It's getting cold - time to see what 4x4s are on the market!
Our partners - and car review experts - at
CompleteCar.ie have come up with the top five 4x4s you can buy with €35,000 burning a hole in your bank account. And we mean cars with actual four-wheel drive and some ground clearance.
1 - Hyundai Tucson
Plus: Good quality, refined, high level of equipment
Minus: Steering feels quite numb, restricted choice of 4x4 versions
- Pricing for 4x4 models: from €35,495
- Engines: 2.0 turbodiesel
- Power output: 136hp
- Fuel consumption: 5.2- to 6.0 litres/100km
- Road tax: Band B2 to D (€280 to €570)
- Safety: Five-star EuroNCAP rating with 86 per cent for driver protection
To be clear: this is a brand new model Tucson, replacing the Hyundai ix35 that served the company so well in terms of sales. This new SUV is very much a junior Santa Fe with a spacious and high-quality interior and refined road manners. It's a shame that the more popular 1.7-litre CRDi diesel engine isn't offered with four-wheel drive, as the 2.0-litre engine is quite a bit more expensive. Nonetheless, the Tucson is probably the best-equipped car in the segment so you'd never call it poor value for money. Hyundai Ireland expects the Tucson to out-sell the Nissan Qashqai, its direct rival, in 2016.
2 - Jeep Renegade
Plus: Unique styling, spacious for passengers, powerful engines
Minus: Bouncy ride quality, a bit expensive
- Pricing for 4x4 models: from €31,200
- Engines: 2.0 turbodiesel and 1.4-litre petrol
- Power output: 140- to 170hp
- Fuel consumption: 5.1- to 6.9 litres/100km
- Road tax: Band B2 to D (€280 to €570)
- Safety: Five-star EuroNCAP rating with 87 per cent for driver protection
The Jeep brand has long been synonymous with off-roading, but the Renegade is a departure for the company, as it was designed to capitalise on the current demand for compact crossovers that look tough, but are no more expensive to run than family hatchbacks. Thankfully Jeep does offer proper four-wheel drive versions of the Renegade too, with petrol or diesel engines, but they're a tad expensive for the size of the car. Also, the ride can be a little bouncy. Nonetheless, this is probably one of the most distinctive SUVs around at the moment, which will be reason enough for some.
3 - Nissan Qashqai
Plus: Great residual values, good engine
Minus: Restricted 4x4 choice
- Pricing for 4x4 models: from €35,745
- Engines: 1.6 turbodiesel
- Power output: 130hp
- Fuel consumption: 5.0 litres/100km
- Road tax: Band B2 (€280)
- Safety: Five-star EuroNCAP rating with 88 per cent for driver protection
The Nissan Qashqai has occupied a top-three position in the Irish new car sales charts for some time now and for good reason. It's priced to compete with the likes of the Ford Focus, yet it looks like an SUV and gives its driver and passengers a higher up view of the road ahead. However, the vast majority of Qashqais sold are front-wheel drive, so there's just one model in the range with four-wheel drive. Well, one model available in two different trim levels, and one engine option. Thankfully, that engine, a relatively new 1.6-litre turbodiesel, is a good one, so this is an efficient option.
4 - Mazda CX-5
Plus: Very stylish, high quality, powerful engine
Minus: Not the most economical in the real world
- Pricing for 4x4 models: from €34,995
- Engines: 2.2 turbodiesel
- Power output: 150- to 175hp
- Fuel consumption: 5.2- to 5.5 litres/100km
- Road tax: Band B2 to C (€280 to €390)
- Safety: Five-star EuroNCAP rating with 94 per cent for driver protection (2012 rating)
The Mazda CX-5 has always majored on its driving dynamics and style, and an update at the start of 2015 enhanced it further. It's not cheap, but go for the high-spec Platinum model if budget allows, as it's the most stylish looking and loaded to the gunwales with equipment. Nonetheless, four-wheel drive is priced at a similar level to direct rivals from Nissan and Hyundai and the CX-5 comes with the benefit of a torque-rich 2.2-litre diesel engine. It promises low running costs in spite of that engine size, even if it is thirstier than advertised.
5 - Skoda Yeti
Plus: Brilliant to drive, flexible interior, good engines
Minus: Not all that big inside
- Pricing for 4x4 models: from €27,990
- Engines: 2.0 turbodiesel
- Power output: 110- to 150hp
- Fuel consumption: 5.1- to 5.5 litres/100km
- Road tax: Band B2 to C (€280 to €390)
- Safety: Five-star EuroNCAP rating with 92 per cent for driver protection (2009 rating)
We're huge fans of the Skoda Yeti, especially in 4x4 guise. In this company it looks remarkably good value too, especially when you consider it has a 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine. No, it's not quite as big as the Nissan and Hyundai mentioned above, but the rear seats are individual so there's a lot of flexibility to the interior. We really don't care about all that though, as the Yeti is simply brilliant to drive, whether on the motorway or a snow-capped mountain trail. There are regular and 'Outdoor' variants to choose from as well and an excellent DSG automatic gearbox.
