Only these 6 guys really cross slopes and valleys

He gained a reputation as a land vole in the US Army and later conquered US beaches as a surfer boy. The Jeep Wrangler was one of the first off-road vehicles and still retains these virtues today. This is achieved by 4×4, reduction gears and differential locks. Available as a two- or four-door model with a 272 hp (200 kW) petrol engine or as a 383 hp (280 kW) plug-in hybrid. Prices: from 78,900 francs.

Countless Swiss know him from the military as Puch. The German all-terrain vehicle was built in Austria since 1979 and was the idea of ​​the last Iranian Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (1919-1980). Daimler-Benz owned 18 percent of the shares and wanted all-terrain vehicles for border guards and hunting. The result: the Mercedes G-Class. Today there is a commercial vehicle version for the authorities and the lifestyle luxury variant for Zurichberg – typically Mercedes, of course as an AMG with 585 hp (430 kW). But even they have to master the test in advance on the Graz local mountain Schöckl. All G’s have all-wheel drive and three locks. Price: from CHF 158,100.

No, this is not the veteran Land Rover Defender. There is a new player in the off-road vehicle market from this year, but the face looks somewhat familiar. Name: Ineos Gernadier. Its resemblance to Land Rover is no accident: British billionaire Jim Ratcliff (69) wanted to revive the original Defender with modern technology. Only Land Rover objected, even complained, but could not prevent Ineos. Grenadier from Ratcliff, who also owns Swiss football club Lausanne-Sport, is now heading to Switzerland as a 2- and 5-man version. Price: from CHF 70,990.

Ever since Fiat discontinued the Panda 4×4 at the end of 2022, the Jimny has stood alone as a cult mini all-terrain vehicle. The reinterpretation of the under-2018 Suzuki Kraxler is so popular that the Japanese had to reallocate it as a commercial vehicle to avoid getting caught in CO.₂-To be ruined by buses. The smaller one is only offered with a slightly outdated 102 hp (75 kW) petrol engine. But off-road, the short 3.65-foot Jimny is hard to beat. In addition to 4×4 operation this is achieved by a mechanical reduction gear. Its price is also unbeatable: it starts at CHF 30,990.

Next winter may come: the Toyota Land Cruiser, along with its pickup brother Hilux, is the only car to make it to the North Pole. Well, the engine and chassis were revised for it, but it speaks for the reliability of the original Japanese all-terrain vehicle. He’s been digging since 1951. Like all its siblings it has grown steadily over time, and the J300 version produced since 2021 can almost compete with the G-Class in luxury. In Switzerland, its slightly more rustic predecessor as a three- or five-door model with 204 or 230 diesel hp (150 or 169 kW) stands for now. Price: from CHF 48,600.

No, we haven’t forgotten it: the Land Rover Defender, in production since 1948, is one of the original all-terrain vehicles along with the Wrangler, G-Class and Land Cruiser. He took the International Red Cross to the furthest reaches and was the long-term winner of the Camel Trophy off-road adventure rally. After a four-year hiatus without Defender, its successor launched in 2019. While the new one leaps into the 21st century inside, its design pays homage to the ancestor. No exploration can be adventurous for the new Defender, as this transmits off-road genes. There are always two lengths. The wide range of drivetrains even includes a V8. Price: 79,400 francs.