Best five off-road cars to buy in 2025
Will owners take them off the black stuff, though?
Over the past 30 years or so, the humble off-roader has become a bit of an outcast. With a reputation for being bought by those who’ll never use the capability, they are much maligned in the press and in public opinion. Yet for those who do need to batter their way through rough terrain and haul heavy loads over uneven ground, there’s nothing better.
A good 4×4 is, in many ways, the ultimate car. Unlike a family hatchback, it is very much at home away from the smooth blacktop, so you get far more freedom than a mere estate can deliver. And when the snow comes down, it should keep going. That is, as long as you remember that all-wheel drive might help you get moving, but it won’t help you stop (and the right tyres are always important).
But for many, a 4×4 is not a ticket to freedom but a necessary tool. For those who tow, or just live down a bumpy track in the hills of rural Scotland, an off-roader is a necessity, rather than a luxury.
So, whether you want an off-road toy, a capable tow car or a tool to get you around the Lake District, we’ve rounded up five of the best off-road cars you can buy in 2025.
Dacia Duster
From £18,850
With prices starting at just under £19,000, the Duster represents arguably the best-value 4×4 on the market… although the car doesn’t actually come with all-wheel drive as standard; you’ll need a higher-specification example for propulsion in all four corners. Having said that, the cheapest Duster 4×4 is still easily the cheapest off-roader here.
Affordable it may be, but the new Duster is still very capable. Because it’s relatively light, the plucky Dacia scrambles over any surface with the agility of a mountain goat, and the pricetag is low enough that you probably won’t be too fussy about a few scratches to the paintwork or a muddy interior. In a go-anywhere 4×4, that’s a great quality to have.
Yet for all that, the Duster still functions as a car. It looks good in a blocky, Lego-model kind of way, and it drives nicely enough. In all-wheel-drive form, it comes with a relatively efficient petrol engine, too, producing about 130bhp.
What’s more, it’s not bargain basement in terms of tech features. Even standard cars get rear parking sensors and air conditioning, while more upmarket models are offered with touchscreen infotainment and a digital instrument cluster, not to mention a reversing camera and automatic lights and wipers. If you want to go off-road without breaking the bank, this is the car to do it with.
Ford Ranger Raptor
From £49,130
You might not really want a pick-up truck, but this isn’t really a pick-up truck. It might be called a Ford Ranger, but the Raptor model doesn’t even qualify as a commercial vehicle because of its relatively low payload limit.
Built to tackle off-road conditions at high speeds, it comes with sporty rally raid-derived suspension, massive wheels and a more rugged body kit than any other Ranger. It has underbody protection and you can choose whether you have a 3-litre V6 petrol engine or a 2-litre diesel, depending on how much you like giving money to the attendants at your local filling station.
Whereas a normal Ford Ranger is good off-road, a Ranger Raptor is spectacular, capable of jumping, scrambling and sliding over any terrain you care to mention at breakneck speed. If you want to have fun in the desert, this is the car to take. Or if you happen to have a motocross circuit in your back garden, this will tackle it as well as any bike.
But while the Raptor is a demon on a dirt track, it’s also great on the road. The suspension is remarkably versatile, and it corners far better than the standard Ranger thanks to sharper steering and improved body control. We love it, and you will too.
- Read our review of the current Ford Ranger Raptor here
- Also check out our review of the 2019 Ranger Raptor here
Ineos Grenadier
From £65,000
The Grenadier has taken some stick in recent years, thanks in no small part to its questionable on-road dynamics (steering that doesn’t self-centre is tiresome in the extreme), but there’s no doubting its capability off-road. Now available in pick-up, van and SUV forms, this Land Rover Defender alternative is not cheap by any means but it’s somehow still thought of as a workhorse, rather than a luxury good.
Its high cost is partly down to the use of BMW engines and transmission tech, and they can’t come cheap. At least they are accomplished and robust components; Ineos itself has no previous experience with cars, and that shows through in the way the Grenadier rides and handles on-road. We wouldn’t want to do any kind of distance in a Grenadier, but if someone asked us to cross a muddy field, we wouldn’t hesitate to grab the keys; it’s strong, there’s absolutely no stopping it off-road and the cabin is cool in an Antonov cargo plane kind of way.
And for owners, there is some surprise and delight in there: the removable sunroof panels that allow you to poke out your head like a tank commander, for example; or the clips on the doors that allow you to strap all sorts of paraphernalia to the side of the vehicle. The Grenadier won’t be for everyone but it’s certainly got the off-roading chops to be included here.
- Find out what Jeremy Clarkson said about the Ineos Grenadier here
- Read our review of the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster pick-up truck here
Land Rover Defender
From £58,310
When the current-generation Defender was launched, it received a welcome that was mixed at best. But despite the detractors who lamented the passing of its more utilitarian predecessor, the more modern version has found its feet in the Land Rover range, becoming established as the brand’s most rugged product. It’s proving extremely popular, too, despite the vocal traditionalists.
Like its predecessor, the Defender is unapologetically boxy, but the edges have been softened somewhat and the look is much more modern. It’s much safer, too, and the interior is significantly more accommodating, with space for even tall adults to sit in relative comfort, and there’s no more reaching down into the footwell for the handbrake or being unable to find space for your right arm. The comfort continues while driving on the road, too, with road and wind noise cut enormously, and suspension that allows stable, accurate high-speed manoeuvring possible.
But though the Defender is more civilised and gentrified than before, it’s still incredibly impressive off-road, with lots of gizmos and gadgets to help you climb every mountain and ford every stream; it’ll wade in 850mm of water with coil springs, or 900mm if you get the air suspension.
The capability is remarkable, regardless of whether you choose the short-wheelbase, three-door Defender 90 or the longer, more spacious Defender 110 and Defender 130 models. This Defender still feels like an uncompromising 4×4, but it’s far more versatile than its forebears.
- Read our review of the 2020 Land Rover Defender 110 here
- Read our review of the Land Rover Defender 130 here
Toyota Land Cruiser
From £74,995
The Toyota Land Cruiser is a firm favourite with off-roaders, and with very good reason: for years, it has been one of the most rugged and dependable 4x4s on the market. The new model is expected to continue that theme while adding a healthy dose of retro styling. Like the Defender, it’s supposed to hark back to previous models while still feeling modern, and it manages to achieve that with equal success.
The engineering is a mix of modern and traditional, too, with a strong ladder chassis that makes it enormously robust but doesn’t necessarily help with refinement and comfort. That said, it’s been designed to be more road-friendly than before, and that means the new Land Cruiser should be easier to live with every day, while retaining the go-anywhere capability that made the Land Cruiser such a firm favourite in the past.
Off-roading is made possible with the aid of lots of gizmos to help keep you moving when other cars would flounder. A gutsy 2.8-litre diesel engine helps on that front, even if it isn’t as refined as other brands’ six-cylinder alternatives, and there’s scope for customisation and aftermarket additions if you want to get creative and maximise the car’s abilities.
Related articles
- If you liked our article on the best off-road cars to buy this year, you might also be interested in the new Kingsley Defender, a £170,000 modernised take on the classic Land Rover
- Speaking of restomods, our writer spent several months with the new Talos Defender Delta — check out his review
- Also take a look at our guide to the best used 4×4 estate cars
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