an L4 Grand Vitara and an A V6 Alfa Romeo. They had the same economy.
My mate recently purchased a V8 petrol Y62 Patrol for towing his camper instead of a L4 diesel LC250 Prado to tow his camper. He reasoned that the cheaper upfront cost would offset the increased fuel bill.
What he found was it was more economical when touring, but it was also cheaper around town as well, as long as he used his right foot and his brain to control the accelerator and didn’t use his testicles to control the accelerator.
UnfortunateDoorHinge@aussie.zone 5 days ago
I’ve heard about the y62 getting better economy than the 200 series LC a few times now in some scenarios. Shows you how far petrols have come and the improvements in autos.
The new 250 I can’t rap my head around it. You would really have to not like the V6 Everest, and the 150 was a fantastic platform from stock for most people.
Salvo@aussie.zone 5 days ago
The petrol V8 is comparatively economical when you drive sedately. The problem is that the majority of people who buy vehicles with big Petrol V8’s appreciate the sound (much to the chagrin of their neighbours). It doesn’t have to work hard to work hard.
The Toyotas (and Suzukis) are reliable, the problem is that the L4 in the Prado (and the much smaller one in the Jimny) need to be driven hard to work hard.
The pained screams of an underpowered 4 cylinder engine is much less pleasant than the rumble of a V8 (or even the roar of a V8 or the symphony of a perfectly tuned V6).