Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour & Isuzu V-Cross climbing steep sand hill: Who wins?

Off-roading in India is not as popular as it is in many developed countries. However, there are a few who take it quite seriously and take their vehicles to challenging situations to test the limits. Here is a video that shows popular vehicles like Ford Endeavour, Toyota Fortuner, Isuzu D-Max V-Cross and Mahindra Scorpio going on a steep sandy incline.

What is happening here?

The video shows a very steep sandy incline, which proves to be challenging for any 4X4 vehicle and the driver. The first vehicle to take the challenge is the Isuzu D-Max V-Cross. The vehicle can be seen attempting the climb several times through different trails and failing it completely. The old-generation Toyota Fortune comes in the next. The vehicle looks stock and the from bumper has been removed to give it a better approach angle.

The Fortuner successfully climbs the incline after a few attempts. The Fortuner takes a straight line while going up, which helps in maintaining the momentum and getting the vehicle clear of the obstacle. The Isuzu D-Max V-Cross also follows the same strategy in the next round and completes it. It shows how driving skills can affect a vehicle’s capability.

The new generation Ford Endeavour comes in the next. The stock SUV completes the challenge after failing 3 times. It seems to have the stock tyres, which says much about the vehicle and how capable it is even in the stock form. The new-generation modified Toyota Fortuner comes in the next to take on the challenge and even after several attempts, the Fortuner could not reach the top of the dune. The Fortuner has been modified for off-roading and also gets a special off-road bumper. One of the main reasons behind Fortuner’s failure is the break in momentum. The off-road bumper hits the steep incline whenever the Fortuner comes at a decent speed and it breaks the momentum of the SUV.

The video also shows an old-generation Mahindra Scorpio taking the challenge and failing at it after repeated attempts. A new generation Ford Endeavour also joins in at last but could not reach the top due to the lower momentum.

Capable vehicles or drivers?

The capabilities of a vehicle completely depend on the mechanicals, its limitations and the driver who is controlling it. A driver who has the right skill set will be able to take a less-capable vehicle on paper to a challenging situation and winning at it. However, an inexperienced driver may not be able to take an extremely capable vehicle to a simple challenge.

Off-roading skills are all about experience and practising it regularly in different situations helps to hone the skills. Of course, a capable vehicle is needed too! We saw a similar spec Ford Endeavour completing and failing the challenge in the video, which tells much about the machine and drivers.