Whenever I come face to face with a vehicle with which I’m not familiar I find it helpful to have a good look around before driving it – particularly if that driving will be off highway. That way I get some understanding of what to expect, and some insight into what the manufacturer may have had in mind when designing the vehicle – and that’s helpful background when dealing with the various types of terrain encountered off-road.

So let’s look around Hyundai’s offering to the mid-range RV market.

Styling is a very personal matter but Terracan’s style does not look out of place in the city or in the bush and fits well with its contemporaries. Styling is generally purposeful, maybe even aggressive to some but, like many of its generation, the extensive use of heavily sculptured side panelling may, in time, become dated. Styling is a very personal matter.

It’s in the little things that Hyundai shows it understands off-highway touring – like the simple whip aerial (if you’ve knocked off half a dozen telescopic ones you’ll understand what I mean), and the OE roof rack is both stylish and simple to adjust – one of the simplest I’ve come across – and ideal for that camping or skiing trip.

Hyundai claims a ground clearance of 211mm, but as with all brands it’s never clear just where that measurement has been taken. Theoretically, we could assume that it is possible to drive over a 211mm deep slab – but you can’t, so we chose instead to measure the actual ground clearance at a number of vulnerable points and found the following: The rear axle trailing link mounts have 250mm clearance – that’s very good; the centre crossmember, 242mm – also very good; the front crossmember (which includes a plastic bump guard; I hesitate to call it a bash plate) is a useful 232mm, while the live axle rear diff banjo allows 200mm clearance.

A quick look underneath is enough to confirm that the sump, oil filter, exhaust system and fuel tank, are all well out of harm’s way and unlikely to be damaged off-highway.

Despite the best attempts of the motor industry to convince us that unitary-body construction is superior – not simply cheaper to manufacture – Terracan, like its competitor Prado, utilises a conventional separate chassis.

With torsion bar independent front suspension matched to a coil sprung live rear axle controlled by trailing links and a watts linkage, Terracan’s layout is well proven and shared by many well-respected RV contenders.

A claimed approach angle of 30.4deg and departure angle of 26deg also compares well with Terracan’s competitors; however, the departure angle on our Terracan was compromised by the aftermarket tow bar – not unusual for all but the best towbar designs.

Terracan has anti-roll bars fitted front and rear as standard, the front is a massive 32mm diameter, while the rear bar is a more conservative 26mm.

Our Terracan Tales example had also been fitted with Hyundai Australia’s Trek ‘n’ Tow suspension kit. I wanted to know more about this kit, so searched Hyundai Australia’s website for some technical detail and found nothing. Maybe Hyundai New Zealand would know? Nothing. So I e-mailed from both websites for information. Three weeks later, no replies and I had to read an Australian magazine to learn anything about Trek ‘n’ Tow.

Apparently, Trek ‘n’ Tow was developed by Suspension Technology Australia especially for Terracan and includes Edlebrock dampers all round, with Eibach progressive rate coils and Elastogram polyurethane bump stops at the rear. The rear coils are 30 per cent firmer and raise the rear by 20mm. Braked towing capacity is increased to 2500kg. Front torsion bars remain standard.

With any part-time four-wheel-drive setup it is important to know what type of self-locking hub mechanism is used. It was simply impossible to find this in any of Hyundai’s printed material so once again I went to the websites. Nothing there, but an e-mail should get the information. It didn’t, and I still don’t know! It is likely that the system is similar to Mitsubishi technology, on whose designs early Hyundai product was based.

To date, neither Hyundai Australia or New Zealand has responded on suspension or hub questions.

With the third row of seats removed, there is more than adequate storage space, and with the middle row of seats tumbled forward the rear load length is a handy 1600mm. This can be increased to a useful 1950mm by removing the second row seats, however, unlike Prado, this requires unbolting them – and that’s somewhat cumbersome!

Under bonnet, a massive 12v 100AH/RC 180 min, 900aCCA battery indicates that Terracan means business in off-highway touring, and while the engine bay is packed with a massive intercooler and all the usual modern diesel support systems, the brake and clutch master cylinders; radiator filler; engine dipstick and oil filler; battery; air filter; screen wash bottle; power steering reservoir and fuses (all well identified) are all commendably accessible. Well done Hyundai.

Now that I understand a bit about the vehicle, let’s go for a drive. I chose a combination of long-distance highway driving – a 1000km-plus return trip from Auckland to Bulls – with a variety of off-highway conditions offered by the Middle Districts Lions Club Safari at Scott’s Ferry (see July issue).

On picking up the Terracan it was immediately apparent that the car pulled to the left, and that there was a severe vibration or balance problem somewhere – perhaps something bent or out of alignment. At least it showed that previous testers had not been pussyfooting around!

Behind the wheel, the immediate impression is the size of the bonnet scoop for the turbo intercooler. However, after driving the vehicle for a short while this impression faded.

The gearshift is firm and positive, while the clutch pedal is light with long travel, giving lots of feel – ideal for slippery conditions.

Underway on the open road there is a noticeable turbo lag at low speeds in the lower gears, although this improves significantly at higher cruising speeds in fourth and fifth gear where engine loads and exhaust temperatures are higher and the airflow to the above-engine-mounted intercooler is more effective.

The 2.9-litre common-rail diesel is actually very strong, and with an all-up weight of just 2079kg the power to weight ratio of 18.31kg/kW (Prado VX TD 23.43kg/kW) ensures performance is very good and the engine pulls strongly and willingly.

Just off idle, however, it can be a different story – but more about that when we go off-road.

At start-up and idle it's clear that this is a diesel, although it is by no means noisy, and once underway the engine is particularly quiet.

At higher speeds the steering is not particularly precise, but once settled into a corner the turn-in improves and this Terracan handles remarkably well, with well controlled body roll – courtesy those roll bars. In fairness, this lack of preciseness may well be related to the tendency of our Terracan to pull left.

We also noticed a tendency to lurch discreetly at speed on rough and undulating sealed surfaces. More noticeable was a distinct pitching from the rear, most evident when negotiating judder bars. This pitching at low speeds may be a consequence of the higher rear spring rate, relative to the standard front torsion bars and is reminiscent of the old days of farm utes, when we used to beef up the rear springs with a couple of extra leafs to carry the hay bales, but without any changes to the front springs. As the Trek ‘n’ Tow spring rates are designed for towing, it is probable that this tendency is only noticeable with an unloaded vehicle.

The trip to Bulls saw us traversing the Desert Road just on dawn. A heavy frost bleached the landscape and the road was icy – a good chance to check the ABS. One or two tyre tracks indicated that few vehicles had preceded us and it was a simple matter to choose some virgin ice and cautiously apply the brakes. Terracan slowed smoothly and in a straight line, testimony to good ABS software, and to the Goodyear Wranglers.

Arriving at Scott’s Ferry, it was time for an early morning coffee and off into the Santoft pine forest.

Here we learnt that Terracan suffered from limited rear axle articulation – again perhaps, a consequence of suspension changes (I would assume that the standard rear suspension would be more supple). Coming off steep crests into steep declines that are typical of the short sharp scrambling ascents of Santoft, the vehicle would cock a rear wheel, resulting in reduced engine braking as the differential briefly sent rotation from the ground driven wheel to the airborne wheel. Many vehicles, some with ETC, have this tendency. With all wheels on the ground, Terracan’s near-class-leading low reduction of 2.480:1 (Prado 2.566) ensured first class engine braking ability.

Sand soaks up all the power you can give it, but Terracan’s engine temperature gauge never wavered. Cooling is aided greatly by the engine driven viscous fan – the most suitable fan type for river crossings – but this is supplemented by two thermostatically-operated electric fans mounted ahead of the radiators. This belt-and-braces setup ensures efficient cooling in slow and heavy going off-road conditions – but it also means the aircon works a treat at all times.

Traction in the power-sapping sand was always good, and the willing and torquey engine ensured Terracan was never stopped on the climbs.

No doubt the competent, if conventional, rear LSD’s ability to harness the engine torque contributed to this, but credit must also go to the Goodyear Wranglers. These 255/70 16-inch tubeless block pattern radial tyres incorporate Goodyear’s latest Durawall puncture resistant technology. This includes a three-ply sidewall construction, using a compound that has a higher silica content to improve cut resistance (the silica adds to the cross linking of the compound and increases its strength).

Although there were many exposed tree roots, typical of any pine forest, they posed no real sidewall threat. Reports from around the world are, however, highly enthusiastic about the effectiveness of this development. Perhaps the most disconcerting trait we found off-road was Terracan’s readiness to stall just off idle, although this only happened off-road, and only after a period of idling. This is not uncommon when an intercooler is mounted horizontally above the engine.

This configuration is fine, perfect even, for on-highway travel, where cool clear air is picked up well above the warm road surface and ducted at speed down through the intercooler.

Off-road it’s a different situation; speeds are slow and when travelling in a group, stops and waits are inevitable. In these situations under-bonnet air temperature rises rapidly as there is no forward movement to take hot air away. Hot air rises and the easiest way out is up and past the intercooler and out through the bonnet scoop – exactly the reverse of when the vehicle is underway.

All intercoolers increase the total induction tract volume relative to a non-intercooler set up. With the horizontal intercooler absorbing heat from under the bonnet, the air in the induction tract becomes less dense, or "thin."

Under light throttle, as in moving off, this large volume of "thin" air is slow to move. The turbo, which has been just idling over, is patiently waiting for some hot exhaust gasses to tell it that it’s time to get motivated. The sluggishness of the "thin" air column delays the build up of exhaust temperatures – and therefore the turbo’s motivation. The result is a brief moment when there is little or no throttle response. Unless you are aware of this phenomenon, and just "tickle" the throttle a little to get things moving again, it is easy to stall the engine – usually at the foot of a hill you’ve been waiting to climb, and usually in front of an adoring crowd!

This characteristic only showed in that very specific situation, and once it was understood, it was easy to avoid. Once underway the common rail engine gets quickly back on the case, with all of its 345Nm of torque once more at your command.

Terracan has many strengths both on- and off-road. It is a straightforward vehicle, refreshingly so to some.

With its full chassis and well established suspension layout is just gets on with the job off-road while offering exhilarating performance and perfectly adequate comfort on-road.

The suspension layout lends itself well to upgrading, and when someone like ARB comes up with matched torsion bars, coils and dampers, Terracan will be a popular DIY conversion choice.

Part-time 4WD, a sensible low reduction and a first-class LSD are already more than can be said for some would-be competitors. Add the strong first generation common rail diesel turbo intercooled engine and there’s good reason to put Terracan on your "must-look-at" list if you’re in the mid range RV market.

But perhaps Terracan’s greatest attribute is value for money. Just look at the prices.

Jeep Grand Cherokee 2.7CRD* $77,900

Discovery Td5 SE* $69,500

Prado 3.0L RV diesel $66,500

Pajero 3.2 TD GLS (auto) $59,990

Terracan 2.9 TD CRDi $44,990

* outgoing model

Terracan is lowest on the list, but highest on value for money.

At the end of our trip, Terracan had clocked up 14,000km. Goodyear’s Wranglers, fitted at delivery and with a new tread depth of 15mm, showed wear of 2mm, indicating a tyre life of over 70,000km, assuming they’ll be replaced while they still have tread.

With a fuel capacity of 75 litres, we used two tanks of diesel, giving a fuel consumption of 10.57 litres per 100km and 10.59 litres per 100km. Very good considering the type of work we subjected it to, and suggesting Terracan has a cruising range of around 600km. l