1984 Compact SUV Comparison Test Drive

You may have thought of vehicles with off road capabilities as highly specialized, narrow focus machines. You may have considered all wheel drive sport utility wagons like the S-10 Blazer, Bronco II, and Cherokee as thinly disguised trucks or nicely upholstered farm implements. Maybe you believed these vehicles compromised themselves into a corner in pursuit of all terrain talents.

These machines took on a particular correcter, equipped as they were to be less dependent on pavement than mere cars. But that made them more generalized as transportation devices, not less. These were streetgoing family wagons, whose ability to move people comfortably and parcels conveniently counts just as much as their super-normal tractive qualities. While they were designed to take on tougher assignments than typical automobiles can, they also had to retain their suitability for daily running around. So with the Chevrolet S-10 Blazer, Ford Bronco II, and Jeep Cherokee, we saw the automotive equivalent of a Renaissance man or a liberal arts graduate – a player that was at least pretty good at almost everything, a machine for all seasons, a jack of all trades. So what do you choose?

1984 Ford Bronco II Test Drive

Chevrolet S-10

1984 Ford Bronco II vs S-10 Blazer LaserDisc Promo