Feature: The 4Car Top 10: £10,000 4x4s

Vauxhall Frontera

Developed from an Isuzu pick-up, the Frontera was a pretty awful buy when new: noisy, rattly, truck-like to drive to drive and generally dated, it was never a match for its rivals. But secondhand... well, you can get a very low-mileage example in as-new condition for the price of a rather ropey hard-worked Freelander, and with Vauxhall parts prices and service costs it's one of the cheapest proper 4x4s to own.
The Frontera can be a workhorse, too: with selectable four-wheel drive and high/low-ratio gears, it's a real off-roader, and it has a decent towing capacity for its size. The petrol engines are harsh but strong; many of the diesels had problems, so they're best avoided. It's available with three or five doors. If you're not too concerned about creature comforts, style or sophistication, then this might just be the working vehicle you're looking for.

Road Test: Vauxhall Frontera (1998-2003)
Driven: Vauxhall Frontera 3.2 Sport

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