The best off-road car picks for 2025

By Craig Hale

Last updated: 8 July 2025

We Brits love a good SUV, but with many catering to style rather than utility, not all are suited to off-roading.

On the surface, a rugged-looking SUV with 4x4 could do the trick, but delve a little deeper and you'll realise there's a whole list of figures you'll need to consider if you're serious about off-roading.

Take a look at some of the best off-road car options and what makes them our top picks.

All-wheel or four-wheel drive? Best off-road car options

Not all SUVs are cut from the same cloth, and with many mostly catering to city drivers who want a high-up driving position, some don't even come with 4x4 options at all.

Off-road readiness requires the right drivetrain and features to handle tough terrain, and a four-wheel-drive model is the best for the job.

Typically designed for more than your average muddy field, four-wheel-drive cars can often be locked into different modes to handle exactly the type of terrain you're driving on.

Although they're virtually identical in the way that the car can split power between different wheels to minimise slippage, all-wheel-drive cars usually offer less control over off-road conditions.

The best 4x4 cars for off-roading

• Jeep Wrangler

• Suzuki Jimny

• Toyota Land Cruiser

• Land Rover Defender

• INEOS Grenadier

• Dacia Duster

• Subaru Forester

• Isuzu D-Max

The best 4x4 off-road cars

Jeep Wrangler

A direct descendant of the Willys Jeep from WW2, the Jeep Wrangler is the result of decades of off-roading experience, so it's the daddy when it comes to serious off-roading.

Some models even come with a Rock-Trac 4x4 system, which works similar to a locking differential where you can control how the wheels interact with each other when off-roading.

Our favourite feature has to be how much customisation and aftermarket support you can get for the Wrangler – as standard, many models have removable panels in the roof to convert this into, well, a convertible.

Suzuki Jimny

An extremely lightweight and narrow 4x4, the Suzuki Jimny is your ideal companion for tight green lanes and forest trails. Its short wheelbase translates to fantastic approach and departure angles, too.

Its quiet little petrol engine is perfect for zipping around town, but it's the perfect refined option for feeling at one with nature. No noisy diesels here.

Helping the Jimny's case even further is Suzuki's excellent reputation for reliability and this particular car's simple mechanics, which makes it easy to repair and maintain.

Toyota Land Cruiser

Another longstanding model that has proved itself in off-road situations all around the world for decades, the Land Cruiser often finds itself in the battle field, at the highest altitude or in the deepest rut.

The Land Cruiser is a big, tough 4x4 that's probably double the size of a Jimmy, but that doesn’t make it any less effective when tackling sand, snow, mud or rocky non-roads.

Toyota has always been great at making off-road SUVs, and the Land Cruiser is no exception. Go for a newer model if you want to tap into Toyota's industry-leading 10-year warranty, so long as you service it annually at participating dealers.

Land Rover Defender

Land Rover has become so synonymous with off-roading that many drivers simply refer to a large 4x4 as a Land Rover, even if it's not.

The cream of the crop is probably the Defender, which has an endless history through countless iterations as a true workhorse.

Pick from three-door '90', five-door '110' or eight-seater '130' models, but remember that different configurations will result in different off-road credentials. You'll need to pick from a scale of Chelsea tractor to actual tractor.

INEOS Grenadier

When the Land Rover Defender got its latest, ultra-modern makeover, many purists were left wanting something more rugged. In steps the INEOS Grenadier.

It uses old-school robustness and mechanics to overcome obstacles, but you won't have to make any tradeoffs, because power comes from silky-smooth BMW engines.

Unlike the car that inspired it, the Grenadier maintains a truly utilitarian look with built-in switches, grab handles, rubber flooring and modular add-ons.

Dacia Duster

Large SUVs are as much about showing off as they are being capable, but the Dacia Duster turns all of that on its head and gives you exactly what you want.

Beware, because most models are front-wheel-drive, but the Duster is special because it's one of the cheapest crossovers you can get with a 4x4 option – be it petrol or diesel-powered.

Ideal for adventure seekers on a budget, it has strong fuel economy and decent comfort, plus plenty of passenger and luggage space to house the whole family in comfort.

Subaru Forester

Play a game of brand association and you'd probably link Subaru with off-roading and rallying, so the Forester might just make sense for the off-road fanatic.

Its symmetrical all-wheel-derive system with torque vectoring is perfect for slipper conditions like snow, mud and gravel, while the boxer engine (backup up by a hybrid system in newer iterations) makes a unique sound that enthusiasts love.

Its boxy and upright stance might not be the most sporty, but the design translates to an immensely spacious interior with stacks of room for taller passengers.

Isuzu D-Max

With the best 4x4 cars all evolving into highly luxurious, flashy machines, farmers are quickly turning to pick-ups like the D-Max for hard-to-beat off-road abilities.

With a one-tonne payload and a 3.5-tonne towing limit, it's more than up to the job, and if you go for newer models you can low-range gearboxes, rear diff locks and other tuning to maximise grip.

Built to be tough, you can still use a D-Max for your family wheels because there are double cab models with a rear bench and even taller boot-like covers instead of low-profile tonneau covers and rollers.

Ground clearance

If you’re driving over uneven or rocky ground, you don’t want your car’s underside to scrape along on the surface. For this reason, having extra ground clearance is essential.

If you don’t have a car that is higher off the ground, you also risk what's known as ‘bellying out’ – which means the car becomes wedged on something without the wheels touching the ground.

If, by off-roading, you mean tackling muddy fields and minor inclines, you'll be fine, but if you need to traverse rocky lanes, ground clearance is something you'll need to be close attention to.

The right angles

The best car for off-roading will also have the following:

• High approach angle – the ability for your car to tackle steeper slopes, without the front of the car bashing into them at the bottom

• High departure angle – this is the same for the rear of the car, when going down a slope onto the level ground beneath

• High breakover angle – the ability for the car to drive over a hump or crest without ‘bellying out’ (influenced by a car's ground clearance)

You can generally get a good idea of a car's approach and departure angles by looking at its overhangs – how much the car sticks out beyond the wheels.

For example, the long Land Rover Defender 130 will have a worse departure angle compared to the Land Rover Defender 110, because it has a longer rear overhang.

By the same token, if you want to estimate if a car has a good breakover angle, look at the wheelbase – the distance between the front and rear wheels – as well as its ground clearance.

Tyres

If you’re serious about taking your SUV off-road, you’ll also need some serious off-road tyres. A set of all-terrain tyres that have deep treads, extra-solid sidewalls and are made from different rubber will do the job. Going large with tyre profile (not rim size) will also help.

And don’t forget the off-roading trick of letting some air out of them when you get off the tarmac: this increases the area of the tyre that is in contact with the ground – the ‘contact patch’ – and improves traction.

The best off-road cars to tackle unforgiving terrain

Now that you're armed with the knowledge on what makes a good off-road car, take the time to pinpoint exactly what off-roading means to you, decide what's important (angles, ground clearance, size of vehicle) and browse our full range of used 4x4 SUVs for sale.

Learn more:

• Best cars for winter driving

• Best cars for safety