Thread: 4wd vs ATV vs SXS

There was a "high country" spec in the Courier XLT - it was 4x4, extra cab with the little suicide doors at the back, and slightly higher ground clearance. Also had the extra safety features airbags side intrusion etc etc. That was an excellent package, I had one as a work vehicle for a time and at one stage made a cock up that had serious potential to be a major accident. I went up to the top water tank to unstick the ball arm and check out why the water was low at the lower tank. This was on the top of a series of hillocks with a fairly abrupt drop on the southern side with a lot of cattle tracks across it which were like steps effectively.

I got my hill mixed up and dropped over onto what I thought was the track - ahhh fark me, no one hill early. I'd driven the near new work ute straight over the edge of the hill at a 45deg angle to the left onto a 60deg slope with bloody great steps on it from cow hooves. I couldn't stop and get out to try and get the thing back up onto the hill, reverse was an unfunny joke and the only way was either stay put and cry to myself or work my way down. Straightened up to straight down, took it real easy and rolled over each step in a very controlled fashion and took the 75m direct way down... I could have stood up on the windscreen, I was expecting the arse of the ute to pass me on it's way down the hill every time I rolled over one of the sidling cattle track steps - but in reality the ute handled it fine not a problem at all. It really opened my eyes to what those light little utes can do, really very respectable and much better than the current series Rangers, Hiluxes and the like which are near double the weight.