Top 10 4x4 buying tips

• Choose the best 4x4 for you – whether you drive in the Highlands or the high street
• How to keep your running costs as low as possible
• 4x4s can be the perfect answer to winter woes – or a financial black hole

Sales of 4x4s are booming, as buyers realise the benefits of a high driving position and all-wheel drive. 
There's now a huge choice of 4x4s, also known as sport utility vehicles (SUVs) or off-roaders, on sale.
Find out which are the best 4x4s according to our in-depth tests and annual reliability survey. If you're not a Which? member, sign up for just £1 to get access to all our car reviews.

1. Do you actually need a 4x4?

The most important question is: do you really need four-wheel drive? If you live on a farm or need to tow a horse box, the answer is probably 'yes'. Even if you occasionally need to cross a muddy field, we recommend a 4x4.
However, if all you want to do is commute to the office or take the kids to school, there are other – more cost-effective – choices out there.
If you're mainly concerned about getting about in snow, consider buying a 4x4 version of a conventional car, such as an Audi A4 quattro, Subaru Legacy or Vauxhall Insignia Country Tourer.

2. Can you afford it?

Most 4x4s are more expensive to buy than an equivalent saloon or estate car. Fuel consumption, insurance, servicing and parts are typically costlier than for regular cars, too. Choose unwisely and running costs can be astronomical.
On the flipside, depreciation (loss of value over time) tends to be less severe for 4x4s than, say, estate cars. But you still need to do your sums carefully before you buy. Fortunately, we've made this easy with our guide to car running costs.

3. Diesel, petrol or hybrid 4x4?

Most 4x4s sold in the UK are diesels. The reason is simple: fuel costs.
Modern diesels are generally very refined and offer plenty of torque (pulling power) – which is great for towing. The online calculator will help you work out the relative costs of petrol and diesel engines.
There's also a trend towards hybrid 4x4s fitted with electric motors as well as conventional engines. These can have better fuel consumption and emissions than diesels.
The Lexus RX, for example, is only sold in hybrid form, while Porsche offers a hybrid version of its Cayenne. Peugeot's 508 RXH estate car is a diesel-electric hybrid (most hybrids are petrol-electric) with four-wheel drive.

4. Will my 4x4 break down?

Unfortunately, the sheer complexity of off-roaders means they often have far worse reliability records than hatchbacks or saloons. For example, the second worst-performing car brand in our latest 2014 Which? Car Survey was Land Rover. Its Discovery 3 (2004-2009) was rated the least reliable car overall.
If you're looking for reliability, the three best 4x4s models in our most recent survey were, in descending order, the Honda CR-V (petrol versions), Toyota RAV4 and Ford Kuga.
It's worth considering a brand that offers a more generous warranty than the industry-standard three years and 60,000 miles. Kia's is the best in the business at seven years or 100,000 miles. Hyundai offers a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty and Toyotas come with five years/100,000 miles of cover. Vauxhall's unlimited-time/100,000-mile warranty is impressive too, although it only applies to the first owner.

5. Not all 4x4s are practical

Not all 4x4s are the practical workhorses you might imagine. Having lots of four-wheel-drive kit under the car's floor can lead to compromised interior space. Boot space in particular can be quite limited, and the fact that the load floor is high off the ground means you have to lift luggage a long way.
On the other hand, some 4x4s are genuine substitutes for a people carrier/MPV. Off-roaders available with seven seats include the Audi Q7, BMW X5, Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento and Mercedes-Benz GL.

6. Luxury and style

The days of ultra-basic off-roaders that you could hose-out after a day's work are all but over. Modern 4x4s feel like regular cars to sit in and to drive. And the choice of luxurious and stylish 4x4 vehicles continues to grow.
The Range Rover Evoque sums this category up well. Its striking styling and sporty road manners have made it a real hit with buyers.
Choosing the right options is also important. Roof rails, parking sensors and self-levelling suspension are all sensible. But large alloy wheels and body styling kits are probably a waste of money.

7. Are 4x4s gas-guzzlers?

SUVs have acquired a reputation for being gas-guzzling monsters. Buy a V8 petrol-engined 4x4 and that might be fair analysis. But manufacturers are increasingly offering 'green' 4x4s for the green-welly brigade.
For example, the Skoda Yeti Greenline II offers claimed fuel economy of 61.4mpg and CO2 emissions of 119g/km, meaning car tax will be just £30 a year.

8. Off-road stars

If you need to do some proper off-roading, make sure you buy a proper 4x4. By that, we mean one with a low-range transfer box that allows the car to crawl over tricky terrain at very slow speeds. All-terrain tyres are important, too – regular road tyres are all but useless when the going gets rough.
Our off-road stars include the Jeep Wrangler, Land Rover Discovery 4 and Toyota Land Cruiser.

9. When is a 4x4 not a 4x4?

Answer: when it's a 4x2. There's been an increasing trend towards off-road-style cars that only have two-wheel drive. It's not only 'crossovers' or 'soft-roaders' like the Nissan Qashqai, Hyundai ix35 and Skoda Yeti that can be bought with front-wheel drive. Traditional-style 4x4s, such as the Land Rover Freelander, Kia Sorento and Volvo XC60 are all also available as 4x2s.
Of course, some benefits of a 4x4 remain, including the high seating position and better ground clearance. But you won't benefit from the extra traction of a proper 4x4. On the other hand, the purchase price is usually lower and fuel economy is often significantly better.

10. Best off-roaders on the road

Since you'll probably be spending most of your time on Tarmac, it's important to consider how your off-roader behaves on the road.
Crossovers are almost always better as everyday transport than 'traditional' 4x4s. All Audi and BMW Audi 4x4s are great to drive, and for on-road performance we also rate the Ford Kuga, Mazda CX-5, Range Rover Sport, Volvo XC60 and VW Touareg.