Best small 4x4 2022
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As the SUV market has expanded, so the imperative for these vehicles to have all-wheel drive has faded. Years ago, a front-wheel-drive SUV seemed a strange idea. Today, it’s the default, with 4x4 systems something of a rarity.
This is particularly true when looking at smaller models. However, we aim to prove the compact all-road SUV is alive and well, by looking at 10 of the best small 4x4s.
Every car here is exactly that: a 4x4, or a vehicle that drives all four wheels, rather than just two. This gives plenty of grip in all weathers, and on all surfaces, enabling these cars to live up to their rugged styling.
Indeed, if you really take them into the rough stuff, you may be surprised at just how far they can travel without getting stuck. They’ll certainly handle a muddy field or a flash snowstorm with ease.
They guarantee you will remain mobile, no matter what the conditions underfoot. And they could be a lifesaver for those living in remote communities. Here are the best small 4x4s by far…
Best small 4x4s
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Suzuki Ignis Allgrip
The tiny Suzuki Ignis doesn’t just look like a 4x4, it also performs like one off-road. That’s thanks to an all-wheel-drive system, which Suzuki calls Allgrip. Offered on the top-spec SZ5 grade, it sends drive to the rear wheels when it detects the fronts are slipping, keeping you moving where other superminis would be left stranded. The raised-up ride height and tough body side protection mean the Ignis is surprisingly handy when green-laning, yet it’s still yours for less than £17,500. It has all the inner-city nippiness, fuel efficiency and surprising ability to swallow four adults as the regular Suzuki Ignis, too.
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Dacia Duster 4x4
The Dacia Duster is a family-sized five-door SUV that lives up to its rugged styling features with a top-spec 4x4 model that comes with all-wheel drive. Owners can control the various settings through a rotary dial on the dashboard, a bit like on a Land Rover, and decent pulling power from the 1.5-litre Blue dCi turbodiesel engine means it will conquer steep hillsides with ease. When the going gets really tough, you can lock the 4x4 system into all-wheel drive for maximum grip. Otherwise, it’s the same appealing package as the regular Duster: roomy, well-equipped and very competitively priced.
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MINI Countryman
The second-generation MINI Countryman is a premium machine, with a sophistication to how it drives and a quality interior. From the outside, it looks the part, with big wheels, raised ride height and chunky body cladding. The All4 all-wheel-drive version delivers on this promise, with four-wheel traction using a system derived from BMW. It’s very smooth in operation, and you’ll benefit from the confident, four-square feel even when you’re not trying to traverse a slippery field. MINI pairs it with either the Cooper’s throbby 1.5-litre turbo engine, or the high-performance 2.0-litre Cooper S range-topper. Either is a hoot to drive.
Fiat Panda Cross 4x4
You don’t have to search YouTube for long to find a video of a large, lumbering SUV stuck half-way up a snowy road, ready to be embarrassed by a Fiat Panda serenely passing on its way to the summit. The Fiat Panda Cross 4x4 is one of the most able 4x4s on sale, with a real tenacity to how it’s able to find grip in even the slipperiest of conditions. We can thank Fiat’s decades of experience in making micro-sized 4x4s for this. The latest Cross 4x4 proudly shows off its ever-ready talents with a rugged body kit, silver skid plates and, brilliantly, two vivid red tow hooks poking out from the front bumper. As if it would ever need towing, mind…
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Mazda CX-30 4WD
The Mazda CX-30 offers a surprise at the top of the range: a 2.0-litre SkyActiv-X engine that produces a healthy 186hp, and allows drivers to make the most of this power with standard 4WD. Sending drive to all four wheels means the front tyres will never get overwhelmed, ensuring more of the performance can be used, more of the time. In slippery conditions, Mazda’s sporty-looking small SUV will prove able long after others have given up. We also like the CX-30’s driver-focused controls, neat handling and high-quality interior.
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Volvo XC40 AWD
Volvo’s smallest SUV, the XC40 is offered in several guises with all-wheel drive. The most affordable is the B4 AWD, which boasts a healthy 197hp from its mild hybrid petrol engine. With the XC40’s generous ground clearance, squared-off extremities and tall, commanding driving position, it makes for a handy small 4x4 that is plenty spacious enough for everyday family use or weekend adventures. And if you’re really committed to getting back to nature and going green, the electric Volvo XC40 Recharge P8 also has all-wheel drive for climbing mountains in zero-emissions silence.
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Audi Q2 Quattro
The Q2 is Audi’s smallest SUV from a line-up that stretches right up to the giant Q8. With a huge grille and chiseled wheelarch extensions, the Q2 looks the part, and lives up to its original Audi Quattro influences in 35 TDI Quattro guise. This sophisticated all-wheel-drive system sends power to all four wheels when deemed necessary, which should ensure the Q2 never spins its wheels to a standstill when grip is sub-optimal. A high-quality, technology-packed interior is another highlight, and Audi has ensured that even its smallest 4x4 is big enough for growing families.
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BMW X1 xDrive
BMW’s SUV range starts with the X1. Most are sold in sDrive front-wheel-drive form, but the 20i petrol, along with the 18d and 20d diesels, are also offered with xDrive all-wheel drive. This uses BMW’s extremely clever 4x4 setup, which constantly juggles drive between the wheels. As such, you never actually sense which tyres are doing the driving; you simply feel the unstoppable traction, no matter how slippery it is underfoot. The interior has a sophisticated infotainment system, along with excellent build quality. There’s also a surprising amount of passenger space, both in the front and rear.
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Jeep Renegade 4xe PHEV
Jeep is a famous 4x4 brand, so even its smallest, most car-like SUV is still available with all-wheel drive. However, the company has brought things right up to date by introducing a plug-in hybrid system. The ingenious Renegade 4xe PHEV can both drive for up to 26 miles in zero emissions mode, and also scrabble its way across a monstrously muddy path without ever feeling like it’s going to wave the white flag. The four-wheel traction means you can make full use of the 1.3-litre turbo engine’s entertaining 190hp output when back on the highway, too.
Mercedes-Benz GLA 4Matic
Mercedes-Benz is another brand with a comprehensive line-up of 4x4s. Its range opens with the GLA and while the choice of variants offering all-wheel drive isn’t huge, the option is still there. The 4Matic 4x4 system is only available in the GLA 220 d turbodiesel, which costs just over £3,000 more than an alternative two-wheel-drive version. This guarantees you grip in all weathers, which you’ll enjoy from one of the smartest and most modern-feeling interiors available in a small 4x4 right now.
What is an all-wheel-drive small 4x4?
A 4x4 vehicle is a more rugged type of SUV. It comes with an all-wheel-drive system that sends drive to both the front and rear wheels. This contrasts with a two-wheel-drive SUV, which will only send drive to the front (or, less frequently, only to the rear) wheels. If you want the best grip in slippery weather, look for ‘4WD’ or ‘AWD’ in the brochure or spec sheet, as opposed to ‘2WD’ or ‘FWD’. When it comes to SUVs, you can’t guarantee that a vehicle described as a 4x4 will actually have all-wheel drive…
Are small 4x4s less efficient than regular SUVs?
Adding an all-wheel-drive system does impact fuel efficiency. There is more friction in the drivetrain, so more fuel is needed to accelerate it and keep it moving. Fortunately, the latest setups get round this by being automatic systems – i.e. all-wheel drive is only used when necessary. Otherwise, drive is sent to just two wheels, which should minimise the fuel consumption penalty for choosing a 4x4.
What is the most reliable small 4x4?
If you’re specifically looking for a 4x4, chances are you need it for its dependability and the promise of not getting stuck – no matter how inclement the weather or inhospitable the terrain. The last thing you want is for it to then break down. All the models listed here have a decent reputation for reliability, particularly vehicles such as the BMW X1 and Mercedes-Benz GLA. Watch-like reliability is a given with the Suzuki Ignis Allgrip and Mazda CX-30, too.
