Random Best Off-Road Trucks on Four Wheels (20 items)

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  (#1) Ford SVT Raptor

  Forty years from now, when Ranker publishes a list of the best classic off-road trucks, Ford's Raptor may well end up at the top. True, some might bemoan the loss of the last generation's 411-horse 6.2-liter V-8, and its awesome exhaust note -- but the 2017 model's EcoBoost V-6 isn't likely to disappoint in the power department. Keep an eye out for the inevitable 1,000-horsepower VelociRaptor from Hennessey. 
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  (#2) Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

  This might be Jeep's hardest-core off-roader to date, including the old CJ. In an odd departure from the "bigger is better" evolution of most models, the current JK is actually 2.5 inches shorter in overall length than the TJ it replaced. Much as it might pain some to admit, the JK is everything the CJ was, plus 40 years of development, electronic controls, and a lot more power. About the only bad thing you can say about the JK is that it's much more complicated than the CJ, and electronic-everything isn't exactly ideal off road. But, that's just how it is these days.
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  (#3) Hummer H1

  • Hummer

  If you don't already know, then get a haircut, hippie. 
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  (#4) Full-Sized Bronco

  The Ranger-based Bronco II has long been a favorite among enthusiasts, and for good reason. But the F-Series based Big Bronco is one of those trucks that almost instantly became a legend in its own time. There was a time in the 1970s and '80s when you couldn't find a beach in America that didn't have at least one Big Bronc with its rear roof section off. It's at least as good off-road as any F-150, which is definitely nothing to sneeze at. But more than anything else, Big Broncos are just cool. Always have been, always will be. 
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  (#5) Land Rover Defender

  • Land Rover

  England's Jeep CJ in all but name, the Defender is a Cold War design that still finds favor among off-roaders. Britain's military preferred them to American Humvees, mostly because Defenders were half the weight, and could be hauled two-at-a-time under airlift helicopters. Defenders have continued in service overseas, seeing action most recently in Afghanistan and Iraq.
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  (#6) 2005-Up Dodge Ram Power Wagon

  The original Power Wagon was based on Dodge's WWII era WC chassis, and it is rightly considered the grandfather of all four-wheel-drive trucks today. By some standards, it's still one of the best. But the newer Power Wagon package probably makes 2005-later Rams objectively better off-roaders. Granted, it's not quite the low-speed crawler that the original Power Wagon was - that particular Dodge was almost more tractor than truck. But the newer model's almost as good at crawling over obstacles, and its Hemi engine gives it plenty of power for hammering through deep sand and mud. It might or might not be "better," but the new Power Wagon is at least far more versatile. 
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  (#7) Jeep Cherokee (XJ)

  • Chrysler, American Motors

  The SUV that literally coined the term "SUV," the XJ didn't get an entirely warm welcome among those traditionally conservative Jeep enthusiasts - mostly due to its unibody construction and early perception as a mall cruiser. But the XJ has absolutely proven its competence in places without a food court, and remains almost the default choice for off-roading among those who prefer SUVs. 
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  (#8) Mercedes-Benz G-Class

  • Mercedes-Benz

  Imagine a German-engineered Jeep YJ with four doors, a luxury interior, and enough cachet to stay cool on Hollywood Boulevard. That's the G-Class. And if none of that is quite enough to sway you, there's always a 500-horsepower mill courtesy of AMG.
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  (#9) Suzuki Samurai

  Most Japanese kei cars absolutely flop in the United States - we're just not big fans of cute little versions of the real thing. Suzuki's Samurai is the notable exception. Despite the fact that it's about as stable as a hippo on a telephone pole, the Samurai's half-scale dimensions, light weight, and indestructibility have definitely made it a favorite among certain types. If you're looking for a real off-roader that can squeeze down the average game trail, the list of potentials pretty much begins and ends with Suzuki. 
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  (#10) Toyota FJ80 Land Cruiser

  A lot of companies have made a go of retro in the last 20 years, and Mopar generally does the best job of it. But Toyota definitely proved its heritage chops with the FJ Land Cruiser. The original FJ40 was, no excuses, a direct copy of a Jeep left behind by Allied forces after WWII, albeit a little bit larger in most dimensions. Toyota's re-hash of its classic shape is more than just a reverse-engineered looker, though. Toyota's built some of the toughest trucks known to man, and brought much of that expertise to the FJ. Unlike certain American trucks (ahem, Hummer H2, a-HEM) this throwback is a lot more than just a mall cruiser in a Halloween costume. 
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  (#11) Chevrolet Silverado Z71

  To fans of older trucks, these newfangled Silverados are too complicated, too heavy, too civilized, and just too pretty to be called "real" trucks. That said, it would be an absolute lie not to say that the GMT900 chassis is objectively in a different league than anything the C/K sat on. So are the drivetrains and suspension systems on offer now. Like it or not, if you're going to call any GM truck (that isn't a Hummer) a good off-roader, you can't not mention later model Z71s. 
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  (#12) Land Rover Discovery

  • Land Rover

  If the Defender is Britain's Jeep YJ, then the Discovery is its Cherokee. True, the Disco catches a lot of flak in America for being an expensive luxo-cruiser with chrome dubs, but the Discovery is no Escalade. It's got a two-speed transfer case, locking differentials, cross-linked air suspension, and sophisticated electronic controls that make the Disco a legitimate rock crawler.
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  (#13) Hummer H3T

  • Hummer

  All right, the H3 isn't exactly in Jeep Wranger or Land Rover territory, but compared to the H2, Hummer's H3 was practically a mountain goat with cleats and a Batarang. Based on the smaller Colorado, the H3 weighed a full ton less than the H2, but had the same ground clearance, could still ford 24 inches of water, could climb a 16-inch vertical wall, and could negotiate 60-degree grades with 40-degree side slopes. With 37-degree approach and 22-degree breakover angles, locking differentials, and a two-speed transfer case, the H3 really did have the specs to make its military forebear proud. Sadly, it never did get out of the H2's shadow before Hummer fell by the axe of worldwide recession. 
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  (#14) Isuzu Trooper

  • Isuzu

  Also sold as a Chevrolet, the Isuzu Trooper fit into much the same niche as the Cherokee XJ had before, and which the Nissan Xterra did in its own time. Of course, that means it had a habit of flipping over in the slightest breeze on the highway. But in its native environment, the Trooper's narrow track and light weight made it as perfect as a white-tail deer for darting down narrow trails. Some prefer the larger second generation model, but the first gen is the one with a real cult following. 
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  (#15) Nissan Xterra

  • Nissan

  History of rollovers aside, the Xterra has always been one of the sleeper choices among off-road enthusiasts. Much of that had to do with the Xterra's pragmatic, stripped-down character, its broad range of powertrain options, the (rollover-inducing) narrow track that allowed the Xterra to get down tighter trails than most SUVs, and the fact that it used a real, no-kidding body-on-frame chassis. 
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  (#16) Ford Ranger FX4 Level II

  What might have been the last of the truly great "mini-trucks" left the assembly line in 2007, having been replaced by something far fatter, dumber, and less fun. The FX4 package was in most senses a four-wheel-drive Explorer drivetrain in a smaller and lighter package. With 8.8-inch axles, Torsen limited-slip diffs, manual transfer case, and three skid plates, the FX4 certainly seems to have the goods for proper off-roading. In 2003 and 2004, Ford even produced a few with both manual transmissions and a manual transfer case - the "Holy Grail" of modern Rangers. Long gone in the land of cheeseburgers and automatics, this truck is still on sale up in Canada. 
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  (#17) Mitsubishi Montero

  Also known as the Pajero in other markets, the Montero's world-crushing exploits at Dakar are well-known and documented. In stock form, the Montero might be nothing too special, but with the right modifications... think: "Evo IV with ground clearance."
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  (#18) Range Rover Evoque

  • Land Rover

  Yes, it's hilariously (almost insultingly) bling for an "off-road" vehicle, but the most insulting thing about the Evoque is that it's still somehow a legitimate off-road vehicle. Haters beware - the Evoque is basically a Defender in a fur coat, and its sophisticated electronics make it idiot-proof enough to bring banging bass to places that most off-road trucks could never reach. 
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  (#19) Jeep Liberty

  • Chrysler, Jeep

  Ha! Just seeing if you're paying attention. 
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  (#20) Ford Courier

  • Mazda

  Some mini-truck had to make this list, and I had a 1973 Courier with a 2.3-liter Mustang engine. So, there it is. If you've never experienced the joy of mercilessly thrashing a lightweight, low-geared, rear-drive minitruck around the backroads, then you might not understand what makes the Courier so utterly perfect. Think of it as a Mazda Miata for the dirt; a momentum machine that rewards talent, bravery and flawless control. Granted, you could say the same for any Ranger or Chevy S-10. But having owned all three, take my word for it: Light makes right, and Ford's Courier is the rightest of them all.  

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