The best 4x4s and off-road cars - driven, rated and ranked

That Jeep has carefully preserved the much-loved design - whose circular headlights, famously seven-slatted grille and strict geometry are recognisable still from the original Willys MB jeeps first deployed in World War II - is only part of the appeal.

The interior is spacious and less cheaply and sparsely finished than you might think, and that goes hand in hand with the improved efficiency of the car's downsized engines and better road manners (everything is relative, mind).

Of course, the Wrangler is still spectacular off the beaten track, especially in three-door Rubicon trim with its ladder-frame, locking differentials, knobbly tyres, specialised articulating axles, underbody bracing and outstanding approach and departure angle statistics.

It just wouldn't be as nice to live with every day as the Land Rover Defender, hence its second-place ranking. That's partly down to on-road manners that are considerably less salubrious than those of its British rival, with far less accurate handling, a more hyperactive ride and ear-bashing levels of 'refinement'. Still, if you're handy with a spanner, you can remove the Wrangler's roof for some wind-in-the-hair thrills.

Another icon, and it's one that has historically been the workhorse of choice in the Australian Outback, a place where breaking down simply won't do. This is an old-school off-roader with a body-on-frame construction and big numbers in all departments. For towing, wading and low-ratio, grind-it-out driving across truly inhospitable ground, the Land Cruiser scores very highly. Basic-spec versions are genuinely affordable, while top-spec cars offer packed-out equipment rosters and seating for up to seven.

It might have sophisticated suspension, but don't expect it to ride and handle like a monocoque SUV from Audi or Mercedes-Benz. It's a different beast: less sophisticated on the motorway but in another league in places where you might actually need a car like this, with a reputation for mechanical dependability and unbreakable toughness that's jealously regarded by every one of its competitors.

The best off-roaders tend to stick around. Both the Wrangler and the Land Cruiser have been with us for decades, and it's the same with the G-Wagen (technically now the G-Class, but you'll forgive us the nostalgia).

This Mercedes recently received an update, but underneath you'll still find a ladder-frame chassis, although the front suspension is now fully independent and the whole set-up was part-developed by AMG.

The result is car with three locking differentials, improved ground clearance and the same immense range off-road abilities as before; but it is now also one that handles predictably and, at times, even quite enjoyably on the road. 

You might wonder why the fifth-generation Land Rover Discovery doesn't sit higher up this list, even given the calibre of the cars above. It is, in the grand scheme, a terrifically competent off-roader, but it matches that with wonderful road manners for an all-round package with which none of the others can quite compete. Everywhere the Discovery goes, it does so with a calm assurance.

It isn't, however, quite as gritty, grippy or tenacious as some cars when the going gets really tough. That said, few are as easy and stress-free to drive in the rough stuff: the brand's advanced Terrain Response system does much of the hard work, meaning all you need do is steer the Disco up hill and down dale. In fact, with the Progress Control function engaged all you need to do is steer, while the system works like an off-road cruise control to keep your speed exactly on point for tackling the rough stuff.

A facelift for the 2021 model year brought new six-cylinder engines of both the petrol- and diesel-sipping varieties, as well as updated suspension and some fresh interior features. It also kept a likeable and very versatile car high in our estimations - although the need for seven seats means there's no room for the battery and motor required to deliver a plug-in hybrid version. The appeal is spreading, too: after a slowish start in showrooms the Discovery is starting to sell like hot cakes as buyers cotton on to its compelling blend of luxury, refinement, space and off-road talent.

The Grenadier is up with the best when it comes to conquering the wilderness, where its abilities in the rough match those of the British classic that has so clearly influenced its design.

In keeping with traditional 4x4 mechanical philosophy, the Ineos features a ladder-frame chassis and a pair of live axles. But to this it adds sophisticated BMW engines (a choice of 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol or diesel units), a ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox and a Tremac dual-range transfer ’box for proper rock-crawling ability.

Factor in ground clearance just shy of 260mm, a trio of differential locks and approach and departure angles of 35.9deg and the Grenadier is as unstoppable in the rough as you'd expect, barely breaking a sweat as its scrabbles up and over challenging terra firma.

Off-road ability and a no-nonsense utility underpin the car's character, but there's also softer side to the Ineos. Its interior is roomy and melds thoughtful ease of use with just enough luxury to appeal to the premium badge brigade, while our limited taster on the road revealed a machine that's closer in spirit to the Mercedes G-Wagon than the latest Defender: capable and easy to drive but lacking the dynamic polish and refinement to be truly at home on asphalt.

The original Ranger Raptor was something of a mixed bag, with a weedy 2.0-litre diesel failing to match the talents of a chassis that fooled you into thinking you could tackle a Dakar Rally stage. Happily, the newer version retains its predecessor's high-speed off-road prowess, but it now packs a little more muscle in the form of a 288bhp turbocharged 3.0-litre V6.

Suzuki markets the Jimny as the world's only lightweight proper off-roader, which is all very true, refreshingly. The car weighs just over 1100kg but uses a ladder-frame chassis with rigid-axle suspension at each end, and it has a low-ratio four-wheel-drive transmission.

This thing really works in the rough, as we've demonstrated with a twin test against a Toyota Land Cruiser. Indeed, with tiny overhangs, its approach, breakover and departure angles are all superior to those of the Jeep Wrangler, which is quite something; and being so small and light makes it surprisingly spry on mud and gravel and pleasingly easy to handle.

You will also, we guarantee, fall for the Jimny's kei car looks. Which is just as well, because its naturally aspirated 1.5-litre petrol engine isn't particularly economical, its boot is tiny, its road manners are only a notch or two above dismal and it can be particularly alarming when you need to stop in a hurry.

This is the full-sized, go-anywhere off-roader for the value-savvy buyer. The KGM (formerly Ssangyong) Rexton hasn't always been as tidy looking a car as it is now, but it has always been a proper 4x4. In this latest version you get seven seats, a ladder-frame construction, lockable mechanical four-wheel drive (with low-range), electronic hill descent control and a 201bhp, 2.2-litre diesel engine. And all for a price that, in the cheaper of two available trims, can start with a '3'.

The car performs better than it rides – its ladder-frame chassis makes it feel a little crude on the road over lumps and bumps – but it handles acceptably well for a big car, and its engine and gearbox do a decent job.

For serious mud-plugging, the Rexton's fixed-height, steel-coil suspension, along with clearance angles that are, in some cases, only just above 20deg, aren't world-beating. But if it's mostly tracks and fields you have to cross, and you want a big, cost-effective way to cross them, the Rexton might be worth investigating.