THE automatic-transmission only Frontera is not a genuine full-time 4WD but offers the next best option with a switch on the instrument panel that allows the front wheels to kick in at speeds up to 100km/h if the going gets slippery.

This is one step up from the basic, part-time 4WD system that requires the driver to step out of the car and activate the locking front hubs when about to venture off-road.