Twenty-five Grand in the Hand

By Unsealed 4X4 6 Min Read

Five top-spec used luxury 4X4s that cost less than an Indian-made ute? Tell me more!

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With interest rates and new vehicle financing sitting at previously unheard of lows, there is little wonder why so many people are opting for the safety and reliability of a brand-new 4X4. What this means for you, the consumer, is there are also 1,000s of great used vehicles on the market going for a song. So while you are already saving money, why not consider shopping for something more luxurious than you first imagined? Hey, if the 1% could afford to buy these cars new, it would be rude not to let them take care of the crippling depreciation for the rest of us. Here are five classy rides that cost under $25,000 that I’d be happy to see parked out the front of my weekend retreat… I mean, my parents’ house.

 

MITSUBISHI PAJERO EXCEED

If the H3 Hummer we discuss later in this article were the most polarising off-roader sold in this country, the Pajero would have to be the most underrated. It is probably to do with the fact the Pajero was built off a monocoque chassis, with independent suspension all ’round – and Australians only liked big solid axles and ladder chassis back then. Well, newsflash… there is a reason why the majority of modern off-roaders will be built like this in the very near future; with decent traction control, the benefits far outweigh the negatives. A third- (or fourth- if you can afford it) generation Pajero Exceed is not only comfortable, but the 3.2L turbo-diesel engine it arrived with has earned a solid reputation for reliability and performance. If you need a daily driver and weekend escape machine, I’d like to introduce you to my friend Mr Pajero.

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V8 TOYOTA LANDCRUISER SAHARA

V8 and LandCruiser are two words that belong together, which is probably why all new LandCruisers have V8 engines fitted (proper LandCruisers, that is). The 100 Series Sahara was also the first LandCruiser to feature independent suspension (not including the Prado which wore LandCruiser badges) using torsion bars, which is somewhat crude compared to modern coil-over struts.  The V8 found under the bonnet is a beauty though – both in terms of power output and reliability. Sure it will use more fuel than a turbo-diesel, but the smiles-per-gallon factor is right up there… especially if you fit a larger aftermarket exhaust to hear your fuel dollars getting burnt.

 

TOYOTA 120 PRADO GRANDE

Calling a Prado ‘luxurious’ is like calling a pair of sandals dress shoes, but the Grande model is certainly a step in the right direction and deserves to be on this list. Once you get past the faux-wood interior trim, and the interior styling (which feels as if it was designed by the same person who did the VIP room at the Canberra Casino), the 120 Prado Grande is a very comfortable and solid place to be. When it comes to off-roading, a Prado can certainly hold its head up high in terms of capability – thanks to coil springs on all corners, and a solid axle in the rear. Proper low-range gearing and decent (not great) ground clearance will see a 120 Prado getting you most places… and with reliability, too.

 

VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG

This is a bit of an interesting one, but definitely worth a look if you are chasing a sporty vehicle that can still be used off-road. The Touareg was developed between Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche with the aim of producing a capable 4X4 that drove like a sports car on the road. The first generation Touareg comes fitted with an automatically-locking centre diff, and a low-range setting for rough terrain; and there was also the option for height-adjustable air suspension and a manually-locking rear differential. On paper these are serious off-road credentials indeed. This might also be a good time to mention the Touareg was available with a V10 turbo-diesel engine, which at the time of release was the most powerful diesel engine ever available in a 4X4.

 

H3 HUMMER

I’m not sure if there has ever been a more polarising vehicle released in Australia than the H3 Hummer. Environmentalists hated them, Hummer purists hated them; yet gym junkies and fake tan enthusiasts seemed to lap them up harder than protein powder on legs day. If you can get past the ‘LOOK AT ME’ image (or you might love people staring at you), the H3 is a genuinely capable off-roader that is also insanely comfortable. The early five-cylinder petrol engine did prove to have issues with valve recession causing the heads to fail; apart from that all other issues seemed to come down to poor servicing or wear-and-tear items. If you can find the up-spec Adventure Pack, it includes goodies such as bashplates and a rear diff lock – so it would be worth the effort.

 


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