Land Rover dominates at 4x4 Magazine awards ceremony

• Land Rover dominates 4x4 Magazine’s 2014 awards
• Range Rover Sport is winner of the Premium category and overall 4x4 of the Year
• Range Rover Evoque winner of the Top Range SUV class, Defender “highly recommended” in the Hardcore category
• Results reaffirm Land Rover’s leadership in modern SUV design and engineering

Land Rover is the most successful manufacturer in 4x4 Magazine’s 2014 awards, securing two class wins and the ultimate 4x4 of the Year title.

The new Range Rover Sport saw off competition from 24 of the market’s finest all-wheel drive models to take both the Premium class and the overall 2014 honour, while the Range Rover Evoque proved its mettle by claiming honours in the Top Range SUV class. The Land Rover Defender was “highly recommended” in the Hardcore class and the new Range Rover was second only to its Range Rover Sport sibling in the Premium category.

Presenting the results in the winter issue of 4x4 Magazine, Editor Nigel Fryatt said: “The Range Rover Sport is a worthy winner of the prestigious 2014 4x4 of the Year award. Indeed it is such a significant vehicle that you wonder if it is the best product ever to come from the Land Rover stable, of any era.”

After putting the Range Rover Sport through its paces, the judges gave it an unmatched 90 per cent score, highlighting the 3.0-litre SDV6 engine, on-road handling, off-road prowess, towing ability, comfort and design as its stand-out features.

Their report hailed the model as the “revelation of the premium group, if not the whole test” and made special reference to the quality of the Terrain Response 2 system for tackling all kinds of off-road scenarios. Where on-road performance is concerned, they declared the Range Rover Sport is “a pure pleasure to drive” and referenced the contribution made by its independent air suspension on ride quality.

The Range Rover Evoque once again demonstrated that Land Rover’s advanced styling and premium quality are not at the expense of true all-terrain performance. Evoque was the class of the “Top Range” field in the awards test, netting an 88 per cent score from the judges. They appreciated its “boldly styled and superbly crafted interior” and the fact it has “the handling feel of a sport car half its size”. Design, on-road handling and off-road competence were singled out as the qualities defining its success.

Jaguar Land Rover UK Managing Director, Jeremy Hicks, said: “These awards are very much appreciated, not least because 4x4 Magazine subjects its awards contenders to such rigorous, expert scrutiny.

“The results help demonstrate that we are successfully pushing the boundaries of all-terrain vehicle engineering and design to address the changing requirements of today’s customers. We have a great heritage, but it is vital that we continue to build on that foundation with models like Evoque, Range Rover and Range Rover Sport that deliver in terms of style, premium quality and on-road handling as well as fundamental all-terrain capabilities.”

Jeep celebrates a win and highly commended in 4x4 awards

The legendary Jeep Wrangler continues to demonstrate its award-winning credentials after taking 4x4 Magazine’s 4x4 of the Year, Hardcore class for the second year running.

The award, which goes specifically to the four-door Wrangler, comes from the specialist publication’s panel of expert judges, who put the rugged US-built off-roader above some extremely capable competitors.

In the same awards, Jeep’s new Grand Cherokee received a Highly Commended accolade in the Premiums category.

In awarding it top honours, the 4x4 of the Year competition judges praised the Wrangler’s value for money, comfortable interior, off-roading ability, towing prowess and iconic design.

“The Jeep Wrangler remains 4x4 Magazine’s Hardcore Class champion. It effortlessly demonstrates its off-road capabilities with immense power and torque, while delivering a gorgeously low, first crawler gear for when finesse is needed,” says Nigel Fryatt, editor, 4x4 Magazine.

“All this in a comfortable, well equipped interior. Our only real criticism? There should be more of them around.”

“It's the classic 4x4 vehicle that is instantly recognisable the world over. The Jeep Wrangler is the essence of what Jeep stands for and we're honoured to receive a top award such as the Hardcore 4x4 of the Year," says Steve Zanlunghi, managing director, Fiat Group Automobiles UK.

"We're especially happy to win in consecutive years as it speaks volumes for the design and capability of the current generation Wrangler."

The diesel-powered, automatic Wrangler returns 34.9 mpg (34.0 mpg 4-door) on the combined cycle and has a CO2 figure of 213 g/km (217 g/km 4-door). Prices start at £27,315 OTR for the two-door Wrangler 2.8 CRD Sahara, rising to £31,670 OTR for the four-door 2.8 CRD Overland Axle +.

Now with lower emissions of 198 g/km together with fuel consumption of up to 37.7 mpg (combined), the new Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel range also offers real value in terms of running costs. The new Grand Cherokee range starts at £36,995 (OTR) for the 3.0 CRD V6 CRD Laredo, rising to £49,495 (OTR) for the 3.0 V6 CRD Summit.

Fiat Panda 4x4 wins best mini 4x4 award 2014

• The UK’s best-selling off road magazine “4X4 Magazine” names FIAT Panda 4X4 “Best Mini 4X4” in its 2014 awards
• Affordable and economical, the FIAT Panda 4X4 is praised by 4X4 Magazine editors not only for its character but also its capability
• FIAT Panda 4X4 “so nearly” claimed overall victory versus considerably more expensive off-roaders

Britain’s best-selling magazine for off-road enthusiasts, 4X4 Magazine, has named the FIAT Panda 4X4 “Winner Mini 4X4 Class” in its 2014 4X4 of the Year Awards. The FIAT Panda 4X4 not only saw off its direct competition during the award adjudication, conducted at a dedicated and challenging off-road course in Cheshire, it also acquitted itself admirably in the final five-vehicle shootout. In fact, so impressed were the editors of 4X4 Magazine they commented that “overall victory so nearly went to the infectiously cute, riculously capable…FIAT Panda 4X4.”

According to Nigel Fryatt, Editor of 4X4 Magazine, “One of the surprises of this year’s test was just how good the Fiat Panda 4x4 is. We used a test facility that was designed to demonstrate the abilities of far bigger – and much more expensive – vehicles. Allowing for limited ground clearance and power, we still managed to crawl the Panda over and through some significant obstacles. You needed care, and perhaps we took it further than most owners would, but that’s irrelevant. The point is that the Panda 4x4 could do it, with some style.”

Elena Bernardelli, FGA UK Marketing Director, commented: “It is remarkable that 30 years after we launched the original FIAT Panda 4X4 it remains not only a best-seller but also a favourite of the experts. That the FIAT Panda 4X4 can go toe-to-toe with so many luxury off-road vehicles proves that you don’t have to sacrifice capability or practicality in order to reduce your running costs or to do your bit for the environment.”

The FIAT Panda 4X4 is powered either by FIAT’s award-winning 85hp TwinAir turbo petrol engine or a 75hp 1.3-litre MultiJet II turbo-diesel engine. Priced from just £13,995, it offers combined-cycle fuel economy figures of 57.6 and 60.1 MPG respectively, with CO2 emissions of just 114g/km and 125g/km.