OFF-ROADERS come in all shapes and sizes these days and Suzuki has a selection of smaller models which punch above their weight.

The Japanese firm has been in the 4x4 business for 44 years and in that time has developed a variety of all-wheel- drive systems for a variety of purposes.

Its current crop includes four-wheel-drive versions of the Swift hatchback, the S-Cross compact MPV and the surprisingly capable Jimny compact SUV.

To show their mettle we put all three through their paces on a demanding all terrain course in North Yorkshire.

Each has a different 4x4 set up and the S-Cross and Swift fall into the soft roader category which means they can tackle bumpy tracks and grassy fields but not deeply rutted slopes or mud filled hollows.

Nevertheless both are fairly heavy duty with good amounts of traction and restricted only by their ground clearance - five and a half inches in the case of the Swift and an inch more with the S-Cross.

That gives plenty of scope as cars which fit the bill for everyday use yet can withstand some rough and tumble. They also have an edge when it comes to bad weather where all round grip is a bonus.

The Swift 4x4 is the cheaper of the two by some margin and priced from £14,159 or just £11,799 with Suzuki's current ‘VAT free' discount.

Like the seven other Swifts in the Suzuki line up it is powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engine developing 94bhp which is lively enough for most.

The 4x4 is a six speed manual only and uses a viscous coupling which is permanently engaged to vary the power from front to rear axle as necessary so the driver has to do nothing to benefit from all-wheel-drive.

It has a five door body, bigger wheel arches, side skirts and skid plates front and rear. It also sits on 16-inch alloys and rides an inch higher than a standard model.

As a result the Swift 4x4 weighs 65kg more, has a slightly smaller fuel tank at just under nine gallons but retains its 211 litre boot capacity. Emissions of 126g/km translate into official fuel economy of 51.3mpg which is only five miles per gallon less than the front wheel drive version.

On the road the extra grips pays dividends too making the Swift feel even sharper and pound per pound it's quite an all rounder - a budget quattro although not as punchy.

Even more impressive when it comes to on road handling is the S-Cross 4x4 which is fitted with Suzuki's electronic ALLGRIP drive, a multi mode system which can operate automatically or be switched into sport or high grip settings at the turn of a switch on the centre console.

Such technology comes at a price and this S-Cross costs from £21,549 for either a 1.6-litre petrol or a similarly sized diesel.

We tried the 120bhp diesel which proved to be quite exceptional in all departments. In sport mode - which gives extra throttle response and added rear wheel bias - it handled twisty roads through the Yorkshire moors with precision showing virtually no excess body roll.

Moreover it was highly economical returning 58 to the gallon on average - not far short of its official 64.2 rating which with emissions of 114g/km is very clean for a 4x4.

Off road it has maximum pull from as low as 1,750 revs, good engine braking from the diesel and when locked into AWD it feels as if it could extricate itself from the stickiest of conditions.

The top range diesel SZ5 ALLGRIP  costs from £23,549 but not only does it perform impeccably on and off the road it is very well equipped with sat nav, dual zone climate control and a panoramic roof as standard kit. It also has a family friendly boot capacity of 430 litres - enough for four cases.

As a car for all seasons the S-Cross is up with the best but for sheer hard work it is the Jimny which is an off-road star.

Small it may be but it is at home in the same sort of territory as you'd expect to find a Land Rover Defender.

The manual 1.3-litre Jimny tips the scales at just under 1.1 tonnes giving it excellent credentials for driving in snow or sand.

It is highly manoeuvrable with a tight turning circle of less than 32 feet and only 5ft 3ins wide.

Ground clearance is almost eight inches and it sits high giving good all round visibility although performance is a leisurely 14 seconds 0 to 60 with a top speed of 87mph. Fuel economy is around 40 to the gallon with a CO2 figure of 162g/km.

Through push buttons on the dash it can be set up for two wheel drive, four wheel drive and switched into low ratio gears for added pull but even so it lacks some engine braking when tackling steep descents.

The Jimny is only four seater and fairly tight in the back with limited cargo space of 113 litres - 324 litres at maximum with the rear seats folded.

Nevertheless for those going out into the wild who don't need a full blown, expedition sized 4x4 it is a handy piece of kit priced from £11,995 or just over £14,000 for an automatic.

Rugged and hard core when it comes all terrain ability, the Jimny is the modern successor to Suzuki's LJ80 Jeep-like off roader which was its first 4x4 to go on sale in Europe in 1977.