First impressions:
A Unimog-esque, almost military, look with good ground clearance
and a sturdy brushed-steel roll cage.
The whole vehicle is well thought out, with the Trans option
giving the choice of seating for four or a longer load bay.
Chassis and suspension
The engine bay is a more compact, boxed-in affair than on the
other machines, which helps to deaden noise and limit the amount of
mud that gets thrown up around the engine and gearbox.
It has single wishbones, coil springs and dampers up front and a
rigid rear beam (like the Kubota) supported by a combination of
leaf springs, coil springs and dampers.
Engine and transmission
The engine was the smoothest, quietest and most refined on test
- its 953cc and 3-cylinders pumping out 24hp. The twin-range,
belt-driven CVT is smooth and the range of ratios in "Hi" means
there's never the need to drop into "Lo", even on the steepest of
slopes.
Watch the Kawasaki Mule being put through its paces
Driveability
Drives more like a 4x4 than a buggy - straightforward and
responsive. The gear change located up on the dash is easy to
fathom and undemanding.
Diff-lock and 4wd are engaged via simple lift-and-shift
mechanical levers that are unlikely to ever give grief. The power
steering is exceptionally light.
Braking
Not so good here. The combine-style belt-drive variator
transmission offers no engine braking on downhill slopes. So the
Mule has the greatest tendency to do the "runaway train, never
coming back" trick if you're not adept with your left-foot
braking.
The drum brakes on each corner proved disappointing in
comparison to other machines' discs and a heavy stamp inevitably
resulted in all four wheels locking up.
Practicality and servicing
Air intakes for transmission cooling and engine are high up on
the roll-frame, so there's no danger of sucking in dust, debris or
water. However the load bay is heavy to tip - it needs a gas
strut.
Although there's lots of space around the engine, maintenance
access isn't great. However storage is the best on test, with a
huge front compartment that could hold medicine, foot shears and
probably a whole lamb
Cab
Simple and utilitarian, with bench seats a bonus - but note that
these aren't road legal. Although there's a speedo, there are only
warning lights for temperature, oil and preheat.
The floor is clear of complications and easily
power-washable.
Pros Four-person (although this is an option) and very
easy to change Driveability (like a 4x4) and electric power
steering Best build quality Cons Free wheeling Ineffective drum brakes Maintenance access
tricky |
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To see results from the other buggies click on the link
below:
Massey Ferguson 20 MD - best handling at speed
John Deere Gator XUV 850 D
JCB Groundhog 4x4 - best load independentsuspension
Kubota RTV 900 - best at braking
And for more pictures from the
tests click here.