SA’s five cheapest REAL 4x4s

By Ané Theron

Who wants to drive a sedan if you can opt for a SUV that can take you to more interesting places? Many SUVs and crossovers boast off-road ability nowadays, but a bit of ground clearance and a set of roof rails won’t get you very far if you want to take your picnic to those hard-to-reach scenic spots. Here are the five least expensive, true 4x4s in SA right now:

Mahindra Thar 4x4 (R 219 900)

This bare, but hard-built Willy’s Jeep impersonator is built in India. The Thar is utilitarian and rough around the edges, but I speak from personal experience when I tell you how capable it is. During a tricky ascent on the back-end of a 4x4 route on a wine farm, an inexperienced driver managed to get it all the way to the top of a steep and slippery hill – without even engaging the low-range gearbox. She said she didn’t know how to use it and was too shy to ask. (I was the lucky person riding shotgun.) The 2.5-litre turbo-diesel Thar (with 79kW and 247Nm) has air-conditioning, and a radio is optionally available from the dealer, but rather focus on its strong points: a robust ladder frame, and the fact that you can shift on-the-fly from 2WD to 4WD. It also features an auto-engaging rear diff lock. https://mahindra.co.za/site/products/thar/

Fiat Panda 4x4 (R 229 900)

Pretty as a picture, yet tough enough to take on the rough stuff. Slushy riverbed, anyone?, You won’t believe how well it handles soft sand and rocks. With ground clearance of 150mm and other outdoor gear such as a skid plates and protective side mouldings, the tiny all-wheel drive 4x4 is as capable as it is cute, with an electronic diff for sticky situations. The tiny two-cylinder 900cc motor sounds a bit gruff, but is a light sipper if you don’t drive it hard. The Panda 4x4 will steal your heart – and all for under R230 000. The Panda 4x4 gets ABS, 4 airbags, electronic stability control and anti-skid regulation.

 Suzuki Jimny (R 258 400)

Who cares about ride quality when you can literally travel to the ends of the earth in a sub-260K mini-4x4? It’s been around for ages, and is still regarded as one of the most able-bodied and rugged little off-roaders. This inexpensive (but robust) SUV happily drives up the side of a mountain without breaking a sweat. The 1.3-litre petrol-engine won’t have you crying at the pumps come fill-up time either, and because the Jimny’s body is so compact, you won’t complain too much about it’s lack of go. 63kW and 110Nm and a low-transfer ‘box is exactly what you need, in this case. ABS and dual airbags are standard safety spec, as are fog lamps and a high-level brake light. There’s no Bluetooth, but you do get a radio/CD player.

Renault Duster 1.5dCi Dynamique 4WD (R 304 900)

Okay, there’s a fair bit of hard plastics inside and when the sun shines on the touchscreen it’s a little hard to read. But that’s where my criticism ends. The Renault Duster has laughed in the faces of much bigger and more expensive 4x4s, who thought they’d kick its little budget-friendly behind when it came to real-deal off-roading. Known as the Dacia in overseas markets, the audacious Duster has proven its toughness many times over, despite its small and frugal 1.5-litre turbo-diesel engine. Priced at R304 900, it’s the sensible man’s 4x4 who believes in collecting memories instead of status-symbols. It’s not short on spec either. Go to http://www.renault.co.za/cars/duster/index.html for the full list. At this price point, you won’t find anything else that is as capable, and has this amount of comfort features.

Mahindra Scorpio 2.2 CRDe S10 4x4  (R 311 995)

Another Indian SUV, the super-spacious Scorpio may not be a hot 4x4, yet there’s something strangely attractive about it. In Afrikaans there’s a saying: “mooi van lelikgeit” – in other words, its characterful, opposite-of-eye-candy-looks serve to make it kind of sexy. With a ladder-frame chassis, the tough-as-nails Scorpio has a decent enough sting in its 2.2-litre turbo-diesel tail too, but don’t expect to win any drag races. Its 88kW and 280 Nm of power is quite happy to tow up to 1900 kilograms though, and the Scorp has a low-range transfer case. Safety kit is also better than expected, with ABS, EBD and also corner brake control (CBC). There are two dual airbags. Visit the Mahindra website for more info and to check out its generous list of features.