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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

Contractor transforms Hilux trucks into lightweight sprayers

The 1980s can keep its big hair and shoulder pads, but the 4x4-based, low-ground-pressure sprayer could be a trend worth reviving. One Lincolnshire contractor certainly thinks so. Only this time…

4X4S

On test: Low-cost Dacia Duster 4x4 finally gets its polish

We’re partial to a cheap off-roader on the Farmers Weekly Machinery desk. While top-end vehicles can hide behind their plush trim and expensive add-ons, the budget end of the spectrum…

4X4S

Czech 4x4 specialist toughens up MAN and VW vans

What do you get when you let a MAN TGE van slip into the hands of a military-grade, off-road specialist? The answer is the Terrastorm – a four-wheel-drive load lugger…

4X4S

Kent importer brings rugged Land Cruiser 70-series to UK

Designed to transport people and goods to some of the most inhospitable places on earth, and get them back again, Toyota’s tough-yet-basic Land Cruiser 70-series trucks are built to last.…

4X4S

Plug-in Hybrid Ford Ranger pickup on road for spring 2025

Ford has officially launched its Ranger Plug-In Hybrid pickup, which will deliver considerably more power and lower emissions than its diesel-burning brethren. Scheduled to hit UK roads next spring, its…

4X4S

Pickup and commercial 4×4 buyer’s guide 2024-25

Daihatsu’s diddy Hijet 4x4 and its Suzuki Carry counterpart make their debut in the Ultimate Guide to pickups and commercial SUVs this year, in either standard 4x4 spec or with…

4X4S

Bedeo develops retrofit battery and kit for old Defenders

Land Rover Defender 90s and 110s can now be electrified with in-wheel motors thanks to a retrofit kit from electric drivetrain specialist Bedeo. The “Reborn Electric: Icons” series will eventually…

4x4 reviews and tests

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4X4S

On test: Mercedes' £100k G-Class

The G-Class is one of Mercedes’ great success stories – an old warhorse kitted out with a few mod cons that now fetches huge fees from the rich and famous.…

4X4S

First impressions: Ford's four limited edition Ranger pickups

News of the unlikely return of a V6-powered pickup undoubtedly got tongues wagging in the wake of Ford’s global Ranger launch just a few weeks ago, but buyers itching to…

New Range Rover Sport review

Love the big Range Rover but want to spend £20,000 less? Oliver Mark spent two days touring the Welsh borders in the new Range Rover Sport   What does £50,000-worth…

4X4S

On test: Subaru Forester

Over the years, Subaru has made everything from pickup trucks to rally cars, but these days the company says it has sharpened its focus on SUVs. That makes the new…

MACHINERY

First drive: Great Wall Steed pickup

The Steed may have an old-fashioned and slightly crude feel to it, but it looks capable of coping with regular farm duties. Some of the fittings were a bit cheap,…

First drive: Porsche Cayenne Turbo 4x4

Porsche was ridiculed when it launched its first four-wheel-drive SUV back in 2002, but fast-forward 13 years and everyone’s doing jolly well out of it. Rather than killing the company,…

MACHINERY

Driven: VW Touareg Hybrid

There's no doubt the Touareg Hybrid is more fun to drive than its diesel cousin and it does offer a sizable fuel saving over pure-petrol models. But the eye-watering £58,000…

4X4S

On test: Isuzu D-Max V-Cross pickup

Isuzu has found its own little slot in the pickup market, with the D-Max traditionally operating at the austere end of the spectrum and, as such, offering farmers and builders…

4X4S

On test: Suzuki Jimny returns as a commercial vehicle

The cute-and-quirky Jimny, Suzuki's little 4x4 with a big cult following, has made a welcome return to the UK market – only a matter of months after being withdrawn because…

4X4S

Pickup test: Isuzu D-Max Blade

The D-Max has struggled to turn itself from a popular, low-priced workhorse into a refined top-spec option. The cheapest truck on test came with an asthmatic 1.9-litre engine, which stood…

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,…

4X4S

On test: V6-powered VW Amarok

At last, farmers finally have the option of a V6-powered pickup in the shape of the latest Volkswagen Amarok. The new, heavy-hitting six-bore burner is a big step up from…

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4X4S

First impressions: Ford's four limited edition Ranger pickups

News of the unlikely return of a V6-powered pickup undoubtedly got tongues wagging in the wake of Ford’s global Ranger launch just a few weeks ago, but buyers itching to…

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: Electric Tesla Model X serves up taste of future

Rocket-building, weed-smoking billionaire Elon Musk is leading an electric revolution intent on transforming transport on earth and beyond. The engineering entrepreneur only started his Tesla motor business in 2003, but…

4X4S

On test: Does the new Isuzu D-Max have enough oomph?

A one-tonne-plus payload and 3.5t towing capacity makes the new Isuzu D-Max ready-made for working life, but propelled by a 1.9-litre diesel? Surely not. Does the latest model still have the…

4X4S

Pickup buyer's guide 2018-19

New models and additional variants have extended the choice of pickup trucks for farm and leisure use, as you can see in our full Pickup buyers guide (PDF). The Mercedes-Benz…

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

On test: Fiat Fullback Auto pickup

Fiat might not be a name you immediately associate with off-roaders, but here at Farmers Weekly we have always had a bit of a soft spot for the Italian firm’s…

4X4S

Pickup test: 6 farm trucks compared

Pickups have come a long way in the past couple of decades, going from low-tech load-luggers to luxury runarounds with enough toys to rival the plushest 4x4s. That means features…

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

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

How Yomper 4x4 transforms Suzuki Jimnys into farm pickups

After years of ferrying rural retirees around their respective parishes, scores of second-hand Suzuki Jimnys are being given a new lease of life as working farm vehicles. The craze for…

4X4S

First impressions: Ford's new V6 Ranger Raptor pickup

Whisper it, but V6 engines are back in vogue – at least as far as Ford and Volkswagen's pickups are concerned. After years of depressing downsizing, initially to 2.7-litres, then…

4x4 insights and practical tips

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4X4S

Can electric 4x4s break the diesel stronghold?

Diesel takes a bit of beating when it comes to powering off-road vehicles and hauling heavy trailers around the countryside. It develops high torque at low revs, has relatively low…

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…

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…

How to pick up an Aussie pickup for your farm

Sometimes it can seem like we get a pretty mundane selection of pickups in the UK. While our North Americans cousins are hooning around in dual-wheeled Ford F350s and the…

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.…

4X4S

Pickup buyer's guide 2018-19

New models and additional variants have extended the choice of pickup trucks for farm and leisure use, as you can see in our full Pickup buyers guide (PDF). The Mercedes-Benz…

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: Mitsubishi L200

Mitsubishi’s fourth-generation L200 had a nine-year lifespan and the firm stuck with the same 2.5-litre engine throughout. Initially, this block was tuned to deliver 134hp in base-spec models and 164hp…

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

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

Off-road vehicle 4x4 systems explained

Flick through the marketing bumf for a new four-wheel-drive vehicle and it will generally give little indication as to the type of off-road running gear in place. There are plenty…

4X4S

14 top retrofit kit options for farm pickups

If you have just splashed out on a new pickup truck you could soon find yourself sifting through the endless lists of accessories to get it just the way you…

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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

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

Video: Tesla launches radical Cybertruck electric pickup

Electric car company Tesla has launched a Back to The Future inspired Cybertruck pickup with a design that has torn up the conventional pickup rule book. Hawthorne, California, was the…

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,…