4x4 Mart May Preview

BUYING • SELLING • OWNING

MAY 2010 • £2.50

DISCOVERY 3

Land Rover 110 300tdi £6,495

Suzuki Jimny Estate £3,995

Mitsubishi Shogun Equippe £7,995

MORE THAN 1,000 USED 4x4s FOR SALE INSIDE FIND YOUR NEXT VEHICLE HERE!

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4X4 MART | MAY 2010 www.4x4mart.co.uk

4x4 NEWS

WHAT’S IN YOUR GREAT NEW ISSUE… 4x4 MART IS BACK!With 4x4mart.co.uk going from strength to strength, increasing numbers of followers have been asking when we’re likely to be back in the newsagents. And that day has finally come – via this bigger, brighter and better-value version of your favourite 4x4 title.

It’s a time of major change for us, hitting the market with a new, industry-leading price of just £2.50. Why pay well over £4 for a magazine when you can grab this exciting new 4x4 newspaper-size version at such a low price? Especially when you look at what you’re getting for your money…

Not only does 4x4 Mart boast more vehicles for sale than any other all-marques 4x4 title, with over a thousand used 4x4s available at any one time, we’ve got some top quality editorial lined up, too. And that includes an in-depth Buyer’s Guide in each issue, helping you to make the right decision when buying your next used 4x4. And

we’ll be bringing you the best in road tests, ensuring we get to grips with what’s available on both the new and used markets.

We won’t be shying away from technical issues, and we’ll be bringing you news on all the latest kit and accessories you’ll need for your 4x4. We’ll be heading off-road too, joining club members and 4x4 enthusiasts at events throughout the UK. And we’ll even be making suggestions for your leisure time, via our new 4x4 Family section and some great puzzles and competitions.

But the most important part of the new-look 4x4 Mart is … YOU! That’s right, we want YOUR involvement. So, once you’ve read through this inaugural issue, make sure you drop us a line and let us know what you think.

We want to provide you with the value-for-money 4x4 title that we know you deserve. And that means

getting as much feedback as possible – as well as details and photographs of the 4x4s that YOU drive. Next issue onwards will see the launch of our new Readers’ Feedback pages – so why not make sure your views are heard? We look forward to hearing from you…

4x4 SUCCESS FOR STUDENTSIt was mud, water, slippery slopes and nail-biting drops for a team of students from Withernsea High School, North Humberside, as they experienced the thrills and excitement of off-road driving recently – all part of their prize as winners of the 4x4 in Schools Technology Challenge.

Harry Cornwall, Rob Spick, Rob Greaves and Gary Whittaker won this unique opportunity after battling against school teams from around the country. And their efforts were rewarded with a day at the Yorkshire 4x4 off-road driving centre in Felixkirk, Thirsk, where

they enjoyed driving in fifty acres of off-road terrain – with professional instructors showing them the ropes and each student being given a chance to take the wheel.

The 4x4 in Schools Technology Challenge tasks groups of students to design and build a remote-control four-wheel drive vehicle, which then has to negotiate various obstacles on a model off-road track to emulate a full-size 4x4. And the Whithernsea Warriors – as the winning team called themselves – were delighted to win first prize.

Andrew Denford, director of the 4x4 in Schools Technology

Challenge, told us: ‘The boys had put so much effort into their remote-control car, and this paid off with the team winning their great day at Yorkshire 4x4. It’s the first time they have driven a car and I’m sure it’s an experience that they will always remember.’

The 4x4 in Schools Technology Challenge is a programme that fits into the National Curriculum and raises awareness, interest and enthusiasm in engineering through the practical application of design and technology, mathematics and science. For further details, check out the website at www.4x4inschools.co.uk.

THE 4x4 MART TEAMEditor: Paul Guinness [email protected]

Advertising Manager: Caroline Jay [email protected]

Managing Director: Sue Baggaley

Designer: Flo Terentjev

Studio Manager: Sal Law

Production Controller: Anthony Gibbons

Private Advertising: Lindsey Close

Contributors: Tom Phillips, Frank Westworth, Chris Westwood

Published every four weeks by:CSL Publishing Ltd, Alliance House, 49 Sidney Street, Cambridge CB2 3HXTel: 01223 460490 Fax: 01223 315960 Subscriptions: 01442 879097

The views and opinions of the contributors of this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. Accordingly, the publisher disclaims any responsibility for such views and opinions.

Printed in Cambridge by Cambridge Newspapers Ltd. Distributed by Comag Specialist, Tavistock Road, West Drayton UB7 7QE. © 2010 CSL Publishing Ltd

4x4 Mart is copyright of CSL Publishing Ltd 2010 and may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. Every care is taken in compiling the contents, but the proprietors assume no responsibility for any effect arising therefrom. We welcome unsolicited manuscripts and photographs, but accept no responsibility for their loss, damage or total disappearance.

www.4x4mart.co.uk

2 4x4 NEWSAll the latest updates – including the demise of Daihatsu

7 MARKET WATCHCatch up on what’s happening within the 4x4 industry

8 ROAD TEST: X-TRAIL dCi ACENTAGetting to grips with Nissan’s entry-level version of the X-Trail

16 SHROPSHIRE OFF-ROAD CLUBFun and frolics in the mud with the Shropshire crew

18 PRODUCTS & KITGreat new kit for your 4x4, including Jimny upgrades

19 4x4s FOR SALE Our bumper Free Ads section starts here: grab a bargain!

44 GET ONLINE!Free pull-out guide to clubs and off-road centres online

71 4x4 FAMILYSafety first in your 4x4 – plus cooking tips for men!

72 ROAD TEST: SKODA YETI 2.0 TDIDriving the 4x4 version of this popular crossover

76 GRIPPING STUFFOur dummy’s guide to choosing tyres for your 4x4

78 ROAD TEST: GRAND VITARA 2.4 SZ5 5-DOOREvergreen Suzuki gets a new engine – but is it enough?

83 USED TEST: MITSUBISHI L200Discovering the delights of a secondhand L200 Warrior

85 NEXT ISSUEBuying a Defender, driving a Panda – and more!

86 COFFEE BREAKGot 10 minutes to spare? Enter our free competition.

EXCELLENCE THROUGH EXPERIENCE

PUBLISHING

12 BUYING USED: DISCOVERY 3Land Rover’s family favourite – a sensible buy?

MAY 2010

4X4 MART | MAY 201012 www.4x4mart.co.uk

BUYING USED: LAND ROVER DISCOVERY 3

and Rover replaced the ageing Discovery II with the bang up to date Discovery 3 in 2004 – and, in

doing so, left reviewers dazzled with its 21st century abilities. It shot straight to the top of the large 4x4 class and, for many fans, remains there to this day. Even better, Discovery 3 prices now start as low as £11,000 – but does that automatically make it a decent used buy?

The Solihull firm pulled out all the stops with Discovery 3, using it as a base for other variants – including the Range Rover Sport that would come later. And it all started with the

Disco’s clever Integrated Body Frame, combining the off-road benefits of a traditional ladder-on-frame set-up with the refinement, ride and handling benefits of a monocoque. Air suspension was standard on all but the most basic models, and Land Rover didn’t hold back on drivetrain technology, fitting as standard an electronically controlled transfer box, ECU-controlled centre differential and locking rear diff.

Added to this was the famed Land Rover Terrain Response, with five bespoke settings for dealing with almost any challenge. All this made

TOP BUY OR BIG RISK?L

With prices of the earliest examples having dropped to sensible levels, the Discovery 3 suddenly makes a tempting used choice. Tom Phillips investigates both the pleasures and the pitfalls

4X4 MART | MAY 201072 www.4x4mart.co.uk

ROAD TEST: SKODA YETI 2.0 TDI CR 140 ELEGANCE 4x4

The oddly named Skoda Yeti is already making an impact on Britain’s crossover scene, just months after its launch. Tom Phillips tries his pick of the range to see what all the fuss is about

hile Skoda has been doing rather well of late, with a range of impressively competitive

models, the Czech company has had nothing to offer the 4x4 fan up until now – bar the odd soft-roader version of the Octavia Estate, of course. But that’s all changed since Skoda launched its Yeti onto the UK market, giving buyers of five-door crossover-type vehicles an intriguing new addition to the sector.

As you’d expect from Skoda, there’s some serious value on offer here, with prices starting from just £13,990 –

although at that level you’re getting only a ‘basic’ Yeti with two-wheel drive and no more off-road capability than your average family hatchback. So it’s the all-wheel drive models that obviously interest us the most here at 4x4 Mart, though you’ll need to dig deeper into your savings for the privilege, with prices starting at £17,580 for the Yeti S 2.0 TDI CR 4x4, rising to £22,635 for the range-topping 2.0 TDI CR 170 4x4 – an opulent machine, with power boosted to 170bhp from the regular diesel’s 140bhp.

Whichever Yeti you choose, you’ll

find it a good looking device, its chunky stance being a mix of estate car styling and a bold front end to emphasise its off-road image. And it all works well. As does the interior, which – if you haven’t sat in a new Skoda recently – will amaze you. There’s genuine quality here, with smooth, soft-touch plastics and classy chrome detailing giving it a really upmarket feel. We can’t fault the driving position, and rear space is decent considering the Yeti’s compact dimensions (overall length is ‘only’ 4223mm – making it 107mm shorter than a Nissan Qashqai).

Those seeking more rear legroom can use the flexibility of the Varioflex seats, with all three back seats being independent and removable. Just take the middle one out and you can slide the outer two inwards and rearwards, giving a huge amount of legroom for two. Take all three seats out and the 416-litre boot stretches to 1760 litres, a pretty staggering amount of room for a car which doesn’t look that large on the outside.

Skoda fits the Yeti with a Haldex-clutch 4x4 system familiar to many front-drive-based machines. In normal

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MONSTROUSLY GOOD BUY?

834X4 MART | MAY 2010www.4x4mart.co.uk

USED TEST: MITSUBISHI L200 WARRIOR

here are very many reasons for buying a vehicle, not all of which revolve around its suitability for

some definite purpose or other. When asked, most of us will proffer some compelling reason why we bought the Freelander, Grand Vitara or Terios (add your own purchase at this point, if you so wish). I chose my own Defender 90 because … ah, well, in fact I bought it because it was big, blue and butch, and I fancied driving a big, blue, butch Land Rover. Logical, you see. But most purchase decisions are taken for more sensible motives than that one.

Where it becomes a little tough in the vehicle selection scenario is when there is a fine choice of motors and they are all extremely competent in their fields. If, for example, you were in the market for a secondhand four-seater pick-up of sturdy construction and proven reliability, you would have no problems in finding one. In fact, you’d have no problems in finding several of them. None of these vehicles offered by the majors is particularly poor in any way, truth be told. And they are all entirely competent when it comes to the people and stuff carrying thing. Me, though … I’ve a soft spot for the current-shape Mitsubishi L200, ideally in Warrior guise.

And there are two compelling reasons why this should be so. First; it looks truly awesome. No other pick-up looks like this or looks this good. Second; it’s an impossible hoot of a vehicle to drive. It’s not alone in the second of these two fine feel-good features, of course, but the combination is a winner. And here’s why…

Most of the time, the Warrior (editor Paul would probably prefer me to refer to the Mitsi as an L200, but it’s not a number, it’s a free-thinking beast of a car) will spend its road miles in two-wheel driven mode. Drivers – that’s you and me – will do this because it saves fuel, and we are all of us entirely

responsible drivers, putting our respect for things environmental second only to our desire to enjoy our driving. Of course. In fact, using two-wheel drive does save a little fuel, but it also saves a little wear and tear on the power train, and it makes a tiny difference to the dynamic experience of steering on dry, grippy, well-surfaced roads, but that’s not the real reason I preferred to shove all that motive force through just the rear wheels. Do you want to know the real reason? Read on.

All wheels depend upon many things for their ability to grip the road. If they fail to grip the road then you fail to make forward progress. There used to be a traffic offence called ‘failing to maintain normal progress’. I wonder whether there still is? Editor Paul will know, because he’s a master of all things automotive, but I am just a simple hack, who much prefers driving to research…

And because I prefer driving to research, I understood very quickly that all of the weight of the powertrain and most of the weight of the cab and its occupants lives over the front half of the Warrior. It just does. Look at the pics and you will instantly see

why. Okay? Got that? Look again at the photos and share with me the profound understanding that over the back wheels there are but a few bits of tin, an axle and a whole lot of nothing else. Trust me on this.

THE GOING’S GOODThe Warrior develops around 135bhp in the form shown here. Those horses are of the hirsute and stump-pulling variety, not the fussy, whining, fractious

sort that inhabit more nervous vehicles. When all those horses get the bit between their collective teeth and cause those rear tyres to turn with a little vigour, it is, quite frankly, a whole lot of work for those tyres. And they’re not entirely up to it. They are big fat tyres with a wide footprint, and contrary to popular myth, if you increase the size of the tyres’ collective footprint it requires a little more downforce to take

full advantage of the friction between rubber and roadway than does a smaller footprint. It just does.

And the Warrior is not an F1 race car and does not boast a lot in the way of aerodynamic aids. Or indeed traction control or launch control or any other form of control. Well … it might, but I didn’t find it until later, when I read the handbook. And had I found it by accident I would have switched it

T

WARRIOR BY NAME…Frank Westworth was tempted to swap his Defender 90 for a secondhand pick-up recently. Why? Because we let him loose in a 2007 Mitsubishi L200 Warrior – and he hasn’t been quite the same since

‘At the front lurks a faintly modern design of independent suspension,

while at the rear is another reminder of the funky

Warrior’s truck heritage’

4X4 MART | MAY 201016 www.4x4mart.co.uk

SHROPSHIRE OFF-ROAD CLUB

It’s probably no surprise to hear there’s a competitive streak running through the Shropshire Off-Road Club, with several of its members having won trophies for their antics and achievements in tough terrain. But that’s a small part of what goes on within this relatively young organisation – because the emphasis here is very much on having fun.

Founded as recently as 2007, the SORC has grown rapidly, and today boasts its own website (www.shropshireoffroadclub.com), its own Facebook fan page and an ever-busy calendar of events taking place throughout the year. And while some of those days out are aimed at the serious off-roader, with winching competitions and trials attracting the more hardcore enthusiasts, the club also arranges green lane outings,

treasure hunts, off-road fun days and barbecues to make sure there’s something on offer for all members and their families.

We went along to soak up the atmosphere of an open trial and winch challenge at Buildwas, a superb off-road course in deepest Shropshire. And, despite appalling weather on the day, the club managed to attract a decent number of members and their vehicles – with an impressive line-up comprising the usual array of Defender 90s and modified Discoverys, soon joined by a Jeep Wrangler, a seriously ‘lifted’ Daihatsu Sportrak and a cut-down Suzuki Vitara that left many a rival trailing in its wake.

Much of the work behind the scenes is carried out by club chairman Colin Dodd and secretary John Grice, although there’s a real team

atmosphere involved – which means everyone mucking in, with many of the decisions and planning being carried out at the SORC’s monthly pub get-together.

The club even organises its own Run to the Sun event each summer, though in reality it tends to be in Wales – and the sun isn’t always guaranteed. Still, with the entire weekend taken up by green lanes, barbecues and a few cans round the fire, who’s complaining?

To find out more about the Shropshire Off-Road Club and its planned events for the rest of 2010, go to the website and click on the ‘Diary Dates’ link. And while you’re at it, you can download a membership application form – with annual membership costing just £25 per year. Don’t forget to mention 4x4 Mart when getting in touch! ■

There’s no shortage of challenging terrain in Shropshire. So we sent Chris Westwood off to see what the guys behind the Shropshire Off-Road Club get up to at weekends

MUDDY GOOD TIMES

4X4 MART | MAY 2010� www.4x4mart.co.uk

ROAD TEST: NISSAN X-TRAIL 2.0 dCi ACENTA

ompared with the first-generation X-Trail line-up that remained a popular buy in the UK until its

demise in the summer of 2007, the latest range could be considered rather sparse. In fact, with only three different versions on offer, comprising just two trim levels, you might think Nissan’s been a bit mean when it comes to providing us with choice. And yet the company’s decision not to bombard us with different X-Trail models makes sense, particularly as sales of 4x4s fell dramatically in the UK soon after its launch here.

The market has seen growth since

SUBSTANCE OVER STYLE?In a market that’s not short of stylish newcomers, Nissan’s X-Trail might be seen as more of a workhorse than a trendsetter – which perhaps explains why Paul Guinness rates the latest version so highly

C

4X4 MART | MAY 201044 www.4x4mart.co.uk

NATIONAL CLUBS4x4 UKwww.4x4uk.org

All-Wheel Drive Clubwww.awdc.co.uk

All Marques Off Roadwww.amorclub.co.uk

Austin Champ Registerwww.austinchamp.com

Camping & Caravanning Clubwww.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk

Caravan Clubwww.caravanclub.co.uk

Club Off-Roadwww.cluboffroad.co.uk

Club Pajerowww.clubpajero.com

Daihatsu Owners Clubwww.daihatsu-drivers.co.uk

Frontera Owners Clubwww.fronteraowners.co.uk

GLASS (Green Lane Association)www.glass-uk.org

G-Wagen Owners’ Associationwww.gwoa.co.uk

Hilux Pick-up Owners’ Clubwww.hpoc.co.uk

Isuzu Trooper Owners Club (UK)www.itocuk.co.uk

J33P Adventure Clubwww.j33p.org

Jeep Clubwww.jeepclub.co.uk

Land Cruisers Clubwww.landcruisers.info

Mahindra Registerwww.mahindra-register.org

Military Vehicle Trustwww.mvt.org.uk

(Mitsubishi) Delica Owners Clubwww.mdocuk.co.uk

Mitsubishi L200 Owners’ Clubwww.L200.org.uk

Mitsubishi Pajero & Shogun Owners’ Clubwww.psoc.org.uk

Nissan 4x4 Owners’ Club UKwww.nissan4x4ownersclub.co.uk

No Limits Jeep Clubwww.jeepey.co.uk

NRG4x4www.nrg4x4.com

Pajero Owners’ Club UK (Mitsubishi)www.pocuk.com

Pants Off-Road Clubwww.pantsoffroad.co.uk

Reject 4x4 Clubwww.reject4x4club.co.uk

Rhino Riders (Suzuki Enthusiasts)www.rhinoridersclub.co.uk

Suzuki 4x4 Club www.suzuki4x4club.com

Toyota Land Cruiser Owners Clubwww.tlocuk.co.uk

REGIONAL CLUBSBorders 4x4 Clubwww.borders4x4club.co.uk

Bonkas 4x4 Waleswww.bonkas4x4wales.com

Bristol & West Off-Road Clubwww.bworc.org.uk

Buchan Off-Road Drivers’ Clubwww.bordc.net

Burnham Off-Roaderswww.burnhamoffroaders.org.uk

Central Off-Road Clubwww.centraloffroadclub.com

Challenge South Westwww.challengesouthwest.co.uk

Cornish Leaf & Coil 4x4 Clubwww.clcc.uk.com

East Devon 4x4 Clubwww.eastdevon4x4.co.uk

East Devon Off-Road Clubwww.edorc.org

Four-Wheel Drive Club of N. Irelandwww.4wdni.co.uk

Glamorgan Off-Road Clubwww.gorc4x4.co.uk

Glossop 4x4 Groupwww.glossop4x4group.co.uk

Herts Off-Road Clubwww.4x4offroadclub. valvesunlimited.co.uk

Isle of Wight 4x4 Clubwww.iow4x4club.co.uk

Kent Off-Road Clubwww.kentoffroadclub.co.uk

Lincs 4x4 Clubwww.lincs4x4.com

Midland Off-Road Clubwww.midlandoffroadclub.co.uk

Mid Wales Four-Wheel Drive Clubwww.midwalesfourwheeldriveclub.com

Mid West Off-Roaders’ Clubwww.midwestoffroadersclub.co.uk

Milton Keynes 4x4www.mk4x4.org.uk

Neath Valley 4x4 Clubwww.neath4x4.co.uk

Norfolk Rhinos Off-Road Clubwww.norfolkrhinos.co.uk

Northern Off-Road Clubwww.norc.org.uk

North Lakes 4x4 Clubwww.nl4x4.co.uk

Peak & Potteries 4x4 Clubwww.peak-potteries4x4.co.uk

Raiders Off-Road Clubwww.raidersoffroad.com

Shropshire Off-Road Clubwww.shropshireoffroadclub.com

Scottish Mud Clubwww.scottishmudclub.com

Scottish Off-Road Clubwww.sorc.org.uk

Scotland West All Terrain Clubwww.scotlandwest.org.uk

South West Pajero Off-Road Clubwww.swporc.co.uk

Southern Counties Off-Road Clubwww.scor4x4.co.uk

Spondon Off-Road Clubwww.spondonoffroad.co.uk

Tay 4x4 Clubwww.tay4x4club.gdnetwork.co.uk

Thames Valley 4x4 Clubwww.tv4x4.co.uk

Twickenham Off-Roaderswww.twickenhamoffroaders.co.uk

Twin Axle Clubwww.twinaxle.com

Viking Four-Wheel Drive Clubwww.viking4x4club.com

Wessex Hillrunnerswww.whr4x4.moonfruit.com

West Wales 4x4 Groupwww.ww4x4.co.uk

Wormhough 4x4 Clubwww.wormhough.co.uk

Yorkshire Off-Road Clubwww.yorkshireoffroadclub.net

Ystradgynlais Overland Clubwww.yoc4x4.com

NATIONAL LAND ROVER CLUBS101 Forward Control Club & Register (Land Rover)www.101club.org

Association of Land Rover Clubswww.alrc.co.uk

Discovery Owners Club www.discoveryownersclub.org

Freelander Clubwww.freelanderclub.org

Land Rover Series I Clubwww.lrsoc.com

Land Rover Series II Clubwww.series2club.co.uk

GET ONLINE!

Whatever make or model of 4x4, SUV or off-roader you own, make sure you check out these great websites – and get the most out of your vehicle