© JAMES TAYLOR
Editor: Land Rover Enthusiast Magazine

BACKGROUND

The Daihatsu Fourtrak Independent replaced the established and popular Fourtrak from the same company during 1993. However, the new vehicle was really a re-engineered version of the old, incorporating independent front suspension and coil springs at the rear (to improve the ride quality) and wider tracks (to improve the handling) as the primary changes. The new features were also carried over onto the commercial models, which now went under the name of Fourtrak Fieldman.

The basic line-up was not changed from that of the previous and successful Fourtrak range. That meant that there was a short-wheelbase model which shared its flat-roof bodyshell with the Fieldman vans and a long-wheelbase Estate model with a raised rear roofline to cater for the family market. Nevertheless, the Fourtrak Independent range did not include any petrol-engined variants; Daihatsu had instead standardised on the 2.8-litre intercooled turbodiesel (with the old naturally-aspirated diesel engine also available on Fieldman commercial models).

One omission from the range was an automatic-transmission model. This was an area which Daihatsu had not tackled with the previous Fourtrak range either, but it undoubtedly cost them sales in an era when the family-estate market was increasingly turning to turbodiesel models with automatic transmission.

The Fourtrak Independent has sold well, but has not emulated the success of its predecessor models in the UK. One reason is the increased number of competitive vehicles from other manufacturers; another must surely be the age of the basic design.

Character summary

Most of the comments made about the earlier Fourtrak also apply to the Fourtrak independent. The tall and narrow cabin was not improved in the facelift, but the intelligent interior design makes the best use of the space available, and the large glass area prevents any feelings of claustrophobia.

However, the Fourtrak Independent has so far failed to shake off the rather utilitarian image associated with the older model. One reason is that it looks so similar; another is that it has acquired no additional soundproofing to bring noise levels down to those of newer competitive vehicles. While the Independent is actually a much more civilised vehicle than the older Fourtrak in many respects, it does not aspire to the chic appeal of family 4x4s like the Land Rover Discovery or Vauxhall Frontera. As a dual-purpose vehicle, alternating between workhorse and family transport, it nevertheless works well. The strong pulling power of the standard intercooled turbodiesel engine and the extra stability brought by the widened tracks make it an even better tow vehicle than before.

Performance summary

The Fourtrak Independent is a much more competent performer on the road than its leaf-sprung predecessors. The main difference is in the ride, which has lost all trace of harshness and is now comfortable and compliant. However, there is often a trade-off in terms of handling when a vehicle's suspension is made softer, and so it proves with the Fourtrak Independent. The independent front suspension and coil-sprung rear end allow much more body-roll in corners than the hard leaf springs 0f the older models. The wider tracks prevent this from developing into a problem, but the additional roll certainly is noticeable from inside the vehicle.

Otherwise, the Fourtrak Independent has all the best features of the final old-model Fourtraks, including the gutsy and fuel-efficient intercooled turbo-diesel engine. On TDX models, push -button selection of four-wheel drive on the move is a useful additional feature.

Reliability, weaknesses, spares

The Fourtrak Independent has proved to be more reliable in service than its predecessors. It has no particular weaknesses and spares are readily available through Daihatsu dealers. Some spares can be expensive - one result of dealers selling so few because the vehicles are fundamentally reliable.

Resale values

The Fourtrak Independent models have upheld the Daihatsu tradition for strong resale values in the two years since they were introduced to the UK. There is no discernible difference in depreciation between short-wheelbase and long-wheelbase models