By Jon Quirk
10 April 2008
The all-new Ford Kuga is proof that there’s still a big appetite for cars with SUV styling and a whiff of off-road ability. In the last five years, compact 4x4 sales have doubled from 300,000 to 600,000. Granted, we’re not talking Land Rover Defenders here, rather ‘soft-roaders’ that can drive over speed bumps with unabated speed.
The rising price of fuel and relentless pressure from the anti-4x4 brigade is forcing all but the most minted (and oblivious) of yummy mummies to downsize from their urban off-roaders into something more apologetic. Think less Chelsea tractor and more Surbiton suburban. However, if you don’t fancy the latest offering from the blue oval, there are heaps of good cars to choose from in this sector. Here are our five favourites.
1. Land Rover Freelander
Pick of the range: Freelander 2.4 TD4 GS £23,460
With its coveted badge and unquestionable off-road ability, the Freelander is one of the most desirable compact off-roaders on sale today. And it’s a proper off-roader with GS versions getting terrain response as well as automatic climate control. The neat, somewhat utilitarian styling is in keeping with the more expensive Discovery but it makes the Freelander easy to navigate through town.
The steering is light and the 2.2-litre diesel’s power delivery feels smooth and offers lots of poke. Unfortunately, the Freelander’s dual purpose becomes more apparent when you get up to speed on the open road. It simply hasn’t been engineered with the same on-road bias as any of the other cars present in this list. As a result, the steering will feel less precise and you’ll feel more body roll in the corners.
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