PICKUPS
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& 4x4s
There seems to be no slowdown in the demand for off-roaders and with several less-equipped models now out of the running the line-up is looking particularly
capable. Julian Milne reports. Having had a thorough makeover in the past few years the pickup/4x4 sector now stands as one of the strongest in the light CV market,boasting some seriously advanced hardware. One area that's come in for particular attention is the refinement/ driveability factor, making these machines,on the whole, a cinch to drive on the road.
The most recent entries, launched earlier this year, come from Mitsubishi. Both the Outlander and revised Shogun have had the rear seats of the passenger versions removed to create a usable loadspace, and it makes sense to utilise the company's famed 4x4 credentials for the workman who needs to reach those far-flung places without the threat of getting stuck.
Elsewhere, Ford has built on its well received Ranger pickup by adding a 3.0-litre engine and numerous adornments to tap into the lucrative 'lifestyle' market, while Land Rover has again given its legendary Defender a stay of execution, further honing a product that dates from 1948 but still has few equals.
And the same can be said of Our continuing all-round favourite, the Nissan Navara, which has yet to be bettered in the highly competitive pickup sector.