Jambo Baraza,
Thanks for your informative column. On June 12, 2013, you wrote a piece about SUVs that was quite interesting. I am shopping for an SUV and will appreciate if you could split the Petrol versions of the Toyota Landcruiser VX, Range Rover Vouge, Porsche Cayenne and Volvo CX90 along the following lines: durability, build quality, comfort, luxury, performance, versatility (not too extreme ‘off-load’ adventures), safety standards and resale value.
On tarmac alone, which one would you endorse? Why do Kenyans seems to shy away from the Cayenne and the CX90? Both seem to me as equally good and serious machines. Kindly give your overall rating.
Eric.
These are the results in order of merit. To the left are the superior vehicles, then things get steadily worse down the list:
Durability: Landcruiser VX. Then we have a sizeable gap before we come to the Porsche, then the Volvo. Last is the Range Rover, but this one is hard to tell because, except the VX, all these others have had new versions come out recently, so time has not passed enough to tell who will fall by the wayside. That list is purely based on former models.
Build Quality: The Germans rule. Porsche leads the pack. Then the 2013 Range Rover (L405), which might not make much of a difference because the L322 was also very well built. The VX 200 is third and the Volvo last.
Comfort/Luxury: L405 Range Rover runs this, both in comfort and luxury. The Cayenne is more luxurious than comfortable. The Volvo is more comfortable than luxurious. The VX is a little less of both, unless you opt for the Lexus LX 570 version of this car, which pushes it all the way up to second place from last.
Performance: That Porsche is a killer, if you opt for the Turbo S model. Then comes the Range Rover Supercharged. Then maybe the V8 Volvo XC90, owing to its lower weight, smaller size and road-optimised suspension gubbins, pushing the VX into last position.
Versatility: Nothing beats the VX in terms of versatility, but you specified “not too extreme off-load adventures” (should be off-road, I guess, but then again maybe you did mean off-load, as in sans-luggage). In that case, maybe the XC90 wins it here owing to its seating capacity. The VX has more perches, yes, but there are places where it would look, well, out of place. Like at an inner city party for the well-off. It looks too rugged and too off-roadish. The rest would work too in almost any situation, but the Volvo has more seats
Safety standards: Volvos are the kings of safe. The VX would be most unsafe because it does not use a monocoque chassis like the others, and it is too tall, making it very easy to tip over.
Resale value: The VX retains most of its value over the years. The rest are a tough call to make, but of the lot, the Porsche loses most of its value over the years.
