 The Philippines has experienced heavy flood incidents in the past few months and it has taken a toll on some car owners who were left with no a choice but to pass through flooded areas, especially in Metro Manila. Some cars simply have low body frames, making them susceptible to damage from extreme water levels. The cars that can pass through flooded areas have higher height ride, making them a cut above the rest. How high should my car be? There are two important dimensions or measurements that are crucial when evaluating whether a car can withstand high flood levels. Firstly, the ground clearance height. This determines the distance between the ground and the bottom of your car’s chassis. This is the safest possible water level your car can pass through without damaging the engine and electronics. Secondly, the wading or fording depth. This is the height from the ground up to the crucial level where your car’s sensitive electronics, air intake and vulnerable areas are located. Generally speaking, the best way to calculate this is to assume it’s on top of the wheel rim. However, some cars, like the Hummer H1 have a higher wading depth than the wheel rim’s top. Therefore, it is best to consult your handbook for more information. Flood-proof cars To help our readers who are planning to buy a new or used car in the Philippines, we have compiled some of the cars which have the best wading depth and ground clearance. These vehicles have at least 200 mm (8 inches) of ground clearance and 500 mm (1 ft, 7 inches) of fording depth. Please note, however, that these cars are mostly SUVs and pickups and are listed in ascending order of their flood worthiness. 1. Land Rover Range Rover © Land Rover Range Rover © Land Rover Range Rover Ground Clearance: 302 mm Wading Depth: 900 mm Segment: Luxury Full-size SUV Base Price: P9 million and above 2. Toyota FJ Cruiser © www.toyota.com.au © www.toyota.com.au Ground Clearance: 245 mm Wading Depth: 762 mm Segment: Compact SUV (2+2-door) Base Price: P1.798 million (4.0L V6) 3. Ford Ranger © www.carguide.ph © www.carguide.ph Ground Clearance: 223 mm Wading Depth: 800 mm Segment: Mid-size Pickup Base Price: P699,000 (4×2 Chassis Cab) 4. Toyota Fortuner Toyota Fortuner Ground Clearance: 220 mm Wading Depth: 700 mm Segment: Mid-size SUV Base Price: P1.282 million (4×2 G 2.7 Gas A/T) 5. Subaru Forester © www.carguide.ph © www.carguide.ph Ground Clearance: 220 mm Wading Depth: 500 mm Segment: Compact Crossover SUV Base Price: 1,868 million (2L) 6. Toyota Land Cruiser Prado © gde-fon.com © gde-fon.com Ground Clearance: 220 mm Wading Depth: 600 mm Segment: Mid-size SUV Base Price: P2.972 million (4.0L V6) 7. Mitsubishi Montero Sport Mitsubishi Montero Sport Ground Clearance: 215 mm Wading Depth: 500 mm Segment: Full-size SUV Base Price: P1.208 million (GLX 2.5D 2WD MT (Non-VGT) 8. Ford Everest © www.danhgiaxe.com © www.danhgiaxe.com Ground Clearance: 210 mm Wading Depth: 750 mm Segment: Mid-size SUV Base Price: P1.29 million (4X2 XLT MT) 9. Chevrolet Colorado © www.froggpond.com © www.froggpond.com Ground Clearance: 210 mm Wading Depth: 800 mm Segment: Compact Pickup Base Price: P1,148,888 (2.5L 4×2 Manual transmission LT) 10. Mitsubishi Strada © tsikot.com © tsikot.com Ground Clearance: 205 mm Wading Depth: 550 mm Segment: Compact Pickup Base Price: P880,000 (2.5 GL 4×2 M/T) 11. Ford Ecosport © drivingtorque.com © drivingtorque.com Ground Clearance: 200 mm Wading Depth: 550 mm Segment: Mini SUV Base Price: P775,000 (1.5L Ambiente M/T) 12. Volkswagen Touareg © motorbash.com © motorbash.com Ground Clearance: 200 mm Wading Depth: 580 mm Segment: Midsize Luxury Crossover SUV Base Price: P4.29 million (3.0 TDI V6 8AT) 13. Suzuki Grand Vitara © www.autoevolution.com © www.autoevolution.com Ground Clearance: 200 mm Wading Depth: 500mm Segment: Compact SUV Base Price: P1.16 million (2.4 L 4×2 M/T) Conclusion When you are living in a flooded area or constantly commuting to a location which has a long history of flooding, it is best to buy a car that has excellent flood capabilities. In our list, only the Ford Ranger and Ford Ecosport are under P1 million. Some other accessories you could install in your car to enhance its wading performance and draw out water are snorkels and breathing pipes extension. By: Yahoo interested for a car loan (Bank Financing)? contact us at 0916 752 8778
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