The love for the off-road is one of the best automotive passions you can involve yourself in. Where most people find a bumpy, rocky, or muddy road a nightmare to drive through, others derive pure joy and feel alive. An off-road escapade takes you to places where you'll wonder whether anybody else has ever been. You become one with nature, enhance your driving skills, and fall in love with driving all over again. But, not every vehicle is well suited for these adventures. It would help if you had the right tool for the job, whether a truck, Dune buggy, rock crawler, sandrail, or an off-road SUV.
Decades ago, the term SUV represented versatile and rugged vehicles built to soak in any abuse across all kinds of terrains. Today, not all vehicles in the 2022 SUV market come with all the capabilities of the original SUV. Some focus more on comfort and on-road performance at the expense of utility. But others have remained true to the original idea and come readily equipped to tackle rough roads and the wilderness. These are the best off-road SUVs on the market in 2022.
10 2022 Ford Bronco
The beloved Ford Bronco was subject to resurrection rumors for years before it finally came back in 2021 after 25-year hiatus. Ford designed the Bronco to be a rugged and capable off-roader To rival the Jeep Wrangler. The Bronco comes with a wide array of standard and available off-road goodies to help it easily navigate any terrain.
There are up to six Bronco trim levels, including two and four-door body styles with choices of a hard roof with removable panels or a retractable soft top. The 2022 model year introduced an even more capable trim, the Bronco Raptor. It comes with four doors, a removable hard top, and a three-liter twin-turbo V6 punching over 400 horsepower.
9 2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro
The Toyota 4 runner is one of the longest-running nameplates, with production running since 1983. The current powertrain is outdated, having served since 2010. But that doesn't take away its trail-breaking capabilities and off-road pedigree.
It remains the rough and tumble-friendly SUV it has always been. It offers certain reliability, plenty of standard active safety features, a good towing rating, And more than eight trim levels. For best off-road performance, go for the TRD Pro trim, which is the most equipped for tough outings.
8 2023 Land Rover Defender
The Land Rover Defender is another iconic nameplate and an ever-present feature with off-road enthusiasts for decades. Land Rover brought it back in an all-new format in 2020. But it still offers the notorious off-road capabilities of the classic Defender but with its modern sense of style and functionality.
For the 2023 model, the Defender is even more capable off-road. It comes in two and four-door body styles with comfortable and practical cabins more than tech features and signature styling that pays homage to its heritage. Power comes from turbo 4, inline 6, and Powerful V8 engines.
7 2022 Jeep Wrangler
Few vehicles represent freedom, like the Jeep Wrangler, which can trace its roots back to the first military MB and early CJ models. It provides raw off-roading capability, with the added ability to shed the doors and roof and lower the windshield for the ultimate open-air convertible experience in nature.
The charming retro styling is hard to miss, and few can match its vibe. The trail is the Jeep Wrangler's natural habitat and can tackle conditions that would tear other vehicles apart, making it the most hardcore and capable 4x4 off-road vehicle. There are up to 13 trim levels, and the range-topping Rubicon 392 it's the most capable featuring a powerful 6.4-liter V8.
6 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness
The Subaru Forester Wilderness Edition is one of the most underrated off-roading tools today. Subaru took the safe, reliable, and somewhat boring Forester and gave it an exterior styling overhaul with added body cladding. Then they added some hardware that made it a better off-road vehicle. It features independent suspension, All-terrain tires, longer dampers, and taller springs to help bolster its off-road credentials.
It comes standard with Subaru's trademark all-wheel drive system. But, the lack of a turbo option leaves the forester feeling underpowered. If your adventures require more power, you can opt for the Subaru Outback Wilderness, which comes with the potent 2.4-liter turbo motor.
5 2022 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
Many people who buy the Mercedes-Benz G class do so for its status. It is synonymous with wealth and excess, which only overshadows its unstoppable off-road prowess. Its iconic style makes it one of the most recognizable vehicles on the road. Still, it can hold its own on the toughest terrains.
It is one of the least accessible vehicles on this list, with the most popular trim, the AMG G 63, starting at $179k. But, regardless of engine, the G class packs plenty of off-road potential beneath its military heritage. You can't go wrong with this vehicle if the price is no object.
4 2023 Land Rover Discovery
The Land Rover Discovery may not pride a fan base as massive and passionate as its hardcore sibling, the Defender. Still, it has incredible off-road capabilities, and it's built for discovery, as its name suggests.
For 2022, the discovery comes with Defender-like off-road ability in a spacious and luxurious cabin, making it one of the most well-rounded off-road options. It comes standard with the center locking differential and an optional rear locking diff for hardcore off-roading.
3 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Don't let the unibody and transversely mounted engine make you write off the Jeep Grand Cherokee as an off-roading weapon. Beneath the ruggedly handsome styling, a refined and posh cabin is an impressively off-road capable vehicle that can take you just about anywhere.
It is a close competitor to the luxury brands like Land Rover, and the Trailhawk trim is the most capable option featuring Jeep's most advanced all-wheel drive system. There are three powertrain options; a 3.6-liter V6, a 5.7-liter Hemi V8, and a 4XE plug-in hybrid.
2 2022 Lexus GX
The Lexus GX forms a niche of midsize luxury SUVs in the market with serious off-road capability. It is closely related to the Land Cruiser Prado, a popular off-roader in the Australian market that can take you anywhere straight from the showroom. It is built with body-on-frame construction and features a self-leveling suspension with adaptive dampers.
It is the Toyota 4Runner alternative for those who want luxury with bulletproof reliability. You get a full-time four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer case, limited slip center locking differential, Active traction control, available crawl control, and terrain modes to help you traverse any challenging obstacles.
1 2022 Range Rover
While the Land Rover Defender focuses on off-the-pavement performance, the Range Rover seeks to excel at everything. It conquers luxury, looks, and capability in equal measures. It has the off-road ability of the Defender in a comfy and refined body.
The Range Rover keeps evolving, and now in its fifth generation, it is suave, sophisticated, and the ultimate representation of a luxury SUV. Still, thanks to the adaptive all-wheel drive, AWD steering, locking diffs, and adjustable air suspension, it will effortlessly conquer rough terrains. It is available in two wheelbases and a range of powerful and refined powertrains.