Most SUVs are two-wheel-drive pretenders that are useless away from paved roads. These are the real deal.
If your commute includes grassy fields, muddy tracks or crossing fords, a normal car or SUV probably won’t cut it. And you’re probably very far from a big city. In which case, a proper 4x4 will prove useful – perhaps even vital. We’ve listed the best cheap 4x4s to buy in 2025, and most are available from Motorpoint with low mileage and warranty cover.
Dacia Duster
The Dacia Duster has always been an affordable, no-nonsense SUV with optional four-wheel drive. That continues with the latest Duster, which has gone a bit more lifestyle – and is even better for it. You can even add a chunky roof rack for all your overlanding gear, a double bed pack and a tent! Four-wheel-drive versions give a 31-degree approach angle and a drive mode selector with water, snow and hill-descent modes.
Happy sticking with the older Duster? Shop used Dacia Duster cars for sale or read our used Dacia Duster review
Jeep Avenger
Jeep’s smallest, most Europe-focused model is now available with four-wheel drive to back up its asphalt-phobic heritage. Called the 4xe (four-by-ee), the Avenger uses a hybrid engine with an electric motor powering the back wheels and a petrol powering the fronts. Standard equipment over the front-drive Avenger includes skid plates, washable seats, a birds-eye rear camera view and different terrain modes.
Shop used Jeep Avenger cars for sale or read our Jeep Avenger review
Jeep Compass
Step up a size and you get the Compass 4xe, a plug-in hybrid that can offer 240hp and over 20 miles of EV driving. With a torquey electric motor, there’s always power to scramble over obstacles and, like the Avenger, there’s hill-descent control and Jeep’s SelecTerrain switch as standard. Go for the Trailhawk trim for the best off-road ability, as this also boasts bigger approach and departure angles, plus prominent towing eyes. The Trailhawk is very expensive new, but great value on the used market.
Shop used Jeep Compass cars for sale or read our Jeep Compass review
Suzuki S-Cross
Suzuki’s S-Cross SUV is another cheap and cheerful 4x4, provided you pick an AllGrip version. Do so and you’ll get selectable four-wheel-drive modes, including one for snow and a handy auto mode. AllGrip is only available on the higher of the two trim levels, and this Ultra version gets a 360-degree camera to avoid gouging the bodywork on jutting rocks – as well as nice-to-haves such as heated front seats and climate control.
Shop used Suzuki S-Cross cars for sale
Fiat Panda Cross
Slow, lacking in modern equipment and you wouldn’t want to have a crash in one. But otherwise the Fiat Panda Cross is surprisingly capable and incredibly fun. It sounds like the engine runs on angry bees and its chunky cladding makes it look like a chihuahua in a suit of armour – but it’s not just for show. Go to Italy’s mountainous regions and you’ll see ancient Panda 4x4s long past where Land Rovers dare to tread.
Suzuki Vitara
Suzuki’s other small SUV is the Vitara, and it’s also available with AllGrip cleverness and suitably solid-feeling switches. It’ll hold its own on slippery trails, yet with mild-hybrid technology to reduce emissions and fuel consumption, it’ll also manage 52mpg when driven carefully. The Vitara has a simple-to-use interior and top-spec models get suede and part-leather upholstery.
Shop used Suzuki Vitara cars for sale or read our Suzuki Vitara review
Suzuki Ignis
Finishing out the trio of Suzuki models on this list is probably our favourite. The Ignis is a city car and an SUV all in one, and it too comes with the option of AllGrip. With just 82hp you’d think it’d be flummoxed by a speed bump, but it’s gutsy and resilient. It’ll surprise you in more ways than one, because on the road the Ignis is a fun little thing and it even has plenty of space for four adults – despite taking up little more space on the road than a phone box.
Shop used Suzuki Ignis cars for sale or read our Suzuki Ignis review
Skoda Karoq
Most Karoqs are front-wheel drive and will never leave the Tarmac, but the supreme Skoda is available with four-wheel drive and it has been sold in the off-road-focused Scout trim level. We’re not talking a neckerchief and badges down its sleeve, rather skid plates and 4x4 drive modes to shrug off unyielding rocks and tracks with tall grass down the middle. The Karoq is one of the very best midsize SUVs, because it’s cheap, fun and multi-talented.
Shop used Skoda Karoq cars for sale or read our Skoda Karoq review
Subaru Crosstrek
While Subaru is a big seller in the US, it’s a niche brand in the UK. But if you live somewhere beyond the reach of a Tesco van, Subaru’s blend of off-road ruggedness and a safety-first driving experience will surely appeal. Formerly called the XV, the Subaru Crosstrek is the brand’s smallest model but it still gets 4WD as standard. Not getting stuck in nasty weather is enough to overlook its pretty meagre fuel economy.
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Jaguar I-Pace
A wildcard, perhaps, but the electric Jaguar I-Pace is four-wheel drive and cheap. A small-wheeled I-Pace can be yours for well under £20,000, and it won’t cost a lot to run if you can charge at home (and ignore how much you’re paying for insurance…). Ground clearance is fairly decent and the I-Pace has Adaptive Surface Response up its sleeve – tech borrowed from its Land Rover stablemate. The I-Pace can wade through the sort of water that you’d be wary to walk through, and scramble over slippy mud without losing momentum. Surprising, for something that looks more at home on the Surrey school run.
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