Reply With QuoteHow much clearance do you need? Subaru Forester? THey're more expensive than they should be, as farmers have cottoned on to their utility.
Jimny?
Moving to our new house is only two weeks away. When we bought the house in July, all was lovely-jubbly when it came to roads and paths. Now, with the leaves on the ground and the rain, the paths are an adventure. I love it. But it gives me that itchy feeling of buying a small 4x4 capable of handling that sort of paths.
What's more: we're busy trying to buy a dog... And wet dogs in a well-detailed nearly new car (our 20202 CR-V) is not my idea of fun.
That's how the 4x4 idea slipped in. 20 yrs ago, I used to own a Suzuki Samurai. I would buy another one without hesitation. However, with that in mind - and the Samurai market being 'thin', can you recommend me another fine piece of 4x4 engineering? Let's say up to 4-5K euros. Small, suited for one driver and his dog.
Menno
How much clearance do you need? Subaru Forester? THey're more expensive than they should be, as farmers have cottoned on to their utility.
Jimny?
Dacia duster ?
@ Jimny: yes, but a little 'cult' car here and therefore seriously expensive.
@ Dacia: now thát's an unexpected idea! Perhaps I must get used to that idea.
I spotted a 1980s Daihatsu Taft classified, but that plan was shot down by the guys at the workshop: "We can't repair that: parts are made from unobtainium!" Pity.
Then I spotted this 'hen's teeth': Samurai LWB pick-up. Originally not sold here; this one's from Germany and imported into the country.
Last edited by thieuster; 13th November 2020 at 16:11.
I've genuinely considered a Duster as an answer to my other thread about something small and fast. I know, I know, it makes no sense, but there's something attractive about (what is essentially) disposable motoring.Originally Posted by thieuster
A Rav 4 would do the trick..
We used to have a Daihatsu dealer in town. There are still a number of the Terios & Fourtrak models (and various hatchbacks) running about. Parts are obtained via the local Subaru dealer.
What about a Subaru Impreza Wagon?
______
Jim.
The correct answer is a Willys Jeep...
Seriously what about a Fiat Panda 4X4 - all of the famers in Italy cant be wrong? Failing that I think the Jimmy / Samurai is probably your best option.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
HiLux is great but not nimble and small... Fiat 4x4 is a great idea. Not considered that!!
The older Pandas 4x4 were outstanding; so much so that they are now highly valued by their owners...
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
Suzuki Wagon -R 4x4 Super reliable too, but hard to find
Defiantly recommended the Panda 4x4. Have a current generation Twinair for getting to work from our home on the North York Moors, very capable on poor surfaces and surprisingly fun to drive; the two cylinder turbo 875cc motor linked to a six speed box is quite lively for its diminutive size.
Snap. I have the same one, 4x4 TA in the same colour.
Absolutely perfect for your requirements, Menno. Mine were similar and I love my agile little Fiat. The Twin Air turbo engine is a hoot, get one while you still can.
Steve Cropley summed up their appeal perfectly recently:
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/n...fiat-panda-4x4First foray back to The Smoke from my home in Gloucestershire, and I happened to be standing on a Marylebone kerbside when some lucky bloke drove by in a latest-spec Fiat Panda 4x4, painted in that special burnt orange that I believe should be the default hue for every one. Not having driven one for a while made me realise how much I miss the Panda, which is now in its 40th year, even though there have only been three editions.
Years ago, I had a lovable red Panda TwinAir as my daily driver, and I remember sitting in my airliner seat on those unlamented day-return trips we journalists used to do to Germany or France, knowing that I would hear the throb of that dopey little engine again in an hour, and all would be right with the world.
No one seems to know what Fiat plans for ‘the Panda space’, as marketers would doubtless put it, but that Marylebone moment set me fondly remembering the TwinAir launch, when engineer Paolo Martinelli marched on stage carrying an engine block as if it were a briefcase, and realising that this is one car I want to last a long time yet.
Last edited by Seamaster73; 13th November 2020 at 17:20.
The Dacia Duster is rated quite well considering it's bargain basement price!
https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/best-c...est-small-4x4s
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
I'd recommend just putting a decent set of all season tyres on the car you have, or any car suitable for your needs if you're buying a beater car. Four wheel drive doesn't stop you skidding under braking! It's all about the tyres in my experience.
Obviously the right answer is a Defender 90, if you want a small one. I had a 90, but changed to a 110 Utility so that I can get the dogs and kids in the back.
However, they are getting more and more expensive.
If I was looking for a cheap 4x4 it would 100% be a Jimny.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GE2W93FBdo8
Jimny you would have to buy used, due to Suzuki pulling it from the UK and European markets, and residuals are very strong on the few that were sold here.
Duster is bigger that it looks, and you need to spend Ł20K to get a petrol one with with 4x4.
I seriously considered both before I went for the Panda.
Yes indeed. A used 3-door Rav 4 would be perfect.
I’ve got one of these - a 2003 manual petrol model. It’s small, fast enough, very reliable and has permanent 4-wheel drive.
3 star NCAP on the Jimny would stop me buying one.
1 million per cent this
Such a cheap thing to run and plenty of smiles
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Panda, Terios, Jimny, Rav4 in no particular order.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
Skoda Yeti 4x4 2.0 litre diesel.
Just go and test drive one.
R
Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.
Good call.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
Owned a couple of Yeti in the past, great cars but the wide tyres as with our current other car a V40CC AWD degrade grip compared to cars like the Panda even with winter tyre patterns fitted.
As a massive skiing enthusiast I always note the ski resort cars of choice, it’s either a Panda 4x4, Dacia Duster or Suzuki Ignis. All amazingly capable 4x4 cars for around Ł15k new. I had a Panda as a hire car and it was great and felt unstoppable in snow on its winter tyres. The twin air two cylinder engine was surprising okay as well.
FWIW, even though not a 4x4 we found a 2CV more than capable during a snowy winter around the hills of Sheffield.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
Your answers have given me some great ideas: Panda 4x4, Duster and Ignis 4x4 (Ignis 4x4 = pretty rare here). All cars I hadn't considered and these 3 are cheaper than a much older Samurai or Jimny! Thanks.
Panda 4x4 (ideally the original version). Next?
Agreed.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
And another vote for the Panda 4x4 here. There’s just something inherently cool about them.
I never thought the answer to any question would be Dacia Duster but every day’s a school day!
Just sold this last weekend
Petrol 2 litre manual
Great little car, had it from new never let us down great in the snow better than our CRV
Take back seats out like a little van great for going to the rubbish tip or muddy dogs
Added to the list! Perhaps a little too lardy for my taste. In all fairness: my initial 'light' spec has to do with the Dutch tax system. It's linked to a car's weight.
If light is what you’re after, then how about a Subaru Justy 4x4?
Dacia Duster is also three stars, and Fiat Panda is zero stars!
https://www.euroncap.com/en/results/FIAT/Panda/34191
The Panda 4x4 weighs less than a ton. One of the reasons it embarrasses much more expensive cars in the slop.
I always understood the duster's low rating was because it isn't friendly to pedestrians if it hits them (not saying this isn't important!)
We got a 2x4 diesel duster when we moved to the country and discovered quite how bad the roads get in our area. Less worried about 4x4 for traction, more in wanting something that can handle the local roads slowly disintegrating. The boot will swallow massive quantities of stuff which is another massive advantage.
The trade off for its ability at soaking up bumps is the cornering isn't great. There's a sticker on the sun visor warning that the car can be rolled, and it's quite exciting when it loses grip in the wet (in a bad way, and that's with decent tires on it). No idea how much differently the 4x4 would do at this though as supposedly it will switch to driving all wheels if traction drops.
V6 Vitara, when it breaks throw it away and buy another one
First gen Fiat Panda- they use the Magna/Steyr Puch 4x4 system as fitted to the Haflinger, amazing bit of kit off-road.
And the Panda's uniquely dismal zero rating in 2020 is because it's a ten year old model. It was rated four stars when it was new. The problem now is that it has none of the newer camera-based active safety tech like autonomous braking, lane keeping assist etc as standard.
I spent months researching the hell out of all these small/light 4x4s before I bought one.
You are welcome. I’ve been doing some extensive research myself on similar cars as I am hoping to move to Spain in a rural villa 1/2km down a Goat track, so this is my shortlist as well.
How can you sell a car with zero stars?! Madness! I take back what I said about the Jimny then, maybe 3 stars isn't so bad after all ha
We have got to get one of thoseI ran a Panda 4x4 Sisley for a month around 1990 time to turn back the clock.
Last edited by number2; 14th November 2020 at 21:54.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
That is crazy, but I see the 2015 Panda Cross got 3 stars and I couldn’t find a rating for the new shape model.
I’d go Jimny. Ridiculously fun in the mud.
Perhaps because the originals were not actually made by Fiatunfortunately most of the body panels were
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Fiat Sedici
Any 2CV with M+S tyres is as good as a light 4x4
I was going to suggest a 2CV but I am not sure what the going rate is now.
I still think a Willys is the car to answer the question through....
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