Best cheap 4x4s
High-quality affordable 4x4 cars from rated and reviewed dealers
Last updated June 27, 2025 by
Neil Briscoe
What are the best cheap 4x4 cars you can buy in the UK in 2025?
SUVs and 4x4 cars (not necessarily the same thing…) have gone all posh, a process that has been happening ever since Land Rover first dreamed up the Range Rover. However, there’s still a need for something more affordable, but with power going to all four wheels, which is why we’ve put together this list of the ten best 4x4 cars currently on sale in the UK.
These are the cars for people who aren’t interested in posing on the school run, but who actually need all-paw power to get into, and back out of, inaccessible places. That might be a rough farm track, a series of open fields, or a house in a hilltop village that gets a regular dusting of snow. These, then, are the cars in which you can put your faith that they’ll get you where you’re going, and yet they won’t cost the Earth to buy.
Carwow’s expert reviews team intensively tests every new car on sale, so that we can give our expert recommendations. We drive the cars on the road – and off it – and poke around the cabin so you know the cars below are not only affordable with four-wheel drive, they’re also good to drive and easy to live with, too.
If you haven’t yet become familiar with the Dacia Duster, well honestly — which rock have you been hiding under since 2013? That’s when the Duster arrived in the UK and made us all realise how little car we actually needed to get by.
The Duster has actually moved on considerably since that original model, with its unpainted bumpers and optional radio. Now, the Duster is actually quite stylish, with a rugged design that seems to owe as much to a Hummer as it does to any old Renault, while inside you get the sophistication of not one, but two large digital screens.
There are even some interesting colour options, including a desert sand shade, and a couple of nice dark greens.
The four-wheel drive Duster currently comes only with a 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine, and a six-speed manual gearbox.
It’s good, though. The 1.2-litre engine doesn’t have loads of power (130hp) but it’s enough, and the low gearing means that it scampers easily up muddy hillsides in a manner that leaves most other similarly sized cars standing in the puddles at the bottom.
That low gearing means that the Duster 4x4 isn’t the smoothest car to drive on the road (the engine does tend to thrash a bit) but it’s perfectly fine as long as you’re not trying to drive from London to Milan in one day.
The cabin’s full of cheap plastics, but Dacia has made them all look smart enough so you won’t miss plush leathers, and there’s sufficient space for four tall people and a boot full of luggage. And all of that from just over £24,000 for a four-wheel drive model.
The Duster has actually moved on considerably since that original model, with its unpainted bumpers and optional radio. Now, the Duster is actually quite stylish, with a rugged design that seems to owe as much to a Hummer as it does to any old Renault, while inside you get the sophistication of not one, but two large digital screens.
There are even some interesting colour options, including a desert sand shade, and a couple of nice dark greens.
The four-wheel drive Duster currently comes only with a 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine, and a six-speed manual gearbox.
It’s good, though. The 1.2-litre engine doesn’t have loads of power (130hp) but it’s enough, and the low gearing means that it scampers easily up muddy hillsides in a manner that leaves most other similarly sized cars standing in the puddles at the bottom.
That low gearing means that the Duster 4x4 isn’t the smoothest car to drive on the road (the engine does tend to thrash a bit) but it’s perfectly fine as long as you’re not trying to drive from London to Milan in one day.
The cabin’s full of cheap plastics, but Dacia has made them all look smart enough so you won’t miss plush leathers, and there’s sufficient space for four tall people and a boot full of luggage. And all of that from just over £24,000 for a four-wheel drive model.
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If you’re looking for the most straightforward and simple car in this list, it’s not either of the two Dacias — it’s this Skoda. The Karoq is getting on a bit now. It first went on sale in 2017, and the VW Tiguan with which it shares all of its mechanical bits has been replaced twice since then. Even so, the Karoq remains a tempting purchase for anyone who wants a totally no-nonsense car that seats five, has a big boot, and has optional four-wheel drive for dealing with tricky conditions.
The Karoq really majors on practicality. The back seats are spacious, with lots of legroom, and the boot holds up to 588 litres of whatever you need to carry. For maximum versatility, you can pick the ‘Varioflex’ seating option, which gives you back seats that tilt, fold, and even come out completely, turning your Karoq into an ersatz van with up to 1,810 litres of cargo space.
Up front, the dashboard is pretty plain, but the Karoq comes from a generation of Skoda which had much better quality than most other cars on the road, which means everything feels really beautifully bolted together. There is a touchscreen, but thankfully it’s an easier one to use than most, and the Karoq keeps sensible, physical heating and air conditioning controls.
You’re never going to be delighted with the way the Karoq goes around corners — it’s fine, and the steering feels better than you might expect, and it rides comfortably over bumps, but it’s never thrilling — but you’ll always be pleased with its feeling of solid common sense.
The only downside here is that if you want a four-wheel drive version, you’re limited to two engine choices — either the 150hp 2.0-litre diesel, or the 190hp 2.0-litre petrol turbo — and all Karoq 4x4 models have a starting price above £40,000 which is not only pricey by Skoda standards, it also means you’ll get stung for higher VED road tax in the first six years of ownership.
The Karoq really majors on practicality. The back seats are spacious, with lots of legroom, and the boot holds up to 588 litres of whatever you need to carry. For maximum versatility, you can pick the ‘Varioflex’ seating option, which gives you back seats that tilt, fold, and even come out completely, turning your Karoq into an ersatz van with up to 1,810 litres of cargo space.
Up front, the dashboard is pretty plain, but the Karoq comes from a generation of Skoda which had much better quality than most other cars on the road, which means everything feels really beautifully bolted together. There is a touchscreen, but thankfully it’s an easier one to use than most, and the Karoq keeps sensible, physical heating and air conditioning controls.
You’re never going to be delighted with the way the Karoq goes around corners — it’s fine, and the steering feels better than you might expect, and it rides comfortably over bumps, but it’s never thrilling — but you’ll always be pleased with its feeling of solid common sense.
The only downside here is that if you want a four-wheel drive version, you’re limited to two engine choices — either the 150hp 2.0-litre diesel, or the 190hp 2.0-litre petrol turbo — and all Karoq 4x4 models have a starting price above £40,000 which is not only pricey by Skoda standards, it also means you’ll get stung for higher VED road tax in the first six years of ownership.
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Is the Dacia Bigster just a bigger Duster? Kind of, yes but there’s a bit more to it than that. The Bigster — silly name but an utterly serious car — is based on the same set of mechanical bits as the Duster, so it uses the same 1.2-litre petrol engine as the Duster 4x4, and the same six-speed manual gearbox. That manual gearbox gets a dreadfully clunky shifter, which takes the shine off things a bit, but as ever with Dacia, you kind of forgive it little things like that because of the price — which comes in at just over £27,000 for the basic 4x4 Bigster.
As with the Duster, the Bigster is properly rugged, and capable of tackling some seriously rough terrain in a manner that most other mid-size family SUVs just wouldn’t, and the Bigster’s chunky wheelarch protectors — made from recycled plastics — mean that you won’t worry about the occasional brush with a rock, or the wall of the underground car park.
The Bigster isn’t the most refined thing to drive — there’s plenty of wind noise at speed — and nor does the cabin really live up to the kind of quality that you’d expect from similarly sized alternatives, with lots of dreadfully cheap plastics, although Dacia tries to liven them up by adding some printed-in patterns.
The best bit is the space on offer, though. Compared to the compact Duster, the Bigster is almost a limo, with stretch-out space for six-footers in the back seat, and a massive boot (although there’s no seven-seat option).
With the four-wheel drive system, the Bigster is very capable off-road, and should be plenty good enough to cope with whatever you throw at it.
As with the Duster, the Bigster is properly rugged, and capable of tackling some seriously rough terrain in a manner that most other mid-size family SUVs just wouldn’t, and the Bigster’s chunky wheelarch protectors — made from recycled plastics — mean that you won’t worry about the occasional brush with a rock, or the wall of the underground car park.
The Bigster isn’t the most refined thing to drive — there’s plenty of wind noise at speed — and nor does the cabin really live up to the kind of quality that you’d expect from similarly sized alternatives, with lots of dreadfully cheap plastics, although Dacia tries to liven them up by adding some printed-in patterns.
The best bit is the space on offer, though. Compared to the compact Duster, the Bigster is almost a limo, with stretch-out space for six-footers in the back seat, and a massive boot (although there’s no seven-seat option).
With the four-wheel drive system, the Bigster is very capable off-road, and should be plenty good enough to cope with whatever you throw at it.
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The Nissan Qashqai has become one of those cars that everyone has either owned, or knows someone who has. The car that invented the modern family SUV has been a huge seller over the years since it was first introduced in 2007, and in this latest version you can see why. It looks smart on the outside, has a well-made, easy-to-use cabin, and crucially has plenty of space.
The boot isn’t the biggest, but it's square and deep, and comes with a useful adjustable floor, while the back doors open super-wide so that it’s easy to load up kids and car seats.
Exciting to drive? No, not really. In fact, no, not at all, but you won’t mind as the Qashqai is also nicely refined and easy going in pretty much all circumstances. It’s hardly going to be the most rugged off-roader around, but there is the option of four-wheel drive, although you can only have it with one engine — the 158hp 1.3-litre mild-hybrid turbo petrol.
Kudos to Nissan for not making you also buy the highest-spec model to get four-wheel drive too, which means you can keep the price below £40,000 and avoid higher Vehicle Excise Duty costs.
The Qashqai’s updated infotainment system, which now uses Google software, is really impressive, and much better to use than before.
The boot isn’t the biggest, but it's square and deep, and comes with a useful adjustable floor, while the back doors open super-wide so that it’s easy to load up kids and car seats.
Exciting to drive? No, not really. In fact, no, not at all, but you won’t mind as the Qashqai is also nicely refined and easy going in pretty much all circumstances. It’s hardly going to be the most rugged off-roader around, but there is the option of four-wheel drive, although you can only have it with one engine — the 158hp 1.3-litre mild-hybrid turbo petrol.
Kudos to Nissan for not making you also buy the highest-spec model to get four-wheel drive too, which means you can keep the price below £40,000 and avoid higher Vehicle Excise Duty costs.
The Qashqai’s updated infotainment system, which now uses Google software, is really impressive, and much better to use than before.
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Fun fact: this latest Mini Countryman might have a Mini badge, but it’s actually only 1mm shorter than the Ford Explorer SUV that gets eaten by the T-Rex in Jurassic Park. Yup, this Mini really is a Maxi. It’s also the only car on this list which gives you the choice of either petrol or electric power for your four-wheel drive.
The Mini Countryman SE ALL4, to give the battery-powered 4x4 model its full name, comes with 313hp split between two electric motors, giving the big Mini (sounds wrong, doesn’t it?) the power to pull itself through plenty of muck and mud, although we wouldn’t try anything too ambitious, not least because the maximum range is a mere 266 miles.
The Countryman Cooper S ALL4 is maybe a better choice, with 218hp but good old petrol power for when you want to wander off the beaten track.
They’re far from the cheapest cars in this list, but all are good to drive, and all come with a cool (and very roomy) interior featuring a circular dinner-plate sized touchscreen and knitted fabrics made from recycled plastics.
The Mini Countryman SE ALL4, to give the battery-powered 4x4 model its full name, comes with 313hp split between two electric motors, giving the big Mini (sounds wrong, doesn’t it?) the power to pull itself through plenty of muck and mud, although we wouldn’t try anything too ambitious, not least because the maximum range is a mere 266 miles.
The Countryman Cooper S ALL4 is maybe a better choice, with 218hp but good old petrol power for when you want to wander off the beaten track.
They’re far from the cheapest cars in this list, but all are good to drive, and all come with a cool (and very roomy) interior featuring a circular dinner-plate sized touchscreen and knitted fabrics made from recycled plastics.
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Jeep’s hybrid four-wheel drive Avenger is a bit of a mixed bag. The tech it uses is clever — there’s a hybrid 1.2-litre 136hp petrol engine driving the front wheels, and a small electric motor driving the rears, which brings the total power up to 144hp. That gives this tiniest Jeep proper four-wheel drive, and in theory the ability to get itself into some serious off-road situations.
It can climb and descend steeper slopes than the standard model, and can cope with an extra 10mm of standing water (400mm in total) thanks to suspension that’s taller than the standard Avenger’s. It also looks really quite cool and it gets some extra standard kit compared to other Avengers, such as chunky roof rails.
It’s a shame, then, that the Avenger 4xe is let down by a lack of space in the back seats, and a hybrid system that sometimes feels as if the front wheels and the back wheels aren’t quite on speaking terms.
Still, it’s well priced for something that looks this good, and the Jeep brand gives it an off-roading cachet lacking from most other cars here. The 4x4 is also slightly better to drive than standard models thanks to more sophisticated rear suspension.
It can climb and descend steeper slopes than the standard model, and can cope with an extra 10mm of standing water (400mm in total) thanks to suspension that’s taller than the standard Avenger’s. It also looks really quite cool and it gets some extra standard kit compared to other Avengers, such as chunky roof rails.
It’s a shame, then, that the Avenger 4xe is let down by a lack of space in the back seats, and a hybrid system that sometimes feels as if the front wheels and the back wheels aren’t quite on speaking terms.
Still, it’s well priced for something that looks this good, and the Jeep brand gives it an off-roading cachet lacking from most other cars here. The 4x4 is also slightly better to drive than standard models thanks to more sophisticated rear suspension.
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The Mazda CX-30 isn’t really an SUV. It’s actually, if we’re being honest, a Mazda 3 hatchback to which Mazda has added some slightly chunkier bodywork, some black plastic cladding for the wheel arches, and a little more ride height.
Still, on the upside, it’s a more handsome car than most SUVs, and while it’s not the biggest inside, or in the boot, it’s usefully more practical than the equivalent 3. It does inherit the 3’s dashboard, which is a little plain looking, but which is great to use with clear instruments, physical air conditioning controls, and a simple infotainment screen.
The CX-30 isn’t really a car for tackling forest tracks, but the four-wheel drive system — available only in top-spec Takumi models, but thankfully still priced at less than £40,000 — will do the job if what you need is slippery road grip and traction, and the ability to take on the occasional farm track.
The 4x4 model comes only with the higher-spec 186hp SkyActiv-X engine, which is short on low-down power, and needs to be revved hard because there’s no turbocharger. Still, it can be exceptionally economical if driven with care, and Mazda’s standard six-speed manual gearbox is one of the best in the world, with a delightfully mechanical feel. The CX-30 may not be the biggest car here, but it’s one of the best to drive.
Still, on the upside, it’s a more handsome car than most SUVs, and while it’s not the biggest inside, or in the boot, it’s usefully more practical than the equivalent 3. It does inherit the 3’s dashboard, which is a little plain looking, but which is great to use with clear instruments, physical air conditioning controls, and a simple infotainment screen.
The CX-30 isn’t really a car for tackling forest tracks, but the four-wheel drive system — available only in top-spec Takumi models, but thankfully still priced at less than £40,000 — will do the job if what you need is slippery road grip and traction, and the ability to take on the occasional farm track.
The 4x4 model comes only with the higher-spec 186hp SkyActiv-X engine, which is short on low-down power, and needs to be revved hard because there’s no turbocharger. Still, it can be exceptionally economical if driven with care, and Mazda’s standard six-speed manual gearbox is one of the best in the world, with a delightfully mechanical feel. The CX-30 may not be the biggest car here, but it’s one of the best to drive.
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The Suzuki Swift is Suzuki’s Porsche 911. No, seriously, stick with us on this. The Swift, since it was re-introduced in 2005, has been one of the best-kept secrets in the small car world — affordable, reliable, and fun to drive.
Since then, Suzuki has ‘done a Porsche’ with the Swift, regularly replacing it with a new version, but sticking close to the styling of the 2005 model, and always making it fun to drive. This latest version doesn’t deviate from the script, even if it means that the Swift’s longstanding flaws — cheap cabin, tiny boot, dreadful infotainment — are all also present and correct.
One thing is certain; the Swift is the smallest 4x4 car on this list, and it’s very definitely a car, not an SUV. Mind you, it does get a 25mm increase in ride height compared to the standard Swift, and Suzuki’s experience with building small 4x4s means that this dinky Japanese hatch will clamber its way over trickier terrain than you’d ever think possible.
It’s also the only car here, Jeep Avenger aside, that’s small enough to slot into any parking space in town, or slip between closely placed trees or narrow farm gates. Is it noisy and unrefined to drive, and a bit bouncy over bumps? Yes, but it’s also quite good fun, and that’s as true off-tarmac as it is on it.
Since then, Suzuki has ‘done a Porsche’ with the Swift, regularly replacing it with a new version, but sticking close to the styling of the 2005 model, and always making it fun to drive. This latest version doesn’t deviate from the script, even if it means that the Swift’s longstanding flaws — cheap cabin, tiny boot, dreadful infotainment — are all also present and correct.
One thing is certain; the Swift is the smallest 4x4 car on this list, and it’s very definitely a car, not an SUV. Mind you, it does get a 25mm increase in ride height compared to the standard Swift, and Suzuki’s experience with building small 4x4s means that this dinky Japanese hatch will clamber its way over trickier terrain than you’d ever think possible.
It’s also the only car here, Jeep Avenger aside, that’s small enough to slot into any parking space in town, or slip between closely placed trees or narrow farm gates. Is it noisy and unrefined to drive, and a bit bouncy over bumps? Yes, but it’s also quite good fun, and that’s as true off-tarmac as it is on it.
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Don’t worry if you’ve not heard of Jaecoo — one of two things will happen in the next few years. Either Jaecoo will become, like BYD and MG, one of those wildly successful Chinese car brands that everyone’s buying because they’re such good value for money, or it will sink without trace.
The Jaecoo 7 shows that it could go either way. In terms of cars that wear Range Rover Evoque cosplay, it’s actually not a bad looking thing, and the interior looks smarter and feels better built than you might expect. The big touchscreen is easy enough to use, but as with so many it’s a bit fiddly and there are too few physical buttons for commonly-used functions.
The 7 is practical enough — plenty rear seat space although the boot, at 500 litres, isn’t fantastic — but it’s not great to drive, with over-light steering that just makes it feel too vague on a twisty road.
Meanwhile, the basic petrol engine — which is the only one you can have if you want 4x4 traction — is noisy and not very quick, and there’s way too much noise from everything else at motorway speeds. Still, it’s cheap — you can have a 4x4 Jaecoo 7 for less than £34,000.
The Jaecoo 7 shows that it could go either way. In terms of cars that wear Range Rover Evoque cosplay, it’s actually not a bad looking thing, and the interior looks smarter and feels better built than you might expect. The big touchscreen is easy enough to use, but as with so many it’s a bit fiddly and there are too few physical buttons for commonly-used functions.
The 7 is practical enough — plenty rear seat space although the boot, at 500 litres, isn’t fantastic — but it’s not great to drive, with over-light steering that just makes it feel too vague on a twisty road.
Meanwhile, the basic petrol engine — which is the only one you can have if you want 4x4 traction — is noisy and not very quick, and there’s way too much noise from everything else at motorway speeds. Still, it’s cheap — you can have a 4x4 Jaecoo 7 for less than £34,000.
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The Subaru Crosstrek replaced the old Subaru XV, and the XV was never an especially big seller in the UK, thanks to a thirsty petrol engine (even with hybrid assistance), and high-ish pricing (although that’s partly offset by impressive standard equipment levels).
The 2.0-litre hybrid engine produces only 136hp (a Peugeot hybrid gets the same power out of 1.2 litres) and yet it’s not economical — Subaru claims just 36mpg, and you’ll often see less than that.
Worse, the high CO2 figures mean it’s hardly the most efficient car in the world for first-year VED tax, although it costs less than £40,000 so you won’t get stung for higher tax after year one at least.
So why is it here? Simply because the Crosstrek is exactly the car you need when the going gets seriously tough. With its lofty 220mm ground clearance, permanent four-wheel drive, and a low centre of gravity, the Crosstrek can deal with rough ground and slippery slopes like you wouldn’t believe.
We once drove one up a ski slope, in Lapland, in the dead of winter and the little Subaru coped as if it was on dry tarmac. Rubbish cabin? Yep. Awful infotainment? Definitely. Worth every penny when the tarmac runs out and you’re miles from home? Absolutely.
The 2.0-litre hybrid engine produces only 136hp (a Peugeot hybrid gets the same power out of 1.2 litres) and yet it’s not economical — Subaru claims just 36mpg, and you’ll often see less than that.
Worse, the high CO2 figures mean it’s hardly the most efficient car in the world for first-year VED tax, although it costs less than £40,000 so you won’t get stung for higher tax after year one at least.
So why is it here? Simply because the Crosstrek is exactly the car you need when the going gets seriously tough. With its lofty 220mm ground clearance, permanent four-wheel drive, and a low centre of gravity, the Crosstrek can deal with rough ground and slippery slopes like you wouldn’t believe.
We once drove one up a ski slope, in Lapland, in the dead of winter and the little Subaru coped as if it was on dry tarmac. Rubbish cabin? Yep. Awful infotainment? Definitely. Worth every penny when the tarmac runs out and you’re miles from home? Absolutely.
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How to choose the best cheap 4x4 car for you
The most important question you have to ask is whether or not you actually need four-wheel drive. While great advances have been made, the fact is that the extra weight, complication, and physical friction of 4x4 systems still add up, so any one of the cars featured here is going to be more expensive to run than their two-wheel drive versions.
A case in point — we averaged around 38mpg in the Dacia Duster 4x4, compared to almost 50mpg in the two-wheel drive hybrid version.
It’s also true that for most of us, what we need isn’t four-wheel drive, but just better tyres. Tyre technology has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years, so you can now buy winter or all-season tyres that can find grip and traction in even disastrously slippery conditions, meaning that your two-wheel drive car can actually cope with much harsher climes that you might expect. It’s certainly a more affordable way to find extra grip than switching to a 4x4 car.
That said, for some of us, only the proper extra traction of all wheels being driven will do, combined with the extra ride height that usually comes as standard with a 4x4 version.
Make sure you sit down and carefully consider how large a car you need, what your budget is, and how it will be driven. Going seriously off-road on the regular? You’ll need extra ride height and all-terrain tyres. Only need a 4x4 for dealing with snowy and icy weather? A lower-slung car will do, but again, make sure you’re buying appropriate tyres.
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