Watch An Epic Off-road Battle With Nine Premium Crossovers At Once

The SUV Battle Youtube channel has published a report on off-road tests of nine premium all-wheel drive SUVs from Audi, BMW, Jeep, Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover and Lexus. The most powerful models won the test.

• The test was attended by BMW X5 and X6 (340 hp, 450 Nm), Audi Q7 and Q8 (340 hp, 500 Nm), Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 (367 hp, 500 Nm), Volvo XC90 (249 hp, 350 Nm), Jeep Grand Cherokee (238 hp, 295 Nm), Lexus RX350 (300 hp, 370 Nm), and Range Rover Sport (525 hp., 625 Nm).
• Most of the test participants are comparable in their characteristics, but the two crossovers are seriously different from them. The Jeep Grand Cherokee has a downshift and a forced center differential lock in its arsenal. And Range Rover Sport came up with a mighty V8 developing 525 hp. As the organizers of the battle noted, the total cost of its participants tends to a million dollars.

• All crossovers had to complete the same task - to climb a steep dirt rise, teeming with ruts, loose areas and diagonal hanging. Subject to the availability of special off-road modes in on-board electronics, they were also involved. The most powerful test participants were the last to go on the route.

• Some off-road vehicles had to go this way more than once: the last part of the tests provided for repeated races, but this time with the same driver in all cases. This was done in order to minimize the influence of the human factor.

• As a result, the Lexus crossover was wished in the near future to receive an all-wheel drive system from the new ToyotRAV4 with traction distribution between the rear wheels. The result of the Jeep Grand Cherokee was called excellent, noting that it is not entirely correct to compare it with crossovers. Worst of all was one of the least powerful competitors - the Volvo XC90 was able to climb the shortest distance. The work of the electronics of the Mercedes-Benz GLE was called the most ineffective and brooding, but the crossovers from BMW turned out to be smarter. In addition, the testers noted the lack of a tendency of the transmission of Bavarian crossovers to overheat - unlike other stuck ones.
• Among all the "three-hundred-strong" European off-road vehicles, only the Audi Q8 was able to cope with the most difficult section, despite the overheating of the box. Range Rover Sport was dominant in this big battle: it is stated that its on-board electronics are an example of a balanced collaboration of a powerful engine and a torque distribution system.