Who built the best full-size SUV in the 1990s or ever? This is one of the main purposes of this “Go Big… Again!” video series. We purchased three iconic SUVs to put them through a series of challenges. Roman is driving a 1995 Toyota Land Cruiser 80-series. Nathan is driving a 1997 Ford Expedition. I am in a 1998 Chevy Tahoe. It doesn’t get much better than this for SUVs from the 90s. This episode is all about performance! We are having fun with a 0-60 MPH test, a 60-0 mpg braking test, and a very strange Tumbleweed Ranch off-road speed challenge that includes fishing. No fish were harmed in the making of this video.
0-60 MPH Performance
Good acceleration is important for any truck or SUV. It provides safety and peace of mind when merging onto a highway. It give the owner bragging rights. Unfortunately, Roman is unable to brag about his Land Cruiser’s speed and acceleration. The 80-Series was known and loved for many things, but quick acceleration was not one of them. The Ford and the Chevy are equipped with large V8 engines, but how quick are they after all these years?
Here are the specs…
| 1995 Toyota LC | 1997 Ford Expedition | 1998 Chevy Tahoe | |
| Engine | 4.5L I6 | 5.4L V8 | 5.7L V8 |
| Power | 212 hp @ 4,600 | 230 hp @ 4,250 | 255 hp @ 4,600 |
| Torque | 275 lb-ft @ 3,200 | 325 lb-ft @ 3,000 | 330 lb-ft @ 2,800 |
| Transmission | 4-speed auto | 4-speed auto | 4-speed auto |
| — | — | — | |
| Rear Axle | 4.11 | 3.73 | 3.73 |
| Max Towing | 5,000 lbs | 8,000 lbs | 6,500 lbs |
Without giving everything away, let’s just say that the Land Cruiser is the slowest by a large margin. Yes, it does have a small OME suspension lift and larger-than-stock all-terrain tires. This does not help its speed or performance. The Expedition is the second quickest, and the Tahoe takes the acceleration win by a healthy margin (of around 1 second). Yes! There is no replacement for displacement!
60-0 Braking Test Surprise
We didn’t know what to expect from the braking test comparison, but we knew these SUVs are heavy and not known for stellar stopping power. This is of course a very important safety measure of any vehicle, so let’s see how they do.
Roman’s Land Cruiser surprises all of us with the shortest stopping distance of the three. The 80-Series is equipped with disk brakes front and rear. Nice! The Chevy Tahoe is second best (it has rear drum brakes), and Nathan’s Expedition takes the longest distance to stop (not helped by its largest size and weight).
Tumbleweed Ranch Speed Challenge & Fishing
The competition is still very tight as we go into the final stretch. This off-road speed challenges requires us to drive our SUVs down into Andre’s Pit via the log course, climb out via the trenches, reach the pond, try to catch a fish, and return to the start/finish line. It’s a timed event, and the person who catches the largest fish could get up to 3 bonus points. It’s anyones game now.
Nathan goes first. He is a speed demon, but he is unable to catch any fish. I go next. The Tahoe does not have as much ground clearance, so I need to exercise some caution over off-road obstacles. I also do not catch any fish, and my time is just a little ahead of Nathan’s. Roman hauls his Land Cruiser through the course, and he catches a fish. It’s a very big fish, but he gets bonus points nonetheless.
In the end, Roman edges out an overall win due to his fishing skills. I demand a recount! The Chevy Tahoe performed very well in all three episodes. It may not be the most capable off-road, but it’s the most fuel efficient, the quickest, and (arguably) the most comfortable.