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 popular modes of transport.

But despite its flat nose, diddy wheels and quirky dimensions, this almost comically cartoon-like two-seat 4×4 is no joke.

See also: On test: Go-anywhere Lada Niva 4×4 for £12,495

Thanks to the work of Andy Boss at Abbey Commercials, it’s rapidly establishing itself as the must-have runaround for any self-respecting farmer – a far cry from the Japanese fish markets one might expect it to call home.

Until four years ago, the Boss family business – which started in 1969 – had sold and serviced light commercial vehicles from all the mainstream brands.

Then came Andy’s love affair with this most unlikely cast member of British farming.

So impressed was he with his first Quadtruck, bought purely to run on a shoot near his base in Redditch, Worcestershire, that he imported another five… and they’ve kept rolling in ever since.

There are now over 100 of them in the hands of farmers, foresters, gamekeepers and beekeepers, from Bodmin to Basildon and as far north as Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Almost all have replaced UTVs, whose owners have become increasingly hacked off with their extortionate costs (some selling for £25,000 or more), notorious lack of reliability, and the price of spare parts.

Comparatively, the four-wheel-drive Quadtruck starts at just under £8,000, it comes with a far more generous spec – cab, heater, air-con and a radio that you can actually hear – and has a considerably bigger load bed.

The one concession is age. All of Abbey’s vehicles are at least 10 years old (for import-related reasons) and have between 5,000km and 100,000km on the clock.

© MAG/Oliver Mark

They’re plucked from Japanese auction houses in near-mint condition, shipped to the UK, and fettled in the firm’s three-bay workshop – serviced, chassis waxed, and batteries replaced – ready for delivery.

There are currently 16 on the newly established Quadtruck migration route from east Asia to east Worcestershire.

Once safely on UK shores, daughter Lucy deals with the paperwork, ensuring each has a notification of vehicle arrivals (Nova) certificate and is registered for UK roads.

In most cases, this means they’ll need an annual MOT and road tax (£200/year). But for those not planning to stray beyond their postcode, these costs can be eliminated by enrolling them for “limited agricultural use”.

© MAG/Oliver Mark

Reliable running gear

Abbey Commercials currently offers a pair of models – the older DA63T, built from 2005 to 2013, and its replacement, the DA16T.

The two are largely identical but for a slightly bigger cab on the DA16s and a revised “wheel back” layout that sees the front wheels positioned directly under the seats.

This provides a better turning circle than the longer-wheelbase “wheel front” setup of the 63s but, because of the overhanging trim, makes it marginally inferior off road.

© MAG/Oliver Mark

Propulsion comes from a surprisingly enthusiastic three-cylinder, 660cc fuel-injected K6A petrol engine. Millions of these have been made, they’re near bomb-proof and spare parts are easy to source.

Most versions put out about 45hp and, at a 40mpg average, they’re reckoned to be twice as efficient as a Jimny’s 1.5-litre four-cylinder in real-world conditions – albeit without quite as much poke.

The engine is typically married to a notchy five-speed manual transmission with a forgivingly low clutch bite.

© MAG/Oliver Mark

However, there is the odd three-speed automatic version knocking about, and these are sometimes preferred by taller drivers who fancy a bit more legroom. Both are good for upwards of 70mph.

On the road it’s rear-wheel drive, with a mechanical paddle between the seats granting access to high- and low-range four-wheel drive when the asphalt ends. Most also come with a rear differential lock.

© MAG/Oliver Mark

The one obvious downside is ground clearance, with the front cross member sitting just 200mm off the ground – about 30mm lower than the average UTV.

However, anyone concerned about this can spec bigger front coils and different rear leaf spring mounts; two versions are available, for a rise of either 50mm or 100mm.

Yet even without the lift kit, the lightweight Quadtruck is unexpectedly capable.

It might not quite match a John Deere Gator or Can-Am Traxter for go-anywhere ability but, like a Fiat Panda or Subaru MV pickup, it seemingly defies physics to skate over wet ground and climb grassy slopes it looks entirely incapable of handling.

Cab

Despite its pokey proportions, drivers and passengers are reasonably well catered for.

The vertical windscreen makes it feel more spacious than it appears, and a generous acreage of glass and slim pillars allow for better views outwards than those from the gloomy cabin of a UTV.

© MAG/Oliver Mark

It’s functional rather than luxurious – legroom isn’t overly abundant, and the seats are scantily cushioned and have awkwardly upright backs – but it isn’t designed for big miles and is perfectly fine for short, stop-start farm work journeys.

So too the steering wheel, which sits in the driver’s lap, but at least has electric assistance and, in some cases, an airbag within.

Occupants are parted by a handbrake and the four-wheel-drive controls that form a thin centre console, keeping them far enough apart to avoid smelling one another’s breath.

© MAG/Oliver Mark

Anyone concerned about space will be pointed in the direction of the newer DA16T, as it is slightly roomier.

Although they’re second-hand, the finish is generally smart, with tough, unfussy and generally unweathered grey plastics that should stand up to farming abuse.

It’s also remarkably quiet inside – even more so than the new battery-powered Polaris Ranger XP Kinetic.

And it comes with all the mod-cons you’d want; heater and radio are standard, most have air-conditioning, and some have electric windows.

Central locking is included too, so it can be parked in relative safety – unlike a buggy or quad.

Options

Though the base vehicles are all near-identical, there’s plenty of scope for customisation.

Beyond the aforementioned suspension lift kit, there’s an in-house-designed towbar (£250), various bull bars and bumper bars, and an Ifor Williams-style aluminium stock canopy with drop-down sides (£1,495) developed by M&J Linings at Clitheroe.

For those dealing in firewood, Abbey also offers tipper bodies that start from about £2,000.

Various sizes of steel and alloy wheels can be paired with standard road tyres, chunkier all-rounders, aggressive all-terrains, or tractor-type versions for slug pelleting and other field work.

© MAG/Oliver Mark

And the vehicles can be painted in Land Rover green, Scania red, or any other colour, for about £900.

Most spare parts are kept in stock, though rarer items can be delivered from Japan in about five days. Owners should be able to find common items – oils, filters, alternators and the like – at any decent auto factors.