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Personal farm vehicles now take many forms, including 4x4s, SUVs and pick-up trucks from Toyota, Isuzu, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Volkswagen, and once ubiquitous Land Rover Defender. New vehicle reports, first-drives and comparative group tests help you evaluate the best for road and off-road use.

Latest 4x4 articles

4X4S

On test: Bog-basic Isuzu D-Max Utility isn't cheap enough

If you’re the type of penny-pincher to wear hole-ridden pants, conjure two brews from a single teabag, and keep your house thermostat sub-double digits then, as new vehicles go, Isuzu’s…

4X4S

Isuzu to go electric with battery-powered D-Max pickup

Isuzu has swapped diesel for electrons in its new-look D-Max BEV, which was recently unveiled at the Shanghai Motor Show. It is the first mainstream manufacturer to offer a battery-powered…

4X4S

Herefordshire farmer to import used Daihatsu Hijet pickups

Mini Japanese pickups are seemingly on course to supersede customised Suzuki Jimnys as the must-have runabout for UK farms. Already this year we've featured importers of two such vehicles –…

4X4S

On test: Base-spec and bestselling Ford Rangers face off

Almost £20,000 separates the two Ranger pickups featured in this week’s Country Car, in what looks a rank mismatch. It’s the meat-and-potatoes XL, yours for a smidge over £28k, versus…

4X4S

Ineos goes electric with smaller Fusilier off-roader

Ineos Automotive has announced that a third model will be joining its line-up of off-roaders, to be powered by fully electric or range-extender electric drivetrains. Dubbed the Fusilier, it will…

4X4S

On test: Daihatsu's lightweight, high-spec Hijet 4x4

The success of modified Suzuki Jimnys at providing an alternative to costly UTVs has paved the way for another quirky method of off-road transport – compact Japanese pickups. Slotting into…

4X4S

On test: Ineos's £79,000 Grenadier 4x4

While small numbers of Ineos’ long-awaited Grenadier have been trickling out across the country, they’re still something of a rarity. Having tackled the inevitable rash of teething troubles that you’d…

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4X4S

On test: 300hp Ariel Nomad buggy

As agricultural vehicles go, the Ariel Nomad might seem like a pretty extreme choice. OK, so it's not a proper workhorse, but it could be the perfect way to unwind,…

MACHINERY

Beefed-up Isuzu AT35 pickup is off-road king

There is a new beast in town, built like a brick outhouse and with testosterone coursing through its fuel lines. Surprisingly, it comes with an Isuzu badge, and the bare…

MACHINERY

Base-spec Mitsubishi L200 performs well under review

Since the taxman decided to classify double-cab pickups as vans and gave them a nice, juicy tax relief over swanky company cars, the average farm load lugger has morphed into…

4X4S

On test: Bog-basic Isuzu D-Max Utility isn't cheap enough

If you’re the type of penny-pincher to wear hole-ridden pants, conjure two brews from a single teabag, and keep your house thermostat sub-double digits then, as new vehicles go, Isuzu’s…

MACHINERY

Video: MINI Countryman review

MINI has forged a reputation for nippy city cars over the years, but how would its first stab at a 4wd version fare? Oliver Mark took it for a spin. …

4X4S

On test: Nissan Navara N-Guard pickup

There have been several icons of the pickup market and Nissan’s Navara, particularly in its late-noughties heyday, is certainly up there with the great 1990s' Toyota Hilux. The company was…

Latest Toyota Rav 4 tested

Toyota masterminded a new genre of cars when it ushered the Rav 4 into the 4x4 market in 1994. With three doors, a side-hinged boot and a spare wheel mounted…

4X4S

First impressions: Ford's new-look V6 Ranger Wildtrak

Seldom does a manufacturer enjoy such market dominance as that of Ford, with its Ranger pickups commanding a peerless 57% share of the sector in 2022. And the turn of…

8 pickup trucks on test

Wondering what pickup to buy? Our colleagues on Commercial Motor magazine gathered all seven makes in one place to compare their strengths and weaknesses. Intro Ford Great Wall Isuzu Mitsubishi…

4X4S

On test: Lexus RX450H

Lexus and parent company Toyota pioneered the concept of hybrid cars and the plush RX450H SUV uses the same self-charging setup the firms have been pedalling for years. This delivers…

MACHINERY

Video: Isuzu D-Max review

  More comfort in the front and more space in the back will appeal to farmers with a lot of lugging to do. A more car-like ride is good news,…

4X4S

On test: All-electric Jaguar I-Pace 4x4

Electric vehicles, for many, have a bit of a Marmite factor. Whether you love them or hate them, there’s no denying that with government net-zero pledges on the not-so-distant horizon,…

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Latest Toyota Rav 4 tested

Toyota masterminded a new genre of cars when it ushered the Rav 4 into the 4x4 market in 1994. With three doors, a side-hinged boot and a spare wheel mounted…

4X4S

Pickup test: Ford Ranger Limited

Big, brash, but somehow a little underwhelming. The Ranger finished comfortably in second place thanks to its enviable spec list, but the combination of five-cylinder engine and six-speed auto lacked…

4X4S

On test: Time for Ssangyong’s well-priced Musso pickup?

After years doggedly plugging away at the UK pickup market, Ssangyong has suddenly found itself catapulted to a heady fourth spot in the sales rankings. Facetious it may be –…

4X4S

Pickup test: Mitsubishi L200 Club Cab 4Life

A major redesign of Mitsubishi’s L200 has delivered a stand-out exterior, though whether it has actually improved its looks is debatable. Base spec 4Life models get a smart cab with…

4X4S

Commercial-spec SUV buyer's guide 2022-23

With the much-anticipated Ineos Grenadier making its debut in the market, competition is hotting up for vehicles that combine strong off-road credentials with dedicated load-carrying space aft of the front…

4X4S

On test: Ineos's £79,000 Grenadier 4x4

While small numbers of Ineos’ long-awaited Grenadier have been trickling out across the country, they’re still something of a rarity. Having tackled the inevitable rash of teething troubles that you’d…

4X4S

Pickup buyers guide 2019-20

Four-wheel drive pickups remain the vehicle of choice for many farmers and contractors – as well as lifestyle vehicles for many others. Our buyers guide shows prices and models for…

4X4S

Investing in a runaround: Second-hand vans compared

Thirsty farm pickups are now expensive to run, so it might pay to invest in a nippy two-wheel drive van for regular mud-free errands. The choice is wide and the…

4X4S

How to patch up farm pickups with second-hand spare parts

Farm pickups are subject to a notoriously rough and loveless life, but patching them up with second-hand spares can push them a few years beyond their sell-by date without costing…

4X4S

First impressions: Volkstrek transforms 4x4 MAN van

The humble van has never really captured the imagination of UK farmers. But with its cavernous storage space, car-like driving comfort and the option of four-wheel drive, perhaps it’s been…

4X4S

Commercial-spec SUV buyer's guide 2021-22

This year’s Ultimate Guide to 4x4s features commercial SUVs for the first time – that relatively rare breed of four-wheel-drive vehicle equipped specifically for carrying tools, equipment, bales or whatever…

4X4S

On test: Ford Ranger Limited pickup

After it stopped pedalling rebadged Mazdas and designed a vehicle of its own, Ford soon became the biggest seller of pickups in the UK. The Ranger consistently tops the sales…

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4X4S

Investing in a runaround: Second-hand vans compared

Thirsty farm pickups are now expensive to run, so it might pay to invest in a nippy two-wheel drive van for regular mud-free errands. The choice is wide and the…

4X4S

Tips for buying a second-hand pickup: Isuzu D-Max

Isuzu D-Max RT50 (2012 to 2017) The D-Max RT50 was launched in 2012, replacing Isuzu’s line-up of simple, tough Rodeo trucks that had been knocking around since 2003. These new…

Get the best from a second-hand Land Rover Defender

With production of the Land Rover Defender due to cease in just over a year, used car values are hitting new heights. Oliver Mark runs through what to look out…

4X4S

Tips for buying a second-hand pickup: Ford Ranger

For more than 20 years, Ford’s pickups were essentially rebadged Mazdas, and they were pretty simple, solid vehicles. However, in 2011 the firm decided to take the job in-house and…

TRAILERS

10 tips to keep your Ifor Williams trailer road legal

The humble Ifor Williams trailer is a mainstay of livestock farms up and down the country, but its tough-as-nails galvanised body can often fool owners into thinking that everything is…

4X4S

Pickup buyer's guide 2022-23

Order books will open for the eagerly anticipated new-generation Ford Ranger later this year, in readiness for early 2023 deliveries – although pickup fans who like the extra-tough, in-yer-face Raptor…

4X4S

Tips for buying a second-hand pickup: Toyota Hilux

Toyota’s Hilux is one of the most desirable second-hand pickups around, and as a result values hold firm, even for early examples. For less than £15,000, buyers will be looking…

ROAD LEGAL

Video: All you need to know to pass your B+E trailer test

So you’ve been driving since you could reach the pedals, passed your tractor test at 16, car test at 17 and can reverse 40ft trailers around the yard for fun.…

MACHINERY

Bowler Motorsport powers up Land Rover Defender

If you’ve got a Land Rover Defender, but find it wanting in the power and handling department, you could take it for a pepping-up session at Bowler Motorsport. Bowler Motorsport…

4X4S

Pickup buyers guide 2019-20

Four-wheel drive pickups remain the vehicle of choice for many farmers and contractors – as well as lifestyle vehicles for many others. Our buyers guide shows prices and models for…

4X4S

Machinery Milestones: Land Rover celebrates 70 years

This spring’s blizzards, sub-zero temperatures and flooding delayed sowing for a month and meant animals were kept under cover instead of grazing on the fields. But as we moan about…

4X4S

Electric and hybrid 4x4 vehicles explained

Barely a day goes by without another headline announcing the demise of the internal combustion engine. While many of those predictions are misleading or simply wrong, there is a definite…

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VW Tiguan proves a classy, if pricey, performer

VW's Tiguan has evolved as a do-anything mixture of the urban hatchback that is the Golf and its tough 4x4 cousin the Touareg. It went under the knife after just…

MACHINERY

Video: Suzuki Jimny keeps it simple

A banging headache, sore back, achy legs, ringing ears. No, it wasn't the by-product of my annual stint cleaning the farm grainstore - it was the result of a nine-hour…

MACHINERY

Video: MINI Countryman review

MINI has forged a reputation for nippy city cars over the years, but how would its first stab at a 4wd version fare? Oliver Mark took it for a spin. …

ROAD LEGAL

Video: All you need to know to pass your B+E trailer test

So you’ve been driving since you could reach the pedals, passed your tractor test at 16, car test at 17 and can reverse 40ft trailers around the yard for fun.…