Four-wheel drive appeal has the staying power

FOUR-wheel drive motoring, vigorously promoted by a handful of

manufacturers as a niche market fashion two decades ago, has finally

grown up.

Some niche it turned out to be, what with registrations soaring by

more than 700% in the past 15 years and all of the big guns now

scrambling to get in on the action.

Naturally the original players have done best, with Land Rover taking

almost 40% of an increasing market and actually improving its own

performance as the competition has become more intense.

For what was supposed to be a passing fad, four-wheel drive motoring

looks like generating enough staying power to take it well into the next

century.

Its appeal is easy enough to understand. The modern 4x4 is nothing

like the wartime Jeep or even the original Land Rover of the immediate

post-war years.

Today's version is tall, stately, acceptable in any company and

extremely durable. Serious faults aren't unknown, but it takes much more

effort to break any of its mechanical components than is the case with

ordinary saloons.

Drivers like 4x4s. They are luxuriously fitted out and offer much more

car for their money than is obtainable elsewhere. The off-road

capability isn't often used unless the owner of the vehicle is a farmer,

surveyor, engineer, forestry or estate worker, but the fact that it is

there is reassuring.

So is the high driving position, which allows for excellent forward

and side visibility while simultaneously making the driver feel more

secure.

The huge tyres on juggernauts don't look quite so intimidating when

you are able to look down on them.

Another plus point is the sheer versatility of the 4x4. Many have up

to seven seats, which means they are ideally suited to parents of

growing children.

The furniture can also be shuffled around to take into account the

immediate priorities of the driver. Seating can be folded away or even

taken out altogether if large loads are to be carried.

Other even more important factors have also played their part.

The owner of a 4x4 can forget all about the stigma some people attach

to an ageing number plate. Nobody expects the driver of a Range Rover or

Mitsubishi Shogun to become embroiled in any superficial status chase.

The well maintained 4x4 -- no matter its age -- is enough to signal to

the rest of us that its owner is not the kind of person to be dragged

into a contest with Mr and Mrs Jones. A six year-old Range Rover has

more street credibility than a brand new saloon, especially as it is

never assumed to be a company car.

Add to all of this the fact that the 4x4 is arguably the most

cost-effective of all types of private vehicles and the real reason for

its upsurge in poularity is revealed.

Investing #20,000 in a well-specified on-off roadster means the driver

takes possession of a vehicle that is better equipped and more

technically sophisticated than anything else available at that price.

With regular servicing it will run for anything between 10 and 20 years

before becoming anything other than totally reliable.

The bonus at this point is that the car will still be structurally

sound and easy to dispose of. There are always customers waiting for

used 4x4s.

Drawbacks? Admittedly there are some. Running costs tend to be a

factor if your annual mileage is high. Few on/off road vehicles can

better 25 mpg overall, therefore be prepared for frequent visits to the

pumps.

Insurance costs can also be worrying as this type of car is much

sought after by thieves, so secure garaging and the fitting of a good

quality security system, preferably Tracker, should be regarded as

essential.

Accident repairs and the purchase of spare parts also mean higher than

average expenditure, but servicing costs are reasonable, given the

complexity of many of these cars.

On balance, however, drivers who are prepared to keep a 4x4 going for

anything upwards of twice the length of the ''normal'' car ownership

cycle should be in a position to save money on their motoring costs.

The high quality fitments included as standard and the fact that this

type of vehicle has been built to shrug off a great deal of abuse gives

it an important edge over mainstream models.

Add to this the fact that their manufacturers are less inclined to

tinker with their appearance, cosmetic changes arriving every three to

four years on average and significant re-engineering at even longer

intervals.

This means that the average 4x4 will age gracefully rather than

quickly become yesterday's model. And this, perhaps, is one of the

principal reasons why we are attracted to the on/off roadster. It is our

best chance of thumbing a nose at the throwaway consumerism so manifest

elsewhere in the industry.