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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.

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4X4S

Three-phase battery kit offers alternative to diesel generators

Clayton Power has introduced a 400V three-phase battery system that can do the job of a large diesel generator. The E-gen system is designed to sit in the back of…

4X4S

Latest Isuzu D-Max gets bigger engine and slicker transmission

A long-awaited engine upgrade has been introduced for the Isuzu D-Max that promises to improve acceleration and pulling power. The new 2.2-litre power plant puts out a healthy 400Nm of…

4X4S

On test: Defender Hard Top is comfortable all-rounder

Say what you like about the “new” Defender but the omnipresence of 90s, 110s and, to a lesser extent, 130s on UK roads suggests it has been a hit for…

4X4S

Denza takes on established 4x4s with 677hp B5 hybrid

Chinese brand Denza will test the resolve of Toyota and Land Rover when it officially launches its heavy-duty 4x4 later this year. The chunky Land Cruiser lookalike, dubbed the B5,…

4X4S

KGM unveils £42k Musso EV double-cab pickup

An electric, and altogether different, version of KGM Motors’ Musso pickup will land in dealer showrooms in May. The South Korean outfit, formerly known as Ssangyong, has pitched its debut…

4X4S

Ineos updates Grenadier and Quartermaster off-roaders

Ineos has unveiled a tranche of updates to its blockish Grenadier Station Wagon and Quartermaster pickup that promise to remedy common customer complaints. Chief among them is the recirculating ball…

4X4S

Lamma 2026: Urban Offroader offers Suzuki Carry trucks

The popularity of Japanese mini “kei” trucks as alternatives to UTVs has prompted a bevy of importers to get involved. One of the latest is Castle Donnington-based Urban Offroader, which…

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4X4S

Pickup test: Volkswagen Amarok V6

There was little to dislike about the smooth-operating Amarok and it deservedly secured top spot in our rankings. The comforting thrum of the V6 engine, suave-shifting eight-speed auto box and…

4X4S

Tested: Ford-built Amarok V6 is smart but not very VW

The humble pickup has undergone a marked gentrification over the past decade and few have been as pivotal in its transformation as Volkswagen. Even when it was first launched in…

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…

4X4S

On test: Toyota Land Cruiser Utility

Embellished with diamond-cut alloys, rubber-band tyres and enough sporty-looking trim to fit in at a touring car race, the average SUV isn’t built with serious off-roading in mind. But over…

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

On test: Subaru Forester e-Boxer still a countryside favourite

There’s much to hate about hare coursers, but they do know a good 4x4 when they see one – and the Subaru Forester’s tolerance for abuse is almost unmatched. While…

On test: Jeep Renegade 4x4

The lucrative SUV market has sucked in its latest victim, with American giant Jeep the most recent to find the money-spinning, soft-roader segment all too difficult to resist. However, unlike…

4X4S

First impressions: Go-anywhere £8k Suzuki Quadtruck

What’s smaller than a pickup, more reliable than a UTV, and more comfortable than a quad bike? It’s a Suzuki Quadtruck, of course – the lovechild of farming’s three most…

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…

4X4S

Pickup test: Toyota Hilux Invincible X

We thought the Hilux was a decent truck, but its shouty, thirsty engine relegated it to the lower end of our test group. The interior was also too chintzy for…

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

On test: Ford Explorer offers speed and comfort – at a price

Ford’s unlikely alliance with rival Volkswagen has spawned a series of electric SUVs, as it looks to replace some of its best-known nameplates – Fiesta, Focus, Mondeo, et al –…

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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…

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

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

On test: Ford Explorer offers speed and comfort – at a price

Ford’s unlikely alliance with rival Volkswagen has spawned a series of electric SUVs, as it looks to replace some of its best-known nameplates – Fiesta, Focus, Mondeo, et al –…

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

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…

VW Passat 4x4 Alltrack review

Can VW's latest four-wheel drive Passat cut the mustard off road? Oliver Mark decided. Nineteen-seventy-three was the year Roger Moore shot baddies in Live and Let Die, the Sydney Opera…

4X4S

First impressions: Ineos completes Grenadier 4x4 development

Pint-fuelled pub chats are the source of many wildly ambitious business ideas, but few can claim to be as efficiently executed as that of the Grenadier 4x4. Ineos Automotive, a…

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

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

£19,000 Ssangyong Musso pickup battles the old guard

At a smidge under £19,000, a top-sec Ssangyong Musso looks a steal, compared with most of its competition. Our last Country Car also comes furnished with all the toys – so…

4X4S

Pickup buyer's guide 2020-21

Tougher emissions standards and buyers feeling the pinch has led to a number of higher-spec models being withdrawn from the market. We take a look at what options are available…

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4X4S

Tested: Ford-built Amarok V6 is smart but not very VW

The humble pickup has undergone a marked gentrification over the past decade and few have been as pivotal in its transformation as Volkswagen. Even when it was first launched in…

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

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

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…

A nostalgic drive in the retiring Land Rover Defender

Rival 4x4s have come and gone, but until now the Land Rover has been the only choice for thousands of farmers up and down the country. As the sun sets…

4X4S

Double-cab pickups to get pricier – here are alternatives

Pull into the car park of any agricultural event and there’ll be a sea of double-cab pickup trucks as far as the eye can see. But a shake-up of 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 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…

MACHINERY

How to stop thieves stealing your Land Rover

Every year more than 500 Land Rover Defenders are stolen from farms across the UK. And that number is on the up, according to figures from the NFU Mutual, with…

4X4S

Pickup buyer's guide 2020-21

Tougher emissions standards and buyers feeling the pinch has led to a number of higher-spec models being withdrawn from the market. We take a look at what options are available…

4X4S

Pickup buyer's guide 2021-22

Development of the once humble pickup has created a huge market for a vehicle that can meet the needs of businesses and the adventuresome aspirations of private buyers alike. Buyer's…

4X4S

Tips for buying a second-hand pickup: Nissan Navara

Nissan Navara D40 (2005 to 2014) Nissan’s D40 Navara was built from 2005 to 2014 and superseded the D22, which had been around since the late 90s. At its UK…

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MACHINERY

Video: Land Rover Discovery v Ford Ranger

Farm pickups are more comfortable, powerful and spacious than ever before, so could they be about to knock the king – the Land Rover Discovery – off its throne? Watch…

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

Video: Three-way farm pickup showdown

The past year saw a clutch of new models enter the ever-growing 4×4 pickup market. However, not all is as it seems, as due to the popularity of these trucks,…

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. …