America’s most wanted SUVs in South Africa: Part 3

As much as they have become the bane of many buyers over the years, the facts are just that. The SUV, no matter how small or big, has become the modern day family’s preferred choice of vehicle with the added benefit of not being tarmac bound.

What’s more, mention the three letters denoting the Sports Utility Vehicle, plus its various sub-divisions, the mind immediately heads across the pond to North America where the initial boom of the late 1980s and especially the early 1990s saw every manufacturer rush to join a section of the market that has become one of the most lucrative, but also oversaturated today.

With just over 17-million new vehicles sold last year, of which 8.2-million were SUVs, it is not hard to see why the States has become SUV central and a key market that often receives international bound models before other markets.

In this third and final feature, The Citizen Motoring takes one last flight to the USA in looking at four SUVs that are unlikely to be offered in South Africa anytime soon, in spite of their makers being present. It is worth noting that with the departure of General Motors (GM) three years ago, models from Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC are not included, along with offerings from Dodge as well as the upscale divisions of Ford (Lincoln), Honda (Acura) and Nissan (Infiniti).

Ford Expedition

Until late 2005, the Expedition was the Blue Oval’s second largest SUV after the simply gargantuan Excursion. A year later though, it took over as Henry’s marque’s flagship SUV with the current fourth generation showing itself three years ago as the “smartest Expedition” since the moniker’s founding in 1996.

Stepping-up from the Explorer, the aluminium bodied Expedition seats eight as standard with seven-seats being optional, but while its junior sibling downgraded to a unibody platform nine years ago, it has kept not only the F-150 derived body-on-frame architecture, but also a low-range gearbox with Ford even going so far as to offer an off-road specific FX4 pack as an option.

Available in five trim grades; the fleet market only XL, XLT, Limited, Platinum and ultra-luxurious King Ranch, the Expedition is motivated by the familiar twin-turbocharged 3.5 EcoBoost V6 used in the F-150 Raptor, but in two states of tune; 280kW/637Nm and from the Limited up, 298kW/650Nm. The General Motors co-developed ten-speed automatic gearbox is standard and while the Expedition would make for an interesting alternative to the Toyota Prado from a local market standout, it is all but guaranteed of not happening.

Nissan Pathfinder

Whether you call it the Terrano or Pathfinder, it goes without saying that Nissan did itself no favours when it moved its Navara-based seven-seat SUV from a body-on-frame platform to a unibody with the unveiling of the current R52 model in 2012.

Highly regarded in North America for its off-road prowess since the first generation premiered in 1985, the Pathfinder, which many disgruntled enthusiasts soon nicknamed the ‘Mall-finder’ after viewing the final product, is set to be replaced soon with a change in drivetrain touted to be the biggest drawing card. In its present form, power comes from a normally aspirated 3.5-litre V6 that fires 212kW/351Nm to the front or all four wheels via a CVT.

RELATED: America’s most wanted SUVs in South Africa: Part 2

A world away from the R51 Pathfinder sold in South Africa until 2014 with amongst others the 170kW/550Nm 3.0-litre V9X turbodiesel engine, which in the States was eschewed in favour of a 231kW/525Nm 5.6-litre V8, Nissan is not expected to bring the Pathfinder back to South Africa anytime soon as a gap filler between the X-Trail and Patrol.

Subaru Ascent

Subaru’s first try in producing a large SUVs resulted in the Bighorn, essentially a rebadged Isuzu Trooper sold in select markets from the late 80s to the early 90s. The first go-it alone attempt culminated in the rather ungainly looking Tribeca that failed to make an impact, even after a facelift and an engine enlargement from 3.0 to 3.6-litres.

Shown in Los Angeles three years ago, the Ascent is a world away from its predecessor and despite its maxi-Forester looks, it said to “deliver an unparalleled driving experience with a spacious interior”. Equipped with seven-seats and offered in four trim levels; base, Premium, Limited and Touring, it also debuted Subaru’s brand-new 2.4-litre FA24 turbocharged flat-four that produces 191kW/376Nm. A CVT is the sole transmission option along with the rally bred Symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive system.

Priced from $33 005 to $46 055 (R574 067-R801 050), the Ascent, while likely to be a welcome addition to the local Subaru line-up above the Forester, has been classified as a US-market only model and therefore, don’t expect the Lafayette Plant in Indiana to be producing it with right-hand-drive anytime soon.

Toyota Sequoia

Outsized only by the Land Cruiser, the frankly more imposing looking Sequoia is also one of the oldest models in Toyota’s line-up with the current second generation model hailing from 2007.

Reportedly on course to be replaced in 2022, the Sequoia, like most of its rivals, boasts seven seats, but like the Land Cruiser, only has a single engine option with all five models (SR5, TRD Sport, Limited, Platinum and TRD Pro) in the range being powered by a 5.7-litre V8 that produces 280kW/544Nm, hooked to a six-speed automatic gearbox with drive going to the rear or all four wheels.

RELATED: America’s most wanted SUVs in South Africa: Part 1

The most recent model eyed by Toyota Australia for possible introduction, the Sequoia is for now restricted to left-hand-drive, but even if it were to be offered with the steering gear on the right, its chances of being offered on local soil would be nil due to the presence of not only the Land Cruiser, but also the Prado sold as the Lexus GX 460 in the States.

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