What are the Top 5 BEST Off-Roaders you didn’t know were badass in the rough?
Tommy presents a list of the Top 5 Best off-roaders that many of us didn’t realize have serious difficult terrain capabilities. There are quite a few folks out there who chalk up the off-road capability to various, beefed-up pickup trucks and SUVs. Most people know that all truck-builders have a serious off-road version of their trucks. Many are aware of the top SUVs like the Wrangler, Bronco, and G-Wagons as well.
What they may have missed are these other vehicles that are seriously capable as well. You would be surprised at how many people were unaware of these vehicle’s off-road prowess. Tommy lays out each vehicle, talks about their capability, along with the pros and cons of each vehicle.
Here’s Tommy’s list of the The Top 5 BEST Off-Roaders You Didn’t Know Were Capable Of Hitting The Rocks!
5. Volkswagen Touareg (first-generation U.S. 04-2010) – full-time four-wheel-drive lockable differential and optional real locking differential. Low range transfer case, air suspension up to 11-inches of ground clearance.
4. Porsche Cayenne (first-generation) Co-developed with Volkswagen, the Cayenne had a lot of the same components, but a different powertrain. Some swear it is even more capable than the Volkswagen, and it did have some underside armor as an option.
3. Kia Sorrento – The first-generation was a truck with a proper ladder frame, an optional limited slip rear differential, and real skid-plates. The one to get is the model with the part time four-wheel drive system. They were also available with a manual transmission.
2. Mercedes-Benz GL (Off-road Pro configuration X164) – If you got the off-road option, you got a low-range transfer case, “Airmatic” suspension system, locking center differential – and we believe a locking rear differential as well.
- Ford Explorer (second-generation) – This often overlooked truck had a proper ladder frame, frame low-range, solid rear axle, with V8 and V6 options. Tommy believes that they were (and are) overlooked for their toughness and capability.
As you can see, these vehicles kind of fell through the cracks. Check out this video and let us know what unsung heroes you would add to this list!
