For most farmers, the choice of 4x4 is dictated by the towing ability. But making that choice is also determined by other features, such as comfort, seating, reliability, type of use, local dealership and of course, value for money.

Owning a 4x4 on the farm can be costly. You need to take some time before buying your first 4x4 to consider if you really need it. For those already driving a 4x4, the question is whether you still need it or can you get a model that more accurately meets your needs at a lower running cost?

Most farmers will make the 4x4 choice for practical reasons such as trailer pulling and getting access to fields for herding. Occasionally the younger ones may want to pose a little at the weekends. That’s where size and engine power may be needed, but ultimately, the heavier the 4x4, the more costly it will be to run.

Towing trailers add weight to the 4x4 and the trailer size and load will impact hugely on its fuel economy. Keeping trailers in good condition with a regular check on the tyre pressures and brakes will make trailer pulling more economical. But trailers add weight and weight adds to running costs. So the message is unhitch when not loaded, and that’s more important with the bigger 4x4s.

Overall, choosing a 4x4 may solve your trailer-pulling needs. It may allow for more on-farm flexibility, or alternatively, it could be a financial black hole. You need to give priority to keeping the running costs as low as possible and that demands checking out all of the vehicle’s specifications to start with.

There’s now a huge choice of 4x4s. Some are seen as working machine, while others are known as sports utility vehicles (SUVs). Here we provide you with some thoughts you need to consider when drilling into the depths of 4x4 choices.

1. Why do I need a 4x4?

The most important question is: do I really need four-wheel drive? For those who live on a farm or need to tow a horse box, the answer is probably yes and that’s many of our readers. And if you often or even occasionally need to cross a muddy field for herding and moving animals, then a 4x4 can be fully recommended.

If you’re concerned about getting about in snow, or in poor road conditions, it may be that you can solve your winter driving needs by buying a 4x4 version of a conventional car, such as a Skoda Octavia Scout, Opel Insignia 4x4, or Volkswagen Passat 4Motion. But if all you want to do is take the kids to school and go shopping, there are more economical and more practical car choices out there.

2. Can I afford a 4x4?

Because 4x4s are more complex machines than your standard car, they will be much more expensive to buy than the equivalent conventional saloon or estate. The running costs can also be much higher. Fuel consumption, insurance, servicing and parts are all typically more expensive with a 4x4 than with regular cars.

There is a positive side in that depreciation (loss of value) tends to be less steep for 4x4s than for estate cars. This is a generalisation, so take some time to do all of your running cost sums carefully before you buy. These include realistic views on your annual mileage levels and finance costs with the higher overall entry price.

3. Diesel, petrol or hybrid?

In Ireland, almost all 4x4 sales these days are diesel. The reason is simply down to fuel costs. Modern diesels also have all the pulling power you’ll ever need, so they are far better options than petrol versions.

There’s also been a slight trend towards hybrid 4x4s fitted with electric motors as well as conventional engines. They can have better fuel consumption and lower emission levels than diesels. The Lexus RX, for example, is only sold in hybrid form. Mitsubishi has recently offered the Outlander in petrol hybrid format, but there appears to be little difference in running costs compared with diesel versions, while the hybrids are more expensive to buy.

4. Will it break down?

Records show that 4x4s have a worse reliability record than hatchback or saloon cars. Some of the worst-performing cars in the latest Which? car surveys conducted in Britain were 4x4s which were rated as poor for reliability by their owners. The Skoda Yeti, which is a smaller 4x4 than most farmers would use, came out as the most reliable.

As warranty offers improve and tend to be related to reliability, it’s also worth considering a brand that offers a more generous warranty than the industry-standard three years and 100,000km. Mitsubishi is offering eight years warranty/150,000km on passenger vehicles and five years on commercial 4x4s. Kia’s is the best in the business at seven years or 150,000km, while Hyundai offers a five-year/unlimited-mileage warranty.

5. Don’t assume all 4x4s are practical

Not all 4x4s are practical workhorses, even if that’s what you want if for. The extra drive-line for the four-wheel drive system can eat into the interior space. Remember also that boot space can be limited, and the fact that the load floor sits so high off the ground means you have a long way to lift luggage.

Some come with seven seats, such as the Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento, Land Rover Discovery, Nissan Xtrail and Toyota Land Cruiser, but the bigger ones in this format are more expensive and do not qualify as commercial vehicles and as a result road tax costs are high.

6. Luxury and style

The days of the basic and crude 4x4 are long gone. Modern 4x4s are as comfortable and easy to sit in and drive as regular cars.

There are more expensive and luxurious options, but not likely to be seen with a tandem axle cattle trailer on tow.

It is probably more important to choose the right options for your 4x4. Roof rails, parking sensors and self-levelling suspension can all be sensible options depending on your personal choices. But fat alloy wheels, ultra-low profile tyres and body styling kits are probably a waste of money and not likely to last in tough rural driving conditions.

7. 4x4s can be economical

4x4s and even the smaller SUVs have got a reputation for gas-guzzling and being expensive to run. There are some more cost-effective choices, but they tend to be smaller and lighter. Some with two-wheel-drive will be more economical and could be effective for rural roads with good under-body clearance and modest off-road use. They will not have the same high-level towing ability of their bigger full-time 4x4 cousins.

8. Off-road heroes

If you ever need to do heavy towing and serious off-roading, then just buy a proper 4x4. This will come with a high- and low-range transfer box and differential lock that allows the 4x4 to crawl over tricky conditions at very slow speeds. Look for one with proper all-terrain tyres, because regular road tyres will be close to useless when the going gets tough. Most will opt for a compromise tyre that’s good on the road, in terms of smoothness and noise, while giving modest off-road ability. The best off-road performers include the likes of the Jeep Wrangler, Land Rover Defender, Land Rover Discovery and Toyota Land Cruiser.

9. Looks like a 4x4 but it’s not

There are lots of SUV’s on the market that look like 4x4s but have only two-wheel-drive ability. They provide the style and look of an off-road vehicle, but lack the rugged ability to take you into the rough.

You get some of the benefits of a 4x4, including the high seating position and better ground clearance, but you won’t benefit from the extra traction of a proper 4x4. On the other hand, the purchase price is usually lower and fuel economy usually better.

There’s been an increasing trend towards off-road cars that only have two-wheel drive. It’s not only soft-roaders like the Nissan Qashqai, Skoda Yeti and Hyundai ix35 that can be bought with front-wheel drive. Traditional 4x4s such as the new Land Rover Discovery Sport, Kia Sorento and Volvo XC60 are all also available as 4x2s.

10. Off-roaders when on the road

Most 4x4s, even those owned by farmers and contractors, spend most of their driving time on tarmac. That’s why it is important you consider how your off-roader behaves on the road and that has implications for tyre choice too.

SUVs and the new generation crossovers will almost always be more comfortable for everyday road use than traditional 4x4s. For high levels of road use, the more expensive 4x4s in the BMW, Audi and Range Rover ranges are great to drive. You will get good on-road driving comfort and reasonable towing ability from the others that we would rate highly for road performance, such as Ford Kuga, Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento, Mazda CX-7, Nissan X-Trail, Volkswagen Tiguan, Range Rover Sport, Toyota RAV4, Volvo XC60 and Volkswagen Touareg.