Best small 4x4s 2024: compare small 4WD cars

​The best small 4x4s offer rugged style, practicality and off-road ability all in one compact package. There are a variety of small 4WD cars to be found on sale in the UK, and our expert road testing team has driven every single one, so read on to find the best small 4x4 cars on sale right now.

Best small 4x4s

1. Dacia Duster
2. Volvo EX30
3. Skoda Karoq
4. Toyota GR Yaris
5. Mercedes EQA
6. Lexus UX
7. Volkswagen T-Roc
8. Range Rover Evoque
9. Jeep Renegade
10. Suzuki Ignis

1. Dacia Duster

11

• Prices from £20,500

Few cars offer the same combination of family-friendly practicality and off-road capability as the Dacia Duster, and fewer still manage to even come close to its sub-£25,000 starting price. It’s such a competitive offering that we couldn’t help but crown the Dacia Duster as our Small SUV of the Year for 2024.

The latest generation of this no-frills SUV is a more modern-feeling car than its predecessor, but it still offers the same sort of no-frills, durable motoring. There’s a decent amount of kit included as standard, and it’s mostly the sort of things that you’ll actually use, rather than gimmicks. There’s plenty of space inside, too, and opting for the four-wheel drive version means it’s surprisingly competent when the going gets tough. 

2. Volvo EX30

11

• Prices from £34,000
• Best for efficiency

It may wear a premium badge, but the Volvo EX30 is surprisingly reasonable when it comes down to the purchase price. Admittedly, if you want four-wheel drive, you’ll have to go for the priciest Twin Motor Performance variant (which starts at around £42,000), but for your money you’ll get an electric SUV with a generous helping of luxuriousness and up to 280 miles of battery range on the WLTP combined cycle.

While the EX30 hasn’t really been designed with off-roading in mind, the dual-motor version of Volvo’s baby SUV certainly caters for performance fans. The EX30 Twin Motor Performance can sprint from 0-62mph in just 3.6 seconds, meaning it’ll even manage to catch some high-end sports cars off guard.

3. Skoda Karoq

11

• Prices from £29,500
• Best for families

All versions of the Skoda Karoq offer plenty of practicality and space for family use, along with good levels of comfort and on-board tech. Opt for a four-wheel drive version and you can also add some off-road ability to this already impressive mix.

The Karoq received a mid-life facelift in 2022 to keep it competitive in the fiercely-fought mid-size SUV market, along with further updates in 2023. These Changes included a refreshed exterior design, a new fully-digital dashboard and a simplification of trim options.

Four-wheel drive versions of the Karoq are offered with a 187bhp 2.0-litre TSI petrol or a 147bhp 2.0-litre TDI diesel. Neither of these engines feel sluggish, and they offer plenty of punch for overtaking. Both come with a 7-speed DSG automatic transmission as standard.

The two-wheel-drive Karoqs offer greater fuel economy, but the four-wheel-drive 2.0-litre diesel can still achieve up to 48.7mpg on the combined WLTP cycle. 

4. Toyota GR Yaris

11

• Prices from £44,500
• Best driving experience

Remember, this is a list of the best small 4x4s, not the best small SUVs, so the Toyota GR Yaris does indeed belong here. Fit the right set of tyres to this fiery hot hatchback and you’ll pretty much have a rallying pocket rocket in your hands (provided you can handle it).

When you aren’t hammering the living daylights out of it and having plenty of fun in the process, the GR Yaris settles down into being a supermini that’s surprisingly easy to live with day-to-day. The 318-litre boot should provide ample storage for a family’s weekly shop, while the three-cylinder engine is capable of returning up to 32mpg if you go easy on the throttle. 

5. Mercedes EQA

11

• Prices from £50,000

The Mercedes EQA is the brand’s entry-level electric SUV, but that’s not to say it isn’t upmarket. Based on the Mercedes GLA, the EQA looks distinctive thanks to its flush grille and full-width rear lights, but it’s underneath the car where the magic happens.  

Mercedes claims that the EQA can achieve up to 346 miles of range, depending on your chosen variant. Charging speeds of up to 100kW are possible, too, meaning the EQA’s battery can be charged from 10 to 80 per cent in as little as 32 minutes.

All trim levels are reasonably equipped – as you’d hope for a small SUV that’s priced from around £50,000 – with 18-inch alloy wheels, dual 10.25-inch digital screens and heated seats. Premium and Premium Plus packs add more luxuries, such as wireless smartphone charging and a better stereo. 

6. Lexus UX

11

• Prices from £35,000

The Lexus UX is one of the more unique small SUVs on the UK’s roads at the moment. With its sharp styling and plush interior, this car is anything but understated, but there are some useful sensible touches, too, such as the choice of a fully-electric version.

It’s unlikely that many owners will consider taking this Lexus off-road, but opting for the four-wheel drive hybrid model does mean that you get some extra power to go with this premium SUV’s impressive levels of refinement and comfort.

7. Volkswagen T-Roc

11

• Prices from £28,500

If you like the familiarity of a Volkswagen Golf but are also allured by the idea of the increased space and higher driving position that an SUV brings, the Volkswagen T-Roc is the car for you. This small SUV actually shares the same underpinnings as the Golf hatchback, but its added bulk does make it a bit more expensive to buy.

Inside you’ll find a cabin that’s largely the same as the Golf’s when it comes to tech (both good and bad), but in the T-Roc this comes with the added bonus of extra passenger space and a 445 litre boot.

8. Range Rover Evoque

11

• Prices from £40,000

While it looks fairly similar to the original, the latest Range Rover Evoque benefits from some pretty big changes under the skin. Not only does it now have the firm’s latest infotainment technology, but it can also be specced with a petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid powertrain.

Of course, it’s the Evoque’s styling inside and out that’s still a major draw – it’s able to serve up Range Rover’s trademark look and feel, but in a small and relatively affordable package. Walk up the range from S to SE, HSE and Autobiography and the kit levels become truly luxurious, but the price also climbs steeply from affordable to eye-watering.

9. Jeep Renegade

11

• Prices from £30,500

The Jeep Renegade’s squared retro-looks are a nod to the brand’s long four-wheel drive bloodline. But if you want a Renegade that’s capable of taking you off-road, you’ll have to choose one of the more expensive 4xe versions. 

Four-wheel drive models are limited to the 4xe plug-in hybrid powertrain, which uses a 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine up front, and an electric motor to power the rear wheels. This means there’s instant torque to apply a helping shove that can keep the Renegade moving in slippery conditions.  

10. Suzuki Ignis

11

• Prices from £18,000

A number of city cars and superminis are designed to look tough, but the Suzuki Ignis goes a step further and actually offers a fully-fledged four-wheel drive powertrain to go with its rugged appearance. 

This focus on robustness does come at the cost of the Ignis’s ride quality, but its small stature means it feels right at home on city streets. There’s a decent amount of space inside, too, and it’s by far the cheapest car on this list.

Spending more time off the road than on it? These are our favourite off-road cars...