Even if you loathe SUVs, there’s no disputing their usefulness for true off-road driving. Oddly, many “SUVs” today put more focus on on-road performance than off-road capabilities. Forbes decided to compile a list of the top 10 SUVs for off-road driving. According to the magazine, they are:
- Hummer H1 Alpha
- Hummer H2
- Mitsubishi Montero
- Land Rover LR3
- Toyota FJ Cruiser
- Land Rover Range Rover
- Jeep Grand Cherokee
- Land Rover Range Rover Sport
- Lexus LX 470
- Lexus GX 470
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04/17, 10:18 AM
posted by:
teknomusik
Wow, I didn’t think the Range Rover Sport would be very good off road…
04/17, 10:24 AM
posted by:
Ryan H
Uh…where is the Jeep Wrangler? Is this supposed to be luxury only or something? The TJ and JK will outperform the hell outta the WK off-road.
04/17, 10:31 AM
posted by:
Maverick
Agree with both of you. Did they actually test them or just assume?
04/17, 10:44 AM
posted by:
TW
The name “Forbes” should be a hint. I have yet to see a Wrangler with leather seats. They just picked whatever has the cushiest seats.
04/17, 10:50 AM
posted by:
benzin190e
And the Mercedes G-class is absent because?? Its been doing the off road thing longer than any of the vehicles listed there.
04/17, 11:05 AM
posted by:
Scott Anderson
WOW… lexus luxo barge trucks made this list, and not a Wrangler? Looks like Forbes is quite the “expert”… BTW the Hummer H2 couldn’t off-road its way out of a porky overweight paper bag. (Its a Chevy pickup with a “tough” looking plastic body kit) What a bunch of garbage. This list is for lawyers, bean counters and stock bookies in Wall Street. It makes their units feel larger for driving those luxo barge SUVs with plenty of latte holders for thier Manhattan rush hour “jungle” commute. Try really testing these please, then make a list… oh, and test them outside of Manhattan… the “carzy” concrete jungle doesn’t count, no matter how tall the curbs are on Wall Street!
04/17, 11:10 AM
posted by:
Alex
These guys are daffy for not having an Xterra, which by the way was picked by Car and Driver for best off-road SUV just recently
04/17, 11:20 AM
posted by:
Chris
The Hummer H1 is great in the desert and some places, but for use on wooded fireroads typical on the East Coast, Rocky Mountains, and many other places, the thing is just too wide to get around. Ask the fire depts in Colorado that mistakenly bought them for fire prevention use that found them worthless…
04/17, 11:33 AM
posted by:
Wayne
gimme a frickin break……God forbid they put a jeep product in there…..They are bound and determined not to give chrysler there due…..
04/17, 11:47 AM
posted by:
E M
UMMMM…WTF does Forbes know about off-roading, or any vehicle in general for that matter? Their lists are worthless marketing ploys to pay back their advertisers. A list of “most profitable” or “most efficient” brand would be more appropriate for them. And SHAME ON LLN for giving that list any press.
04/17, 1:03 PM
posted by:
Sean Gulden
The Jeep Wrangler isn’t a SUV. That’s why it didn’t make this list. Sadly the only off-roading most of these vehicles will do is go in and out of the owner’s driveway.
04/17, 2:40 PM
posted by:
Scott
The lack of the legendary Merc G-Class means this list is complete non-sense, I mean duhh!
04/17, 2:50 PM
posted by:
Brian
THATS LIKE…. THEIR OPINION MAN.
but it is not justified with credibility
04/17, 2:51 PM
posted by:
Brian
and what about the unimog i’ve never been stuck in mine
04/17, 4:04 PM
posted by:
Van
UMMMM a montero at number 3? I own one.. and it blows the bozack on and off-road, theres no way in hell that a montero is better than the LR3 offroad, im gonna support the XTerra here and frobes can drop dead
04/17, 5:26 PM
posted by:
Phil McCrackin
Forbes
04/17, 9:22 PM
posted by:
moody
How is a Wrangler not an SUV?
The reason an H2 is a better offroader than the vehicles with which it shares its platform is because it has several additional standard offroading bits - I forget which. I’ve heard that even the H3 is a decent offroader.
The omission of the G-wagen and the inclusion of the Lexuses (Lexi?) makes this whole test seem spurious. Then again, maybe the luxury Toyotas do have some kind of off-roading prowess that none of the major auto rags have bothered to quantify. Who knows.
04/18, 12:13 AM
posted by:
HD
I don’t know about the Montero but the Land Rovers and Lexuses are dot on.
The Lexus gx is a Land cruiser Prado
The Lexus LX is a grand Land Cruiser H8J100
As for the defender comment, I’d likea 2007 model but they don’t make one.
The Range Sport is nice and I plan to get one in June.
Wth Full low-range, locking center and rear differentials, 9.1 adjustable ground clearance on air suspension. It also has a ladder monocque frame. Approach and Departure angle is better than a Hummer. With its electronics, it can go places even the D90 doesn’t go.
04/18, 8:30 AM
posted by:
zalew
hummer h2? this one-> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xa_fziuFwA ?
04/18, 10:07 AM
posted by:
Anonymous
Um, where is the nissan xterra?
04/18, 11:41 AM
posted by:
Elias
The Range Rover Sport seems pretty capable:
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/84447/range_rover_sport_top_gear/
That’s from Top Gear where Jeremy went against a Challenger2 tank in a forest.
– Elias
04/18, 4:14 PM
posted by:
Chris G
No Germans? As many have pointed out, where’s the Gelaendewagen (G Class)? And I would like to add the Porsche Cayenne and VW Touareg with optional off-roading suspension.
10/10, 7:59 AM
posted by:
ryanjdd
This is the weakest list ever, my 2000 4runner SR5 with the factory rear locker would off road better than any of those SUV’s…….Hummers just get stuck and all the other ones are either crap or just for looks.