Best used off-road 4x4 2018

What's the best mud-plugging, bush-bashing, hill-flattening family wagon for the money?

There are no yellow-brick roads in this country Oz. There's plenty of red dust, rocks and streams, however. For rural buyers (and city folk who enjoy regular adventures in the outback), there is just no alternative to the traditional, big-hearted off-road wagon. They are very solid units, mighty capable of bringing you and the family back home. And they will tow horse floats, caravans, boat trailers, car trailers – in fact, pretty much anything that can be connected to a tow hitch.

For our inaugural running of the carsales.com.au Best Used Car Awards, we've obtained considered opinions from our expert vehicle reviewers and blended those with RedBook's market expertise to determine the winner in each of 10 categories.

And in 2018, the carsales.com.au best used off-road 4x4 is the Toyota LandCruiser GXL 200 Series from 2012.

The Toyota scored 41.1 points out of 50 from RedBook and 45 points from the five judges for a total of 86.1 points. RedBook research indicates the 2012 Toyota LandCruiser GXL 200 series should sell privately for between $50,100 and $55,000.

Used car expert Cliff Chambers wrote of the LandCruiser that it's "Still the king of the off-roaders and making advances in comfort too".

You can read more about the Toyota LandCruiser GXL in our road test. Reviewer Steve Kealy noted that "It's possible to hustle the V8 petrol 200 Series Cruiser along at an impressive pace thanks to minimum bodyroll, very accurate steering and a nimble precision which belies the eight-seater's vast bulk and mass."

Honourable mentions:

Land Rover Discovery 4 TDV6

Scored 39.3 points from RedBook and 39.5 points from the judges for a total of 78.8
Red Book value: $32,200 to $35,600

"As a capable offroader, the Discovery just might also be the best-mannered 'proper' SUV on-road for around $80,000" – Ken Gratton

Toyota FJ Cruiser 

Scored 37 points from RedBook and 36.5 points from the judges for a total of 73.5
Red Book value: $26,500 to $29,500

"The FJ Cruiser certainly has the substance to back up its nonconformist looks, and will likely prove itself a prize possession among those with a penchant for the peculiar." – Matt Brogan

What makes a car eligible for carsales Best Used Cars Awards?
• Less than six years old,
• Standard side-curtain airbags,
• Standard Bluetooth,
• Standard reversing camera for SUVs,

How did RedBook weight the categories for scoring?
• 10 per cent for resale,
• 10 per cent for ANCAP rating,
• 20 per cent for cost of ownership,
• Five per cent for service intervals,
• Five per cent for number of days for vehicle to sell

Read all about carsales.com.au Best Used Cars for 2018 here.