THE JEEP Wrangler Rubicon has won the 2020 4X4 Of The Year award, beating six rivals to the coveted crown.

The award was revealed at the 2020 Australian Motoring Awards, held at the Showgrounds in Flemington, Melbourne.

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After an exhaustive testing process – at the Melbourne 4×4 Training and Proving Ground in Werribee and then out past Healesville and Marysville in Victoria – the seven vehicles were compared against the proven 4X4 Australia judging criteria: value for money; breaking new ground; built tough; bushability; and doing the job.

Wrangler Rubicon wins 4X4 Of The Year
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Following lengthy – and often heated – debate, Jeep’s Wrangler Rubicon proved the best of the lot, but by a very slim margin.

JUDGES’ TOTAL SCORES

Jeep Wrangler Rubicon: 246 Suzuki Jimny: 244 Land Rover Discovery Sd6: 238 Nissan Navara N-Trek Warrior: 232 SsangYong Musso XLV: 225 Mitsubishi Triton: 224 Mercedes-Benz X350d: 211

It’s more than fitting that the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon climbs to the top level of the podium here and not just for what it does. It’s what the Rubicon represents in terms of 4×4 history and its impeccable bloodline back to where the 4×4 world as we know it today all begun.

Wrangler Rubicon wins 4X4OTY
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Hats off to Jeep for sticking to the basic 4×4 design principles of a separate chassis and front and rear live-axle suspension when other 4×4 manufacturers have turned their back on this old-school approach, which is still the best way to build a serious 4×4.

For comprehensive 4X4 Of The Year coverage, pick up a copy of our February 2020 issue, in stores February 6.