Taking the rough with the smooth

You wouldn't wear wellies to a restaurant, nor would you wear brogues to cross a field. With that in mind, we test three go-anywhere SUVs to see whether they can be sophisticated as well as intrepid

- Words: Will Nightingale Photography: John Bradshaw

Plenty of modern SUVs offer exceptional on-road comfort.

Likewise, some 4x4s can get you to places a mountain goat would think twice about venturing to. So, if you're looking for a car in which to cruise to the South of France, an Audi Q7 would be an excellent choice, whereas if you're planning to tackle the Rubicon Trail, the ruggedly utilitarian Jeep Wrangler would be a wise pick.

But what if you want a car that can confidently and skilfully handle all types of terrain? In short, which new 4x4 delivers stellar off-road ability without being an utter pig to drive on Tarmac – which, let's face it, you're probably going to be on more of the time. Even if you're a farmer.

The arrival of a new Toyota Land Cruiser gives us an ideal opportunity to find out. This famously robust 4x4 has a lineage that stretches back more than 70 years, and the latest – the fifth-generation 'J250' – promises improved technology and fuel efficiency without any cutbacks on toughness.

Its closest rival is arguably the Land Rover Defender. This British icon's roots stretch back even further into the annals of time (although the Defender nameplate wasn't adopted until 1990). And while we suspect most of the 17,518 Brits who bought one last year were seduced more by its looks than by any stats about ground clearance or departure angles, the latest Defender, launched five years ago, is anything but a paper tiger.

Our final contender wouldn't even exist were it not for the Defender. The Ineos Grenadier pays homage to the original Defender (not the new one) to the point that Land Rover and Ineos have argued about it in court. Nevertheless, while the Grenadier looks decidedly yesteryear, its maker claims that it's “exciting on road, and ready for anything off road”, so could it embarrass a couple of legends?

THE CARS