Can a £500 Freelander Be a Better Off-Roader Than a New Suzuki Jimny?

Us car journalists love to go on and on about how awesome the Jimny is. So why isn't it more popular? After all, crossovers are all the rage right now, and a cheap one should be a smash hit. However, literally, any car is a better daily driver than the old Jimny and this new version is only a mild improvement in some areas.

Thanks to a tiny body and archaic suspension setup, it dances on top of every pothole and won't take corners like a Porsche Cayenne either. So the lads at CT decided to see which old off-roader keep up with the Jimny where it shines, off-roading, while offering a more composed ride.

Britain is probably the best place in Europe to find such a vehicle because it's packed full of old Land Rover 4x4s. However, they're not the most reliable things ever, and with a budget of only £500, you're bound to have a lemon of some kind.

There ware other contenders too, like a cool M-Class that very nearly got sold until the owner's wife threw a tantrum. It's for YouTube lady! However, at the end of the day, only one good off-roader could be found for that kind of money, a Land Rover Freelander in horrible cosmetic condition.

The SUV stunk of wet dog and burnt cigarettes, plus the steering wheel was all sticky, which is a CT tradition. However, none of the cosmetic stuff matters here. With a much larger diesel engine, this old lump had lots more torque than the Jimny and won quite easily.