Off-road situations where traction control is undesireable

Busta wrote: TC is undesirable when you want to have fun sliding around in the mud. We found, much to my amusement, that my non-TC Jimny can lap a dirt oval faster than a 270hp Rangerover simply because the Jimny can get sideways and hold a slide without the computer saying no. The Rangerover is fast until you throw it into a corner. When the computers intervene and it's about as much fun as a mobility scooter.

The Jimny's TC is set to work in the 1500 to 2500 rpm range, so you can defeat it by revving it, but only in low range. In high range, as soon add one of the wheels exceeds 40kph, ESC reengages. This isn't really an issue as we found you can reach 100kph in 4L

I would still like to know if anyone has experienced situations where the Jimny's traction control has prevented completion of an obstacle. I have witnessed it with a Defender, but have yet to see a situation where an open diff Jimny can do an obstacle where a TC equipped one can't.

Notwithstanding my previous flippant remark about using the brain I have always felt that the best traction aid in a 4x4 is a lockable diff in each axle and some suitable tyres. Even a novice to off roading with the few minutes eduction can get out of most situations with locking diffs and in the hands of an experienced driver if a car can't make progress with locked diffs then progress can't be made. I'm not saying that locked diffs are infallible but they are better than traction control.

Have not tried the Suzuki system, but I have some experience with other cars.

Pulling an Ifor Williams Horse trailer at 1100kg up a grassy hill. with same added weight and same conditions:

2006 VW T5 4 motion, I had to push the throttle hard to get up and use some wheel spin to get mud out of the tires. but the car got up easy with the trailer.

2010 Mitsubishi Montero diesel. the 4x4 system and or the TC limited the amount of revs to avoid wheel spin, so the car did not get enough throttle or power to get up the hill. did not get stuck of course, but i liked the VW where i could get it going much better. Could be there was a setting in the Mitsu 4x4 i could have chosen that would allow for more GO but i had just borrowed it to move the trailer so I didn't have the time.

Hoping the new Suzuki TC is more like a rally car, like the quattro, subaru or VW systems, and not like the Mitsubishi System.

I reserve the right to be an idiot and be allowed to give it too much revs myself.

Also tried a 2012 Amarok with all the electronic 4x4 stuff and it performs well but you will have to let the system work it's way and crawl along. Great to not get stuck and to get trough, but no real fun.

I agree. There are many circumstances where creeping about slowly is counterproductive to making efficient progress, especially if you have to spin mud out of the tyres. There was a video years ago of a then new range rover unable to move on a slightly muddy field, ok it was on road tyres but alll it's computers were not helping it one bit!

With you there on lockable diffs. With all three diffs on my Landcruiser 80 series locked and the tyres aired down to about 13 psi, there was not much it could not get through.