If you're going to head out into the rugged country, you are probably better off with a 4x4. There’s very sound reasoning behind this. 4x4 vehicles are designed to be all-terrain capable and have a number of features built in to help you achieve traction even in the most challenging conditions.

A key advantage of a 4x4 is that it allows you the option to transfer torque to different axles. For example, if your front wheels get stuck in the mud, you could transfer engine power to the rear axle and haul yourself out. It's safe to say that this is only theoretical and things may not work out as smoothly in a real-life situation. The pictures here are proof of that.

Sometimes, it doesn’t matter what rig you own or how skilled you are at behind the wheel. Nature has its own way of showing you who is boss. For the most interesting and intriguing cases of 4x4s (and in one case even a 6x6!) that got outplayed by nature, read on!

15 Snow Plough Fail

Porsche-Macan,-Snow-Plough-Fail
via macanforum

The Porsche Macan is hands-down one of the best compact SUVs on the market and can be a lot of fun to drive. It does have its limits though, as this driver quickly discovered when he took his car out for a spin in the muddy snow. The Macan struggled vainly for a while before a tractor arrived on the scene and hauled it out of the muck.

14 Joy Ride Turns Sour

Jeep-Rubicon-Totaled
via autoevolution

This brand-new vehicle was taken out for a joy ride when the driver drove into a muddy section of a trail and promptly got stuck. According to Autoevolution, the Jeep suffered permanent damage due to hydro locking. This is basically an engine failure brought about by water in the combustion chamber. Oh, dear!

13 ‘Czech’-Mate

Hummer-H2-Czech-Republic
via activeczech

The owner of this massive Hummer H2 was out on a fun day with his pals when he drove down a mud embankment and got his front axle stuck in the gooey mud at the base. It's even more intriguing, considering the Hummer H2 was created for terrain like this. However, sometimes things may get a little tricky ...especially with an inexperienced driver behind the wheel.

12 Down Under

Toyota-Hilux-Down-Under
via 4wheelinginwesternaustralia

There are all kinds of dangers in the Australian outback; animals, plants, and then there's the terrain. This Hilux was part of a team that headed out into the Western Australian outback when it got caught in a deep muddy hole. We can only hope his travel buddies in the other vehicles were able to haul him out in good time.

11 Reality Check

mercedes-amg-g63-6x6-gets-stuck-in-mud-in-azerbaijan
via autoevolution

It is almost inconceivable that a veritable monster such as the G63 AMG 6X6 would get stuck in the very terrain it was meant to conquer. Yet that is what happened to this one somewhere in Azerbaijan. It was eventually rescued by another G63 6x6, thus preserving the dignity of the Mercedes brand.

10 Out Of Range Rover

Rented-Range-Rover
via telegraph

This Range Rover was just nine days old when it was rented out to a group of tourists. They headed out for a day of fun but took it to the extreme when they ventured into a protected area on the beach and got the vehicle bogged down in sinking sand. You can be sure the rental company wasn’t too pleased when they found out.

RELATED: 24 Cool Pics Of 4x4s Off-Roading In The Mud

9 The Gooey Mix

Wrangler-JK-Icy-Mud-Wins
via jkforum

Off-roading in the mud is always a tricky venture that requires some superior driving skills and a very capable machine. Throw in some ice in the mix and you could be in for a very tough time indeed. This happened in Kansas where the ice suddenly gave way and the 4x4 got sucked into the mud beneath. Another Wrangler was close by though and was able to save the day.

8 All Spun Out

Audi-Q7-Rear-End-Dip
via hotlegendaryfinds

The Audi Q7 comes equipped with a very intelligent All-Wheel-Drive system. This helps when you get the car stuck in mud, but there are times when the terrain can prove too much to handle. It looks like these blokes were driving by the riverbank when they encountered a slippery patch that spoiled the fun.

7 When The Ice Refuses To Cooperate

Chevy-Truck-Frozen
via foxnews

A group of guys were out testing this brand new truck somewhere in Illinois when this happened. They drove out onto a lake that seemed to be frozen over. Unfortunately, the ice cracked and the Chevy was trapped in the mud underneath. A backhoe that was brought in to help got stuck too.

6 Abandoned and Lonely

4X4-Stuck-and-Abandoned
via thesedaysofmine

A man was driving down some back roads, after a storm, when he came upon this forlorn-looking Jeep trapped in a muddy pool, no one else in sight. The area is located close to a few agricultural properties, and we can only speculate that’s where the occupants of the car headed to get some help.

RELATED: 22 Hilarious Pictures Of Cars Stuck In Mud

5 No Way Forward

Toyota-Landcruiser-Sudan
via flickr

The Landcruiser is a vehicle of choice for many government agencies that operate in the rural areas of Africa. They are relatively easy to maintain and are hardy vehicles that can handle the extreme terrain they often encounter. Though on certain occasions, the terrain does emerge the winner, as seen in this case.

4 Forward March…And Halt!

Toyota-4Runner-Ran-till-it-Puttered-Out
via thedrive

The Canadian driver was adventuring somewhere in Nevada during the holiday season. Unfortunately, he ventured out into what he thought was a dry lake basin. From the tracks behind the Toyota 4Runner, he must have driven for quite a while before he discovered the basin was not so dry after all.

3 RAM Gets Owned

2017-RAM-2500
via guideautoweb

Here’s one who tried to "Ram" his way through mud, literally. The driver was part of a group of journalists that were out testing the new wagon when the incident happened. Even the massive 6.4L V8 HEMI engine could not help much. Although, this incident was chalked off to the driver’s inexperience more than the vehicle’s capabilities.

2 Nowhere to Go

Hyundai-Santa-Fe-Mudding-Fail
via youtube

This Hyundai was in the middle of deserted farmland when the wheels spun out and it got stuck. The slippery mud offered no traction whatsoever, and the poor driver tried vainly for over 10 minutes to extricate the vehicle before he gave up and abandoned the car to go seek help.

1 Stuck in Seattle

Jeep-Stuck-in-Seattle
via pinterest

Here’s another one who believed in the invincibility of his vehicle. How else can one explain why he was driving so close to the edge of the river? Needless to say, a particularly weak section gave way and the usually nimble Wrangler surrendered meekly to the sucking mud. It must have taken some serious effort to haul it back to dry land.

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