AnswerID: 91049 Submitted: Sunday, Jan 02, 2005 at 23:07
Bitsumishin - Mike (WA)
replied:
My wife has had a '97 Terios almost since new & whilst its not our main 4x4, she does occassionally take it out on the clubs Ladies drives & it competes admirably in soft sand and rocks where ground clearance is not a major issue. The Powerline track to
York is no problem for it, nor any beach (see trips this site)
Good: Small and easy to park in shopping centres but still gives high view for driving. Engine seems unstoppable & mechanically it has been faultless. Cheap on fuel when compared to a standard 4x4 but not cheap when compared to a small 2WD
Bad: Revs like the beejesus (I keep looking for 6th gear). Leg room in rear is only good for kids under teenage yrs & boot is small also. No recovery points, only tiedowns (although its so light, that is probably all it needs). It's cheap, I doubt you'd get a '97 Zook for that price in good condition, they were certainly out of my price range at the time.
As for the Kia link.... good luck finding anyone to mod a Terios, I fear they would just laugh, I have enough trouble with 4x4 mechs taking my Challenger seriously.
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FollowupID: 350093 Submitted:
Thursday, Jan 06, 2005 at 01:07
Member - Mungo Explorer (NSW) posted:
As a one-time Terios owner, I'd second most of that. I actually bought it as an offroader (yeah I know but it's all I could afford then...) and it took me to through the
Daintree to
Cooktown, to
Innamincka and Maree, and up and down a few beaches. It's so light it will zoom through wet dirt which bogs heavier "serious" fourbys but don't ask it to do stuff where low range is required. I was snatched out of bogs a few times with the tie-down points without any dramas but I'm not sure I would do the same to any bogged Terios these days. The high revving engine is tiresome on freeways but quite nippy, at least with the later models.
All in all, I'd recommend it as a cheap dual-purpose town/dirt road car, provided you don't need more space, more solid construction, or a transfer case. Certainly much, much better offroad than the likes of the CRV and the RAV, if only because of its centre difflock, its reasonable ground clearance, and its revvy but capable engine.
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