Best 4x4s and off-road cars 2022
2 Mar 2022
Fans of four-wheel drives need to look no further, here are the best 4x4s and off-road cars are a must off-road adventurers
There once was a time when only farmers and rural folk would consider a four-wheel-drive vehicle for their day-to-day lives but now, there are four-wheel-drive versions of pretty much every type of car, which is handy when it comes to driving in slippery conditions.
Some of these powerful vehicles are designed to crawl up boulder-strewn slopes where one crimped brake line will bring an abrupt halt to activities. Some others are designed to float across loose surfaces at heroic speed with next to no effort. If you live somewhere that’s hilly, muddy, or never gets gritted like, say, the whole of UK, you’ll know how important getting drive to all four wheels is.
If you require a tough vehicle with extra grip for slippery road conditions or serious off-road forays, while also being well set up for normal road driving, the best 4x4s will cover both bases. While there are a huge number of SUVs on the market these days, not all of them offer four-wheel drive and could do some serious damage to your bank account. Fortunately though, if you require a car that’s better suited to the rough stuff there are still a number of 4x4s to choose from.
Creating a definitive list of the ‘best’ off-roaders is something of a fool’s errand as there seems to be bigger and better cars added to the market every year. Yet, we’ve given it a go. Read on to see our favourite 4x4’s that you can buy or lease today!
Mercedes-Benz G-Class
The Mercedes G-Class certainly isn’t one of the most affordable options on the market, but if you have deep enough pockets, you'll end up with one of the best 4x4s going.
This Mercedes, notably the only one without an official ‘end of production’ date, recently received the only truly substantial redesign in its 40-year history. The original G-Wagen that preceded the G-Class is able to trace its routes back to the early 70. And while the latest model looks like the old car, a lot has changed. Its luxurious cabin wouldn’t look out of place in one of Mercedes's luxurious saloons and its stark contrast between its plush interior and aggressive exterior couldn’t be bigger. Its upright design has lots of pretty trim pieces and you get a pair of large and colourful infotainment screens.
Underneath the hood, you’ll still find a ladder-frame chassis, although the front suspension is now fully independent and the whole set-up was part-developed by AMG. The G-Class is available with a range of powerful engines and comes with a sophisticated four-wheel-drive system with locking diffs that mean it can tackle pretty much anything you throw at it. With 577bhp and 850Nm of torque, it has enough grunt to haul itself from 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds, while towing pretty much anything you could put your mind to, shouldn't prove to be too much of an issue.
The result is a beast of a car that stands out from the 4x4 crowd. Not only has it been around for what feels like FOREVER, but has been thoroughly updated on a regular basis with a host of driving and tech upgrades.
Jeep Wrangler
The Jeep Wrangler is the fun-loving 4x4; a true slice of rugged Americana. It comes with squared-off wheel arches, a totally detachable roof and a host of exposed hinges and bolts that adds to its quirky, American charm.
Much like the Land Rover Defender, the Jeep Wrangler owes its heritage to a World War 2 military vehicle. Since the days of the war though, it’s been modernised quite significantly. Jeep has managed to carefully preserve the much-loved design of circular headlights, slatted grille and strict geometry of the body but the interior is now more spacious and has a more valuable finish, which goes hand-in-hand with the improved efficiency of the car’s downsized engines and better road manners.
It is worth bearing in mind that the Wrangler is a bit more heavily biased towards off-road performance than some rivals, so the on-road ride can be bouncy. But, with its loud designs, bright colours and open rooflines, it’s a car made for the outdoors.
Land Rover Discovery
This list simply wouldn’t be complete without the Discovery. Arguably one of the most iconic British cars ever, the reinvention of the Land Rover Defender has been a long time coming but the result doesn’t disappoint.
The Land Rover Discovery 4×4 features some of the most advanced off-road technology on the market. Not only is it significantly more comfortable than most big off-roaders, it has a luxurious interior that can comfortably seat seven adults. Alongside its humungous interior, the engines have been updated with an impressively refined and smooth straight-six diesel engine offered with two power outputs. It now gives the SUV the performance needed to keep up with the Germans and offers decent efficiency for something so bulky, too.
It is worth mentioning, however, that it isn't quite as gritty, grippy or tenacious as some cars on this list when the going gets really tough. It is, in the grand scheme, a terrifically competent and attractive off-road vehicle but matches that with wonderful road manners for an all-around package that none of the others can quite compete with.
Leasing your next 4X4
It seems that almost every car brand builds an SUV of some kind these days. But if you want a 4x4 with genuine off-road ability that comes with affordable monthly payments, leasing through one of our trusted dealerships is the best direction to take.
If you’re after traction rather than ultimate off-road ability, an SUV or 4x4 lease might be the perfect choice for you. Whether you need a rugged vehicle that can tackle country roads and steep terrain, a spacious car that will house a growing family comfortably or an upmarket SUV to help you make the right impression on business trips, you’ll find something for you right here.
We offer a wide selection of SUV and 4x4 lease deals at fantastic prices, including deals on sought-after brands like Land Rover, Jeep, Porsche, Audi, Ford, Nissan, Mitsubishi and more. Simply filter through our list of personal lease deals and find the right option for you. With a personal lease, you can forget about any worries of depreciation or the hassle of selling the car when you no longer want it. Just decide how long you want the lease to run (most personal leases are taken on contracts of between 2 & 4 years), what your annual mileage will be and how much deposit you want to put down.
There once was a time when only farmers and rural folk would consider a four-wheel-drive vehicle for their day-to-day lives but now, there are four-wheel-drive versions of pretty much every type of car, which is handy when it comes to driving in slippery conditions.
Some of these powerful vehicles are designed to crawl up boulder-strewn slopes where one crimped brake line will bring an abrupt halt to activities. Some others are designed to float across loose surfaces at heroic speed with next to no effort. If you live somewhere that’s hilly, muddy, or never gets gritted like, say, the whole of UK, you’ll know how important getting drive to all four wheels is.
If you require a tough vehicle with extra grip for slippery road conditions or serious off-road forays, while also being well set up for normal road driving, the best 4x4s will cover both bases. While there are a huge number of SUVs on the market these days, not all of them offer four-wheel drive and could do some serious damage to your bank account. Fortunately though, if you require a car that’s better suited to the rough stuff there are still a number of 4x4s to choose from.
Creating a definitive list of the ‘best’ off-roaders is something of a fool’s errand as there seems to be bigger and better cars added to the market every year. Yet, we’ve given it a go. Read on to see our favourite 4x4’s that you can buy or lease today!
Mercedes-Benz G-Class
The Mercedes G-Class certainly isn’t one of the most affordable options on the market, but if you have deep enough pockets, you'll end up with one of the best 4x4s going.
This Mercedes, notably the only one without an official ‘end of production’ date, recently received the only truly substantial redesign in its 40-year history. The original G-Wagen that preceded the G-Class is able to trace its routes back to the early 70. And while the latest model looks like the old car, a lot has changed. Its luxurious cabin wouldn’t look out of place in one of Mercedes's luxurious saloons and its stark contrast between its plush interior and aggressive exterior couldn’t be bigger. Its upright design has lots of pretty trim pieces and you get a pair of large and colourful infotainment screens.
Underneath the hood, you’ll still find a ladder-frame chassis, although the front suspension is now fully independent and the whole set-up was part-developed by AMG. The G-Class is available with a range of powerful engines and comes with a sophisticated four-wheel-drive system with locking diffs that mean it can tackle pretty much anything you throw at it. With 577bhp and 850Nm of torque, it has enough grunt to haul itself from 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds, while towing pretty much anything you could put your mind to, shouldn't prove to be too much of an issue.
The result is a beast of a car that stands out from the 4x4 crowd. Not only has it been around for what feels like FOREVER, but has been thoroughly updated on a regular basis with a host of driving and tech upgrades.
Jeep Wrangler
The Jeep Wrangler is the fun-loving 4x4; a true slice of rugged Americana. It comes with squared-off wheel arches, a totally detachable roof and a host of exposed hinges and bolts that adds to its quirky, American charm.
Much like the Land Rover Defender, the Jeep Wrangler owes its heritage to a World War 2 military vehicle. Since the days of the war though, it’s been modernised quite significantly. Jeep has managed to carefully preserve the much-loved design of circular headlights, slatted grille and strict geometry of the body but the interior is now more spacious and has a more valuable finish, which goes hand-in-hand with the improved efficiency of the car’s downsized engines and better road manners.
It is worth bearing in mind that the Wrangler is a bit more heavily biased towards off-road performance than some rivals, so the on-road ride can be bouncy. But, with its loud designs, bright colours and open rooflines, it’s a car made for the outdoors.
Land Rover Discovery
This list simply wouldn’t be complete without the Discovery. Arguably one of the most iconic British cars ever, the reinvention of the Land Rover Defender has been a long time coming but the result doesn’t disappoint.
The Land Rover Discovery 4×4 features some of the most advanced off-road technology on the market. Not only is it significantly more comfortable than most big off-roaders, it has a luxurious interior that can comfortably seat seven adults. Alongside its humungous interior, the engines have been updated with an impressively refined and smooth straight-six diesel engine offered with two power outputs. It now gives the SUV the performance needed to keep up with the Germans and offers decent efficiency for something so bulky, too.
It is worth mentioning, however, that it isn't quite as gritty, grippy or tenacious as some cars on this list when the going gets really tough. It is, in the grand scheme, a terrifically competent and attractive off-road vehicle but matches that with wonderful road manners for an all-around package that none of the others can quite compete with.
Leasing your next 4X4
It seems that almost every car brand builds an SUV of some kind these days. But if you want a 4x4 with genuine off-road ability that comes with affordable monthly payments, leasing through one of our trusted dealerships is the best direction to take.
If you’re after traction rather than ultimate off-road ability, an SUV or 4x4 lease might be the perfect choice for you. Whether you need a rugged vehicle that can tackle country roads and steep terrain, a spacious car that will house a growing family comfortably or an upmarket SUV to help you make the right impression on business trips, you’ll find something for you right here.
We offer a wide selection of SUV and 4x4 lease deals at fantastic prices, including deals on sought-after brands like Land Rover, Jeep, Porsche, Audi, Ford, Nissan, Mitsubishi and more. Simply filter through our list of personal lease deals and find the right option for you. With a personal lease, you can forget about any worries of depreciation or the hassle of selling the car when you no longer want it. Just decide how long you want the lease to run (most personal leases are taken on contracts of between 2 & 4 years), what your annual mileage will be and how much deposit you want to put down.