Which version of the Panda 4×4 is better – oil or gas?
Potentially looking at getting one for the MiL – who really want a Discovery, but she’s not getting one.

Good luck keep us up to date 🙂 I wonder if for a 4×4 test drive you really want rubbish weather ?

Which version of the Panda 4×4 is better – oil or gas?
Potentially looking at getting one for the MiL – who really want a Discovery, but she’s not getting one.

Don’t know. I’ve only driven the 1.2 petrol, which is a sweet little engine if a bit long in the tooth. The Twin Air petrol is supposed to be a doozie, but neither oil or gas get anywhere near the stated mpg.
I have a green lane running past my house- not particularly challenging but it was fun to pass Land Rovers “on Safari” with a cheery wave as they stop to discuss the next section.

I was going to suggest the Jimni, but it might be a tad small. The upside of that is it’s much easier to negotiate steep, narrow lanes, and with a set of decent M&S tyres they can go pretty much anywhere.
Not so hot for long A-road/motorway jaunts, but that’s not what they were designed for.
Very popular in south Devon, because all the roads are narrow!
And steep.
Interior might be an issue, but if you want a fairly utilitarian vehicle for negotiating narrow lanes, then something maybe has to be sacrificed.
I’d rather a less posh interior which is easy to keep clean, rather than fussing over it every time it gets muddy.
There’s also the inevitable scratches along the sides from sticky-out branches when pulling in close to hedges, etc.
It’s almost impossible to find cars that haven’t got scratches all over their door mirrors in rural areas because of this.

Was interested in the freelander but have heard horror stories from the earlier versions, have these been ironed out?

Apples and Pears, like comparing an Escort to a Focus. We’ve had both, 12 plate Freelander is a nice place to be.

Atbthe riskmof being flamed as sexist Inthink they are a good and fun “ladies 4×4” if you don’t need the load carrying

My wife booked her Freelander in for a service and asked for a demo Range Rover Sport. The garage gave her an Evoque, as “it’s more of a ladies car”, according to the Salesman.

He rang a week later with ‘numbers’ for a new Evoque to be told she’d bought a new car, a new xDrive 435d coupe. And I’ve kept the Freelander instead of my old Vectra shed. Next time a woman asks for an RR I’m pretty sure he’ll give her the RR 🙂

I wouldn’t recommend the Jimny, given the requirements you stated.

Got one myself, and it’s an outstanding vehicle for my needs (forestry surveyor, loads of very marginal 4×4 tracks etc driven on on a daily basis). It is like a mini-Defender, has excellent axle articulation with its coil-sprung live axles.

One of the nicest things about the Jimny is that they’re great project cars, you can turn one into an absolute beast for a fraction the cost of a stock Defender.

But as a daily driver on tar roads it falls way short. Loads of body-roll in corners, skittish rear end, underpowered, geared too low for A-roads and motorways, and my biggest bug-bear, that it has no central diff so its not advisable to use it in 4wd on tar roads unless they’re completely snowed over.

I’d probably go for a Subaru Forester or suchlike if nothing more than gravel roads is to be driven on.

SX4 here. Jimny was too small for carrying kit so went with SX4…still small enough for those little country lanes but does ok on motorway (my work means 90% A road/motorway then 10% country lanes/mud/dirt track). Selectable 4×4 is useful.

Also got a 2wd Yeti which is very capable (perfect aside the previously mentioned rust/paint issues) but has nearly got stuck when offroad (although tyres weren’t really suitable for off road)

My wee Vitara has been awesome. Totally reliable, I have had nearly 70k trouble free mostly rural miles. It has got me out of some difficult spots with flooding, snowy roads, and got me home when others had to turn back.

And it was a total legend at the infamous rainy muddy hell of iXS cup Inners a few years ago, when everybody else got stuck in the field, the Vitara just glided out.

Down side – its a bit thirsty. And the wheels are rusted but that is fixable.

I am toying with getting another new one next year.

Bloke I was at uni with now runs a race car prep company.
He made a Yeti quite capable…! 😆

I have an X3. Current model 2 litre diesel Msport with a manual box. I absolutely love it, some reviews don’t rate the manual but I have no complaints. Having come from a Mazda CX5, and having looked at a number of other mid sized 4×4 from the jap brands etc, the build quality, interior and drive is night and day difference, but you do pay the premium for it. I am financing mine so and as residuals are strong he difference in payments is not so bad, I was all set to go for another CX 5 as they’d sorted some f my gripes with it in the facelift model, but I got a decent deal on the X3.

But, it isn’t small. It’s a little bigger inside than the Mazda CX-5, and about the same size as a mk1 x5. I think the new model is due soon too. I’d definitely buy another one.

Jimny owner here. From new in 04. Been faultless. Wish my 110 was. The Jim actually can be as good in snow as it is so much more agile and doesn’t feel so scary when things go wrong.
Never seen the lack centre diff an issue as the set up is the same as a series Landy. If its bad enough for 4wd then a locked transfer box isn’t a problem. Lack of so called motorway comfort is relative. Maybe not Rolls comfort but still better than many cars from 10 years ago. 70 is fine and we live in the UK.
Not a lot of room in the back though. Not a nice ride for 25 miles if you are not a kid.
Not many small 4wd out there. I don’t see a Yeti for example as small nor the BMW for example. Where a Jim shines is that it is a proper 4wd. ie it has low ratio. If you need that. Otherwise there are many 4wd cars

Don’t laugh, but my ex Mrs had a Panda, (2 wheel drive) in about 1983 ish. It was & still is, the best thing I’ve driven in snow. I put some cheap Town & Country tyres on & there was no stopping it. Lord knows what the 4X4 was like!

The modern version should theoretically be even better.

Honda CRV has to be a sensible option. The 4wd is a bike fake but should get your out of trouble. IIRC they did issue a “fix” for the lame 4wd.

nuke – Member
SX4 here. Jimny was too small for carrying kit so went with SX4…still small enough for those little country lanes but does ok on motorway (my work means 90% A road/motorway then 10% country lanes/mud/dirt track). Selectable 4×4 is useful.

Forgot the SX4, I drove one a week or so back, I was quietly impressed with it, comfy, a nice drive, well equipped and not too big.
Road miles only, so I can’t comment on its off-road prowess, any greenlaning would be severely frowned on by my employers…

VW do a 4×4 Caddy.

SX4 was the one used as a Fox in a fox hunt race on TG so looked pretty capable off road.

Don’t laugh, but my ex Mrs had a Panda, (2 wheel drive) in about 1983 ish. It was & still is, the best thing I’ve driven in snow. I put some cheap Town & Country tyres on & there was no stopping it. Lord knows what the 4X4 was like!

Many years ago on my way to work I had just started down Winnat’s Pass in some impressive snow. A colleague going up in a Panda 4×4 stopped to tell me a snowplough was stuck across the bottom. She then let the clutch out and continued up completely fuss free. I ended up having to slither down losing speed by bouncing off snow banks. The Panda looked pretty impressive to me.