4X4 Australia's 4x4 of the Year 2013

Six new-model 4X4s were torture-tested over four days in the NSW bush to find out which one deserved the prestigious title of 4X4 Australia's 4X4 of the Year.

Seven judges scrutinised the vehicles using five criteria: Value for Money, Doing the Job, Bushability, Breaking New Ground, and Built Tough. There were gnarly hill-climbs, busted vehicles, some wounded pride, a few beers, and, er, a quokka...

6th Place: Holden Colorado7
PROS: Well-controlled suspension, Decent equipment level
CONS: Noisy engine, Too thirsty

5th Place: Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
PROS: Funky looking, Great heritage, Unbeatable off-road
CONS: Thirsty and noisy, Ordinary ride

4th Place: Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport
PROS: Great heritage, Strong value for money, Unbeatable off-road
CONS: Thirsty and noisy, Ordinary ride

3rd Place: Nissan Patrol Y62 Ti-L
PROS: Big AND heavy but steers well, Room, Tech savvy
CONS: Big AND heavy, Not as good as it should have been

2nd Place: Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series GXL
PROS: Strong tough tradition, 138-litre tank great for touring, Smooth-riding
CONS: Thirsty, Doesn't break any new ground

WINNER: Land Rover Discovery 4
PROS: Good value for money,Superb ride and handling on all surfaces, in all conditions, Punchy bi-turbo V6 diesel, Very capable off-road
CONS: 19-inch tyres / rims, Fuel tank (82 litres) is too small, Air suspension difficult (impossible) to have fixed in the bush