Thread: Defender Puma vs Toyota 70 Video Review

Ok cheers guys (and gals)

I know about compression lockup, but I have never come across it in my 4x4ing or seen it going down hill. Mates diesel 60 series has seriously low 1st gear, snail crawls down *very* steep hills, and its never locked up going down (without brakes once again), including muddy hills.

Regardless, the hill in the video was definitely NOT muddy or slippery. It had a few holes which they were deliberately going through to cross up the axles. It was still "terrible" how it jerked / lunged / slid down. Lucky the hill was as short as it was or it would have got really exciting haha.

How do "real" puma owners in aus find their cars behaving going down very steep hills? Nothing like this video I am sure - but I can not see how he did anything wrong, unless he deliberately did something or maybe had it in 3rd instead of 1st? Wombat holes or lifting wheels going down hill should still not affect car like it did in video.

very balanced and high quality review. This guy actually discusses things important to an owner. I am sick to the gut of the age drive reviews where the most important factor is standard cruise control, rear seating room complaints in 911's and fuel tank size sports cars. Small cars are small and dont require leg room for large adults, big cars are big and dont need to handle like minis and 4x4's dont handle like cars along with off road ability (except porsches'). This south african guy is good value.

Look, neither of these vehicles is any good on-road. They both suck for ride comfort, performance and handling. They are all about one thing, and one thing only. Off-road ability, and clearly the Defender is the winner. The rest of his criteria were about as relevant as aerodynamics.

I do agree with F4Phantom on the guy presenting a fairly balanced review.

I had the misfortune to drive a 'Toy 70' for some 600ks the other day in Central Queensland on dirt and back roads. Can't wait to get back to Sydney to drive my Puma. What a poor set up of a car. The V8 has no power, handling is rough and indecisive on tar. As it shakes and shimmies at low and high speed. Fuel consumption is too high for me, glad the company was paying for it. A bit low geared, could do with 6 gears, then might get a chance to get the engine to pull. Feels like a 200TDI engine!

Originally Posted by grabber4k

I had the misfortune to drive a 'Toy 70' for some 600ks the other day in Central Queensland on dirt and back roads. Can't wait to get back to Sydney to drive my Puma. What a poor set up of a car. The V8 has no power, handling is rough and indecisive on tar. As it shakes and shimmies at low and high speed. Fuel consumption is too high for me, glad the company was paying for it. A bit low geared, could do with 6 gears, then might get a chance to get the engine to pull. Feels like a 200TDI engine!

I was driving one of Rio Tinto's brand new 70 utes up north a little while back (they're pretty heavily optioned up to Rio standards).

The first thing that really surprised me was the large paddock that you needed to turn the bloody thing round. And they used to say that Landrovers were bad for turning circle ...........

Other than that, have to agree with your comments about the gutless V8 and the handling on the highway. My son has a 79 series Turbo diesel 6 with over a tonne of toolboxes etc permanently on the back - will keep up with the newer V8's without problem, and actually blows them away on a long hill.

The little TD5 in the Disco craps on either of them though.........

We all have to remember that the TDV8 is significantly detuned in the 79 Series so that it doesn't scatter small bits of gearbox and t/case all over this wide brown green land.

It has a huge scope for more performance, just be careful with the rest of the driveline if you do.

BMKal, do you know where I can get an "infidel inside" sticker for my truck? I love it!!!!

Originally Posted by pirasea

BMKal, do you know where I can get an "infidel inside" sticker for my truck? I love it!!!!

Haven't seen it as a sticker. I can send you in jpeg format or similar and you can see if your local signwriter can make a sticker from it if you like.