Car hunter: Help! I need a rugged off-road 4x4 for £25,000
Dear Auto Express, I'm looking for a smart-looking, rugged 4x4 estate or SUV with room for a dog. What do you recommend for £25,000? - Richard Newman, E-mail
In days gone by, few cars combined genuine off-road ability with polished on road manners. But in the current used car market there are a number of well-rounded options that perform on and off the beaten track. Advertisement - Article continues below
Anything wearing a Land Rover badge is unlikely to get stuck – take the tough Land Rover Discovery Sport, for instance. However, if you're willing to sacrifice a degree of all-terrain ability for sleeker looks and tighter dynamics, Volvo, Skoda and others offer jacked-up 4x4 estate cars.
The Audi A4 Allroad is sharply styled with a beautifully built cabin, and uses the firm's quattro system to find grip on slippery surfaces.
Then there's the Subaru Outback, which trades the Audi's luxuries for more off-road credentials. With this in mind, here are the best versatile 4x4s and off-road cars you can buy for £25,000.
Here's our expert pick of the three best used 4x4 and off-road cars available for a budget of £25,000, together with links to buy one through our Find a Car service... For: Comfortable ride, build quality, interior tech
Against: Dull to drive, not unstoppable off-road Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below
The Audi A4 Allroad retains the same sharp lines as the standard A4 estate, but adds chunky plastic wheelarch extensions and a raised ride height. It's more capable than a typical estate, but can break traction more easily than its rivals here. It's refined and cosseting, though.
The entry-level A4 Allroad is powered by a 187bhp 2.0-litre TDI diesel, which offers plenty of poke and official fuel economy of up to 57.6mpg. It's our pick of the bunch – £23,500 buys a 48,000-mile 2020 model with LED headlights, Audi's Virtual Cockpit and Exterior off road aluminium package. Advertisement - Article continues below
The four-wheel-drive Audi A4 Allroad's biggest draw is its interior. The minimalist design, modern infotainment tech and exceptional quality are only matched by its Mercedes C-Class rival in this segment, but this isn't offered in an off-road body style. The optional Technology Pack adds an 8.3-inch infotainment screen, and some models feature Audi's Virtual Cockpit digital instrument display – worth shopping around for if you're a tech lover. The Allroad is the same size as the standard A4 Avant estate, with plenty of rear legroom and a generous 505-litre boot – big enough for a furry friend.
Used Audi A4 Allroad deals For: Off-road prowess, seven seats, strong refinement
Against: Dated infotainment, expensive to run Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below
While lesser Land Rover Discovery Sports are front-driven, the bulk of the range gets four-wheel drive and Land Rover's Terrain Response system. It offers a pleasant ride and a well isolated cabin, too.
Efficiency isn't the Discovery Sport's strong suit, though – the TD4 has a 178bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel motor that doesn't achieve its claimed 53.3mpg. Low-thirties are more achievable in the real world. For just over £20,000, we found a 19-plate, 47,000-mile car, equipped with Apple CarPlay/ Android Auto, sat-nav and a reversing camera. Advertisement - Article continues below
As with the full-size Discovery, the Sport offers seven seats, although the third-row is more suited to children than adults. Fold them away and the resulting 981-litre boot (measured to the roofline, rather than the load cover) is cavernous, and there are plenty of storage areas littered around the cabin, too. Build quality is strong, and should hold up against an excitable dog.
The Discovery Sport received a much-improved and optional 10.2-inch infotainment touchscreen in late 2016. Unless you find a car specified with it, the standard system isn't the snappiest on the market.
Used Land Rover Discovery Sport deals For: Great off-road, tough and highly practical
Against: Boring design, cabin feels cheap in places Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below
Few rivals tackle tricky terrain as well as the Subaru Outback, thanks to its advanced four-wheel drive system. The Outback's 200mm ground clearance and extensive body cladding make it ideal for off-road tracks.
However, the Subaru doesn't look particularly upmarket, and its road manners aren't stellar – the A4 Allroad is quieter and more composed on the move. The torquey 2.5-litre boxer petrol produces 175bhp and returns around 33mpg in automatic guise. We found a 2019 car with 51,000 miles on the clock for just over £16,500.
Standard equipment includes cruise control, a reversing camera, heated leather seats, keyless go, sat-nav and Bluetooth. The Outback comes with Subaru's Starlink seven-inch infotainment system, too, making it a viable contender here. Some of the plastics around the interior feel rather cheap, and the design is quite dated on the whole, but the cabin is at least roomy. There's plenty of space for four adults, and the boot is bigger than the A4 Allroad's at 559 litres. Self-levelling rear suspension is a useful touch, because it gives the Outback particularly strong towing capabilities.
Used Subaru Outback deals
Now you can buy a car through our network of top dealers around the UK. Search for the latest deals…
Find a car with the experts It's only a matter of time before Jaguar Land Rover builds a factory in the USA
It's only a matter of time before Jaguar Land Rover builds a factory in the USA
Mike Rutherford thinks Jaguar's 'Reimagine' strategy will result in the company exploring further opportunities in the USA Slow death of the manual car revealed in exclusive new data
Slow death of the manual car revealed in exclusive new data
There are now very few manual cars available to buy, a trend that's been exacerbated by the rise of EVs Car Deal of the Day: Nissan's X-Trail is a do-it-all seven-seat hybrid SUV for only £235 a month
Car Deal of the Day: Nissan's X-Trail is a do-it-all seven-seat hybrid SUV for only £235 a month
If the Qashqai is too small for you, then the larger X-Trail is a fine alternative. It's our Deal of the Day for 25 May
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