Mini-/Mid-sized SUVs with good flood-fording capabilities

[Automahn]

With the frequency of heavy downpours in the Metro nowadays, it would be nice to have a high riding vehicle with you when flash floods suddenly occur. As to high riders, I prefer SUVs over pick-ups. Which among the current mini- or mid-sized SUVs would be capable of making it through moderate floods?

[tip_tipid]

I think the best criteria to ask is which one have a waterproofed wheel brake cylinders, hydraulic clutch cylinders and waterproofed suspension shock absorber? Is there a shop doing waterproofing on these components?

[niky]

That's not the biggest problem.

What you're looking for is fording height... brakes, shocks and transmissions are always vulnerable... it's SOP to check them after a flooding, whatever the vehicle.

The most important thing is that the electricals and the air intake are shielded and at a height that prevents flood damage.

For mid-sized SUVs, this will mean the Fortuner, Everest, etcetera... ladder-frame SUVs, being pickup based, are often built with a fair amount of flood-fording capabilities.

Most crossovers (CR-V, Escape, Santa Fe, etcetera) are not. They'll ford floods up to about six inches below the air intake, but that's about it. It's still dangerous to take them through floods, no matter how tall the actual vehicle is... especially since bow waves can send water into unshielded intakes (which happens all too often, to the chagrin of many a CR-V or Escape owner...).

The smallest flood-capable vehicle should be the Jimny (point of fact, the Jimny is one of the most off-road-capable vehicles on the market...)... but I don't know about the intake tract and how high or low it is.

[niky]

That's not the biggest problem.

What you're looking for is fording height... brakes, shocks and transmissions are always vulnerable... it's SOP to check them after a flooding, whatever the vehicle.

The most important thing is that the electricals and the air intake are shielded and at a height that prevents flood damage.

For mid-sized SUVs, this will mean the Fortuner, Everest, etcetera... ladder-frame SUVs, being pickup based, are often built with a fair amount of flood-fording capabilities.

Most crossovers (CR-V, Escape, Santa Fe, etcetera) are not. They'll ford floods up to about six inches below the air intake, but that's about it. It's still dangerous to take them through floods, no matter how tall the actual vehicle is... especially since bow waves can send water into unshielded intakes (which happens all too often, to the chagrin of many a CR-V or Escape owner...).

The smallest flood-capable vehicle should be the Jimny (point of fact, the Jimny is one of the most off-road-capable vehicles on the market...)... but I don't know about the intake tract and how high or low it is.

[Memphis Raines]

Perhaps the Pajero...



or an Isuzu Alterra..





.

[1D4LV]

i agree on the jimny. i saw one na almost nasa headlights na yung tubig, tinawid pa din. naka snorkels nga lang sya.

another vehicle is Ford Everest,1st Gen Zuk Vitara, the Mitsu Pajero and the Nissan Patrol.

[coiter]

generally, diesels are more "waterproof" than gasoline engines because of the lack of electrical components to run it. though i'm not too sure if it holds true for new crdi-run diesels. but whatever type of engine, it would still depend on like what nicky said, ride height, position of intake and alternator.

some suvs have stock water separators in their intakes and the alternator is located as high as the top of the engine for such purposes.

i dunno much about the engine layout of current suvs, but i would still put my money on the likes of the pajero, patrol and alterra. the only mini-suv in mind is the jimny and vitara. this is simply based on the heritage of said vehicles. i'm really not confident with the crossovers'/cuvs' ability for this.

pero tingin ko at least 8 inches of ground clearance is sufficient to tackle most floods in the metro.

[alainroyce]

You don't want pick-up but this is the truly amphibious vehicle without snorkel.. even the door are sealed with the kiss...

[Gerbo]

He.he.he. ...since we're at it. How about the Hummer?

...with its Humvee origins......

[alainroyce]

Automahn* siguro naman to this kind of vehicle makakuwi ka na without a problem...