‘Best’can be a subjective term, and when it comes to cars everyone has their own unique criteria. Even narrowing it down to a car that’s great for off-roading will leave plenty of variables.What will you use your car for? Is it primarily for getting to and from work, running the kids to school, and then heading off-road on the weekends? Or will this be your dedicated 4WD vehicle for off-roading, with another for day-to-day driving?
You can look at the practicalities of a vehicle all you like, but many of us just want the car that we want. Be it the brand, the style, the colour, or the tech., it’s hard to give up on a car once you’ve got your sights set on it.
Here we’ve gathered some recent and upcoming additions to the off-roading market that you might like to use to kickstart your search, or just to begin dreaming about more off-road adventures.
Toyota LandCruiser300 Series
The Toyota LandCruiser 300 series is predicted to launch late 2021, and we’ve been told to expect a TNGA new ladder-chassis and a V6 engine in a 3.3-litre turbo-diesel option, or 3.5-litre turbo petrol option. For your off-road adventures, it will have hill descent control, multi-terrain select off-road drive modes (with crawl mode), and a 3D multi-terrain monitor. On the tarmac, it will provide adaptive cruise control, lane-centring assist, and traffic sign recognition.
The Toyota LandCruiser 200 series is still available while we wait for the 300 series, as is the Prado range. And if you want a Toyota for work and play, then it’s still hard to go past the Toyota Hilux or Toyota LandCruiser 70 series.
The Toyota LandCruiser GX was given a 5-star ANCAP Safety Rating in 2011, with 5/10 recommended safety features. While the Toyota LandCruiser Prado received 5 stars and met 9/10 recommended safety features.
Suzuki Jimny
The Suzuki Jimny is compact, cheap, light, and nimble. Despite its cute looks, it really is an off-road vehicle. You just can’t expect too much storage space from a car like this, so you will have to plan carefully when packing for your next camping adventure.
The Suzuki Jimny received a 3-star ANCAP safety rating in 2018 and met 8/10 recommended safety features.
Subaru Outback
Subarus have become known as dependable and comfortable family cars, with the added bonus of all-wheel drive. The latest Subaru Outback has good ground clearance and suspension, which could make it a good choice if you’re taking the family on the occasional road trip or camping adventure.
The Subaru Outback received a 5-star ANCAP safety rating, and met 9/10 recommended safety features when tested in 2015. No safety rating is available for the 2021 model yet.
Jeep Wrangler
Jeeps are iconic, and many drivers will choose them for this reason alone.
The newest Jeep Wranglers feature the ladder chassis, solid axles, and dual-range transfer case you would expect. There’s good ground clearance, and the Selectable Tyre Fill Alert technology is designed to make letting air out of the tyres easier when you want to get out onto the beach in a hurry. There’s even a removable hard-top.
The Jeep Wrangler was awarded a 3-star ANCAP safety rating in 2019 and met 5/10 recommended safety features.
Mercedes-Benz G-Class
If you want to drive a classy Mercedes, without giving up the option of ever going off-road, then this one is for you. The Mercedes-Benz G-Class features a low-range transfer case, adaptive suspension, and three differential locks to help you handle the terrain. It also features three-zone climate control, a sunroof, and a 15-speaker sound system.
Whatever you’re driving, once it’s been off-road, you’ll probably want to give it a good clean. Here at Magic Hand Carwash we will get the outside sparkling, and the inside smelling as fresh as a daisy; even if you got a little carried away and decided to cook a fish on the engine.
Find your nearest Magic Hand Carwash, and we will have your off-road vehicle ready to get covered in mud again in no time.
