Oman's geography seems to be created with an "A-Z" of four wheel driving experiences in mind, and SUVs make up an enormous part of the automotive sales market in the country
It When it comes to drawing up a template of a nation that delivers the most extensive range of off-road terrain and driving excitement, it is hard to look much further than the Sultanate of Oman. As you drive around the nation it seems as if the nation's geography was created with an "A-Z" of four wheel driving experiences in mind. Today the only major difference from 1970 in a country celebrating over four decades of successful national development and success is simply the speed with which the adventurous Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) owner can reach some of the most outstanding areas of natural beauty in the country.
Off-road enthusiasts are spoiled for choice with fantastic desert driving in the Sharqiya Sands or the edge of the Empty Quarter competing with remote Wadis, exhilarating steep mountain driving terrain in the Hajar Mountains, remote beaches and salt flats as just some of the highlights this extraordinary country has to offer.
The Oman Off-Road Story
At the time of the Renaissance in 1970 the only effective way to get around the country in any kind of comfort or safety was an off-road four wheel drive vehicle. It was the essential workhorse for accessing Oman's oilfields, remote towns and villages, vital for farmers and for people who simply wanted to be able to move pretty much anything from point A to point B.
In a country with less than 20 kilometres of paved highway - there was little choice but to look for rugged vehicles that could handle the most demanding terrain. And over the past 41 years the appetite of commercial operators in Oman and increasingly individual owners for SUVs has been phenomenal and has grown side by side with the nation's extraordinary economic growth during this period.
In any village, town or city in Oman you will find SUVs anywhere you look - and of varying vintages as well. We were not surprised to have discovered that a huge number of Pajeros still being driven date back to just a few years after its first introduction in 1982 and many have hundreds of thousands of kilometres on the clock but are still going strong. The four-wheel drive off-road vehicle was naturally the most practical transportation of choice many years ago. And even today, manufacturers like Mitsubishi remain loyal to their roots by providing a modern SUV that has become a true lifestyle balance, enabling the owner to combine comfort and performance with the ability to drive across the most challenging driving conditions the Sultanate can offer. In a country such as Oman it is ideal to have an SUV that has this ability to satisfy the customer in every kind of driving environment.
One recent trend in the market has also been the development of smaller SUVs such as the Outlander and ASX that offer a great safe driving experience with a number of off-road capabilities to give the owner the best of both worlds. Meanwhile many of the latest SUVs on offer in the market today do not all fit this heritage, with many compromising on their predecessors off-road driving credentials in favour of appearance and style, a trend that has been imported from other countries where a lot of SUVs have never left the tarmac. SUVs make up an enormous part of the automotive sales market here in Oman. For example at Mitsubishi 49 per cent of our sales across the country in 2011 were four-wheel drive vehicles with SUV sales in the capital a little higher at 52 per cent, with all of these vehicles combining excellent on-road driving performance with superb off-road capabilities. And from the inquiries we get at our showrooms across the nation - the appetite for the SUV and "go anywhere, do anything" style of vehicles looks set to stay with us for many years to come.
SUVs - From Workhorse to Lifestyle Favourite
In a country like Oman and indeed across the Gulf - the Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) has become one of the most common sights on the highways of the region. The region has one of the highest percentages of SUV ownership in the world - reflecting the challenging terrain that dominates so much of this area. But the biggest change in four decades has been the move away from what was always a workhorse for commercial operators, farmers and those living in remote communities to much more of a lifestyle choice.
In many ways the engineering and off-road capabilities have not changed significantly - although they are constantly upgraded and enhanced. It is inside the vehicle that the changes have been most significant - attracting every kind of driver and their family to consider purchasing a SUV. Modern SUVs - of which the Mitsubishi Pajero and Outlander are typical - have all the comforts, sophistication and great road handling of a regular car, providing fantastic family safety, space and practicality for any kind of use without compromising on its off-road abilities. And unlike those you might find in the heart of European or American capitals - individual owners here who purchase their SUV as a lifestyle vehicle have an unrivalled opportunity to use it in just the kind of off-road terrain they are built to handle. In a nation like Oman we are unlikely to see the phenomenon of the "Chelsea Tractor" where families buy large SUVs almost as a status symbol in some European capitals - with no intention of ever taking the vehicle off-road or "getting it dirty."
A quick check of many office car parks on a Saturday morning in Muscat or other major centres and the number of dust and sand-covered vehicles is a testament to the enduring ability of the SUV in the Sultanate to put a smile on its owner's face on a weekend.
Three Decades of the Pajero
There is no doubt that one of the most common SUV sights on the roads of Oman - wherever you may be - is that of the Mitsubishi Pajero. First introduced to the Sultanate in 1982, the Pajero this year is celebrating 30 enormously successful years since its initial launch. An off-road thoroughbred - the modern Pajero is as comfortable taking families around the capital or major cities, on long highway trips across the Sultanate or to neighbouring countries as it is getting out into its original natural habitat off-road in the desert, mountain or wadi. It was also 30 years ago that the Pajero made its debut in the Dakar Rally and it remains the most successful vehicle to ever participate in the Dakar Rally winning its class 7 out of the last 10 races, and 15 of the full 32 races. Major commercial operations continue to use the Pajero as the base of their fleets for working on remote oil projects in the desert, major infrastructure projects in the Muscat area and for the widest use of applications all over the Sultanate. Its reliability and durability, added to its comfort and excellent value for money means the Pajero is set to maintain its position as a leader in the SUV section in Oman over the next 30 years as well.
And it can offer the driver and their family friends a guaranteed way to put an enormous smile on everyone's face with its ability to get to some of the most remote and outstandingly beautiful parts of this wonderful nation.
© Oman Economic Review 2012
