1. Suzuki Jimny
YOU want a tough but cute commercial vehicle? I give you the van version of Suzuki's teeny-tiny but oh-so-capable off-road Jimny.
Called the Jimny Light Commercial, it ditches the back seats - which, let's be honest, weren't a lot of use - to give a larger luggage compartment, complete with a flat floor and safety cargo partition.
It means the little Jimny van has a load volume of 863 litres, which is 33 litres up on the regular vehicle with its seats folded.
The Light Commercial has the same uncompromising off-road performance as the four-seat Jimny, thanks in no small part to its ladder frame chassis, three-link rigid axle suspension and Suzuki's 'Allgrip pro' part-time four-wheel-drive system, complete with low range transfer gear.
The commercial model has the same safety features as the passenger version, including dual sensor brake support - which employs automatic braking to help avoid a collision - and hill-hold and descent control that support driving on slopes.
2. Mitsubishi L200
IT might not be as cute and charming as the diminutive Suzuki Jimny, but the Mitsubishi L200 pick-up is at least as tough and dependable.
New to the line-up is a high-specification Barbarian + trim level. It costs from £30,350 ex-VAT and comes with options that would normally cost £1,900 for a premium of just £750 over the regular Barbarian model.
Additional features on the Barbarian + include a colour-coded hardtop with pop-out side windows and a sliding bulkhead window, a load-bed liner, bed lighting and central locking tailgate.
The truck is available with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters.
The L200 is fitted as standard with Mitsubishi's 'Super Select' 4WD system with off-road modes. The Barbarian + also features 18-inch alloy wheels, leather upholstery with heated front seats, illuminated door Barbarian door entry guards and LED mood lighting.
Safety equipment includes forward collision mitigation, lane departure warning and automatic lights and wipers, along with active stability and traction control, seven airbags, hill start assist and trailer stability control.
3. Jeep Wrangler
JEEP'S Wrangler is one of a select handful of authentic 4x4 icons that also includes the Suzuki Jimny, Mercedes G-Class and, of course, the Land Rover Defender.
Rough and tough off-roaders aren't exactly synonymous with fuel efficiency, but that's changing as more manufacturers embrace electrified drivetrains.
Jeep's take on this is its hybrid '4xe' drivetrains. Hybrid versions of the Renegade and Compass family SUVs are already on their way, and Jeep is putting the same plug-in tech into the Wrangler.
It combines a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with a 400 volt, 17kWh battery pack that recuperates energy from a belt-integrated starter/generator under deceleration. It can power a pair of electric motors - one in front of the engine and another just forward of the gearbox.
Jeep talks of 375 horsepower and up to 25 miles of pure electric driving. Nor is this some sort of neutered soft-roader - Jeep promises "trail rated running gear: solid front and rear axles, full-time 4x4 two-speed transfer case, fully articulating suspension and 30 inches of water fording capability".
Expect to pay more than £50k for a Wrangler 4xe when it goes on sale next year.
4. Range Rover Velar
THE Jeep Renegade has its own appeal, but if you prefer your 4x4s svelte and stylish, take a look in the Velar corner of the Range Rover showroom.
The Velar range has just been revised, with updates including the introduction of a plug-in hybrid, alongside a revised engine range and updated interior.
The Velar arrived in 2017, slotting between the Evoque and Sport in Range Rover's range.
The new plug-in hybrid model, badged P400e, gets a powertrain already available on other Range Rover models. It combines a 2.0-litre petrol engine with an electric motor and 17.1kWh battery.
It produces 399bhp and 462lb ft of torque, and can travel for a claimed 33 miles on electricity alone, along with returning (an optimistic...) 130.2mpg.
CO2 emissions of 49g/km, and the positive effect on benefit in kind tax rates for company users will be a big draw, too.
A pair of mild-hybrid engines have also been introduced to the Velar D300 and P400 models. A four-cylinder D200 diesel replaces the previous D180 and D240 models.
The updated Velar is available to order now, with prices starting from £46,110, an increase of £400.
