Compare the best small 4x4s
High-quality small 4x4 cars from rated and reviewed dealers
Last updated February 04, 2025 by
Tom Wiltshire
Best small 4x4s of 2025
Outdoorsy people have long known the benefits of having a four-wheel drive car - but just because you need a bit of extra traction on a slippery surface doesn’t necessarily mean you want something that’s massive and luxurious, like a Range Rover.
The good news is that there are quite a few fantastic small 4x4s out there - cars which are as easy to drive around town as any hatchback, but still have the added reassurance of four-wheel drive for when the going gets tough.
Most of them are front-wheel drive until they need to send power to the rear, so the fuel economy penalty compared with a regular car isn’t as great as you think. Sadly, the choice of small 4x4s has reduced in the last few years - fuel economy and emissions targets are easier to achieve with efficient, front-wheel drive hybrids - and nothing on our list below is what you’d call a hardcore off-roader.
However, if all you need is a car that can tackle the occasional muddy lane, steep driveway or overflow car park without getting bogged down, they could be great options. You’ll find petrol, diesel and hybrid cars on the list below, from posh brands and more everyday ones too. There’s even a couple of electric cars, a category which may not even have been on your shortlist before.
Our expert reviews team has put all of them through their paces - including, in some cases, a bit of off-roading - to help you decide which one’s best for you. Here are our top 10.
Best for: value
The Dacia Duster is the very definition of ‘cheap and cheerful’. Not only is it priced lower than most small hatchbacks, even in its four-wheel drive form, but it’s both great-looking and fantastic to live with. It’s so good that we gave it the Smart Spender trophy in the 2025 Carwow Car of the Year awards, reflecting its fantastic value for money.
The Duster’s always been more of a serious off-roader than most small 4x4s - Dacia is seriously popular in many developing countries, after all, and its cars are built to cope with unmade roads and plenty of abuse. In the latest Duster, the four-wheel drive version is available on the mid-spec trim level and above, paired to a mild-hybrid petrol engine and a manual gearbox.
You get a couple of off-road settings - specific drive modes alter the powertrain for the most benefit depending on what kind of surface you’re on, plus there’s hill descent control to help you stay in command when going down a steep, slippery hill.
There’s also a really hardwearing interior. It’s not quite hose-down like a proper farm truck should be, but sturdy rubber floor mats keep the worst of muddy boots from the carpets. Plus, the Duster’s interior is mainly flat surfaces and hard plastics, rather than textured materials and fabric upholstery. So while it may not feel especially luxurious, it’s easy to wipe clean with just a cloth.
It’s practical, too. The boot is on par with cars from the class above, and the rear seats are roomy. Dacia’s neat YouClip system also allows you to add accessories such as phone mounts or cupholders onto various points in the car, which is a really cool feature.
If there’s one criticism, it’s that the Duster really does feel its price in places - but a cheap car feeling cheap is hardly something to get worked up about. Even so, a couple of soft-touch materials on the door cards would be nice, or some more supportive front seats. That’s a very minor critique in a brilliant, great-value car - a well-deserved Carwow award-winner.
The Dacia Duster is the very definition of ‘cheap and cheerful’. Not only is it priced lower than most small hatchbacks, even in its four-wheel drive form, but it’s both great-looking and fantastic to live with. It’s so good that we gave it the Smart Spender trophy in the 2025 Carwow Car of the Year awards, reflecting its fantastic value for money.
The Duster’s always been more of a serious off-roader than most small 4x4s - Dacia is seriously popular in many developing countries, after all, and its cars are built to cope with unmade roads and plenty of abuse. In the latest Duster, the four-wheel drive version is available on the mid-spec trim level and above, paired to a mild-hybrid petrol engine and a manual gearbox.
You get a couple of off-road settings - specific drive modes alter the powertrain for the most benefit depending on what kind of surface you’re on, plus there’s hill descent control to help you stay in command when going down a steep, slippery hill.
There’s also a really hardwearing interior. It’s not quite hose-down like a proper farm truck should be, but sturdy rubber floor mats keep the worst of muddy boots from the carpets. Plus, the Duster’s interior is mainly flat surfaces and hard plastics, rather than textured materials and fabric upholstery. So while it may not feel especially luxurious, it’s easy to wipe clean with just a cloth.
It’s practical, too. The boot is on par with cars from the class above, and the rear seats are roomy. Dacia’s neat YouClip system also allows you to add accessories such as phone mounts or cupholders onto various points in the car, which is a really cool feature.
If there’s one criticism, it’s that the Duster really does feel its price in places - but a cheap car feeling cheap is hardly something to get worked up about. Even so, a couple of soft-touch materials on the door cards would be nice, or some more supportive front seats. That’s a very minor critique in a brilliant, great-value car - a well-deserved Carwow award-winner.
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Best for: a posh interior
The BMW X1 is definitely not much of an off-roader, but it does have a wide range of engine options and several four-wheel drive choices. BMW calls its four-wheel drive cars ‘xDrive’ and with the X1 you can have an xDrive 23i, 23d, 25e, 30e or M35i.
What does all that mean? Well, 23i and 23d are both 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engines - one petrol, one diesel. The 25e and 30e are both plug-ing hybrid models which pair a 1.5-litre petrol engine with electric motors. M35i is another 2.0-litre petrol engine, but this time it’s tuned for extra power and comes in a standalone ‘M’ trim with sporty chassis tuning and an eye-catching makeover.
Regardless of which option you go for, you get the same accomplished four-wheel drive system and an eight-speed automatic gearbox for effortless gearchanges.
The X1’s system isn’t really there to go mud-plugging - the car doesn’t have that much ground clearance, or any underbody protection, so you probably won’t want to take it onto a rock crawl or up the side of a mountain. But it provides welcome extra traction on wet roads, helping the car feel more secure and planted when coming out of a corner, and it should be much more accomplished on slick surfaces like a muddy field.
Owning and driving a BMW X1 is also a pleasure. The interior feels like it’s been pulled straight from one of BMW’s larger SUVs - you get loads of tech, two super high-definition screens for infotainment and driver information, and a generally luxurious feel. The X1’s square body means it’s pretty practical too - there’s good space in the rear and a big boot, though if you want to sacrifice a bit of that for some style, there’s always the coupe-like X2 which shares the X1’s platform and most of its engines.
The BMW X1 is definitely not much of an off-roader, but it does have a wide range of engine options and several four-wheel drive choices. BMW calls its four-wheel drive cars ‘xDrive’ and with the X1 you can have an xDrive 23i, 23d, 25e, 30e or M35i.
What does all that mean? Well, 23i and 23d are both 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engines - one petrol, one diesel. The 25e and 30e are both plug-ing hybrid models which pair a 1.5-litre petrol engine with electric motors. M35i is another 2.0-litre petrol engine, but this time it’s tuned for extra power and comes in a standalone ‘M’ trim with sporty chassis tuning and an eye-catching makeover.
Regardless of which option you go for, you get the same accomplished four-wheel drive system and an eight-speed automatic gearbox for effortless gearchanges.
The X1’s system isn’t really there to go mud-plugging - the car doesn’t have that much ground clearance, or any underbody protection, so you probably won’t want to take it onto a rock crawl or up the side of a mountain. But it provides welcome extra traction on wet roads, helping the car feel more secure and planted when coming out of a corner, and it should be much more accomplished on slick surfaces like a muddy field.
Owning and driving a BMW X1 is also a pleasure. The interior feels like it’s been pulled straight from one of BMW’s larger SUVs - you get loads of tech, two super high-definition screens for infotainment and driver information, and a generally luxurious feel. The X1’s square body means it’s pretty practical too - there’s good space in the rear and a big boot, though if you want to sacrifice a bit of that for some style, there’s always the coupe-like X2 which shares the X1’s platform and most of its engines.
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Land Rover’s smallest model may be the glitzy, stylish member of the family - but like a posh horserider, it’s as gritty as the rest of them and just as happy to get covered in mud. The Evoque is remarkably good at off-roading, with all but the base model coming with four-wheel drive and a swathe of useful driving modes under Land Rover’s ‘Terrain Response’ umbrella.
Terrain Response is the same tech you get on bigger Land Rover models such as the Defender or the Range Rover Sport, and it tailors the car’s suspension and four-wheel drive system to the specific surface you’re driving on. Of course, the Evoque doesn’t have the ground clearance, the axle flex or the power of its larger siblings - but it’ll still tackle ground that would shame many other four-wheel drive cars.
It also does other luxury SUV jobs rather well. The Evoque’s interior may not be quite as plush as the full-fat Range Rover, but it’s still stylish and swathed in sumptuous materials. The Evoque’s also fabulously relaxing to drive. It’s perfectly at home pootling around town and letting the eight-speed gearbox slush ratios together, allowing you to enjoy good visibility and a commanding driving position.
You’ll also find it a refined long-distance cruiser. The diesel engines can be a bit rumbly but that soon fades into the background at speed, and wind and road noise are both superbly suppressed.
If there’s one criticism it’s that the interior isn’t anywhere near as usable as it used to be. An update in 2023 removed almost all of the physical switchgear and routed every main function through the central touchscreen instead, which is irritating considering it’s not the most responsive or clearly laid-out system. It could be a minor or a major problem depending on how much of a technophile you are, but you’ll probably wish it at least had some climate controls.
Terrain Response is the same tech you get on bigger Land Rover models such as the Defender or the Range Rover Sport, and it tailors the car’s suspension and four-wheel drive system to the specific surface you’re driving on. Of course, the Evoque doesn’t have the ground clearance, the axle flex or the power of its larger siblings - but it’ll still tackle ground that would shame many other four-wheel drive cars.
It also does other luxury SUV jobs rather well. The Evoque’s interior may not be quite as plush as the full-fat Range Rover, but it’s still stylish and swathed in sumptuous materials. The Evoque’s also fabulously relaxing to drive. It’s perfectly at home pootling around town and letting the eight-speed gearbox slush ratios together, allowing you to enjoy good visibility and a commanding driving position.
You’ll also find it a refined long-distance cruiser. The diesel engines can be a bit rumbly but that soon fades into the background at speed, and wind and road noise are both superbly suppressed.
If there’s one criticism it’s that the interior isn’t anywhere near as usable as it used to be. An update in 2023 removed almost all of the physical switchgear and routed every main function through the central touchscreen instead, which is irritating considering it’s not the most responsive or clearly laid-out system. It could be a minor or a major problem depending on how much of a technophile you are, but you’ll probably wish it at least had some climate controls.
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Best for: electric performance
A former Carwow Car of the Year, the Volvo EX30 is another four-wheel drive car which you definitely wouldn’t want to take onto any really taxing terrain. But it’s nice to have the extra traction available, especially as the regular EX30 is rear-wheel drive - a setup not known for its ability on the slippery stuff.
More interestingly, the EX30 is a fully electric car, so if you were looking to reduce your carbon footprint but didn’t want to sacrifice having the security of four driven wheels then this could be a great place to start.
The regular EX30 is absolutely stonking value for money, but if you want four-wheel drive you do have to go for the absolute range-topper - the Twin Motor Performance model in Ultra trim, which pushes the price close to £45,000. Still, for that you’re getting a stylish car with a posh badge, not to mention acceleration that can shame many a sports car.
The EX30 is definitely a small 4x4, though - the rear seats are pretty cramped and the boot is quite small, so you probably won’t want to squeeze the whole extended family in there for a long road trip. The maximum range on a charge takes a hit with four-wheel drive, too - Volvo claims you should be able to achieve 279 miles, but you can expect more like 220 - 240 in the real world, or even less if you’re making the most of that rapid acceleration.
A former Carwow Car of the Year, the Volvo EX30 is another four-wheel drive car which you definitely wouldn’t want to take onto any really taxing terrain. But it’s nice to have the extra traction available, especially as the regular EX30 is rear-wheel drive - a setup not known for its ability on the slippery stuff.
More interestingly, the EX30 is a fully electric car, so if you were looking to reduce your carbon footprint but didn’t want to sacrifice having the security of four driven wheels then this could be a great place to start.
The regular EX30 is absolutely stonking value for money, but if you want four-wheel drive you do have to go for the absolute range-topper - the Twin Motor Performance model in Ultra trim, which pushes the price close to £45,000. Still, for that you’re getting a stylish car with a posh badge, not to mention acceleration that can shame many a sports car.
The EX30 is definitely a small 4x4, though - the rear seats are pretty cramped and the boot is quite small, so you probably won’t want to squeeze the whole extended family in there for a long road trip. The maximum range on a charge takes a hit with four-wheel drive, too - Volvo claims you should be able to achieve 279 miles, but you can expect more like 220 - 240 in the real world, or even less if you’re making the most of that rapid acceleration.
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Best for: classy understatement
The T-Roc is the second from the bottom in Volkswagen’s expanding range of SUVs, and feels a bit old-school compared to the latest Tiguan, for example. But you may prefer that the T-Roc has plenty of physical buttons inside, a smaller-than-average touchscreen and even a decidedly old-school engine range.
Four-wheel drive is available on a couple of versions of the T-Roc. There’s the recently discontinued 2.0-litre diesel, which went off sale in 2024 and you might still be able to find on a dealer forecourt. But you can also have four-wheel drive with the 2.0-litre TSI petrol, which is a particularly smooth and powerful engine.
The T-Roc R - which is the sportiest model of the lot - also comes with a petrol engine and four-wheel drive as standard.
Opt for one of those petrol engines and you’ll be able to enjoy plenty of shove, which combined with the T-Roc’s firm suspension and surprisingly satisfying steering means it’s actually quite good fun to hoon down a twisting road. On the flip side, it’s not the most relaxing SUV for a long-distance journey where you’ll notice the firm suspension - and fuel economy from either petrol engine is a bit juicy, too.
A big boot and practical cabin are two more feathers in the T-Roc’s cap, though there’s no denying that interacting with the touchscreen or some of the interior fittings do show that it’s a generation behind Volkswagen’s latest cars. It’s not as cheap as you might hope, either - the much larger, posher Tiguan is only around £5,000 more with the same engine.
The T-Roc is the second from the bottom in Volkswagen’s expanding range of SUVs, and feels a bit old-school compared to the latest Tiguan, for example. But you may prefer that the T-Roc has plenty of physical buttons inside, a smaller-than-average touchscreen and even a decidedly old-school engine range.
Four-wheel drive is available on a couple of versions of the T-Roc. There’s the recently discontinued 2.0-litre diesel, which went off sale in 2024 and you might still be able to find on a dealer forecourt. But you can also have four-wheel drive with the 2.0-litre TSI petrol, which is a particularly smooth and powerful engine.
The T-Roc R - which is the sportiest model of the lot - also comes with a petrol engine and four-wheel drive as standard.
Opt for one of those petrol engines and you’ll be able to enjoy plenty of shove, which combined with the T-Roc’s firm suspension and surprisingly satisfying steering means it’s actually quite good fun to hoon down a twisting road. On the flip side, it’s not the most relaxing SUV for a long-distance journey where you’ll notice the firm suspension - and fuel economy from either petrol engine is a bit juicy, too.
A big boot and practical cabin are two more feathers in the T-Roc’s cap, though there’s no denying that interacting with the touchscreen or some of the interior fittings do show that it’s a generation behind Volkswagen’s latest cars. It’s not as cheap as you might hope, either - the much larger, posher Tiguan is only around £5,000 more with the same engine.
What's good
What’s not so good
Best for: reliability
Every car Subaru makes shares two things - a horizontally-opposed ‘Boxer’ engine, and permanent four-wheel drive. That means that unlike most cars on this list, all four wheels are driven all the time, rather than the car favouring one axle for economy and sending power to the other only when it’s needed.
The Crosstrek uses this to great effect, combined with a jacked-up ride height and quite a tough body. It doesn’t look much more rugged than a normal hatchback, but will off-road on surfaces that many SUVs wouldn’t touch.
That translates out to the road as well where the Crosstrek feels incredibly secure and stable. However, part of the reason for that is that the engine is so weedy you’d really have to be trying before you were going fast enough to run out of grip.
There are other issues too. Really poor fuel economy is one, while a high price tag and somewhat low-rent interior is another. The Crosstrek is a car that demands quite a bit of compromise - but if its ability delivers for you where it matters, it definitely has the ability to fill a niche. Subaru’s reliability is also legendary, so the Crosstrek should prove trouble-free to own.
Every car Subaru makes shares two things - a horizontally-opposed ‘Boxer’ engine, and permanent four-wheel drive. That means that unlike most cars on this list, all four wheels are driven all the time, rather than the car favouring one axle for economy and sending power to the other only when it’s needed.
The Crosstrek uses this to great effect, combined with a jacked-up ride height and quite a tough body. It doesn’t look much more rugged than a normal hatchback, but will off-road on surfaces that many SUVs wouldn’t touch.
That translates out to the road as well where the Crosstrek feels incredibly secure and stable. However, part of the reason for that is that the engine is so weedy you’d really have to be trying before you were going fast enough to run out of grip.
There are other issues too. Really poor fuel economy is one, while a high price tag and somewhat low-rent interior is another. The Crosstrek is a car that demands quite a bit of compromise - but if its ability delivers for you where it matters, it definitely has the ability to fill a niche. Subaru’s reliability is also legendary, so the Crosstrek should prove trouble-free to own.
What's good
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Best for: a posh badge
The Audi Q3 is a bit like the Volkswagen T-Roc in that it’s now one of the oldest vehicles Audi sells. This means that the interior fittings, engine choices and technology all feel a generation behind the latest Audi models - but given the absolute tech-fest that you’ll find inside the more recent cars, you may think that’s a really good thing.
Four-wheel drive - labelled quattro in Audi-speak - is available on the more powerful Q3s, namely the 40 TFSI, 45 TFSI and 40 TDI. The same is true for the coupe-styled Q3 Sportback. The recently-discontinued RS Q3 was also four-wheel drive, though a totally different car to the standard model.
To drive, the Q3 is nicely balanced, quite comfortable and benefits from that quattro grip when you’re on a slippery road or pushing fast out of a corner. Inside, it feels distinctly old-school thanks to the glut of physical buttons and comparatively small screens, but as you’d hope from an Audi the materials all feel high-quality and there are no creaks or rattles to be found. It’s even pretty practical, with one of the largest boots of any posh small SUV.
It can quickly get expensive, though, especially if you begin to peruse the options list or head up to the top trim levels. It’s also rather stingy of Audi to include things like adaptive cruise control only as an optional extra, when many much cheaper cars include it as standard.
The Audi Q3 is a bit like the Volkswagen T-Roc in that it’s now one of the oldest vehicles Audi sells. This means that the interior fittings, engine choices and technology all feel a generation behind the latest Audi models - but given the absolute tech-fest that you’ll find inside the more recent cars, you may think that’s a really good thing.
Four-wheel drive - labelled quattro in Audi-speak - is available on the more powerful Q3s, namely the 40 TFSI, 45 TFSI and 40 TDI. The same is true for the coupe-styled Q3 Sportback. The recently-discontinued RS Q3 was also four-wheel drive, though a totally different car to the standard model.
To drive, the Q3 is nicely balanced, quite comfortable and benefits from that quattro grip when you’re on a slippery road or pushing fast out of a corner. Inside, it feels distinctly old-school thanks to the glut of physical buttons and comparatively small screens, but as you’d hope from an Audi the materials all feel high-quality and there are no creaks or rattles to be found. It’s even pretty practical, with one of the largest boots of any posh small SUV.
It can quickly get expensive, though, especially if you begin to peruse the options list or head up to the top trim levels. It’s also rather stingy of Audi to include things like adaptive cruise control only as an optional extra, when many much cheaper cars include it as standard.
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Best for: a fun drive
First, a disclaimer. The Suzuki Vitara comes with either a ‘mild hybrid’ or a ‘full hybrid’ option. The former has a manual gearbox and is a peppy, turbocharged 1.4-litre engine that has plenty of performance and is actually great fun to drive. The latter is lethargic, clunky, severely lacking in power and bad enough to avoid totally.
Both are available with four-wheel drive, which is labelled ‘Allgrip’ in Suzuki’s brochure. While the Vitara isn’t quite the mud-plugger that the old Jimny was, it’s actually not half bad when it comes to tackling the rough stuff - there’s lots of grip, pretty good ground clearance and a few useful off-road modes to make things easier.
The Vitara’s a practical small SUV with plenty of room and a hardwearing interior, though it’s grown in price without really stepping up its material quality. It does feel cheap inside, and doesn’t look especially stylish on the outside either, which is a shame for anyone spending this much on a small SUV.
And while you get reasonable equipment levels for your money, everything just feels a bit low-rent - the touchscreen infotainment system, for example, really feels like a third-party unit rather than one that’s cohesively designed for the car. At least the Vitara’s light weight promises great fuel economy and low running costs, though. Just to reiterate it once more - don’t get the full hybrid model, or you will regret your purchase.
First, a disclaimer. The Suzuki Vitara comes with either a ‘mild hybrid’ or a ‘full hybrid’ option. The former has a manual gearbox and is a peppy, turbocharged 1.4-litre engine that has plenty of performance and is actually great fun to drive. The latter is lethargic, clunky, severely lacking in power and bad enough to avoid totally.
Both are available with four-wheel drive, which is labelled ‘Allgrip’ in Suzuki’s brochure. While the Vitara isn’t quite the mud-plugger that the old Jimny was, it’s actually not half bad when it comes to tackling the rough stuff - there’s lots of grip, pretty good ground clearance and a few useful off-road modes to make things easier.
The Vitara’s a practical small SUV with plenty of room and a hardwearing interior, though it’s grown in price without really stepping up its material quality. It does feel cheap inside, and doesn’t look especially stylish on the outside either, which is a shame for anyone spending this much on a small SUV.
And while you get reasonable equipment levels for your money, everything just feels a bit low-rent - the touchscreen infotainment system, for example, really feels like a third-party unit rather than one that’s cohesively designed for the car. At least the Vitara’s light weight promises great fuel economy and low running costs, though. Just to reiterate it once more - don’t get the full hybrid model, or you will regret your purchase.
Best for: a clever interior
The Volvo EX40 is the next model up in Volvo’s electric car range from the EX30 (above). It’s a slightly larger car, a bit posher, though it does have an older design - it’s actually just the renamed version of the old XC40 Recharge.
Like the EX30, if you want four-wheel drive, you’ll need to go for the Twin Motor model. Here you can have it on the mid-spec trim, but that does still mean a price tag of more than £55,000. For that, you do get a very posh-feeling small SUV, though - the EX40’s interior is fantastically well-built and feels like it was designed around the driver.
It’s packed with clever touches, such as a waste bin in the centre console, a curry hook on the glovebox and door bins that are large enough to hold a laptop, let alone a bottle of water. You also get a big boot lined with numerous load dividers and shopping bag hooks. The EX40 has really been designed around family life.
Performance is rapid in the Twin Motor model, though not quite as ballistic as it is in the smaller EX30. Still, you also get a bigger battery, which means a claimed range of more than 320 miles - a figure that’s not to be sniffed at in a small SUV, as it should equate to around 280 miles in the real world.
The Volvo EX40 is the next model up in Volvo’s electric car range from the EX30 (above). It’s a slightly larger car, a bit posher, though it does have an older design - it’s actually just the renamed version of the old XC40 Recharge.
Like the EX30, if you want four-wheel drive, you’ll need to go for the Twin Motor model. Here you can have it on the mid-spec trim, but that does still mean a price tag of more than £55,000. For that, you do get a very posh-feeling small SUV, though - the EX40’s interior is fantastically well-built and feels like it was designed around the driver.
It’s packed with clever touches, such as a waste bin in the centre console, a curry hook on the glovebox and door bins that are large enough to hold a laptop, let alone a bottle of water. You also get a big boot lined with numerous load dividers and shopping bag hooks. The EX40 has really been designed around family life.
Performance is rapid in the Twin Motor model, though not quite as ballistic as it is in the smaller EX30. Still, you also get a bigger battery, which means a claimed range of more than 320 miles - a figure that’s not to be sniffed at in a small SUV, as it should equate to around 280 miles in the real world.
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Best for: American flair
The Jeep Avenger may be more closely related to the Fiat 600 than it is to any all-American off-roader, but you still get a sense of that iconic Jeep style thanks to the eye-catching seven-slot grille, chunky proportions and plenty of customisation options.
It’s also a genuinely small car, which means it’s more at home around town than you’d expect from something wearing the Jeep badge.
Inside, the rugged aesthetic continues, but it’s all well up-to-date thanks to a 10.0-inch infotainment screen, a nice row of physical switchgear and some cool coloured trim pieces.
Four-wheel drive is only available in the Avenger 4xe, which uses a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine that predominantly drives the front wheels. An electric motor on the rear axle provides that much-needed four-wheel drive, and though you shouldn’t expect the Avenger to be anything like as accomplished off-road as a Wrangler, it should be able to tackle a bit more than most cars this size. It has to uphold Jeep’s heritage, after all.
On the road, the Avenger is great around town and pretty good on a longer journey too. It can get noisy at high speeds, though, and if you’re considering it as a family car you won’t be too impressed by the cramped boot and back seats.
The Jeep Avenger may be more closely related to the Fiat 600 than it is to any all-American off-roader, but you still get a sense of that iconic Jeep style thanks to the eye-catching seven-slot grille, chunky proportions and plenty of customisation options.
It’s also a genuinely small car, which means it’s more at home around town than you’d expect from something wearing the Jeep badge.
Inside, the rugged aesthetic continues, but it’s all well up-to-date thanks to a 10.0-inch infotainment screen, a nice row of physical switchgear and some cool coloured trim pieces.
Four-wheel drive is only available in the Avenger 4xe, which uses a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine that predominantly drives the front wheels. An electric motor on the rear axle provides that much-needed four-wheel drive, and though you shouldn’t expect the Avenger to be anything like as accomplished off-road as a Wrangler, it should be able to tackle a bit more than most cars this size. It has to uphold Jeep’s heritage, after all.
On the road, the Avenger is great around town and pretty good on a longer journey too. It can get noisy at high speeds, though, and if you’re considering it as a family car you won’t be too impressed by the cramped boot and back seats.
Small 4x4 cars to avoid
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How to choose the best small 4x4 for you
On-road or off-road
Think carefully about whether you’re buying a small car with four-wheel drive because you actually want to take it off-road, or if you just want a bit of extra grip on the tarmac. Most small 4x4s sold today aren’t up for much serious mud-plugging, but there are lots of other options if you head to the used market or opt for a bigger, more expensive car.
Petrol vs electric
These days a small car with four-wheel drive is just as likely to be an EV as it is a petrol or diesel model. It’s quite easy to make a four-wheel drive electric car, as you just have to put another motor on the rear axle rather than re-engineering a driveshaft and transfer case. Most small EVs aren’t really off-roaders but can provide a nice level of extra traction.
Do you really need a 4x4?
It’s fair to say that most drivers don’t actually need four-wheel drive. Numerous tests have proved over the years that when it comes to grip in wintry conditions, for example, the choice of tyre matters much more than whether your car has two- or four-wheel drive. Taking four-wheel drive out of the buying equation gives you a lot more choice in the make and model of car available to you.
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- Crossover Cars
- Electric Cars
- Estate Cars
- Executive Cars
- Family Cars
- First Cars
- GT Cars
- Hatchbacks
- Hot Hatches
- Hybrid Cars
- Luxury Cars
- MPVs
- Medium-sized Cars
- Most Economical Cars
- Motability Cars
- SUVs
- Saloon Cars
- Small Cars
- Sports Cars
- Superminis