[Closed] What is the best 4*4 out there?

You'd struggle to beat a standard spec defender 90 or a Range Rover IME

I use a L200, I hate the bloody thing but it seems to go where a Landrover goes.

BMW X6 for sure.

See - I've driven all of those mentioned above and thought that none of them even came close to a landcruiser in terms of offroad ability.

Must admit if I was buying one personally I'd go for a Toyota Hilux

Would be a 90 for me, 60 years of offroading history means Land Rover must know a thing or two about it by now.

lol at X6 and anything Pickup related!

For purely offroad use probably be a Landrover Defender or similar. If you actually want to use it as a normal vehicle too then I would be looking at a Nissan Patrol, newer Disco, any Rangerover or perhaps one of the earlier Landcruisers (before they got stupidly big).

Unimog FTW.

Nissan qashqai

Is the Qashqai a serious suggestion? Most of them are front wheel drive and not much ground clearance.

My Ford Ranger pickup has managed to go over and through everything I've tried in it.

To be honest the tyres are as important as the vehicle and make the difference between an embarrassing failure vs success.

It depends if you're buying new or not. 2nd hand wise, if it's to be utiliarian the Defenders are hard to beat or on a budget Nissan Patrol/Isuzu Trooper.
For a bit more luxury the Land Cruiser is awesome

Old man had a Hilux surf. Really very very capable off road with the right wheels and tyres & very reliable.

Just got rid of it for a 5yr old X5 and 2 set of wheels and tyres (one summer/ motorway and the other winter snow and ice). He realised that this will be the end of proper off road but it's a car that my mum will be prepared to drive and is comfortable enough that it would be vehicle of choice for long journeys when the chance of getting caught out are stronger. They live at height in the highlands in a spot that got cut off for about 10 days in Jan so it makes sense for them and their needs (as an on road 4X4) although I can't see the point of them for most.

Mercedes G wagon
Land Rover Defender

An old 40 series Landcrusier

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Lada Niva

G-wagon is definately up there as it has coils and difflocks as standard.

Defender, some Landcruisers and Wrangler just behind.

rangerover and disco lost it when they mounted the spare wheel under the rear bumper.

Edric do you mean the Lada Cossack?

got towed up a gert **** off hill today by an amazon - watched rav 4s get stuck on it ...

this landcruiser amazon just came out and tore up the road at about 50 mph in a flurry of snow and me sliding from side to side like a sledge behind it - didnt even notice me ....

boys a propper legend round here ... amazon with snow tires , chains , winch - if he gets stuck im sure even a tractor wont help !

looking at a defender atm - was quoted 250 quid to insure it !

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Edric do you mean the Lada Cossack?

That as well .I think the Cossack was a tarted up version

http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2010/07/18/122285/Lada-Niva-back-on-sale-in-UK.htm

Second what someone said about tyres. Did a 4by4 day recently where all the discoverys (older shape) were effortlessly beaten by a suzuki vitara with newer tyres than they had on.

The Vitara is actually suprisingly good offroad (I know, I have one!). But yes, any 4x4 with proper good tyres will be better than a top notch machine on rubbish rubber.

The best one by far is the one that avoided running me over today after I fell off in front of it.

good call.

Not sure if a mog is a mainstream 4x4.

The best 4x4 is one that is driven by a competent driver despite what tyres are on it in my opinion (as a trained driver and i did some stuff in soft mud conditions in a Nissan terrano on road tyres that I swore to the instructor was not possible but having been shown the techniques accomplished them).
Its horses for courses when it comes to what you want, luxury-Range Rover. Sheer rugged ability Land Rover Defender 90. Combination Land Cruiser Amazon. Affordability and will cope with the vast majority of situations but slightly agricultural interior Maverick or Terrano.
Small car-Fiat Panda.

Panda 4x4 for lightness, HiLux or Landy 90 for a big boy's toy.

Panda = Cheapness
Defender = Awesomeness
Disco/RR = Awesomeness + comfort
Volvo/Audi 4x4 estates = Awesomeness + comfort + road ability + no eco-mentalists annoying you.
Anything else is just wrong.

The most capable is the Landcruiser, I worked in Morocco, Libya and all down through west africa, it is bar far the best, in that it will keep going and going and is simlpe to fix on the rare occasion something goes wrong.

If it is for carrying a load then the Hilux, choice of african war lords everywhere.

The Defender is a great 4x4 but there has been a simple flaws which they haven't fixed in 50 years, but it will get you wherever you need to go.

My Bongo 4x4 on Snow tyres.

Ground clearance will ultimately let it down, but it's simply awesome in the snow - far exceeding my expectations of a 2 ton automatic campervan. As good as my Allroad was despite having a far inferior 4x4 drivetrain, and no ESP etc.

Surprised that Hora or Surf_Mat haven't been along yet to give us [b]THE[/b] definitive answer....

Steyr-Puch Halflinger.
Only little but unstoppable.

Unimog and LR 90 also good choices.

Of if the 'mog is too weedy

Most suggestions of the Defenders being the best off roader are wrong IMO. They used to be. One thing separated the defender fron the best, modern traction control systems. Not much can beat the Disco / Range Rover or Landcruiser type vehicles.
BMW x5 / x6? Errr nope. Not designed for the mud, massive low profile road tyres don't work too well. Not see the Jeremy Clarkson video where an x5 couldn't even get up a wet grassy field.

Descent car, rubbish tyres.

For what use?

My wife has a Freelander 1, does everything we need:
day-to-day commuting
easy to park
pulling box and 2 horses
takes 4 bikes
+30mpg (auto TD)
2.4m lengths, inside
never had a snow/ice problem
hill descent

Yes, other 4x4's will cross the Sahara/Artic - but aren't needing this ability.

Disco's are good, one passed us a few years ago climbing the steps at Roych Clough on the Pennine Bridleway. Quite as nothing, just cruised up.

For car 4x4's the panda seems to be pretty good. Or a 5dr impreza with low ratio box - very useful as a BMW recovery vehicle or pulling large DAF vans up snow inclines.

Used the hill descent button for the first time today in my RR Vogue and it was very impressive. Have been dozens of stranded cars around these parts these last few days and I am ashamed to say I have smugly cruised past gripping my heated steering wheel! The wife has a CR-V and the Rangey just nails it in the snow and ice despite being on road orientated 20" wheels. Love it!

ive been a passenger in a hummer h1 when offroading and that was incredible in deep mud that everything else was getting stuck in and having to get a tow out of - by the h1. even managed to get the front wheels up a vertical wall to about 6 foot off the ground! But it is just so big and ungainly compared to the others so if i was needing an offroader then i'd go down the g wagen, defender, wrangler or landcruiser route.

G-Wagen,
+axle diff locks, Panzer tank build quaility

- v.heavy, they sink into bogs/peat v quickly, expensive for parts, very little axle articulation hence why they had difflocks, 4x2 non permanent 4wd drivetrain, rust on rear light panels, heater motors fail often, massive price new and 2nd hand

Toy LC,
+awesome engines (4.2 straight6), reliable, good parts back up/support thru Africa/Mid/Far east

- v.heavy, 4x2 non permanent 4wd drivetrain, heavy on fuel, rust on bodywork

Defender 90/110
+massive axle articulation, light(ish) weight, cheap parts, aluminium bodywork, permanent 4wd drivetrain
-perceived reliability, rust issues on chassis/bulkhead, can be under powered in certain conditions, interior ergonomics can be an issue for some people.

Best offroad is a Defender. end of, especially with an ARB difflock fitted. Maybe not best overall but it depends what your requirements are.

Many of my family are members of a 4x4 club, and if you look at the trials results for the last god knows hom many years its the light weight, nimble Suzuki SJ410's (samuri's) and the newer Suzuki Jimnys that are winning the trials. They're not perticually fashonable or butch, nor do they have the same pulling capacity, but if your just interested in all out ability to cross terain, they're winning the competitions. Jimnys are a lot cheaper to fuel and tax too.

+1 Lada Niva/Cossack, I had one and it was excellent. Beyond that the only other 4X4 I've driven, apart from Quattros and Synchros, was a Range Rover at their test track/jungle and it was simply AWESOME.
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RR classic + proper tyres

Any old off road car will have the new computers on wheels for breakfast I reckon. Any of those should be good:
classic Range Rover
LR Defender
Jeep Wrangler
Jeep Cherokee
Willys
UAZ
Lada Niva basic model
ARO
or, for the total hardcore:

Our 110 Defender is doing a brilliant job. And XS spec means it's fairly comfy (for a Defender) too - heated seats, windscreen, aircon, etc.

Trouble is, I keep being asked to help people out - like ferrying 100 litres of heating oil to a stranded mate (her bloke in Afghanistan, she has a 2 year old girl, ran out of oil in the sticks)! Pouring 5 gallons of oil into a tank at head height is REALLY flipping hard!!

Anyway there's nothing else I'd rather have right now. brilliant for ferrying the bike to rides as well.

And you can stand on the bonnet and look down at poor people... 😉 😀

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My 4x4 of choice:
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1995, battered, 223,000 miles & love it to bits.
Between the family we've had RangeRovers of various types, LR 90's & 110's, L200, G wagon, M Class, 2.8 & 3.1l Troopers & the Landcruiser beats them all as an all rounder. I bought this three years ago off my parents when they went for a slightly newer version & the only other thing I'd consider would be another Landcruiser.

Wife's family have had (and have still got) many LCs and while I do like them, they are just too big and thirsty for regular useage.

Plus go to any funfair - most of the vehicles used are LCs. Along with Shoguns, they are just a wee bit pikey 😆

Very good off road, comfy, mostly reliable.

I've driven a lot of 4 x 4's over the years both personally and for work.

The Mitsubishi L200 is a truly awful vehicle unless you fill the pick-up with wood or something heavy

Landrover 90 certainly gets my vote but as the Ozzies say 'for getting into the Bush you only need two vehicles ones a Landy and the other's a Land Cruiser to get back out again you'll only need the Land Cruiser!'

I saw a Khan Range Rover Sport earlier with a tricked up exhaust on it that actually ran below the level of the spare wheel, leaving the car with about 4 inches of ground clearance, total numptyism, had the worst blingy wheels Ive ever seen, you cant buy it.

Kahn stuff = as classy as an Alsation chained to a stainless steel carvan

My wife has a Freelander 1, does everything we need:
day-to-day commuting
easy to park
pulling box and 2 horses

catfood - Member
I saw a Khan Range Rover Sport earlier with a tricked up exhaust on it that actually ran below the level of the spare wheel, leaving the car with about 4 inches of ground clearance, total numptyism, had the worst blingy wheels Ive ever seen, you cant buy it.

Spotted an Orange Kahn Range Rover over a hedge near Welshpool last week....must say I did smirk....a bit

Another Defender vote here, and I'll say a 110 (not that I'm biased!) Doesn't lose out much to a 90 off road, but the added space is handy.

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i drove lots of different 4 x 4s and the landcruiser or nissan patrol are the best ive used. infact when in the forces in bosnia when we wanted to do proper offroad we ditched the defenders and used landcruisers as they were so much better

for a little one the jimny is great fun

Anyone know who does the conversion to a 110 to put a fold out tent on top?

I've seen a few, mostly with Euro tourists and they look great, almost like a camper van with less downsides.. but I've yet to see one for sale or up close to see what you actually get (or how much you'd have to pay...)

[url= http://www.rooftent.co.uk/ ]http://www.rooftent.co.uk/[/url]

Part of Nene oveland, they sell expedition prepped vehicles too. Am considering a rooftent mounted to a converted Sankey trailer for my Ninety, saves me dragging all the weight around when I don't need it.

*cheap troll*

You mean you can use a 4x4 to drive [i]off[/i] road?!? Crikey, you people in the country have some funny ideas.

Our mates have a roof tent on theirs (the 110 on the left - ours is on the right):

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Just be careful if drunk - easy to forget you're 6 ft in the air and fall out!

Some come down to the floor level - www.trekoverland.com do all sorts of types. Hit the "our products" tab.

Ta all, last time I saw one it was in the company of a German couple - the lady appeared to find the walk to the shower block too irksome and just stood under the solar shower in the nip. yet still it's the tent on top of a Landy I have stuck in my mind 🙂

I am now also trying to figure out how I didn't guess 'rooftent.co.uk'

😀

+1 for Freelander 1 TD4, just get the right tyres on it. I was talked into Dueler HT Sports as they were on offer, great when dry but b*****ks in snow. So i'm binning them for something with a more suitable tread pattern.

I miss mine 😥

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Ooh I like both that Defender and that Panda a LOT!

Anyone know who does the conversion to a 110 to put a fold out tent on top?

I've seen a few, mostly with Euro tourists and they look great, almost like a camper van with less downsides.. but I've yet to see one for sale or up close to see what you actually get (or how much you'd have to pay...)

Our 110 with Howling Moon setup;
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If the Lanny's a rockin-dont come knockin
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^^^ Cheeky Monkey ^^^

MONKEY PJ's.....dear lord 😯

[quote=Hairychested]Any old off road car will have the new computers on wheels for breakfast I reckon.

Disco 4 if you value a luxury interior.

^^^ quite impressive video monkeyfudger

monkeyfudger, it's a great set but... the OP was talking mud, snow etc not slick rock climbing. Besides, was it the same driver? The same rock? You could put me in the RR and I wouldn't climb it for toffee, maybe the LR driver wasn't as good as the other guy?
IMO for mud etc the simpler the better.

Driven a fair amount of 4x4's, predominantly land rovers, some stock spec, some kitted up for off roading. Already said it recently on here, but the one thats impressed me most in its handling of the current conditions is the current style range rover. Its traction control, stability control and abs systems have made it consistently better at maintaining grip in the ice and snow than any of the others i've driven.

But, as already said, it all pales into minority compared to the person behind the wheel and how they drive the thing.

My old boss used to have a ford ranger pickup that we used for festival work and another company I worked for had a mitsi l200 and a navara and they were great in all sorts of conditions. We used the things on Glastonbury even when it was super super muddy and that is a real test with mud axle deep! I took it over old Mac road in the peaks which is seriously rocky and it made it! It was even fine in the snow when we worked in Winter! Those kind of things are a lot cheaper than a defender and I reckon that unless your doing some serious off road enthusiast type stuff then a pickup or a generic off roader would be fine?

It's the same hill, somewhere in South Africa if I remember correctly, seem 'em ages ago and thought they proved a good point.

Did you see the Range Rover come down? It would take the best driver in the world to get the Defender down as safe. In your opinion, but I would disagree, most people don't have the skills. Driver aids and mode switches like the Range Rovers have can make you look like a god!

Life long Defender fan by the way, I'd choose a Defender every time 😉

Not failed me last, or this winter (*cough* minor mechanical excepted). I doubt it's anywhere near the best, but it's had me sailing up hills in the snow (without snow tyres) and on/off snow covered grass verges where rwd tranny vans were stuck with just two wheels on/two off. Bloody scary if you don't treat it with care in just RWD, but driven sensibly has been a great tool.

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For what the OP asked, Defender evey time. I bought one off this very forum about 10 years ago, it's been brilliant.

I love my Defender to bits, but is it the best 4x4 ?

It has a wonderfully British imperfectness about it - it is stunningly capable in some ways, and yet leaky and noisy.

It can be easily repaired, and every bit of it is replaceable, but those parts occasionally seem to travel together in a rather loose formation.

A Discovery will do most of what a Defender will if you don't mind paying modern car prices for all the bits that you will catch on the scenery as you drive through it.

A Freelander will do more than you would imagine, but has it's limits.

Toyota make some very capable off-roaders, but they are dull.

If you need a 4x4 for the school run/keeping up with the Jones's and the tricky bit of Tesco's carpark then VW/Audi and BMW make some good vehicles.

Whatever you consider is the "best" depends on what you want to do with a class of vehicles in which all 4 wheels are driven.

monkeyfudger, I'm happy to disagree 🙂
BTW I really don't think any Western vehicle is as useful off road as the trusty UAZ the Red Army have been using for yonks. No maintenance other than a hammer and some wire, diesel in, off you go.
For me, the real off road in Europe is this:

Does it show I like mud?

And for a laugh:

I saw a Khan Range Rover Sport earlier with a tricked up exhaust on it that actually ran below the level of the spare wheel, leaving the car with about 4 inches of ground clearance, total numptyism, had the worst blingy wheels Ive ever seen, you cant buy it.

No you are wrong, look, classy qualitage, and Saltaire!!!:

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Kahn stuff = as classy as an Alsation chained to a stainless steel carvan

Surf-Mat = as culturally ignorant as a traffic cone on the A34...

Look pon it; well hench:

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