 TOMCAR UTV. Click image to enlarge |
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TOMCAR UTV
The first time I laid eyes on a TOMCAR it was being used as a patrol vehicle for the Edmonton Police during the Edmonton Indy. The impressive looking little buggy stood out from traditional event transportation like golf-carts and side-by-side ATVs, and its menacing appearance and obvious all-terrain capabilities probably help with crowd control.
The TOMCAR was initially designed and built in Israel where it was engineered as a relatively lost cost, reliable runabout for military use. It is a compact utility vehicle (UTV) with all-terrain capabilities and is available in three different body configurations: 2-passenger (TM2), 4-passenger (TM4), and 2-passenger cargo model (TM5). North American units are assembled in the USA.
 TOMCAR UTV. Click image to enlarge |
The TM2 (as tested) is just shy of three metres long, and almost 1.75 metres wide. These compact dimensions allow it to venture into tight spaces, making it the perfect vehicle for industrial and farm use, but hunters and sportsmen are starting to adopt them due to their comfort, safety, and obvious performance. Tour and adventure outfitters are also embracing the vehicles as they are approved as a “Tread Lightly” off-road vehicle and recently became endorsed by Environment Canada.
In late August I ventured to the arid region of Kamloops, BC, a Mecca for fans of off-road activities, and met up with Brad Ewen, TOMCAR Canada’s enthusiastic sales manager. The TOMCAR is street legal in most regions of the United States, but Canada has yet to follow suit, so we loaded the TM2 test rig onto a trailer and headed to one of the area’s most popular off-road areas.
I have to admit that I was almost immediately impressed. Once we were strapped in Brad took me over a wide variety of terrain and obstacles so that he could introduce me to the capabilities of this rugged little vehicle.
   TOMCAR UTV. Click image to enlarge |
The TOMCAR is two-wheel-drive, features a mechanically integrated differential lock, and a belt-driven CVT transmission. Motivation is derived from either a 1.0-litre, fuel-injected 4-cylinder gasoline engine, or a 1.4-litre, naturally aspirated 4-cylinder diesel, and both engines are liquid cooled. The TM2 test rig I experienced was fitted with the gas-fed unit, and while not a speed demon (75 km/h is reachable), proved strong enough to hustle the vehicle (and its two XXL occupants) up the steep slopes and over any obstacles we encountered. A quick look at the images accompanying this article of Brad airborne in the TM2 will speak volumes about the performance potential of the TOMCAR.
The TOMCAR features four-wheel independent suspension consisting of heavy-duty wishbones up front, and equally robust trailing arms in the rear. Infinitely adjustable, dual-coil, hydraulic shocks absorbed the bumps with such ease that the passengers remain fresh at the end of the day, not bruised, abused, and tense like the poor saps faced with extended seat time in a typical side-by-side UTV.
The TOMCAR features lightweight bucket seats equipped with four point racing style harnesses to keep you in place, but they almost seem like overkill when you experience the calmness of the passenger compartment even when tackling the rough stuff at speed. Your eyes and mind continually trick you into instinctively preparing yourself for what you expect will be an uncomfortable impact or suspension rebound as you approach a washout, dip or boulder by making you stiffen up and grab onto something for support, but once you get familiar with how well the TOMCAR’s suspension has been engineered, you soon relax and actually relish the opportunity to tackle the most difficult terrain. Brad likens the ride experience to that of a trophy truck, and he is not far off, as there is in fact a category for TOMCARs in SCORE competition.
