SERVICE OVERVIEW OF THE 2006 LIGHT TRUCKS

Motor,  Jan 2006  by Weissler, Paul

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The Sport is available with either of two versions of a Jaguar-source V8: the 4.4L (naturally aspirated 305 hp, 315 ft.-lbs. of torque) and the 4.2 (supercharged 400 hp, 420 ft.-lbs. of torque). Both are externally waterproofed. Certainly no less so than HUMMER, Land Rover has "ford every stream" (and some rivers) requirements, and the exterior seals are special stuff. And because the Sport is expected to survive any terrain, the sealing also keeps out sand and dust, and shields are in place to deflect rocks.

Automatic air suspension and active antiroll (both supplied by Delphi) are two standard features that give the Range Rover Sport very carlike ride and handling characteristics. The air suspension adjusts ride comfort according to road texture and even lowers the ride height at high speed. Dynamic Response, die active antiroll system, is key to the handling. The sway bar actually is a two-piece design, and an enginedriven pump powers a hydraulic actuator that operates the section at each side, with a suspension computer regulating the hydraulics. The LR3 Discovery introduced this system in 1999, but that was a large, triangular assembly that never would fit into the independent front end of the Sport. Delphi and Land Rover developed a super-compact rotary actuator that not only fits, but outperforms the original system. So the Sport may be a tall-box SUV, but you don't see that body roll when you're wheeling it through the turns.

For off-roaders who want to do the minimum amount of thinking, the Sport adopts the select-and-forget Terrain Response of the LR3 Discovery: Just turn the knob to indicate the type of terrain you're on-from sand and rock and snow through smooth pavement.

Toyota

Remember the little RAV4, the fourcylinder subcompact SUV? Well, you'd hardly recognize it anymore, because it really grew up for 2006. It's a whopping 14½ in. longer (181 in. overall) on a 104.7-in. wheelbase (up from 98 in.), and it's 71.5 in. wide (up from 68.3 in.). This is not a stretch job, but an all-new platform based on the Tacoma pickup. And third-row seating is available.

With that new size, the RAV4 also gets a powerful 269-hp, 3.5L V6 engine and can accelerate from O to 60 as quickly as some very expensive sports sedans (about 7 seconds). The engine is a short-stroke version of the 4.0 V6 used in the 4Runner and Tacoma, and it's mated to either of two five-speed automatics (one for 2WD, one for 4WD). The transverse mounting of the V6 creates tight access at the accessory end of the engine (passenger side). There's an underbody shield, so access to the drive belt probably is best from the top, after some R&R in the area. Fortunately, the power steering is electric, so there's no pump (or hoses and reservoir) and therefore no belt wrap involved with the steering. However, the belt does wrap around the a/c compressor pulley, which is a no-clutch design-variable displacement instead of clutch cycling is used to regulate output. The V6 drops the familiar adjustable bucket tappets in favor of minihydraulic tappets.