In the past, pretty much all SUVs were off-roaders designed to carry would-be adventurers across rugged terrain. How that has changed!
We now have an array of different types of SUVs, some of which will never see a dirt track let alone any truly off-grid stuff. There are still some truly capable vehicles on the market today, some trucks have become just as capable off-road too. It is within the SUV market that we have seen the greatest ever off-road adventurers though, able to literally take us anywhere and back again.
10 Jeep Wrangler
Despite the fact that Jeep was the original off-road vehicle made available to the public, it has never rested on its laurels.
The latest iteration of the Wrangler takes it to a whole new level when it comes to features and technology, but its biggest advantage still has to be the old-school solid front axle giving it a distinct advantage off-road. It is a tried and tested piece of kit that is a must for serious off-road conditions.
9 Land Rover Defender 110
The recently discontinued 110 series is, without doubt, one of the best off-road vehicles to ever roam the planet. Off-road it is truly without rival, sadly it has a myriad of reliability concerns, almost completely destroying its real-world viability.
From wiring issues to mechanical failures, there isn’t an issue the Defender hasn’t been guilty of at some point in its long history. This has given rise to many enthusiasts opting to do an engine swap of some sort, which comes with its own set of challenges.
8 Toyota Land Cruiser
As far as brand-new off-road vehicles are concerned, there are very few that can rival the Land Cruiser. Although it lacks the solid front axel of the older Land Rover and the newer Jeep, it makes up for that with refinement, comfort, and bulletproof reliability.
Reliability is critical when adventuring in far-flung places where spare parts are scarce, something other manufacturers seem to forget about.
7 Hummer H1
After years of ferrying troops in and out of battle, a certain celebrity, and it must be said sufficient demand brought this extraordinary vehicle to the public.
It is not without its problems, shocking fuel consumption and incredible impractical size to name a couple. It was however battle-tested in the most literal way, able to carry troops in any terrain imaginable (just not a narrow gully, it can’t do that).
6 Land Rover Defender
So many will balk at this inclusion, but for all intents and purposes, the Defender has come back stronger and more capable than ever. It is also more expensive than ever.
Although refined, the reliability is yet untested, but nothing can really be any worse than the previous model. Even if the reliability is questionable (it likely will be), the new tech on this Land Rover is on par with the competition and its capability off-road is plainly ahead of them.
5 Toyota Land Cruiser 40
In the case of the Land Cruiser, there is just something special about these short wheelbase machines that have gained something of a cult following.
When manufacturers copy each other we often want to roll our eyes today and laugh at the lack of talent, when Toyota copied the Jeep (who Rover also copied quite openly) it wasn’t so much a copy as it was an upgrade. Taller, more robust, and just as capable.
4 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
The original, the real deal, not the overpriced new AMG. Mercedes-Benz already had an all-conquering off-road truck in the form of the Unimog, so when they decided to scale that kind of heavy tech into a family-size SUV they did not do a half job.
The G-Class, (also known as the Gelandewagen) is simply incredible. Another off-roader with military roots, this offered the kind of refinement most the opposition back in the 80s lacked, by today's standards it is just a brilliant, rugged, back to basics 4x4.
3 Jeep Wagoneer
It was clear that Jeep couldn’t simply survive on the success of the aging Willys, they needed an answer to the strong Japanese opposition and their version was something of a masterstroke.
It was a lot bigger, but tall and robust enough to go even further than the army Jeep. The Wagoneer marked the true start of Jeep as an automotive brand, not just army surplus but a legitimate company producing an even more legitimate off-roader.
2 Range Rover
Never before had any company thought to bring actual luxury to an off-road vehicle, that in itself makes the original significant in the evolution of the SUV.
Other brands were able to bring some refinement, but the Range Rover in its day was a luxury vehicle. In today's world, it makes for one of the best, most capable, yet somehow comfortable off-road vehicles. It will also overheat all the time and generally drive you to distraction with wiring that was likely installed by 4th graders.
1 Land Rover Series III
A blatant and well-documented copy of the Willys Jeep, it was scrambled together in less than a year out of sheer desperation for Rover to stay in business post-war.
Nobody would have predicted its success, becoming the go-to vehicle for any explorers and adventurers between the 60s and 80s. Much like the 40 series Land Cruiser, it took the template of the Jeep and just made it that much better. It is also worth noting that it was absolutely awful at anything other than off-roading.