Best 4x4s in the UK: Top picks for 2026

When you think 4x4, you'll almost definitely immediately think of the mighty Land Rover Defender. Land Rover set itself no easy task when it replaced the iconic classic Defender with an all-new model, but thankfully its replacement is exactly what the company promised it would be. 

Thanks to its boxy silhouette, it's unmistakably a Defender, but brought bang up to date for the demands and expectations of the modern-day on- and off-road driver. This includes matrix LED headlights, a cutting edge infotainment system and seating for up to eight adults.

Off-road, the Defender will conquer any type of terrain. All models come with all-wheel-drive and Land Rover's Terrain Response off-road system, which ensures the Defender's settings are always optimised for the precise type of surface you're on, such as sand or mud. There's also air suspension as standard and an optional 3D surround-view camera to help when wading in deep water or reversing a trailer.  

What makes the Defender so good is that it does everything the old model could do off-road, but is in a different league when it comes to on-road manners. The only concern may be that it's so refined and high-tech, you might not want to cake it in filth after all...

This latest Toyota Land Cruiser replaced a generation that was introduced way back in 2009. As such, it represents an enromous step up in terms of the interior quality, on-board technology and on-road refinement. 

Off-road ability remains high on its agenda, however, so it still has locking differentials — now electronically controlled — and a low-range gearbox. It's further helped by a stiffer frame and a clever system that disengages the front anti-roll bar for better wheel articulation. 

You pay dearly for all that, with a starting price of — wait for it — £75k. If you don't mind sacrificing some of the new model's improved on-road manners, however, the long life of the previous version means there's stacks of choice on the used market and the earliest examples are very affordable. 

Yes, the 2.8-litre diesel engine is thirsty and not that powerful, but the Land Cruiser is an incredibly reliable SUV that's more capable off-road that pretty much anything else out there. And it does look fantastic.

For several years now, the Dacia Duster has been charming car buyers by offering a roomy and practical family car that's rugged enough for off-road weekend adventures and all for a price that undercuts rivals by many thousands of pounds. The appeal of the latest iteration of the Duster is no different, but it does so with more polish than ever before.

For starters, it's better to drive than previous Dusters, with noticeably less body lean in corners and sharper responses, yet the ride remains comfortable enough for use as an everyday family car. Granted, refinement isn't what it might be and performance from the engine range is a little limited, but that's all perfectly acceptable given the value on offer.

Likewise, the cabin is spacious and the boot is decent, while the interior strikes that delicate balance of being functional and hard-wearing enough to feel rugged, but not so functional that it feels too basic.

Luxury kit isn't plentiful in lower-spec models, but all the basics are covered. And yes, the price is right, happily. For all-wheel drive, you'll need to specify it with the range-topping Hybrid 150 4X4 that's only available in the priciest Extreme trim, but this being a Dacia Duster, it costs less than £27,000. Going for that version will give you the ability to get further into the wilderness than you ever expected.

The Mercedes-Benz G-Class certainly isn’t one of the most affordable options here, but if you're a wealthy landowner wanting a go-anywhere car that does luxury, style and off-roading, it's a great choice.

Its plush cabin wouldn’t look out of place in one of Mercedes' luxurious S-Class saloons, including a pair of large and colourful display screens. Build quality is first-rate, so it'll stand up to rough treatment, too. Four adults have loads of room to stretch out, while the boot is wide and square in shape.

The G-Class is available with a range of powerful petrol and diesel engines and comes with a sophisticated four-wheel-drive system with locking differentials that mean it can tackle pretty much anything you throw at it. Yet it’s also easy to drive and comfortable. A class act.

Plus there's is now the Mercedes G-Class Electric which has 587PS, a 291-mile range, and the neat trick of being able to turn 180-degres in its own length thanks to the G-Turn function and each wheel having a dedicated electric motor. However, you will need at least £155,000 to buy one.

The rest of the range was revamped in 2024 with new technology and slightly tweaked looks, although the G-Class — thankfully — looks much the same as it's always done.

We have a separate list for the best pick-up trucks and you'll find the regular Ford Ranger right at the very top of it. The Ford Ranger Raptor, however, is no ordinary pick-up. This thing is more of a hardcore off-road racer with its own enthusiast following and it's also one of the most capable off-road vehicles that money can buy. 

The Ranger Raptor adds to the donor vehicle with uprated suspension including Fox Racing shock absorbers, which significantly increases how much the wheels are able to move up and down. There's an electronically locking rear differential, off-road tyres and extra driving modes, along with further plastic body protection and styling tweaks. It all reads like an off-road enthusiast's dream specification.

The Raptor's huge performance comes from either the same twin-turbo 210PS 2.0-litre diesel engine in the previous version of the Raptor, or a newer twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 petrol developing 292PS. Both operate through a ten-speed automatic gearbox, but don't expect much fuel economy from the petrol motor — 20mpg is normal in the real world.

It certainly isn't the most sophisticated vehicle on the road, but off the beaten track it's nigh-on unbeatable. Many will find the significantly cheaper base Ranger is capable enough, but some will pay extra to experience the ultimate off-roader. 

Pick-up trucks have long held a strong appeal for those seeking a rugged 4x4 for serious dirt-defying work and the Isuzu D-Max holds its head up high.

A tough separate chassis frame, choice of all-wheel drive modes and a low-range for dealing with the steepest inclines and thickest mud, mean the D-Max will take you anywhere it's possible to drive. Plusher models also come with plenty of luxury kit, so you don't have to slum it when you head into the wilds.

You can also have the D-Max as a double-cab model, so you can take the family out at the weekends. The load bed is big and the 1.9-litre diesel engine can cope with full loads and towing up to 3500kg. However, the ride is on the unsettled end of the spectrum when the Isuzu is running without anything to weigh down the rear suspension. A small price to pay for such a capable workhorse.

The notion that capable off-road 4x4s have to be bare-boned machines was blown out of the water more than half a century ago by the original Range Rover. From the moment it arrived in 1970, it showed that comfort, style and even luxury could be part of the genuine off-roading package.

The intervening years have led us to this current-generation Range Rover, a car so opulent and sleek that you might think Land Rover has finally abandoned any thoughts of it heading into the wilds. Yet, the Range Rover is even more able than ever before thanks to a mix of evolution and the latest technology which lets it find traction where none appears obvious.

Most buyers choose the Range Rover for its comfort, but it's also passably affordable to run thanks to plug-in hybrid models. The PHEV is able to deliver up to 72 miles of driving range, so you can plausibly potter round town without ever troubling the 3.0-litre petrol engine. Or if you want a very different experience, there's the 615PS V8 model. Regardless of power option, the Range Rover is peerlessly able to switch between on- and off-road work while delivering supreme comfort.

Off-roaders don't come much more recognisable than the Jeep Wrangler. Its story started way back in 1940 with the original Willys-built wartime Jeep — that heritage is still in clear evidence in the styling of the latest car, with its large round headlights and seven-slot grille.

The Wrangler is an effortlessly cool car as a result. It's also pretty much unstoppable off-road. Short of a vertical cliff face, there's not much the Wrangler can't deal with.

Granted, it's fairly rough-and-ready as a result — its on-road ride is bumpy, noisy and unrefined, while the cabin materials are basic, equipment levels are modest and the interior is surprisingly cramped for what's a large car. It's not quite the stripped out off-roader that the original Land Rover Defender was, but compared with more modern cars, it feels rather behind the times.

However, few cars will get as far across the countryside as the Jeep Wrangler, which thanks to its detachable roof and doors means you can feel the sun on your face and body in the process. In fact, it's the only five-seat convertible that money can buy right now.

With the current Land Rover Defender taking the model in a more refined, luxurious direction, the Ineos Grenadier tries to pick up where the old version left off. Ineos Automotive made no bones about the Grenadier's primary inspiration, to the point where Land Rover launched a legal challenge, which it subsequently lost. 

Coming from a firm that's an offshoot of a multinational chemicals company, you might wonder what sort of automotive pedigree the Grenadier has beyond its Defender-like looks, but it has plenty. The engines and gearboxes come from BMW, it's engineered by Magna Steyr which builds the Mercedes G-Class among other cars and it's built at Mercedes' former Smart factory in France.

Its focus on off-road performance does come at the cost of how it performs on-road, however. It's noisy, the driving position takes some getting used to and the steering is slow. Very, very slow. The Grenadier is also expensive, but if how a vehicle performs in the rough stuff is of the utmost importance to you, it's worth a look. 

Mitsubishi's all-wheel drive expertise was put to excellent effect with its various iterations of Lancer Evolution road and rally cars, as well as its off-road capable Shogun SUV and L200 pickup. So what — didn't Mitsubishi leave the UK market in 2021? 

Well, yes, it did, but as of 2026 it's back, not only with a new generation of L200, but also this very capable Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV family SUV. It's even more capable than its incredibly popular predecessor, with an electric-only driving range of up to a claimed 53 miles, plus its refined on-road, with a composed, pliant ride quality, neat handling and loads of interior space for a family of five. 

Pick the entry-level Nativa and there's even a third-row of seats in the back, although they're porportioned for children rather than adults and less spacious than those in Peugeot's 5008.

Where the Outlander claws things back for those who want an inexpensive to run family SUV, but who also require a useful degree of genuine off-road ability is that it's equipped with Mitsubishi's electric motor-powered Super All-Wheel Control all-wheel drive package, comprising a selection of off-road driving modes and Hill Descent Control. Sure, you won't be scaling Snowdon in one any time soon, but you're far likely to be successful when tackling some challenging green lanes than you would be in its rivals.