OVERVIEW:
4-Wheel Drive & Sport Utility magazine was published by McMullen & Yee Publishing in Anaheim then later Placentia, California.
Content focused on off-road and general four-wheeling with articles covering "how-to" technical tips, major racing and off-road events, new truck reviews,
feature rides and adventure articles.
Re-titled from 4WD Action, numbering continued from its predecessor. For the first 9 issues, the new title was 4WD & Sport Utility which allowed a bridge from the old to the new by keeping "4WD". With the March, 1992 issue, the title became 4-Wheel Drive & Sport Utility. The magazine remained on a bi-monthly schedule until September, 1994 when it went to a monthly schedule.
The company had a large portfolio of magazines including Street Rodder, Popular Cars, Mustang Illustrated and VW Trends.
OWNERSHIP:
Mr. Yee died in 1994, and a year later Mr. McMullen died in a tragic accident. 4-Wheel Drive & Sport Utility was sold
as part of a larger transaction to Primedia. The editors and staff rode a wave of changes as the title moved through various new owners:
- 1995 -- Primedia acquires McMullen & Yee Publishing and creates McMullen-Argus Publishing division;
- 2007 -- Primedia sells its Enthusiast Media division to Source Interlink Media for $1.2 billion;
- 2014 -- Source Interlink rebrands to TEN: The Enthusiast Network, and multiple titles are ended including 4-Wheel Drive & Sport Utility.
The table of contents, if available, can be seen by clicking on the icon.
PUBLICATION DATA:
The publisher submitted net paid circulation data to Oxbridge Communication's The Standard Periodical Directory
from 1995 through 2005 (the latest date for which we have data). Annual print production ranged from 67,000 to 182,000.
CONTENT COMPLETENESS:
The magazine was published from September, 1990 through September, 2014. All cover images are complete except
3/98, 12/04, 2/05, 4/05, 5/05, 8/05, 10/05, 6/06, 10/06, 12/06, 2/07, and 7/10.
INTERNET:
The front covers first referenced the www.gr8ride.com website in July, 2000. It was shared by multiple titles. Then in
August, 2001, the title got its own website, www.4wdandsportutility.com. And under Source Interlink Media, it got another
website address, www.4wdmag.com. All these websites are now defunct.