Buying a commercial version of a 4×4 can be a good way to get off-road capability (and a bit of luxury) without spending too much. David Cousins and Emily Padfield compared and contrasted Land Rover’s three offerings

Whichever way you look at it, buying and owning a 4×4 tends to require deep pockets. Dip your toe into the tempting blue waters of the options sheet and you’ll soon find yourself edging into £30,000+ territory.

But for many years there’s been a cheaper way to buy certain 4×4 models and that’s by opting for the commercial version. As the name suggests, these are work-orientated vehicles, so they lose the back seats and vision through the rear windows. But if you are VAT-registered, they also lose the VAT. So a £30,000 vehicle drops by £4500 to a more palatable-sounding £25,500.

Where the seats used to be there is now a useful flat-floor loading area that can take anything from a couple of sheep to a good selection of tools.

Some of these commercial versions are made by the vehicle manufacturer themselves, but most are done by a dealer, importer or conversion specialist. So you can convert pretty much any 4×4.

For anyone who does a lot of towing, it can make for a plusher and better-riding alternative to a pick-up. Choose the right model and you’ll get a luxurious interior, a whisper-quiet cabin and a ride that’s smoother than a game show host’s patter.

To see what was on offer from Land Rover, we went to Nene Overland at Manor Farm, Ailsworth near Peterborough. Here, owner Andrew Harrison-Smith sells mainly used (though some new) Land Rovers, offers servicing and is one of only two or three places across the UK that specialises in Defenders.

The company has done plenty of conversions of Land Rover products, of course, but some other vehicles as well that might not spring to mind when you think of commercial vehicles. Like VW Touaregs, for instance, Isuzu Troopers, Nissan X-Trails and Volvo XC90s. Even the odd Range Rover Sport, which must be the ultimate in commercial vehicles.

The most popular commercial he sells is the Land Rover Discovery 3 (the latest one), with its smooth air-suspended ride, high kit level, 500kg payload and 3.5t towing capacity for a reasonable-sounding £25,000 (exc VAT). You can have more power, too, if you want it.

“About 70% of the Discoverys we sell have a remap [changing the engine chip to gain more power]. That pushes the power up from 190hp to 225hp, which makes a big difference to the performance,” he says.

“The air suspension also means that it automatically levels the vehicle when you’re towing. It keeps the weight on the front, too, so there’s less chance of fishtailing. It is also 15,000 miles between services.”

What about a second-hand Discovery? A 2007 or 2008 model, with 3000-8000 miles, auto box, SE spec, leather seats would probably cost about £24,000, reckons Mr Harrison-Smith. An older, 2005 model with 80,000 miles and aircon could be had for £11,000 upwards.

There’s also a steady trade in commercial Defenders, though these are less suited than the Discovery for those doing longer-distance hauling. A new one will cost you about £19,500 + VAT, while an eight-month-old example might well be grabbed for £15,500 + VAT.

Freelanders are less popular as commercial vehicles because of their relatively modest towing capacity of 2t. But Mr Harrison-Smith points out that they could be ideal for anyone delivering farm produce like meat or veg boxes who wants a thoroughly civilised car with 4wd.

Conversions of your existing vehicle, incidentally, cost £1500 and you get a certificate to show your accountant (or, occasionally to the VATman) that shows it meets the criteria for a VAT-exempt vehicle.