We took the five vehicles to the Victorian High Country for two days' testing, starting out via Mansfield, on the western border of the Alpine National Park.
We planned to reach Wonnongatta Station where we would camp for the night, and the next morning head south out via Licola.
The tracks in the ANP varied from smooth, open dirt to boulder-strewn steep rock climbs.
What we discovered was that the five vehicles we took along – the Holden Colorado 7, Isuzu MU-X Land Rover Defender 110, Mitsubishi Challenger and Toyota Prado – were all more than capable of doing the trip. Some – like the Defender – were built for such an environment, while others like the Prado were much more car-like, but with enough off-road plumbing and 'electrickery' to hold its own.
The Colorado 7, MU-X and Challenger sat somewhere in the middle ground for off-road ability. They aren't bad off-roaders, with the Challenger's excellent over-bonnet vision and rear diff lock for example, making it quite competent. The Challenger has a better 4WD system than the Colorado 7 and MU-X, too, with a part-time/full-time Super Select system over the others' more basic part-time systems.
On paper these three had the ground clearance to match and exceed the Prado's, but were thumping over rocks more often than the either the Toyota or the Land Rover. Each has an independent-front/live-axle rear suspension (like Prado) so when encountering hollowed-out sections of track, the rear axles did a good job of maintaining contact with the ground.
The Defender was in its element; there isn't much that the ANP had to challenge it. The Defender has the ground clearance, wheel articulation, low-range gearing and over-bonnet vision to make these tracks smooth sailing. Well, not quite smooth – ride and quality are mutually exclusive terms when describing what the Defender's suspension does.
When driving off-road, it doesn't take much to get a tyre puncture – sticks and rocks are surprisingly good at putting holes in tyres. We were plain lucky not to get tyre punctures with four of the five vehicles – all but the Defender were shod with highway terrain tyres. These tyres are designed to roll smoothly and be quiet on new 4WDs, but are not much chop for avoiding puncture damage compared with an all-terrain or mud-terrain tyre.
So changing tyres to those with a more open, aggressive tread pattern and thicker, stronger carcass (as is the case with all-terrains or mud-terrains) will improve off-road grip and puncture resistance markedly.
With the persistent trend to lower-profile tyres and bigger wheels, it can be hard to obtain off-road replacement rubber with the correct overall rolling radius. Low-profile tyres with their thin sidewalls also ride more harshly on rough terrain and don't float over sand quite as well as taller profile tyres (when deflated for sand driving).
If possible, it's a good idea to invest in a set of smaller diameter rims. That way you can invest in decent off-road rubber that also has more sidewall than the standard tyres [Ed: visit tyresales.com.au for more info on which tyres best suit your 4WD needs].
Try to get a set of steel rims. Alloy wheels may look better but can damage more easily off-road than steel rims.
A snorkel not only takes some of the worry out of water crossings by sourcing intake air up high but also gives the benefit of drawing cleaner air on dusty roads.
Raised heavy-duty suspension is also a good idea because with all the gear loaded into it, your 4WD is going to have less clearance than when unladen. Standard suspension is usually a compromise and not really designed to carry extra weight over pounding corrugations day in and day out.
Those smart-looking aluminium side steps fitted to quite a few new 4WDs might make getting into your vehicle easier but they are the first thing that will bend off-road. Rock sliders – thick tubular bars that bolt to the chassis rails and protect the side sills – are available but you'd have to be doing a lot of hard-core four-wheel driving to justify them.
It's one thing to make a 4WD better off-road, but what about its driver? Possessing a car licence doesn't make you a good driver off-road – when is the right time to engage low range? When do you go fast (or slow) on slippery, steep terrain? These questions can be answered (and demonstrated) on a good four-wheel driving course.
Situated virtually mid-way between Mansfield and Dargo in the Victorian High Country, the original station house was lost to fire in 1957. Having survived intact from the 1860s the site of the former homestead is now marked only by rocks tracing the floor-plan. The orchard and remains of some fencing are also still visible.
But Wonnangatta isn't just renowned for its isolation and beauty. The site is also (in)famous for still unsolved murders of the station manager and station hand in 1918.
If you'd like to try a little sleuthing of your own, or would just like to visit the Wonnangatta region for its scenery, be advised that the trails into and out of the area now fall under the auspices of the Alpine National Park, and are therefore open seasonally (from Melbourne Cup weekend in November through to the Queen's Birthday weekend in June). Information of closures, track conditions and river heights are available through the Parks Victoria website.
The campsite at Wonnangatta offers fire pits and 'long-drop' toilets, but otherwise relies on campers to bring (and take home) everything they may need. There is no mobile phone reception and little radio reception (UHF or otherwise). Campfires are to be lit only in accordance with fire ban regulations and must be extinguished when not in use.
The only other thing you have to be careful of when investing even a small amount of time in the bush touring lifestyle is that it can be addictive.
If you'd like to find out more on how to get the most from your 4WD, why not contact a club near you. Alternately, if you're considering buying a 4WD for use off-road, you could do far worse than to check out how each of our 'filthy five' fared below.
Related reading: motoring.com.au's Offroad SUV reviews