HERE’s a recipe for a driving challenge: Take a lot of mud, add a generous dash of gravel, a large helping of slippery rocks, mix together and serve up on a serious slope. Then, take a Suzuki all-wheel-drive model and use it to wolf down this daunting mixture with ease.

That’s what was on the menu in the wilds of Wales this week, and I was there for a taste of driving over the tough stuff as a guest of the Japanese manufacturer which offered the opportunity to try out five ALLGRIP models., out of the seven cars in the range.

The line-up? The Swift, Ignis, S-Cross, Vitara and Jimny. I have driven, and enjoyed, the first four on the road, but had never been behind the wheel of a Jimny, king of the range when it comes to taking on rugged terrain.

They have ALLGRIP four-wheel-drive capability, either as standard or as an option. It is divided into three categories: ‘Auto’ for Ignis and Swift; ‘Select’ for Vitara and S-Cross models, and ‘Pro’ for Jimny.

The ALLGRIP models account for more than 25 per cent of Suzuki sales in the UK.

JIMNY

My four-wheel-drive day started with the plucky on- and off-roader which has push-button selectable four-wheel drive. The car has sales of 2.9million, across 188 global markets.

With its characterful and highly practical styling and fuel efficient 1.3 litre, 16-valve petrol engine (39.8mpg combined fuel consumption and emissions of 162g/km), the Jimny has front fog lamps, roof rails, heated electric door mirrors, DAB radio and front electric windows standard on all versions

The car backs up its chunky looks with honest performance off the beaten track as I was about to find out. With the four-wheel-drive incorporating high and low gear ratios, full box-section chassis and long-travel suspension, this mighty little car did a passable imitation of a mountain goat, shrugging off broken surfaces on inclines, making short work of deep water-filled ruts and powering through mud wallows.

VITARA

The good-looking SUV has a series of modes for different ground conditions, chosen by turning a dial next to the front armrest to ‘auto’, ‘sport’, ‘snow’ or ‘lock’. In ‘snow’ mode, my Vitara lapped up slippery tracks, feeling eminently sure-footed, and demonstrated its downhill prowess with hi-tech ‘hill descent control’. As instructed, I took my feet off both brake and accelerator and let the hi-tech kit guide the car gently to the foot of a steep, slippery incline.

SWIFT, S-CROSS AND IGNIS

The hatchback Swift and SUV-crossover S-Cross showed their four-wheel-drive credentials on twisting mountainous roads en route to our off-road site, while lack of time dictated that the gem-like little Ignis will have to wait for another day.