The Best New Vehicles For Overlanding
The people have spoken, and overlanding is one of the hottest automotive trends of the last few decades.
The meeting point of off-roading and car camping, self-sustained vehicle-based adventures have taken the industry by storm, and the OEMs have responded with a massive array of vehicles perfectly suited to doing the deed.
Here’s our list of the best new vehicles for overlanding for (almost) every budget.
Note that we’re only covering production vehicles here. As great as it is to fascinate over Earthroamers, U-Joint Off-road vans, and the like, this list is dedicated to the vehicles you can walk into your basic automotive showroom and purchase for your daily commute just as easily as for the basis of your build. We also cherry-picked these, so bear in mind that the base, bare-bones trim prices are listed for some vehicles and not for others. We’ll explain herein.
As for our criteria, those with a keen eye will notice no full-size pickups or overly road-focused CUVs on this list. A great overlander needs to be able to go anywhere the trail takes you (within reason), so neither massive trucks nor vehicles with tame all-wheel-drive systems meant for tarmac use fit the bill.
Loyalists will say it isn’t a “real Bronco,” but the Baby Bronc has some decent chops of its own. It’s more of a dirt road explorer than a rock crawler, but it’s still fairly capable for overlanding. There's even a new Sasquatch edition if you're looking to pay for some extra capability up front.
The Taco practically helped invent the overlanding scene as we know it. And while higher trims like the TRD Pro steal the show, even a base Tacoma is a great vehicle to get out there and explore with.
Jeep’s Wrangler is the ubiquitous off-roader, and the modern JLU is as good as it gets for a backwoods wheeling companion. Don’t sleep on the entry-level trims like the Sport and Willys; even though the former has no locking differentials and the latter can only lock the rear, even a stock Wrangler will go places (and be more fun) than nearly every other vehicle on sale today. You might not want to sleep in the back of a 2-door, but a 4-door is a solid choice in any trim.
The Tacoma might get all the attention, but the Nissan is simple, affordable, and still quite capable. The Pro-4x is a great choice for those who want a great off-road pickup without the Toyota tax.
It doesn’t get more inherently outdoorsy than a Subaru Outback, and the most outdoorsy version of the Subaru Outback is the appropriately-named Wilderness trim. It adds a slight lift, heavier-duty tie down points and roof rack, and some armor. If you don’t need low-range four-wheel-drive, this is one of the best overlanders available.
Want to go somewhere deep into the world of no cell service and guarantee you can get back, with no frills to be found? Buy a Toyota 4Runner. The SUV variant of the Tacoma is all you need to explore to your heart’s desire (within reason).
The most capable version of Chevy’s midsize pickup is a fantastic wheeling companion and home base for overlanding operations. The ZR2, with its Multimatic suspension and locking front and rear differentials, is close to as good as it gets for value-minded overlanding trucks that are also fantastic off-roaders.
Ford’s counterpart to Chevrolet’s Colorado ZR2 is more of a Baja blaster than a dedicated crawler, but it’s still a great platform for overlanding.
Toyota Land Cruiser
There’s an old trope that goes, “If you want to go to the outback, take a Land Rover. If you want to make it back, take a Land Cruiser.” While the new 250-Series Land Cruiser isn’t quite as proven as the simple, ultra-rugged vehicles that predate it, you can easily go deep into the wilderness with any Land Cruiser and have faith in its abilities.
Land Rover Defender 110
The Defender is available in 3 lengths: 90, 110, and 130. The 110 is the sweet spot, with enough space for gear but not so much length that it becomes a burden. It’s a very capable vehicle, if not a bit over-reliant on tech to get the job done.
Ineos Grenadier
Seemingly from left field, the Ineos Grenadier is a mash-up of modern technology with old-school looks and a refreshingly simple approach to making a vehicle capable. It looks like a knock-off Defender and has a BMW engine, and plenty of cargo space to bring you and all of your gear deep into the unknown.
Ineos Quartermaster
Take an SUV and make a pickup out of it: Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? The truck-ified version of Ineos’ Grenadier SUV takes form in the Quartermaster, a retro truck that promises to be a great backbone for overlanding travel.
Fancy as it may be, The G-Wagen still touts body-on-frame construction and three differential lockers (front, center, and rear). These are extremely durable and robust vehicles, even if they’re seen more at the local Target than the trailhead. Don’t let that stop you: The G 550 is an excellent overlander for those who can pony up the money for one.
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Ross hosts The Hooniverse Podcast. He has been in the off-road world since he was a kid riding in the back of his dad’s YJ Wrangler. He works in marketing by day and in his free time contributes to Hooniverse, AutoGuide, and ATV.com, and in the past has contributed to UTV Driver, ATV Rider, and Everyday Driver. Ross drives a 2018 Lexus GX460 that is an ongoing build project featured on multiple websites and the podcast.
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