Road test: Ford Falcon RTV Ute

By Feann Torr & Peter Maniatis

When Ford was tweaking its in-development BA Falcon early in the millennium, it received lots of feedback from customers for a ute that could tackle the tougher stuff.

While AWD was never mentioned - some folk still hammer their Kingswoods through muddy paddocks today without too many problems - the call was out for a ute with more ground clearance.

The audience that Ford was pitching at were farmers who had creeks on their property, tradesmen working at sites with restricted access and everyone else who didn't fall into those categories, but who wanted something that could get dirty without braking the bank.

In late 2003, Falcon Ute marketing manager Damon Paull said "During development of the BA Falcon Ute we recognised a largely unsatisfied market segment. There were customers wanting all the power, performance and creature comforts found in a Falcon Ute; however they also required a vehicle with increased ground clearance."

Fast-forward a few years and the RTV, or Rough Terrain Vehicle, is born - a vehicle that can tackle the tough stuff, haul huge loads, tow a trailer and still finish off a long hard day with a few burnouts just for good measure (bet your AWD can't do that).

The idea behind the ute may sound a little weak in the face of Holden's new AWD underpinnings appearing on things like the Crewman Cross 8, but the fact of the matter is that the rear wheel drive ute is still a very capable offroader, and it's basic driveline setup ensure prices start low.

Make: Ford
Model: RTV Falcon Ute
Price: $37,895
Transmission: 4 speed auto
Engine: 5.4-litre, 24-valve, Vee-eight cylinder
Fuel Consumption: City cycle - N/A, Highway cycle - N/A
Seats: 2
Safety: Driver's SRS airbag, ABS

Drive

Ford Falcon RTV Ute

The RTV ute sits a good 80mm higher than the standard BA Falcon ute, and on the road this translates to a commanding view of everything ahead.

As a result, cruising along in the RTV feels good, with the fairly light steering being very similar to other BA models, and not affected by an AWD setup, as is the case with Holden's Adventra et al.

Plant your right foot and the BA's impressive automatic transmission delivers the power to the rear wheels quickly and decisively, and the RTV had no trouble overtaking on the freeway.

We tested the RTV in 5.4-litre V8 form, which costs $37,895, but prices start at $30,875 for the 182kW cab chassis (flat tray) RTV.

The Ford V8 performs well, and doesn't mind a bit of rev now and then either, but as is the case with most chunky V8s, it tends to get thirsty if you're a bit blasé with the loud pedal.

On the blacktop, the ute's extra ride height puts its centre of gravity much higher than normal, and in combination with slightly softer suspension tune results in moderate body roll through tighter corners. While most people interested in the RTV are probably more concerned with its offroad capabilities than its onroad behaviour, it's still a nice vehicle to drive on the road, and the V8 mill ensures plenty of reserve power when you need it.

In the city the extra ride height is a boon, providing for a more comprehensive view of your surroundings, but then rearward vision isn't brilliant, and parking the thing didn't inspire confidence. The suspension absorbs most road imperfections without batting an eyelid, and on the whole the ute still maintains very respectable ride and handling.

Underbody protection and brake guards

The major differences between the RTV and a standard Ford Falcon ute are the increased ride height (67.5mm fore, 80mm aft), leaf-sprung rear suspension with track rods (to reduce axle tramp), underbody protective plates and a sump guard, a bigger radiator, a 30mm wider track, protected/reinforced brake and fuel lines, plus brake caliper and rear suspension protection.

All of these extra features afford the RTV a greater degree of freedom in our wide open land, and despite the lack of drive to the front wheels, the rugged ute felt right at home on unsealed roads, and did quite well off the beaten track to boot, rarely feeling unsettled.

It's actually quite fun to drive the RTV offroad, and though its doesn't have that AWD feeling (the front end often pushing), it's as happy as Larry in the mud.

The chunky tyres (215/60 R16) help greatly in this respect, forming a well measured balance between sealed-road compliance and offroad duties.

In addition, if you want to get through a particularly boggy creek or a muddy stretch of back country, the RTV has a lockable rear axle differential. This basically diverts equal power to the rear right and left wheels regardless of grip - so even if one wheel is completely off the ground, it will still revolve, being fed 50% of the engine's torque. This mode can only be engaged (via a button on the dash) at speeds under 40km/h, but can still remain locked up to 70km/h.

After testing the RTV for a week, it's safe to say that it behaves very much like a normal ute on sealed roads, albeit with reduced mid-corner enthusiasm. The fact that it doesn't mind getting dirty when you run out of road is reassuring, and though it's no 4x4, it has enough extras and reinforcements to justify its Rough Terrain Vehicle namesake.

Engine

The 5.4-litre V8 provides 470Nm of thrust

Ford's 5.4-litre V8 is a really lively unit, even in its lowest state of tune - as was the case with out test vehicle.

As with all the BA-based Falcon models we've tested, throttle response was impressive, and the engine note was quite pleasing too.

In normal drive mode (no performance or Tiptronic modes), a quick squirt of the fuel injectors sometimes resulted in rubber being left behind from a standing start, something we weren't expecting from the RTV, and proving again how torquey the Ford donk is.

Vital statistics are as follows: The 5408cc Ford V8 is comprised of a cast-iron block, has chain-driven single overhead camshafts per cylinder bank and 3-valves per cylinder. Variable valve timing makes the cut, and a 9.7:1 compression ratio ensures 91 RON petrol can be used when filling up the 80 litre fuel tank. Power generated is 220kW @ 4750rpm, while peak torque of 470Nm arrives @ 3250rpm allowing for a longer powerband than the tuned XR8.

If there's anything bad to say about the portly V8, it would be regarding fuel consumption, but at the same token it's not hard to drive the RTV softly, and with the variable valve timing it is possible to return no-so-shocking efficiency figures.

All told, the V8 engine powers the RTV ute with ease, and unless you're planning on hauling big loads, the 182kW 4.0-litre straight six would be more than enough for most.

Exterior

The RTV's rugged looks turns heads on the road

Beyond the Ford ute's chunkified tyres and increased ride height, the RTV also gets black wheel arch extensions to accentuate its offroad appearance.

The egg-crate grille doesn't exactly do the ute any favours in our humble opinions, but it does bring the boosted ute in line with Ford's colossal F-Series trucks.

The RTV we tested turned plenty of heads on the road, its baby monster truck appearance seeming to go down well with other road users.

That, or they were just really curious - but either way it says a lot about the car's road presence.

The 16-inch, five spoke alloy wheels are a nice touch, and the chunky 215/60 profile tyres help fill out even more of the extended wheel arches, but the lack of foglights may perturb some.

On the whole the ute is fairly innocuous, but the extra ride height, flared guards and other small touches add to the utes robust disposition.

Interior

Even when things get filthy outside, the cabin of the RTV does a tremendous job at keeping its two inhabitants calm and comfortable.

The standard BA Ford Falcon interiors aren't what you'd call luxurious, but they manage to do everything with a minimum of fuss, and the ergonomics are well above average. You may not step out of the cabin thinking 'wow', but you won't have any aches or strains either.

This hassle-free, easy-to-live with environment is characterised by the intuitive steering wheel functions, which control the single-CD stereo and cruise control (the latter is a $595 option).

A little disconcerting was the right hand wide angle side mirror to compensate for reduced rearward vision - which could take a little getting used to.

The twin cup holders work well, but the lack of an auto-down (or up) feature on the electric windows needs to be remedied. The dashboard and instrument cluster is one of the best in class, with easy to read figures and a clean, bold design.

Heater controls are nice to touch, easy to understand, and have a quality feel, and the well-appointed cabin offers excellent value for the entry-level $30,875 price.

Overall: 3/5

While the Rough Terrain Vehicle does not have an AWD powertrain - which will be a sticking point with many - it does well enough without one.

Even with heavy loads in the tray, the RTV didn't mind rolling over uneven terrain, and though the concept behind the RTV is fairly simple, it is appealing and it works. The entry level 4.0-litre inline six pricing is good value for money, and on this criteria would have score 4/5, but the $37,895 for the V8 we tested can't quite be viewed in the same positive light.

It's not the most innovative thing to ever come out of Broadmeadows, but it is a very keen performer with heaps of presence on the road, and it will suit drivers who don't agree with the high asking prices of 6 and 8-cylinder AWDs, but who want to get off the beaten track and do a little rock hopping.