July new car sales suggest the country is heading for another record-breaking year with current sales up 2.8% on the same period last year.

So you’re looking for a car to take you off the beaten path, but don’t want a big, full-sized 4WD, we compare the Jeep Renegade Trailhawk, Mitsubishi Outlander, Subaru Forester and Suzuki Grand Vitara.

4X4 TV ads often show environmentally unsound behaviour and recovery techniques when off-roading that are potentially deadly – all in the pursuit of grabbing your attention.