Why do you need 4 wheel drive?

How about an extremely powerful car that couldn't get traction without driving all the wheels?

OK in some cases, but certainly not in case of the Nissan Qashqai and similar mid range 4x4 with high ground clearance. These are not bought for their performance and handling.

Much depends on whether it is permanent 4 wheel drive with limited or locking diffs. I drive an old XR4x4 and it is magnificent at pulling away quickly in wet weather, towing and generally. It does have permanent 4 wheel drive and two limited slip diffs. It certainly feels much safer in slippery conditions than most saloons I have ever driven. A good for instance is getting out of my road in the morning, if turning right there is a stupid traffic island, so you have to make a quite sharp turn, couple that with oncoming lorries and a slippery road: the 4 x4 nips out without drama, the lexus spins one wheel and crawls away, I know which I feel safer doing.

OK very interesting. I still think that this is only an occasional advantage compared to the sacrifices in weight and fuel consumption. But 4x4s are undeniably popular in urban areas. I can kind of see that an Audi Q7 or an BMW X6 must be a nice home to be in. The Audi Q7 even looks like an A3 on steroids. On the other hand, I am always thinking that it is money down the drain. My foremost requirement for a car is that you should arrive relaxed after a long journey. The car should be smooth and quiet, it should stay flat on the road, i.e. not needing constant driver input. Then it should also be efficient in terms of running costs.

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These lifestyle off road vehicles are great for pointing out those people around you that might not be giving the road their full attention...

try a subaru forester diesel, a lovely 4x4 safe car to drive and reasonably economical too.

Most of the urban tractors are bought because the owner.driver wants to feel safe, and to not worry too much about speed humps, and get a huge load of stuff in the back. Unless you do very high mileages the fuel costs are a lowish part of the motoring budget in any case.

my xr does 30mpg on a run and 19 locally. but bear in mind it is 23 years old and is actually starting to increase in value.

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Sure man. But none of those above points need 4WD to the wheels. That was my original reason for posting.

That's a bit higher than I would like. I drive fairly long distances.

That is a point, or put the other way around: 4x4 drivers often insist on pushing into gaps where they are not entitled to go. Reluctantly, I always give way...

I use it to tow my caravan out of muddy pitches. And because the heavy kerb weight makes for a lovely stable tow. And because it fits two mountain bikes in the back. At the same time as my dog. And because, fortunately, I don't do a huge annual mileage any more - so I might as well run a car which does all the things above. Our other car is a Honda Jazz!

The telltale sign is that your 4x4 has muddy wheels. A very rare sight these days...

I need one as I have a farm. However, the 4x4 is of most use when using the lanes around me (I have a 7.5 mile drive to the nearest town). These lanes are mainly single lane and, should you meet someone coming the other way, you will need to pull onto the soft verge. If you have a 2 wheel drive motor, the dif quickly causes it to become a one wheel drive and that wheel is spinning. 4x4 allows you to continue your journey without and drama. I engage 4x4 more often for this than when driving on the fields.

Nah, trash the planet (like I used to) with a Jeep Wrangler.

I absolutely loved my old Wrangler - a total lifestyle choice and the instruction book warned in really big letters not to use the 4wd system unless on loose ground or snow. It was great to drive (but not a 'road car') and fuel consumption aside, I wish I still owned it. It even proved really easy to park around my local streets in Portsmouth as it was a short car and would fit into a space that a metro would fit into.

4wd a necessity? No, of course not - I neither owned a farm nor took it to Iceland for a spot of hillclimbing.

Sigh! (Logs onto ebay... search: Jeep, Wrangler, 4.0l...)

Oh, you are a total star - every year I tow my boat (1.5 tonnes) from one end of the sailing club top the other along a partially metalled, muddy, shingly & puddly track. THAT is a great reason why I should buy myself another Jeep!

Many thanks!

I've got a 200SX and I've had to get on the verge for a 4x4. It was a monster JCB forklift (must have been 5 ton) with huge cleated tyres and as the verge was soft and nicely trimmed grass (kinda gentrified lane) he would have ripped it up.

I overtake tractors with over wide trailers down the lanes, I get enough spece by putting off side wheel on the lose shit of the other verge.

I don't lose drive as I too have a LSD.

A lot of new FWD cars have LSD too and I think an E-diff will work in situation you describe too. Just may give way too much torque steer.

I can't pull things out of fields with 2wd, and a Matra Rancho won't go where the Range Rover will.

Isn't that just because of the rise in oil? ;)

If you are spending £30k+ on an "off roader" to take the kids to school then you expect for the £30k+ to get something that will go off road even if you never do, getting the 2wd one and saving £2k then gives the impression you are a cheapskate.

oddly enough it is actually becoming rare and I have been approached with offers for it. It cost nothing in the first place and at the time was worth about 500 quid, I am now getting offers a little above that. and of course the scrap value is now pretty good too, and I imagine there must be a fair bit of value if broken up on ebay.

So why drive around with something useless? If you drop the 4WD axles, it might go faster?