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(iSeeCars) – Demand for off-road vehicles has been climbing for decades as the popularity of trucks, SUVs, and nature-based adventures has grown. Pickup trucks and SUVs now account for nearly 75 percent of new vehicle market share, with SUVs alone responsible for more than half of all new vehicles sold. Both of these vehicle types feature rugged styling and raised ground clearance, two common traits associated with off-road abilities. But serious off-road enthusiasts know it takes more than a boxy exterior and a few extra inches of ground clearance to make a capable off-roader. The best off-road vehicles feature a long list of rock-crawling upgrades that ensure they won’t get damaged or stranded while venturing over hill and dale. We identified these features and combined them with ground clearance to rank the best off-road vehicles in 22 categories below. To earn a spot on these lists a vehicle must have at least 6.5 inches of ground clearance, giving it a reasonable breakover angle to help avoid getting hung up when crossing sharp peaks. Approach and departure angles are also important to avoid getting stuck on uneven terrain, but those figures are rarely available beyond trucks and SUVs, and we wanted to identify the best off-road vehicles in all vehicle categories. Keep in mind that some vehicles utilize an air suspension, allowing them to change/elevate their ground clearance by one or more inches on demand. Standard or optional all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive systems are also required to earn a spot on these lists. While an all-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive doesn’t guarantee a capable off-road vehicle, these systems, along with all-terrain tires, are the bare-minimum requirements for a vehicle to confidently transition from on-road to off-road capability. Beyond sufficient ground clearance and an available four- or all-wheel drive system, we identified the 10 most important off-road features currently offered on modern vehicles. We then prioritized these features by how effective each one is at improving a vehicle’s off-road prowess. The availability of these items, listed below, as standard or optional equipment was combined with ground clearance to rank each vehicle in its respective segment.
The most capable off-road vehicles leverage most or all of these off-road features. The Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, Ford F-150 Raptor, Ram 1500 TRX, and Toyota Tacoma and Tundra TRD Pro models each include nearly every feature listed above, either as standard or optional equipment. While those models are all trucks, off-road capable SUVs like the Land Rover Discovery, Nissan Armada and Toyota Land Cruiser, also provide many of these off-road technologies.
Beyond trucks and SUVs, you’ll find sedans, wagons, and even minivans listed below. While these models won’t include nearly as many of the off-road features discussed above they all offer at least 6.5 inches of ground clearance and some form of four- or all-wheel drive.
Be sure to check out our list of best off-road vehicles across all segments.
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This article, Best Off-Road Vehicles, originally appeared on iSeeCars.com.
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