While there are quite literally hundreds of varied makes and models to choose from on the 4×4 scene there is only a handful that we continually see on our roads regularly.
You’ll probably see a dozen or so Ford Rangers on your way to work for example, but does that make them the best 4×4 on the market? Of course not. If popularity was the same as quality we’d be living in a very different world.
But if you’re in the market for a new 4×4, either to build an off-road rig around or simply get the kids to school and back safely, it’s perhaps only right that you’re aware of the true masters of the sector.
So, here are the five 4x4s we think might just be the best of the best. At least for now. To keep things fair, we’ve kept to one model per make.
5. Mitsubishi Shogun
The Shogun was once looked down on as a pretty tame ‘entry point’ into the 4×4 world, but a lot has changed since the 90s.
Today, the Shogun is heralded as an affordable and very upgradeable 4×4 workhorse that will last for decades as long as you treat it right.
4. Ford Ranger
Yes we know we’ve already mentioned the Ranger but there is a reason why it’s so consistently popular – it just works.
An everyman 4×4 that has enjoyed renewed critical success since the launch of the T6 model in 2011 with its thumping 3.2-litre diesel engine, the Ranger is a great all-rounder.
Not only that, but older models should be plentiful on the second-hand market and as Rangers are so popular there are dozens of upgrade options available for them.
3. Nissan Patrol
Variations of the Patrol have shown up on battlefields for decades now but it’s in the family recreational market that the model has really made an imprint.
Since the late 80s and the dawn of the MQ and GQ range, the Patrol handles just as well as its Japanese counterparts and has way more style.
2. Land Rover Discovery
There is something definitively iconic about the Discovery that means to this day it’s still the vehicle that many people bring to mind whenever the term 4×4 is mentioned.
The original model was effectively a more practical version of the Defender and while all iterations have been dependably unreliable out of the factory, the Discovery remains a dream for those of us who like to tinker.
As a naturally capable off-road machine that looks the part and enjoys a pretty interesting history, the Land Rover Discovery comes in at number two.
1. Toyota Land Cruiser
We might technically be cheating here as the Land Cruiser isn’t just a single model, it’s an entire family of models.
But one trait that remains true among all of them is their strength, their character, and their serious off-road skills.
From the massive beasts of the 80-Series with its industry-leading (at the time) long-travel suspension to the more complex and capable 100 and 200-Series, even down to the smaller Prado models, the Toyota Land Cruiser is a work of truly legendary Japanese engineering that deservedly takes the top spot.
Image: WildSnap / Shutterstock.com
