Mazda Navajo -- '92 Sport Utility Vehicle Enjoys Road's Challenge

A typical test drive lasts a week. I try to drive a new car for 400 or 500 miles while traveling over a variety of road surfaces under various conditions.

Certain vehicles, however, call for something special.

Such was the case with the 1992 Mazda Navajo, a two-door sport-utility vehicle. In 1991, the Navajo was named Truck of the Year by Motor Trend magazine. It's essentially the same vehicle as the Ford Explorer, one of the most popular vehicles in the U.S.

We took the Navajo on an extended trip up and over the snowy mountains of Oregon and down along that state's rocky, foggy coast. In a little less than two weeks, I put almost 2,200 miles on the bright red test vehicle.

In terms of performance, reliability and driving comfort, the vehicle was exemplary. It didn't feel very truck-like over long stretches of highway, yet it had enough muscle to climb steep hills. Snowy roads and rain-slick highways were no match for this machine.

An off-road enthusiast might have frowned at this Navajo, which came without four-wheel-drive, but for what we wanted, the two-wheel-drive was just right.

The Navajo is built by Ford in its Louisville, Ky., plant. The grilles are different and you can't buy a four-door Navajo, but everything else is identical. Ford owns 25 percent of Mazda.

Our $20,000 test vehicle responded well to a variety of road surfaces and driving conditions. There was plenty of pickup for highway driving and plenty of power for getting up hills.

Overall, the ride was very smooth and efficient without much engine noise.

At one point, we mistook a line on a map for a quick route between here and there. It turned out to be a Forest Service road complete with falling rocks and shady patches of ice. For two hours, we negotiated hills and curves. The Navajo seemed to enjoy it more than we did.

The real success of the Navajo becomes apparent once you open the doors. There's a ton of passenger room and plenty of storage space, nearly 70 cubic feet. The seats are wonderful, with attractive cloth upholstery and adjustable thigh supports. Side bolsters give extra support when the road gets rough.

The rear bench is adequate but can't match the front-seat comfort.

For 1992, the biggest news is that four models of the Navajo are available: The 4x4 LX version, a new 4x4 DX model and 4x2 models in LX and DX trims. --------------------------------------------------------------- REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK

1992 MAZDA NAVAJO 2-door sport utility vehicle

ENGINE 4.0 liter 155 horsepower V-6 Fuel injection

FUEL ECONOMY 16 mpg city 21 mpg highway Test overall: 22

DIMENSIONS 102.1-inch wheelbase 70.2 inches wide 68.1 inches tall

TEST VEHICLE PRICE $20,000

-- OBSERVATIONS Analog gauges with large white letters are easy to read. The glove box is only average size, but there's a roomy storage box under the center armrest. The climate and stereo systems work well.

Smart touches: The rear handle that turns one way to open the gate and the other way to open the glass. A tie-down net and a retractable cargo cover make packing and unpacking a breeze.

The optional moon roof was less well-designed. The detachable cover falls off and must be stored in the back seat. The manually operated glass opens only a few inches.