SUVs used to be all capable of going wherever the trail might take them. Over the years, the segment has expanded, and today, the market is full of large SUVs that are not even built with any off-roading in mind. However, over the years, gearheads with a love for off-roading have always made themselves known, and car manufacturers have churned out off-roader for them. A 4x4 off-roading vehicle is one that instills amazing confidence in the driver, since they know that they could conquer any terrain that they are faced with, thanks to the capabilities of their vehicle.
Over the years, the world has seen many off-roading machines, and while some have been good, some have been ineffective, too. Then come the off-roading vehicles that have cemented their name in automotive history with their capabilities, becoming the best of all time. Let's take a look at five of the best off-roaders of all time, and at the same time, five off-roading vehicles which are given praises that are a lot higher than they actually deserve.
10 Best Of All Time: Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
Jeep has always been the "original" off-roader, and the Wrangler is truly the quintessential off-roader. Always updated with features and technology, but never compromising on sheer power and capability, the Jeep Wrangler's biggest USP has to be the old-school solid front axle it still comes with, which makes it a king of the off-road terrain.
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Put through the toughest off-road conditions for years, the Wrangler has proved itself to be a phenomenal off-roader. With a Rock-Trac 4x4 System, Electronic Locking Differential, Electronic Front Sway Bar Disconnect and a plethora of heavy-duty, off-road focused parts, the Wrangler truly easts any terrain like no other.
9 Overrated: Hummer H2
The Hummer H1 was a great and successful car that had the U.S. Military's success behind it, but the H2 was never truly a good vehicle either on the road or off it. Terrible mileage decreased the time you could ever get on the seat if you went exploring, and a lack of aftermarket parts is another downside.
Marketed as an all-powerful vehicle, the Hummer H2 did have a lot of sales, but it was never truly a capable SUV or off-roader. The H2 was extremely hard to see out of, and had terrible maneuverability. Furthermore, the factory front suspension, along with the massively heavy tires that bore all the car's 6000+ lbs was never a recipe for off-roading success. Undoubtedly, the Hummer H2 is the most overrated 4x4 of all time.
8 Best Of All Time: Land Rover Defender
There's no denying that Land Rover has always made some of the best and most renowned off-roading vehicles of all time, and the Land Rover Defender has been a phenomenal off-roader through all of its five generations.
While the original 110 Defender is truly an unrivaled off-roader, it had reliability concerns and electronic problems, which the new Land Rover Defender fixed. In fact, many like to believe the original Defender is better than the new one. However, the truth is that not only has Land Rover improved the Defender and given us its most capable variant yet, but they have also developed one of the best off-roaders in the world right now.
7 Overrated: Mercedes-Benz X-Class
Any gearhead knows that the Mercedes-Benz X-Class pickup truck was essentially a Nissan Navara wearing the Silver Arrows. With a huge price tag, the X-Class was decent to drive with some remarkable cabin luxury and low NVH levels, but that was never enough to set it apart.
In its 4-cylinder offering, this Mercedes truck, the truck failed to deliver anything that could set it apart from its off-roading rivals, while the price tag was something it simply failed to justify. For Merc loyalists, maybe, this could have been an option, but even then, this was a tough one to justify.
6 Best Of All Time: Toyota Land Cruiser
Very few off-road SUVs have ever gained the renown and respect that the Toyota Land Cruiser has built for itself over the years. Purists could never find themselves agreeing with the absence of a solid front axle like the new Jeep and the older Land Rovers, but the Land Cruiser makes up for all of it in other departments.
With remarkable refinement and comfort, the Toyota Land Cruiser comes with the great reliability that is synonymous with Toyota. The importance of reliability can never be stressed enough in off-roading situations, especially during over-landing trips. The FJ80 model of the Toyota Land Cruiser still proves to be a phenomenal off-roading SUV, one that checks all the boxes to this day.
5 Overrated: Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6x6
Luxury, speed, and reliability are what Mercedes-Benz is known for, and with the G63 AMG 6x6, the brand developed a rugged 6x6 truck just because they thought 4 wheels was never enough.
Sadly, when it came to actual off-roading scenarios, the truck was simply too wide to ever be capable of fitting into trails. Furthermore, the fuel economy was so horrible that you could never assure yourself of a longer trip. While there was plenty of luxury on the inside of the truck, it could never prove its mettle as a go-anywhere truck that was anywhere near practical.
4 Best Of All Time: Toyota 4Runner (Third Generation)
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The Toyota 4Runner is one of the best off-roaders, and the third generation is by far the best iteration of the SUV, even though the current generation comes really close to greatness. Built between 1996 and 2022, the Gen-3 4Runner borrowed its chassis from the Land Cruiser Prado, an equally-capable off-roader.
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The luxury features that the 4Runner came with never made it compromise on its sheer capability, and a long wheelbase, ample room on the inside, ABS, coil-sprung suspensions, along with rack and pinion steering made this Toyota 4Runner a timeless off-roading classic that could do you no wrong even today.
3 Overrated: Ford Expedition Timberline
Ford brought out a fully off-road focused version for the Expedition with the Timberline trim. Packed with a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine that cranks out 440 horsepower, the Ford Expedition Timberline is a great SUV, and should do quite well off-road on paper.
However, despite being heavily loaded with features like off-road shocks, rough road suspension, a terrain management system and a lot more, the car sadly struggles to bear its own 5,600-lb weight. Furthermore, the Expedition Timberline struggles in narrow trails, where slippage is a problem, taking away any off-road confidence the SUV's brochure might inspire.
2 Best Of All Time: Ford Bronco
No amount of praise is ever enough for the Ford Bronco, be it the original iteration, or the newly-redesigned SUV. With an adventure-focused design, the Ford Bronco is as versatile as they come, with a powerful and sturdy chassis that instills confidence in the driver no matter where the trail takes them.
Furthermore, the Ford Bronco has the credibility of success in off-road tournaments like the Baja and the King Of The Hammers, both of which have helped its development. Easily one of the sturdiest and most disciplined off-roaders today, the Ford Bronco is a must-have for any off-roader.
1 Overrated: GMC Yukon AT4
The GMC Yukon AT4 might be marketed as the most off-road capable Yukon yet, but that isn't saying much. While the SUV has plenty of road presence and great style, it comes equipped with all-terrain tires and recovery hooks as well, looking to gain off-road credibility.
With plenty features like a front skid plate, the Active Response 4WD System among others, the Yukon AT4 might have refined comfort, but it sadly comes with very limited truly off-road focused features. Furthermore, the SUV has severely limited maneuverability, which is a no-no when it comes to tackling extreme terrains.