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Subject:Re: NYTimes.com Article & Japanese 4WD vans
From:Ian Anderson
Date:Sat, 19 Jul 2003 17:11:44 +1000

Let's see now:
 Izuzu Fargo, I'm guessing Australia saw it as the Holden Shuttle.  If so
P.O.S
> Mazda Bongo (=Ford Econovan/Spectron), The 4wd version is a joke really.
Nice try though.  The LWB versions sit barley 1" higher though!
> Mitsubishi Delica/L300/Express, No offence guys but this is the one that
really started the 4wd van craze.  1983/84 was the first one with real off
road ability.  Crap on the road and tinny as hell though.  We owned one back
in 1990-1994.
> Nissan Vanette, Urvan/Homy/Caravan, the ones I've seen are dogs.
> Toyota Liteace/Townace/Masterace, Hiace, Estima (=Previa), the 1980's
Liteace and previa/tarago was like the Mazda, playing catchup to Mitsu and
the L300.  Limited offroad ability.  Not sure about the Hiace but then it is
a big bugger really.
Apart from the Izuzu and the Nissan we got all the 4wd vans at one point or
another.  FYI, the L300 4wd was available between 1983/84 and 1999/2000, the
Toyotas 1986/1989, the Mazda/Fords about 1986/1988 while the VW Synchro ran
1989/1991 with about 200 sold.  The T4 Synchro is still available.
Ian