Every year, NZ4WD celebrates the very best in new 4WD utes and SUVs, and every year the auto industry has some incredible new products to offer.

The advances made in recent years by so many automotive brands have transformed both the ute and SUV markets and delivered sophistication unheralded in such products.

Advances in comfort, safety and fuel efficiency previously only seen in the car market are now expected of every new 4WD. They arrive in the throngs of new SUVs and then slide across into the 4WD utes.

These, then, are our 4WDs of the year.

Compact 4WD SUV of the Year:
Subaru Crosstrek

Riding in as a profound enhancement of the outgoing XV, Crosstrek remains true to the rally-bred DNA that has won Subaru a devoted following over the decades.

From the muted growl of that Boxer-format engine to its tenacious grip in corners, Crosstrek is a delight to drive.
Drop onto a gravel road or even a beach and it doesn’t disappoint.

It’s worth marking the role played by its predecessor. Subaru’s XV arrived a decade ago, and immediately carved its own niche among ‘crossover’ SUVs. Impreza-based and carrying a strong hit of that car’s rally-inspired DNA, the XV was immediately popular.

The ski set loved it for its clever all-wheel-drive system and handling. Young outdoorsy families loved it for its ability to do work all week and then go exploring at the weekend.

The Crosstrek is everything the XV was – and more. Of all the compact SUVs driven by NZ4WD in recent years, this one is the vehicle that inspires most confidence off the beaten path.