Best fuel efficient cars or SUV/truck for Stalkers

[tom.h]

Hello,

With the rising cost and fuel I'm wondering if there are any clever ideas of cars or SUV's suitable for stalking in places like Scotland and Ireland but with decent MPG etc.

The obvious choice is something like a Toyota Hilux or VW Amarok but the MPG is not great at 28mpg more or less.

Would something like the Toyota Rav4 hybrid be ok for forestry stalking in places like county kerry, ireland?

Basically something reliable with decent MPG and ground clearance/offroad ability suitable for Ireland and Scotland forestry roads etc.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Crowther92]

I've used a 2014 jeep cherokee for a few years now get on average 45-50 mpg and use it on forestry and dirt roads no issues. Only issues I find is parts for matenance are expensive and not have separate place to put deer like in a pickup long drives home can get abit smelly haha ,but other than that been a good work horse

 

[Lever357]

Isuzu DMax are more economical than a HiLux and very reliable

 

[topscots1]

I have went around the yards, between a pick up and a family car, then went to a freelander 2 and a family car. I have now settled on one car, a Skoda Yeti4x4. It is getting its first stalking outing tomorrow. Dog cage in the boot and two large plastic close-able boxes for the back seats, with a poncho to cover the seats. The yeti comes highly recommended by some on here. Decent MPG of 45-52 on my commute to work and back and general running around this week.

It has all the mod cons you could want in a family car, comfortable ride. Maintenance costs should be reasonable during my ownership. I did look at the VW Passat all road, the A4 all road. But found a good deal on the yeti.

 

[slider]

I use a seat Ateca. Does my job with a carcass tray for roe or the occasional Sika hind in the back seat

 

[Hunter 6.5]

You have quite few options, but heavily dependent on what you want (new car,nearly new or old) than automatic or manual. Automatic gearbox cut the options a good bit but still plenty

 

[Jelly]

Dacia Duster 4x4 with decent tyres would be my first port of call. Excellent MPG and its off road capabilities are up there with vehicles twice the price. Theres an excellent 2WD version in classifieds...

 

[ColinBr]

I use my VW Passat Alltrack
50-52mpg and 180bhp (remapped for better fuel economy)

With it being the estate it holds a hell of a lot of kit if need be, and I can still fit a stag in the back

 

[chriswjx]

It's done me for my fishing, nissan Qashqais for me. Averages about 50mpg on my commute to work every day and holds about there on motorways as well.

Not been out stalking with it, but if it can do some of the more dodgy beat tracks even in 2wd mode and on cheap tyres, I'm sure it'd be decent for stalking too.

 

[wytonpjs]

The yeti comes highly recommended by some on here.

A shooting colleague who had one said that getting tyres for the 4x4 version was a bitch as its an unusual size - good boots are an essential part of a reliable off-road 4x4 so be interested to hear how you get on Meantime, I'm sticking with my FL2 which with careful right-foot use is averaging 36mpg

 

[Morkai]

Isuzu DMax are more economical than a HiLux and very reliable

Is that the one thats about the only pickup with a normal speed limit (60mph) not the commercial 50mph.

 

[slider]

I really wish someone would bring out a small pickup in the vein of the old Subaru's.

We spotted a Renault (Dacia) Duster pickup when on holiday in Cape Verde. I asked my local dealer about the chances of it being introduced here and he said it wouldn't sell

 

[DK.260]

I have went around the yards, between a pick up and a family car, then went to a freelander 2 and a family car. I have now settled on one car, a Skoda Yeti4x4. It is getting its first stalking outing tomorrow. Dog cage in the boot and two large plastic close-able boxes for the back seats, with a poncho to cover the seats. The yeti comes highly recommended by some on here. Decent MPG of 45-52 on my commute to work and back and general running around this week.

It has all the mod cons you could want in a family car, comfortable ride. Maintenance costs should be reasonable during my ownership. I did look at the VW Passat all road, the A4 all road. But found a good deal on the yeti.

I used to have a yeti a few years ago….properly capable and totally bulletproof. It was also a company car so it was also thrashed and abused and never let me down.

 

[GWP]

Discovery sport goes where you want to 45+ to the gallon ive had five roe in the boot

 

[Ronin]

Jesus - I’m getting 28-30 from one vehicle that’s on mid terrains and 30 from another is it’s “a little quick”

 

[Heym SR20]

I have done 150,000 odd miles in an Audi A4 Allroad - very happy with it. Superb traction, plenty of clearance for forest roads, good in snow.

But there are now several good 4x4 cars with plenty of ground clearance and good traction. If I was doing a lot of rough roads the Subaru’s have a good reputation. Any of VW Audi offerings are long lasting and pretty tough, reliable and economical. Also had a Kangoo for many years - fantastic machine.

Try and get a reasonably tall tyre as that will be better on rougher roads and choice of tyres again makes a huge difference. I have used winters on mine, but cross climates, snow and muds all work. And have a set of snow chains on board. They work well on mud as well as in snow.

With a car there are multiple options for deer transport. I have a plastic tray liner for the boot, and deer go into either a big plastic box or a gardening trug. If I was shooting big deer regularly I would use a tow bar mounted cage with a body bag. Cage travels in the boot till its needed.

Don’t overlook the little cars - Panda 4x4 are fantastic little machines and in the alps they go everywhere. And a cage on towbar quite happily takes a red deer. Dacia Dusters - in many parts branded as Renaults again are simple, tough and cheap to run.

Most of the above will quite happily drive across a field, up farm and forest tracks. Where they struggle is big rocks and ditches etc. where you need clearance. And being independent suspension you don’t gain more clearance as you go over an object.

If you need a vehicle for extraction etc, I can’t help feeling that a good tough 4x4 car is probably the best route, combined with a quad bike in a trailer that has sufficient space for two or three big deer as well.

 

[sir-lamp-alot]

Ive got a vw toureg which will give slightly better returns on mpg over a pickup but as a family car it excells its massive inside including the boot and has more toys in it than toys r us and whilst i must admidt its to nice to throw at seriously rutty track where i have taken it off road its been fine plus the 3ltr v6 will propell you from 0-60 in a little over 6 seconds which is always nice!

 

[mikeakc]

I rate my Mitsubishi outlander quite highly. It’s a 2011 model with optional four-wheel-drive and I get 50 mpg on the way to work and have never been stuck in a field so far. I’ve got a decent set of general grabber tyres on which helps. At risk of upsetting some people, I even pulled a defender out of the mud the other week. It was towing a sawmill though.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Be sure to check it will accommodate the largest fallow:

K

 

[Pete6.5]

A van with a quad in the back. Much better mileage and you can get everywhere with the quad to do extraction and can use the van for all those jobs. Nothing on show either.