How genuine are the new cross-road all-wheel drives when it comes to tackling the rough stuff? We took a showroom standard Holden Adventra on one the toughest four-wheel drive tracks for Wheels magazine to the very tip of Cape York Peninsula.

By Damien Reid
Photos: Rod Eime

It was an ambitious task, but what the heck, Holden's TV adds for the Adventra show it pulling boats out of the water, pounding through deep sand and wading through rivers, so we thought - why not?

Before we go any further, it's worth clarifying the difference between an all-wheel drive like the Adventra and a four-wheel drive such as a LandCruiser or Patrol. Four-wheel drives generally have a separate chassis which purists argue to be stronger but not as comfortable as a monocoque used in passenger cars. They also have a transfer case allowing the driver to select high-range and low-range for the really tough stuff and lockable diffs to help with traction under extreme circumstances. Most are also 2WD until you shift a lever to engage 4WD.

AWDs on the other hand have power constantly driving all wheels with a ratio of around 65:35 rear to front. They're good for most purposes including soft sand and wet roads, but the enthusiasts argue that's about it. Where they become smarter is their ability to transfer power from wheel to wheel depending on traction so that 98 per cent of power can be shifted to just one wheel if that's the only way it's going to get through the slippery stuff.

This I can vouch for after 2600 kms of dirt driving over all manner of terrain; I can almost smell the death of the old style four-wheel drive.

The run to Cape York Peninsula is one of the toughest off-roading expeditions you can encounter which is impossible in summer due to flooded roads and even in the height of winter we still managed to splash through over 40 river crossings and catch two ferries.

Holden recently announced a $4000 drop in the Adventra to $48,990 to compete with the Toyota Klugar and Ford Territory while existing owners can expect a cheque in the mail, but this car is not quite in the same league as it doesn't offer a base spec alternative.

Only two levels of trim are available, the Berlina-spec CX8 and the full-blown, $56,990 leather-clad, Calais-spec LX8. Only the 235kW, 5.7-litre V8 engine is available with the now ageing 4-speed auto gearbox, but hopefully that will change soon with the new V6 Commodore engine.

Precautionary spares included an extensive tool kit, tie-down straps, tape, 12-volt lighting, water, extra fuel and two spare tyres and not one of those were needed as the Adventra banged over deep ruts, pushed through heavy sand dunes and paddled across rivers without getting into trouble once. Even the predominantly street-focused Bridgestone tyres and alloy wheels were straight off the showroom floor and still looked new without any scratches or bent rims. Along with all fluids, tyre pressures were monitored daily and never budged from their initial pressure.
 
Its biggest challenges came from the powdery-fine red dust which found its way into door locks and ignition barrels, a few rattles emerged after hundreds of kilometres of the world's worst corrugations including a stage which took four and half hours to cover 117 kilometres and a soft sand bog which needed a shovel to clear its rear wheels before it reversed out un-aided.

Comfort was as you would expect in a car with Calais-levels of refinement including sensational leather seats and climate air-con while dust seals and air filters played a remarkable job to keep the interior free of dust.

It proves you no longer need big, over-sized four-wheel drives to access the most remote corners of the country and in short, would I do it again in the same car? Why, hell yeah!

©Copyright 2004; Road&Write Promotions