So you have seen the videos online, cant head overseas because of closed borders, and now have decided to get your hands on a 4WD to take the family into the great unknown to get your kicks within the borders of the great southern land.

But there are so many different 4WDs out there, which one to choose and what are their limitations and benefits.

We are going to only talk about four-wheel drives with low range gear boxes, this is an extra gear selection you can make when you are stuck offroad that puts more power to the track but much slower than your regular gearing. Low range is essentially tractor mode, and with typical gear boxes driven through a low-range gearbox, an idling engine in second gear provides enough torque to propel a vehicle up a steep slope or through thick mud compared with standard gearing.

Choosing a 4WD will depend on a handful of factors, depending on how hardcore you want to go, how many passengers you might need to take, fuel range, and even how much space you have to park it, or even if you regularly do the supermarket run, with limited roof clearance in underground carparks.

There are 3 main categories to consider, outlined below;

Compact 4WD
most often thought about as a ‘runabout’ a small 4WD is a handy vehicle to have if you regularly drive in the inner city, or even don’t love the idea of navigating around town in what feels like a B-double. Whilst they are compact, small 4WD’s like Suzuki’s unstoppable Sierra/Jimny/Vitara lineup or Daihatsu’s Rocky/Feroza range, these diminutive sized rigs, aren’t lacking in offroad performance, because of the hatchback size, and relative light weight build they are essentially miniaturized versions of their bigger cousins.

Available in a range of suspension setups there is a vehicle suited for everyones needs and whilst not sharing the benefits of masses of internal storage, the light weight build makes offroad driving a blast, floating over terrain that would usually swallow up heavier vehicles.

The lighter weight has the added benefit of wearing out tyres less quickly and the cult status means that parts and upgrades are much more affordable. But typically these rigs are dwarfed by their larger counterparts and extended trips away can be limited by cargo capacity and a typical layout found more often in hatch back sized vehicles.

Medium sized 4WD
This is where most dual cab utes and family wagon style 4WD’s come in, offering more space than the typical compact 4WD’s do and more plush creature comforts its no wonder that this class of 4WD vastly outsells the other two categories in this list, whilst often aimed at less “hardcore” drivers, the onroad behavior typically found in the medium sized range makes this class the perfect ‘Family’ vehicle, typically offering independent front suspension, and a range of modern traction control tech bits to keep all 4 wheels firmly planted and driving along without trouble.

Typical wagons found in this range are Mitsubishi Pajero’s Toyota Prado, and even Isuzu’s MU-X. these models can offer 7 seats, air conditioning, Airbags all around and clever stability and traction options to keep safe, on and offroad.

The bigger size offers a more stable platform for heading into the bush or beach and with larger fuel capacities than the compact 4WD ranges, offer significantly increased fuel range making them ideal for adapting to longer trips away along with easily tackling the requirements of a modern family during the daily school run or heading to the supermarket.

Full sized 4WD  

If you ask any old timey 4 wheel driver, this is where the fun begins, boasting the biggest suspension travel, the highest load carrying capacity and the most powerful engines, with displacement beginning at around 3.5L and going all the way up above 5.5L turbo V8 diesel engines. This category is undeniably the business, with heavier duty gearing, much more dramatic low range ratios and often more robustly constructed parts.

Full sized 4WDs are more akin to a light truck than their more compact counterparts which more resemble an offroad hatch back. The light truck comparison is quite appropriate with many models sharing components with their brands light truck department. The benefit to these solid components is the reliability during intense technical manouvres, along with the increased fuel economy with their high torque turbocharged engines.

Some models like the Nissan patrol can be equipped from factory with 140L of diesel, or the Toyota 70 series LandCruiser 130L of capacity is standard.  The incredible amount of fuel capacity comes in handy during long range desert crossings where fuel supplies are few and far between comparted to driving around town, not to mentoion the tendancy of these machines to offer much more agricultural and mechanical functions over the more cost effective and lighter duty electrical components, this offers 4WDers confidence when crossing rivers and creeks that electrical faults will not cause the vehicle to stop operating.


Without a doubt the best tactic to take when shopping for your next 4WD is to assess what you need the vehicle to do and to make sure that you select a vehicle that isn’t just the biggest and most hardcore, but rather one that ticks more boxes for what you need it to.


No matter what 4WD You choose there are accessories to help you fit it out, and no shortage of tips and tricks on how to get the most out of your setup, for instance a set of LED Driving lights and a UHF radio might be the only upgrades you make, but if you were chasing a full setup with an aluminium roof rack, Titan Rear Drawers and a full 12v Dual battery system to run a camping fridge full time, then we have the ticket for you.

To see the full range in person head to www.4WDSupacentre.com.au or drop into one of our nationwide showrooms that are full of 4WD gear ready to get you further offroad for less!