They say that if you want to take something extremely seriously, you need to spend quite a bit of money to get results. Take racing for example; you need to spend a lot of money on tires, track fees, any mechanics you might be hiring, your helmet, racing suit, gloves, the list goes on. That's not even taking into consideration modifying the car for more performance and reliability, or even the cost for any racing lessons that you might want to do. The same goes for off-roading, too. I mean, sure, you can get an old 4x4 and go out into the woods and tackle some trails, but in order to do so safely, easily, and consistently, you might need to shell out some money on some aftermarket parts for your rig. Or you and your friends can pitch in a few hundred bucks each and get a cheap, falling-apart, hatchback that's raring to take on the roughest terrain.
Mat Watson and his team at carwow have decided to prove to all of us that your humble beater can be just as fun and challenging to take off-road. In the video, three hatchbacks were chosen for this monumental task, with six challenges laid out before them.
The first car is a Peugeot 206, yes, the same car that was used as a rally car, except without the rally bits. The Ford Focus is next, and, while it does have some rally pedigree, this particular example lacks any of it. Lastly, we have the tried and true Honda Civic hatchback, totally a street car, and this particular year wasn't even the more desirable one. The goal is for all of the cars to try to beat each challenge, and, by the end of the video, leave it up to the viewers to decide which car was the best non-off-roader.
Expect a lot of scrapes, missing panels, falling exhausts, and a whole lot of surprises. If you've ever wondered about departure angles and the chassis articulation of a Ford Focus, then this video is for you.
