So you’re on holiday and about to hire a standard car, as usual, when suddenly your eyes fall on to this sleek yet rugged luxury 4x4 vehicle and your long-held dream of being a latter-day Camel Man resurfaces in a flash.

Indecisively you stand in the middle of the showroom floor and weigh up your options: Should you play it safe in a standard family sedan and be happy with the power steering and airbags, which are the sum total of the extra features offered? Or should you live your dream even if only for the next 2 weeks vacation? Niggling at the back of your mind is a certain amount of self-doubt – what if you can’t handle the car once you get it off-road, and make an idiot of yourself sliding down a sand dune or crashing into a tree?

What are the benefits of a 4x4 over a regular car? Apart from making you look and feel great, that is…

First off, the high-rise driving position gives you a much better view of the other cars on the road, or if you’re off-road you will be able to spot bumpy terrain and potholes in time to navigate them. You do need to be vigilant though, not to overlook smaller vehicles which may be in close proximity and therefore NOT visible.

The ‘beefy’ engine certainly gives you a lot more power, which is great in off-road situations when you need to climb steep and slippery inclines. In the city or suburbs you need to be careful not to abuse the power, so you’ll need to go easy on the accelerator.

Added traction and the sheer size and strength of the body make 4x4 drivers a lot safer. It’s important that good driving skills and manners are not forgotten. Also remember that you could do some serious damage to other cars, not to mention pedestrians, so watch that you don’t become over-confident and arrogant!

If you are planning on driving through any rough terrain while on holiday it is definitely worth hiring a 4X4. Many car hire companies offer introductory courses for first timers, so don’t be shy to ask. If you wish to camp out while adventuring ask about 4x4s which have roof-rack sleeping tents. You’ll probably find that the company offers camping equipment for hire with their 4x4 rentals.

Safety, style and off-road suitability are all combined in today’s top of the range 4x4 vehicles, and these days comfort plays a big part too – so even when you’re roughing it you’ll still feel as good as you look!

Go on, you know you want to do it! Hand back those sedan keys and get ready to take a drive on the wild side!

Submitted by: Francois L. Botha Francois is the webmaster of Drive Africa, a car rental South Africa website. They also offer Cape Town Car hire.