Top 5 Off-Road Vehicles That Are Not – What Does It Take to be Off-Road Worthy?

Colorado

What are the elements that make a vehicle off-road worthy? TFLtruck and TFLcar has been testing all kinds of vehicles off-road in the Rocky Mountains and other locations for over six years, and we identified five key criteria that make a great off-road truck or SUV.

  • Tires
  • Ground clearance, approach/departure/breakover angles
  • AWD / 4×4 system traction management
  • Suspension articulation and comfort
  • Power delivery

Here are the Top 5 vehicles with off-road heritage, off-road components, and off-road focused names are not that great when you actually take them off pavement.

5. 2016 Lexus LX 570

Yes, the Lexus LX 570 is based on the Toyota Land Cruiser and has decades of off-road heritage and excellence built into it. However, the LX is more focused on luxury and style. It has a stylish front grille, side running boards, and rear cladding. The LX has an emposing and expensive look, but these additional components decrease approach, breakover angles, and ground clearance. It also has 21-inch rims with street-biased low-profile tires. Will many owners take this brand new $100,000 SUV on a rough off-road trail? We decided against it with our test model.

4. 2016 Jeep Renegade

The Jeep Renegade is most recent addition to Jeep’s fleet of off-road capable SUVs and crossovers. The Renegade Trailhawk is “Trail Rated” by Jeep, which means that

3. 2016 Chevy Colorado / GMC Canyon

We are often hard on the Chevy Colorado with Z71 package. We have our reasons. The Z71 and the Trail Boss versions of GM’s midsize pickup trucks limit ground clearance with a front chin spoiler and/or low hanging side steps. Yes, these components are removable, but this is difficult to do. The chassis and suspension on this truck are good, but the off-road versions do not take it all the way to off-road greatness.  This is why we are very excited about the upcoming ZR2 version of the Chevy Colorado.

2. 2016 VW Beetle Dune / Fiat 500L Trekking

These represent vehicles that have appearance packages that suggest off-road prowess, but in fact do not offer AWD or 4×4 systems. The Dune and the 500L Trekking use exterior and interior trim and styling for an added adventurous flair. However, these are not meant for off-roading past a gravel or dirt road.

1. Ford Explorer, Nissan Pathfinder, Subaru Outback, and Toyota Highlander

What do all of these names suggest to you? Go exploring, find a new path, cross the wild outback, or climb into the high lands. Many of the latest SUVs and crossovers have off-road heritage and sophisticated AWD systems. However, their main focus is family utility and good fuel economy. It means that ground clearance suffers. All of these come with street-biased all-season tires. The Pathfinder and the Outback use CVT transmissions that also have safety mechanisms to protect the power-train against damage. All this means that you have be smart and pick the off-road areas and trails that you go on in order to avoid damage or avoid getting stuck.