These off-road trucks and SUVs are perfect for a day on the trail.
The new Ford Bronco somehow managed to live up to the absolutely massive hype generated by the community prior to its 2020 debut. It’s better to drive and more capable than the comparable Wrangler, and you can get it with a manual in many trims.
The Wrangler has been the go-to off-roader for North America for decades. There’s a reason it’s Jeep’s most popular model—because it can do so much and go so many places right out of the box. We’re partial to the ridiculous V-8-powered Wrangler 392.
The Defender is just as legendary as the Wrangler, and for good reason. It’s been around forever, with a simplistic design that off-roaders love. The new one is a huge jump in tech and design over the original, but it’s just as capable.
Yes, pricing for the Mercedes-Benz G-Class starts at more than double the most expensive Wrangler, however, there’s no arguing with its off-road abilities. With three locking differentials, there are very few places you can’t go in a G-Wagen. Also like the Wrangler, the G-Wagen is a true icon.
The latest Tacoma TRD Pro gets a ton of upgrades over the base truck, including a revamped suspension with forged control arms and Fox Racing shocks. There’s also better breakover and departure angles, as well as a metal skidplate.
Thanks to locking differentials front and rear and a set of Multimatic’s incredible spool-valve dampers, the Colorado ZR2 is incredibly capable off road. You have to know what you’re doing to make the best of it, though. We like it that way. It’s old school.
If you need a bit more towing capacity from your off-roading pickup truck, Chevy also makes the Silverado in ZR2 form. It has virtually all of the same upgrades as its Colorado sibling, including the locking diffs and the DSSV dampers. But it can’t squeeze through all of the same places the smaller Colorado can simply because of its size.
The normal Ranger and Ranger Tremor are pretty good off roaders, but if you really want to get somewhere fast, you’ll want the Ranger Raptor. It’s coming to the U.S. for the first time starting with the 2023 model year complete with much of the same upgrades you’d find on the bigger F-150 Raptor.
Whether you go for the standard F-150 Raptor or the manic supercharged V-8-powered Raptor R, you’re in for a good time. It’s exactly the truck you’d have if you were building a crazy off-roading pickup. It even has a dedicated Baja Mode and that tells you everything you need to know about this truck.
The Ram 1500 TRX is essentially a Dodge Hellcat in pickup form. In addition to the ridiculous 702-hp drivetrain, there’s also a set of off-road-ready adaptive Bilsteins perfect for landing big jumps.
There is no car on the planet that offers such a compelling mix of luxury and serious off-road capability than the Range Rover. Of course, few who own these actually take them off road, but they’re missing out. It’s as good, if not better on loose surfaces than in urban areas Range Rovers are usually found.
Toyota doesn’t sell the Land Cruiser in America anymore, so we can’t recommend it. What it does sell, though, is the Lexus equivalent, the LX600. It uses the same running gear and much of the same suspension, which means it can operate as the go-anywhere SUV the Land Cruiser is known for… with slightly more luxury.
Over 30 years after it first went into production, the Toyota 4Runner has modernized with the times, but it’s stayed true to its original concept. It’s one of the last truly old-school SUVs in an era where most of its competitors are more car than truck. Opt for the TRD Pro package and you get a locking differential, Fox Racing shocks, and some seriously mean looks.
Sure, it might have the face and same general styling as the Wrangler, but the Gladiator has some serious upgrades that set it apart from its non-pickup-bed sibling. The suspension and frame have been beefed up for towing, and the wheelbase is longer. Thankfully, it can still handle an off-road course with no trouble.
No, it’s not a truck or SUV. Some might not even consider it a real car. But the Ariel Nomad can definitely handle itself in an off-road environment. Meaty tires, long-travel suspension, and a tube-frame full body cage mean the it can tackle just about anything you throw at it.
The current-generation Land Rover Discovery ditches its predecessor’s ladder-frame in favor of unibody construction, but it hasn’t gone totally soft. Mostly thanks to Land Rovers clever off-road electronics, the new Discovery is better off-road than most of its buyers will ever realize.
I know what you’re thinking: The Subaru Outback sticks out like a sore thumb on this list, and you’re right. It doesn’t have crazy ground clearance, or knobby tires, or a locking differential, but the Outback is surprisingly useful off road. You wouldn’t take an Outback to Moab, but it’s perfect for light trails.
Keyword: 17 Best Off Road Vehicles of 2022