9. Land Rover Defender
The original 4x4 is still one of the best, even though the Land Rover Defender has been on sale in one form or another for over 60 years. While the car trails rivals on fuel consumption, build quality and interior design, it retains considerable appeal on account of its iconic looks and peerless ability off road, and is still the farmer’s choice.
The Defender is amazingly robust over rugged terrain, and with huge ground clearance, amazing axle articulation and a four-wheel-drive transmission featuring a low-range transfer box, it can take anything in its stride.
On the road, the Defender is flawed, and while its 122bhp 2.2-litre diesel can handle a massive towing capacity of 3,500kg, it’s years behind the best engines in terms of fuel consumption, returning a maximum of 27.7mpg.
We’d go for the long-wheelbase four-door 110 model over the more attractive Defender 90 two-door, as it has much more space, although the interior in both models is best described as basic. It’s short on creature comforts and safety equipment – but the utilitarian feel is part of the charm of the Defender.
10. BMW X5
