Our December 2023 issue of 4x4 Magazine is the Pick-up of the Year edition - we'll be comparing the likes of the Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max, Ssangyong Musso, Toyota Hilux and Volkswagen Amarok and delivering our results in a market of two newcomers, three revised models and no also-rans...

Meanwhile we also take a look at a 109" Series IIB resto-modded Landy that is now a modern work truck, and tell you the tale of a one-off classic Ford that puts in a proper shift for its living.

Don't miss our 110 Camper with demountable body, Defender chassis swap, Strata Florida history features either - or our piece on the Alpine Trial - the winter battle in 1913 from which legends were made...

All in the December 2023 issue of 4x4 Magazine.

We welcome a host of special editions, one offs and fresh-off-the-press news this month in Overlander 4x4 thanks to exciting updates from across the off-roading scene. Want a taste of what the July issue has to offer? Say less…

Isuzu have launched the Mudmaster. It’s their response to working with us on the GO2 and liking what they saw. Based on the current V-Cross range-topper, it features a snorkel, LED grille, lifted suspension, custom rock sliders… the list goes on and on, so head to page 4 for the full run down. Some stiff competition for out GO2 here we feel.

Ineos have released the Grenadier 1924 to mark Belstaff’s 100-year anniversary. Ineos bought the clothing company back in 2017 and have created the 1924 to celebrate this long-lived British brand by naming it after its establishing year and lacing it with some seriously sleek stuff!

Lexus might not be the brand you’d choose for an off-road expedition, but for daily duties they are hard to beat in the consistent excellence stakes. They were the first to bring hybrid power to the SUV arena and offer a range of genuinely impressive vehicles. We try out their new UX300e, a small but sharp entry-level model that gives us a realistic look at what SUV’s have become for the average driver. Slingshot acceleration being a part of that apparently…

With ‘look-at-me’ Land Rovers now 10-a-penny, Paul Wilde just wanted a 110 that he could live in while he was travelling the world. In doing so though, he created something that people REALLY want to look at. His 2.4 litre Puma 110 with its electric green exterior and innumerable customisations feature from page 28.

A Namibian adventure, a wander across wonderful Wales and a rally in the Sahara later you will still not be near the end of what the July issue has between its pages!


This month in Overlander 4x4 we get happy in the valley, join Mercedes in bricking it and survive a head-on culture collision in Georgia before getting the Willy’s and calling it a day. Join us for the June issue journey…

Why it took a whole court case to get the local authority to agree to repair one of the most scenic green lanes and best off-roading spots in the UK we’ll never really understand, but it’s fantastic to know that Happy Valley will once again be opened for all to enjoy. 
Toyota have gone back to basics and brought about the return of the Land Cruiser First Edition. They believe the Land Cruiser should be a ‘solid, less complex off-roader’ and promise a ‘return back to it’s roots’ with the new model. Find out what we thought of it from page 4. 

Mercedes have revealed their latest G-Wagen with fancy transparent bonnet, digital user experience and electrification, while Dacia bring more of the same to the table with the unveiling of their new Duster model.

There was a time when every young lad in England aspired to be seen in a sexy Subaru, but somewhere along the line the fun factor got sucked out of them and they fell out of fashion. Subaru have released crossovers on and off over recent years, but they have now given what was the XV a new body, added ‘Crosstrek’ to it’s name and filled it with bags of inner detail changes to create the latest model on their roster. We give it go and let you know if it’s ‘youth worthy’ once again from page 26.

We finish by weaving a strand of the Silk Road though Georgia where the Old World still stands firmly while making sure the myriad of articles gracing this month’s issue are intermingled with all of the latest updates, reviews and advice from the overlanding scene.


This month we’ve got RAV, we’ve got rice and we’ve got a very welcome returner – the May issue of Overlander 4x4 is here and its ridiculously stacked out with features reaching every corner of the off-roading world.

First, we test drove the new Ford Mustang Mach-E. With its much-improved cabin, contortion-like controllability around corners and booming acceleration, it’s a performance SUV that dares to be different and beats it’s predecessors in the driveability stakes by miles. Still, not one of the most refined vehicles we’ve ever sat in…

We next explored the rich back-country of long-tormented Cambodia aboard a fleet of Land Rover Defenders. Forging a new chapter for itself and renouncing it’s stormy past, Cambodia and it’s animated culture were in incredible and restorative backdrop to this off-road adventure. Read the full article from page 22.

Adored by families the world over, the RAV-4 has long been a firm favourite amongst the SUV community. But thanks to a ‘fun injection’ a la Iron Man 4x4, we take a look at one that has been reborn as an adventure wagon! Has this just been a ‘look at me’ exercise or are these mods a show of the true potential that rarely used off-road mode button really has? Find out in this month’s issue.

Every Easter the engineers and designers at Jeep get to test drive their outlandish concept vehicles in Utah in front of a wildly enthusiastic audience. So, we popped over to Moab to join the people with the best job in the world and see for ourselves what they came up with this year.

Bringing up the rear, but by no means the lesser of the incredible bunch of features we have for you this go around, is a bougee Defender returning to our pages and showing off it’s boutique-style fit-out. The deeper you delve, the more you discover with this one – well worth having this exec pad back for another look.

For all of this and far more than can fit into any well-crafted intro, get your hands on the May issue of Overlander 4x4 today!


April brings more trails to discover, new 4x4 models to review and plenty of news from the off-roading scene. So, of course, it also brings another packed issue of Overlander 4x4 for our eagerly awaiting readers!

Haters gonna hate… but why so much is thrown in the direction of off-roading hobbyists is a bit of a quandary. Green Lane Defender talks us through some of the possible reasons and how best to deflect it when it comes your way.

Nissan were on a mission to show us just how much traction their e-4orce electric all-wheel drive system can keep even on incredibly troublesome surfaces like, oh let’s say, a frozen lake in Finland! A reasonably short flight and several pairs of ‘big boy’ pants later, Alan Kidd tells of his experience navigating said lake with an X-Trail and an Ariya for company and a promise from Nissan that the e-4orce transmission set-up is second-to-none. 

Traversing the Rubicon Trail is probably the world’s most famous off-road challenge, so we take a look at it’s long history and the people that paved the way for Jeep lovers to flock there in search of it’s renowned and rugged naked rock.

Put off by the extortionate price of owning a Toyota Land Cruiser, John Pinder turned to a 1993 Defender as his Plan B – and what a proper powerhouse of a plan it turned out to be with a little help from his fiend Leigh Platts and plenty of modifications. Find out what the pair did to the original to create the Aussie-ute-looking machine that roped in crowds all day long at the Newark Great British Land Rover Show.

With all of this, the latest news, in-depth reviews and much, much more, the April Issue of Overlander 4x4 leaves no road unexplored. Get your copy today!


March is properly banging on the door now, so open it up wide and get handed your copy of Overlander 4x4 March 2024!

In this month’s issue we check out the Nissan X-Trail Mountain Rescue model. With it’s glaringly obvious modification of snow tracks in place of wheels and lack of rear seats to create vital space for medical equipment, it’s definitely a far cry from the standard X-Trail. Read how Nissan are using their new creation to help prevent accidents on the slopes on page 4.

History has been made at the Dakar 2024 rally by Carlos Sainz and his fully electric Audi. Find out how Carlos, with the help of his teammates, tussled his way to taking the overall victory and which of his rival racers gave the Audi a real run for it’s money.

There’s a facelifted version of the Jeep Wrangler on the way so, while we wait, we’ve given a Rubicon it’s own feature this month. With more built-in-know-how than anything else out there and timeless features throughout, correct us if we are wrong, but it seems you wouldn’t miss out on much if you didn’t want to wait for this latest model…

The Panda may well be the national symbol of China, but it’s also a true giant on the off-roaders scene. Where the real-life panda fails a bit as a bear (poor diet choices, overtly clumsy, ridiculously cute instead of scary), the Fiat Panda 4x4 has proven time and time again that it’s a properly competent little off-roader. Read how Fiat’s crowning glory has developed over the years and how it puts it’s namesake to shame from page 28.

Join Oli Barrington on his trip to the Alps of Northern Italy, go camping with a modified Mark 1 Land Rover discovery and avoid catching tarantism in Nardo with the Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato. To say we’ve packed a lot into the March issue is an understatement greater than the uselessness of those Pandas! 


In the February issue of Overlander 4x4, we ask if it will all end by fire or ice, taking on both one of the hottest and the coldest places on earth. 

In the geographic centre of Australia’s Simpson Desert, John Pearson joins Dave Price on a major Land Rover challenge across uninhabitable terrain with no survivable option of an ‘off-piste’ route in the blistering heat. Meanwhile, Greg Miller and Scott Brady, along with their Toyota Hiluxes, plough their way through the unrelenting white of the Antarctic and it’s frigid temperatures.

This month sees us have our first drive of the new Ineos Grenadier, showcase the luxury DS SUV spin off the E-Tense 4x4 360 and discuss the award winning, budget -friendly Suzuki S-Cross.

Korean 4x4 giants Ssangyong announce their rebranding with the new name of KGM – a slightly easier one to pronounce with a western tongue, so will we see easier imports and higher sales here in the UK?

We thank GLASS for their ongoing hard work and their hand in keeping a much-loved unsurfaced back road in Derbyshire open for all rights-of-way users.

In complete opposition to the afore mentioned adventures in extreme environments, our final article this month speaks of how the Salisbury Plain offers a fairly singular and spectacular place for you and your 4x4 to be at one – a positive finish.


This Winter, Overlander 4x4 Magazine returns with the January issue, primed and ready to conquer any terrain to get delivered to you. The all-action, stacked January issue, is filled with features, reviews, and news on all things going on in the 4x4 Scene. Included is the travel feature piece ‘The White Desert’, that offers the first of a two-part saga of an eyeball-bleeding voyage across an uncharted Antarctica ice desert, via two Arctic Truck Toyota Hiluxes. We also drive and review the new ‘Kia EV9’ – their all-electric premium SUV, and we take SsangYong’s replacement for the ‘Rhino’, the ‘Musso Saracen+’ for a test drive up a mountain. Returning to expeditions, the January issue takes you to Zambia in the feature ‘The Real Africa’, where we detail a three-week journey across one of Africa’s most expedition-friendly nations aboard a hired Hilux. South America is also on the ‘travel guide’ this January, as we discuss the Bolivian town ‘Uyuni’ in the piece ‘Train in Vain’, a place both famous for the world’s biggest salt flat, and the unique graveyard of abandoned steam trains that reside there. Perfect for visiting by 4x4. To read the articles and so much more, make sure to pick up your copy of the January issue of Overlander 4x4 Magazine today!

So here we have it, the all new back-to-its-origin name Overlander 4x4 has been loaded and readied for dispatch! Inside, we detail UK travel destinations in ‘Thetford Forest’ exploring the trails and the history of Britain’s original national forest. Looking beyond our waters, in ‘Angel Falls’, we detail the expedition of 6 men through Venezuela, to reach the world’s tallest waterfall by the overland route. From expedition to competition, we also deliver the latest on Dakar’s new generation. And of course, the Winter issue is crammed as usual with the best 4x4 features and reviews, the standout being our take on the Ford Ranger Wildtrak – the all-new double-cab tested in lifestyle-spec form. To read these articles, and so much more, make sure to pick up your copy of the Winter 2024 edition of Overlander 4x4.

In this month’s 4X4 Magazine, we look to the successor to Britain’s only true premium pick-up (the Ford Ranger), with the new VW Amarok 3.0 Tdi PanAmericana. This new VW motor unites new market-leading off-road potential with a fresh level of ride and refinement for the one-tonne market. The PanAmericana model is slightly less swanky than the most premium Aventura model, however, it comes with an off-road themed spec that includes a locking rear diff, front bash guard and 18” alloys (as opposed to 21”). This VW is built for all territories, and with the post-showroom addition of mud-terrains, we can’t see why it wouldn’t thrive as a reliable on and off-roader. The PanAmericana has the performance and comfort of an executive car, partnered with the sheer power and robustness of its excellent 4x4 build and in the top-spec, 3.0litre engine, capable of 240bhp and 443lbf.ft, the latter from a usefully low 1750rpm. You won’t want to miss this rigorous rundown of VW’s new 4x4, which despite the vehicle’s high retail price, might be one of the best examples of ‘you get what you pay for’ in the high-end truck market.
From a noteworthy new arrival to a resurrected 4x4, in this month’s edition of 4X4 Magazine, we give you the lowdown on a 40-Series Toyota Land Cruiser that Legacy Overland has moved “beyond mere life and into the realms of immortality”. Donning a Chevy 5.7-litre V8, which is undeniably a more modern, powerful engine than its predecessor, no matter how reliable it was, the Chevy V8 allows for a four-speed manual box to be fitted. Equipped with a Warn M8000 winch, this vehicle is all-purpose and slickly finished down to the last bolt. No matter how you could feel about a classic truck being rejuvenated and changed, with this classic motor, there is no denying it is an incredibly impressive truck and well-worth reading about in our thorough breakdown of both its history and the customisation it has gone under with Legacy Overland. 
Make sure to grab your copy now!

In this month’s 4X4 Magazine, we take you properly off-road in a supreme Bentley Bentayga 4.0. Riding in the S model, we opt away from the hybrid and treat ourselves to the S model’s terrific twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine. The Bentayga is gargantuan, so it needs its V8’s power, yet despite its size, the Bentayga is astonishingly agile, with manoeuvrability we could only marvel at. Equipped with 22” tyres and suspension that manages its weight with ease, this high-end, luxury Bentley also has no traditional off-road hardware. A bold decision, that seemingly has had no negative effects on the Bentayga’s performance off-road.

The CJ8 Scrambler was not exactly the most successful thing ever to wear the Jeep badge. It was cool but it was underpowered and less good off-road than the CJ7, so sales were slow and as a result, these days it’s a collectable rarity.

It’s not as rare as the new Scrambler 392, though. That’s because the Scrambler 392 is a concept – and with full carbon bodywork, plus a 470bhp, 6.4-litre V8 spinning 40” tyres, no-one’s going to accuse it of being underpowered. Or less good off-road than, well, more or less anything.

Jonty Beales’ Shogun is pretty good off-road too. Unlike Jeep, though, he didn’t spent a multi-million dollar promotions budget on creating it. Instead, he went on eBay and waited patiently for the right parts to come up at the right money – the result being a truck that wheels as well as it looks.

Legacy Overland’s beach-spec Defender 90 is quite the looker too, as is the Skoda Enyaq iV Coupe vRS – albeit in rather a different way. Or if what you prefer gazing on is the stuff that happens in a top workshop, NWS Motor Services’ rebuild of a 4.6-litre Rover V8 will keep you very happy.

So too will a superb roadbook in the south of Wiltshire. Unless you’ve got paintwork you cherish – in which case a weekend’s green lane among the hills of the Champagne region might be more up your street. Definitely lots to celebrate in the latest issue of 4x4! 


It’s a pick-up special issue in 4x4 magazine this month. We’ve given over the entire magazine to trucks of all makes and ages – from a custom ’55 Chevy to the very latest Hilux GR Sport, which graces our front cover.

You’ll find a unique Land Rover 130, complete with a Toyota Land Cruiser powertrain; a Hilux converted into an overlanding home-from-home; and a spectacular Jeep concept vehicle taking the mighty Gladiator to new extremes.

We’ve also got retrospective road tests on two of the best second-hand buys around – the Nissan Navara AT32 and Volkswagen Amarok 163 manual. 
Talking of Navaras, the tale of two guys who hired one in Chile and set out to drive it as far as they could up a 6000-metre mountain will definitely inspire you – not least because the truck they did it in was completely standard.

The Land Rover Series IIA double-cab featured this month is definitely not standard, on account of they never made one. And nor are the L200 and Ranger, both modded by the same bloke with the aim of creating a top-notch overlander that would also be a head-turning street machine.

Talking of which, would you believe a 200-Series Land Cruiser ute conversion? Now, that’s what you call a double-cab. And then there’s that ’55 Chevy. Arguably the coolest of the lot. Though with the Munro MK_1 pick-up, Hennessey VelociRaptoR 6x6 and Iveco Tigrotto all featured in our news pages, the choices in the world of pick-ups are getting cooler all the time. It all makes for a super-cool new issue of 4x4 magazine!

We talk a lot about green laning in 4x4. But what about grey laning – could this be the perfect halfway house for people who’d love to go exploring in their family SUVs but can’t risk scratching them up?

That’s what we were musing on while exploring a stunning tract of the Scottish Borders aboard an early Porsche Cayenne. The feature is in this month’s issue… along with some musings on whether the smallest roads can offer the same sense of adventure we’re more used to getting on byways.  Some of you will sneer at the idea – but for some people, perhaps it could be the perfect way into our way of life.

If it’s the real thing you want, our North Nottinghamshire Roadbook contains plenty of laning – some of it deceptively gnarly. And we’ve got a report in this issue of an exceptionally muddy and hard-fought motorsport event… using nothing but electric cars. Another idea some of you will sneer at – but the racing was as tough as it gets.

The electric theme continues with the Jeep Cherokee 4xe – a restified classic mating the body of a 1978 Cherokee with the chassis and drivetrain of a plug-in Wrangler. This time, we wouldn’t mind betting nobody’s going to sneer at it… though plenty of you are likely to drool.

The Nissan X-Trail tested this month, by contrast, is a mild-hybrid model rather than the electric e-4ORCE version. And there’s nothing electric about any of the Land Rover 90s showcased in this month’s 4x4 of the Best section – even if one of them isn’t actually a 90 at all. We know how much you love a deliberate mistake…

Fancy an epic day’s laning in North Wales? Of course you do.

We haven’t run a Roadbook in the last few issues of 4x4, but with summer on the way this month we’ve got a good ‘un for you. It’s a route we used a couple of years or so back – we laid it out during a break between lockdowns, but by the time it was published a lot of you were confined to barracks once again. For those of you who did do it at the time, though, we’ve added a load more lanes – making this an absolute monster of a route!

Talking of monsters, this month we’ve got the latest version of Jeep’s ridiculously fast all-electric Wrangler, the Magneto 3.0. We’ve got a beast of a winch motor, too, which was built to be a Chelsea cruiser but found its redemption amid the mud of Kirton. We’ve got one of the few Fourtraks ever to be properly modified, too – and this month’s 4x4 of the Best section is a feast of classic off-roaders in the beautifully boxy shape of the Jeep Cherokee.

On test this month are three very different vehicles – the scorching Skoda Kodiaq vRS, Subaru’s all-electric Solterra and a one-off Kia Sportage built to highlight what the company’s technology can achieve in the mud.

There’s the usual range of news and products updates in 4x4 this month, too – including the latest story of green lane enthusiasts working together with local authorities to improve the countryside. Which brings us back to the start. Fancy an epic day’s laning in North Wales? Of course you do – and the latest issue of 4x4 is where you’ll find it!


The all-new Ford Ranger has been eagerly anticipated for a long time. 
And of course, this is especially true of the high-performance Raptor version.

So the good news is that this month in 4x4, that’s exactly what we’ve got. We spent a vastly entertaining day behind the wheel of the new V6-engined Raptor on an event which included a session of flat-out off-roading – and of all the 4x4s we’re ever experienced, it’s up there with the very best as a driving machine.

Elsewhere in this issue, we’ve got a quartet of 70-Series Land Cruisers – plus three outstanding examples of a Defender 90, a Suzuki LJ and a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Think air suspension, a unique restification project and a starring role on Car SOS… this one’s action-packed and no mistake.

Hammering your way around a frozen track in the Arctic is quite action-packed, too. You’d want a good, rugged off-roader for that… so we’ve got the story of a group doing it in Porsches. No, not Cayennes. 
But they still held on like glue.

And altogether more British kind of adventure is to take your favourite detour through the local ford. We’ve all done it. Indeed, we on 4x4 have done it more than most – and this month’s issue contains a guide to 25 of the most entertaining we’ve found. Summer’s coming, and that usually means rain, so snorkels at the ready…


This month, it’s 4x4 magazine’s annual Land Rover special issue. As always, we’re ready to cover every marque under the sun (you’ll find stuff about pick-ups in this issue, as well as news of the new VW Touareg and products to suit all kinds of vehicles) but our features are focused on Solihull.

If you’re in the market for a Defender, our comprehensive Buyers’ Guide will give you the info you need to know before taking your chances. 
Unless it’s the new-shape model, of course, in which case we ask the
question: three years on, is the cheapest one in the range still the best?

People often assume that modern Land Rovers are no use for expedition travel. The new Defender challenges that, but we’ve also got the concluding episode of a series we’ve been running, covering the tale of an expedition from London to Cape Town in an L322 Range Rover.

That’s a long way, but you know what they say about used cars that have been ‘round the world’? We’re featuring a Discovery this month whose owner told us it was on 684,000 miles - that’s round the world 27 times. 
Still a daily driver, too – and a playday weapon to boot.

Another kind of long journey is the sort you get in the workshop when you undertake to build a hybrid. And there’s a 100” home-brew in this issue that’s a cautionary tale – and an inspirational one, too.

We’ve also got a quartet of superb Land Rovers from the leaf-sprung era, including a glorious never-restored Series I – and one of the most sensational Lightweights of all time. You don’t need to be into Land Rovers to appreciate what’s in this issue of 4x4 – but it definitely helps!

The new issue of 4x4 magazine is dominated by the big story of the year, nay the decade – the arrival of the Ineos Grenadier.

The much vaunted spiritual successor to the old Defender has been developed in the public eye, and since it was first announced Land Rover has launched an actual new Defender to great acclaim. For a new start-up business, even one headed by Britain’s richest man, it’s a huge challenge.

Now is when we get to see how well they’ve risen to it. Our impressions of the Grenadier, after a two-day on and off-road test in the Scottish Highlands, leads this issue. Let’s just say it reminds us of the old Defender in more ways than one…

Also in this issue, you’ll find our annual report on the Dakar rally – and, talking of Dakar, the tale of an overland adventure through western Africa aboard an old Land Rover bought for less than a grand.

We’ve also got a new feature this month, titled ‘4x4 of the Best’. It’s a compilation of four modified vehicles, all the same only different. 
This month, we’re kicking off with the Suzuki Jimny – from mild(ish) to
(very) wild…

We’ve tested the new Ultimate Plus version of the SsangYong Rexton in this issue too – a welcome return to form for the perennial value champion – and brought you stories of a 1000bhp expedition vehicle and an ex-Police Discovery growing old disgracefully. Plus of course all the usual news and reviews, the latest from the workshop… oh, and did we mention the Ineos Grenadier?

This month, it’s 40 years since arguably the most important launch in the history of British off-roading. It was in February 1983 that Land Rover gathered the media together to show off its new 110 – the Series-truck-on-coils from which would one day spring the Defender.

As one of the longest-running car magazines in the country, we were there. And our story of the event, which we’ve pulled from the 4x4 archives, makes for fascinating reading.

So too does the tale of Jeep’s Magneto 2.0 concept car. Would you believe the 2.0 refers to its 0-60 time…?

We’ve got the story of a Corvette-engined Range Rover, too, as well as a thing that looks like an early Vitara has been through a blender but is actually another kind of Suzuki altogether. And if you dream of overland travel but don’t fancy trudging off with a shovel every time nature calls, we’re covering just the sort of expedition you want. You might not be able to afford it… but you’ll definitely want it.

Every year, the January issue of 4x4 magazine answers the biggest question in the 4x4 world. And 2023 is no different.

Yes, it’s 4x4 of the Year time.

Our annual awards issue is recognised throughout the industry as the benchmark for expert opinion on the 4x4 market. The January issue of 4x4 is when the results are announced – and this year, like every other, they’re as bold and as fearless as ever!

Also in this issue, the story of Porsche’s astonishing new off-road supercar – no, not a Cayenne, an actual supercar created in homage to its Dakar glories of days gone by.

Sticking with the desert theme, we’ve got a Land Cruiser prepped as a support vehicle for long-ranger rallying. We’ve got the story of a couple exploring the Outback in a truck most people would sooner have broken for parts. And, though it’s not quite the desert, we’ve got a 50-year-old Ford pickup that started life as a Californian ranch truck and is now making people smile at car shows in the UK.

There’s a report this month on the country’s only night-time winch challenge, too, as well as the latest from the rights of way scene and a profile of the vehicle we once thought would never happen – a P38 Range Rover turned into a DIY playday truck.

As if all that’s not enough, we’ve got the full story of a remarkable new UK-built off-road vehicle that takes the spirit of the old Defender and recreates it in zero-emission form. The Munro_MK1 promises to be a future-proofed truck-for-life – whatever you think of electric vehicles, you’re not going to want to miss this.

And if the new metal in 4x4 of the year is not your thing, our line-up of 12 of the best off-roaders ever made will get you thinking about your next project. Our sensational Lake District Roadbook will get you yearning to hit the trails in the truck of your choice, too. Safe to say the January issue of 4x4 has it all going on!

The Winter issue of 4x4 is out now, and it contains the answer to the big question – which vehicle is going to be named 2023 Pick-Up of the Year?

With the new Ford Ranger and VW Amarok on the way soon, the one-tonne market is in the middle of an upheaval. But that doesn’t change anything for the vehicles already in it. Will the Toyota Hilux retain its crown, or does one of its rivals have what it takes to claim the crown?

Still on the pick-up front, this issue contains something a bit different to the norm – a Chevy S10 double-cab that’s been heavily modified… but not for off-roading. Welcome to a world of burnouts that set your bodywork on fire…

The hardcore Hilux in this issue is more typical 4x4 fare, as is the Series I Land Rover that’s been restored – not into a shiny museum piece but a latter-day classic work truck.

And talking of work trucks, we headed off in our very own Isuzu D-Max to explore a green lane with a grisly past. Triple murders, witchcraft, the occult… it’s all there, with a side order of Bradford, on the hills overlooking Scar House Reservoir. Now, where else would you get a story like that?

The future of off-roading has been turned inside out. That’s the message from a couple of vehicles featured in the new issue of 4x4.

One is from Jeep, the other from Dacia. Two very different companies but the former’s Rubicon Birdcage and the latter’s Manifesto are two concept vehicles that strip away the bodywork and put their occupants right out there in the middle of nature. Which is of course why you drive a 4x4 in the first place.

This month’s travel story is a good example of that. The tale of a young couple who took a month off to explore Europe in a modified Discovery, it’s less than a full expedition but a whole lot more than a holiday. 
Definitely inspirational, if work commitments mean travelling round the world is too much to bite off.

Our roadbook is pretty inspirational too, taking in some of the best, longest and wildest green lanes in the area north and east of Llandrindod Wells. Whether you do it on your own or combine it with last month’s route (they’re designed to work separately or together), it’s exactly the sort of thing that makes green laning such a fabulous experience.

We’re also looking at a highly modified Defender 90 this month, which has received a BMW M57 diesel engine – and in addition to that, the suspension from something the same but very different…

And talking of people taking a different approach to suspension, would you believe a comp safari racer with Range Rover axles… and leaf springs? Thought not. But it’s real, and it’s all in the new issue of
4x4 - on sale now!

Half a century ago, in the days before the phrase ‘green laning’ had been invented, a bunch of suave young chaps-about-town borrowed an Austin Champ and put it on the Motorail train to Devon for a weekend of japes and wheezes. 

Their story survives today because they told it in, would you believe, an early issue of Custom Car magazine. And it’s being told again now because the publishers of 4x4 have just bought Custom Car, giving us the chance to unearth what has, over time, become a really valuable historical document. Notably, while their laning was as anarchic as you’d expect, by the end of the weekend they had learned some of the lessons that have become everyday wisdom today.

Bringing things right up to date, we’ve been laning ourselves – aboard an all-electric Skoda Enyaq iV. Those 4x4-haters who’re always moaning about fumes and noise will really be confounded by this one…

Talking of laning, this month’s roadbook is a monster. One of the longest we’ve ever published, covering a series of magnificent lanes in the mountains and forests west of Llandrindod Wells – and while it’s already epic on its own, it’s also the first half of a two-parter containing another huge route next month. Something for the weekend, sir?

We’ve been high in the Himalayas, too, heading for the highest road in the world aboard a Suzuki SJ10 whose power output was, in theory, less than zero at such high altitudes. And from the mountains of India to the swamps of Carolina, we’re looking at a Land Rover Defender 90 transformed from a farmer’s wreck into Project Congaree – an heirloom off-roader of the very highest standard.

If that’s not enough, we’ve been under the skin of Audi’s new RS Q e-tron racer – which, in a few months’ time, will be going all-out for victory in the Dakar Rally. And this, like our Enyaq iV, is another example of all-electric off-roading. The guys from Custom Car would not have approved…

There’s a bit of a laning theme to the latest issue of 4x4. Having taken a trip through Slaley Forest and the relict industrial landscape of Durham and Northumberland for a previous roadbook, we felt compelled to delve into the history of the region and tell the story properly… and then when Isuzu sent us the latest D-Max AT35 to test in the middle of summer, it would have been rude not to head for Salisbury Plain and take advantage of all the red flags being down.

And then of course there’s this month’s roadbook, on the hilltop trails of the Clwydian Range. We’ve tested the Jeep Compass Trailhawk in this issue, too, and guess what we did with it…?

Away from the lanes, we’ve got features on an old-school winch challenge Discovery, one of the most beautiful restored Land Cruisers you’ll ever see and a very special Jeep Wrangler – the Rubicon 20, a show car built to celebrate two decades of the world’s best turn-key off-roader.

The Rubicon is a vehicle built with rock crawling in mind, but what’s it named after? Only one of the most famous ‘green lanes’ in the world. 

Seems there’s no getting away from the theme this month. Not that anyone should mind…


This is already 4x4 magazine’s 40th anniversary, but there’s another milestone in our history this year too – and we’re celebrating it in the new issue.

It was in September 2002 that we launched Total Off Road – a magazine which still lives on today as part of 4x4, having merged with it a few years ago.

So we’ve taken a look back at the features from that first ever issue – including a Defender 90 that was already a comp safari legend even then, a cheerfully chaotic French lane run aboard the brand new Jeep Cherokee and one of the first Grand Vitaras ever to be modified into an off-road weapon.

There’s plenty more besides, of course, too. Including an ex-military G-Wagen restored into a work of retro art, news of a British success in a legendary African off-road event and a proper all-round test of the new Subaru XV.

In addition, we’ve put two seemingly identical SUVs under the spotlight to find the differences that matter – and if you’re waiting eagerly for the all-new Volkswagen Amarok, we’ve got the story on what it is you’re waiting for.

And on top of all that, this month’s Roadbook is an absolute epic, combining glorious views from the lanes of the Long Mynd with some of the monster fords for which this part of Shropshire is known. A proper way to celebrate twenty years since the first issue of Total Off Road!

The Half-Track Fox is one of the most remarkable off-roaders ever. Built in the early sixties, it’s an early Volkswagen bus with four axles, twelve wheels and two rubber tracks.

It was designed for climbing snow-covered mountains, but only three were ever built. One of them has just been restored to its former glory – and it’s featured in the new issue of 4x4!

By comparison, the Land Rover Defender 90 SV was positively common. A whole 90 of those were made. We’ve got the story of how one of these has just been restored, too – and modified at the same time.

Staying on the same theme, we’ve taken a look back at the day when we drove a brand new 90 SV back to back with a modest Series I on Land Rover’s own Jungle Track. And there’s more nostalgia in the story of the late, lamented Trophée Cevenol, an epic lane run in the mountains of the Ardeche, as well as the first time the original Daihatsu Fourtrak come to Britain.

Bringing things right up to date, the Jeep D-Coder is an example of what you can create using the US brand’s own in-house accessories. For less money than you might expect, too – even though the base vehicle isn’t even available in the UK.

Elsewhere, we’ve tested the Isuzu D-Max in base-spec Utility form and the plug-in version of the super-smooth Range Rover Velar. We’ve got the latest from the top-end winching scene and news of a world-class double-cab conversion coming back to the UK – and if you just want to get out there and drive, our roadbook in the borders of Northumberland and Cumbria is the perfect excuse for driving a 4x4. Not that you needed on, of course - but you definitely need the new issue of 4x4 magazine!

How does a 1012bhp double-cab sound? Not enough fun? Make it a 6x6. Now you’ve got the Hennessey Mammoth.
It’s a monument to excess with more road presence than a tank – and a price to match, of course. But it exists, which is all that matters to us – and you can read all about it in the new issue of 4x4.
At the other end of the scale, we’re featuring one of the many Tdi-era Discoverys that have ended up as off-road buggies thanks to their famous combination of robust mechanicals and rust-prone bodywork. This one is a tubular special – but it’s definitely a cut above most chopped-up old Discos.
The Land Master, meanwhile, was built to be a cut above the Land Rover. Back in the late 70s, an engineer working in the Cornish mining industry decided to create a vehicle that wouldn’t fall to bits the way his fleet of Series IIIs kept doing. In an archive story from the first year of 4x4 magazine, we look back at the result.
Another throwback is the Jeep ’41 – a tribute to the original Willys MB based on the marque’s latest electric technology. And talking electric, we’ve tested the BMW iX3 and Mercedes-Benz EQB this month – both premium SUVs and both 100% electric but each very different to the other.
If you prefer it a little more traditional, the new Kia Sportage at least has a proper engine to go with its electric motor. We’ve had our first drive this month of what has become one of Britain’s favourite cars of any kind.
On the adventure front, we’ve followed the tale of a couple exploring Namibia aboard a modern Range Rover. And closer to home, our roadbook on the downs of West Berkshire is a big, long trail ride that’s perfect for those endless summer days. 
And talking of big, long things, there’s the new Defender 130. Remember the days when these were work wagons for the water board? This one is ‘perfect for family expeditions’ and costs up to £100,645. Great value. I mean, you could get a 4839-year subscription to 4x4 for that… 

We’ve got used to new 4x4s costing a lot of money, but in the new issue of 4x4 we think we’ve found the most expensive yet.
Being the road-going version of a leading Dakar truck, it’s more than a little high-tech. And more than a lot fast. And as you’ll find out, it’s even more expensive…
The original Lada Niva, by comparison, cost less than some people spend on a set of tyres now. The latest in our archive series from the year of our launch, our first ever drive of the Russian off-road legend makes for fascinating reading.
So too does Jeep’s take on what you might have thought was a uniquely British game. Turns out bobtailing is a big thing in America, too, and the company has built a Gladiator-based concept to take it to extremes – and make it cooler than ever in its own typically spectacular way.
The new Isuzu D-Max AT35 is pretty spectacular too, as is Lexus’ in-your-face new NX 350h. A soft-roader? Maybe, but also the company’s first ever vehicle with an off-road drive mode. So we took it green laning…
Talking of green laning, this issue of 4x4 contains a magnificently scenic Roadbook combining the coastline and mountains of West Wales. Not quite as exotic as the route Land Rover’s last ever expedition in the old Defender took while carrying a team of biologists to study the marine life off the coast of Africa, but every bit as challenging.
And if you like it really challenging, the great news is that the annual Odyssey winch series is back. Personnel changes in the organising Viking 4x4 Club had put it in jeopardy – but as you’ll see in this issue, even under new management it’s set to remain a blue riband off-road event. Excellent news if you like your off-roading really, really muddy… and who doesn’t?! 

The May issue of 4x4 magazine is a very special one. The first issue of our magazine was published 40 years ago this month – so to mark the anniversary, we’re taking a look back at some special moments from our early years.

There’s a retrospective of Ford’s daredevil attempt to conquer Siberia overland in the middle of winter in a convoy of Mavericks. There’s a reminder of why the Toyota Land Cruiser VX may forever be the greatest motor vehicle ever built. There’s a profile of a hybrid Land Rover from an era when people were still building their own from scratch.

We’ve also got the first ever Roadbook from Total Off Road magazine, which merged with 4x4 a few years ago to make it once again the UK’s only all-marques off-road title. ‘Once again’ because back in 1982, Overlander 4x4 (as it was called then) was the first publication of its kind the country had ever seen.

We’ve got a fascinating essay on green laning from back then, too, which makes it clear that some things haven’t changed as much as we might think.
And we’ve got a test on the then-new Jeep CJ7 – which contrasts nicely with another test, this time on the new Wrangler 80th Anniversary.

See, we might only be half as old as Jeep. But that still means 4x4 has been in there for a long, long time. So this is our 40th Anniversary issue – and the start of a new chapter too. 

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4x4 UK Magazine is a monthly magazine published by Assignment Media Ltd. The magazine is aimed at enthusiasts of four-wheel drive vehicles. 4x4 UK Magazine features articles on a wide range of topics, including:

* Vehicle reviews: The magazine reviews new and used four-wheel drive vehicles from all major manufacturers.
* Off-road driving: The magazine provides tips and advice on how to drive off-road safely and effectively.
* Camping and overlanding: The magazine features articles on camping and overlanding in four-wheel drive vehicles.
* Travel and adventure: The magazine covers four-wheel drive travel and adventure destinations around the world.
* Technical articles: The magazine provides technical information on four-wheel drive vehicles and equipment.

4x4 UK Magazine is a must-read for anyone who is passionate about four-wheel drive vehicles. The magazine is known for its high-quality journalism, its informative and engaging articles, and its commitment to providing its readers with the latest news and information about the four-wheel drive world.

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4x4 UK - December 2023

4x4 UK - December 2023

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