London goes off-road

• 4x4s still popular despite negative publicity
• 16% of Londoners consider 4x4s as next car
• 22% of Britons consider family-sized cars

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One in six Londoners intends to purchase a 4x4 when they replace their car next year.

Despite the Congestion Charge and anti-4x4 campaigns hitting the headlines, 16% of Londoners will look to this market when they change their car.

However, some believe this prediction is unlikely. A spokesperson for the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said, 'If Londoners do buy 4x4s on this scale, it will be great news for the manufacturers, but since just 6% of all new cars sold in London last year were of this type, I simply can't see it happening.'

The research, conducted by The AA, also found that, consistent with the potentially burgeoning 4x4 market in the capital, 22% of Londoners will opt for family-sized cars and 11% for executive vehicles.

In contrast, drivers in the North and in Scotland are among the least likely to choose a 4x4, preferring smaller, more economical transport.