At home in the bush and the city

FORD: EVEREST OFFERS A BEST-OF-BOTH-WORLDS DRIVE

- Brendan Seery

The term "4x4" is often loosely or incorrectly used when people discuss SUVs which are alleged to have some off-road capability. Also, it looks Camel Man macho and is a good selling point for a vehicle which will mainly be used as "mom's taxi" (or Dad's depending on how liberated your household is).

A quicker refresher, then. When a vehicle is a "4x4" or a "4WD" (Four-wheel-drive) it means it has a part-time system which can drive either two wheels or four. Drive in 2WD mode is generally to the rear wheels and they generally also have a low-range transfer case, as well as differential locks at the rear, centre or front...or all three. These attributes together make the vehicle a proper off-roader, capable of tackling really rough tracks.