THE BEST 4×4

Jeep hasn’t made a Wrangler with a V8 since 1981, but is teasing us with a concept 4×4 that packs a 6.4L engine making 450 hp and 450 lb-ft. of torque. It also rocks a 2-inch lift kit, Dana 44 axles, electric front- and rear-axle lockers, 37″ mud-terrain tires, and a sub-5 second 0-to-60 time. Here’s hoping they put it into production.

Just like a real 4×4, if you’re going to take your R/C vehicle off-road, it needs proper tires. Traxxas is showing off their extreme new Sledgehammer tires. Designed for their badass Rustler 4×4 VXL, the oversize tires increase ground clearance, and have an open-block pattern for traction and mud-clearing on the most rugged terrain.

This limited-edition version of Jeep’s 4×4 truck has been upgraded for high-speed off-roading. It has a desert-tuned suspension with FOX hydraulic jounce bumpers and 2.5″ internal bypass shocks, along with a 1″ front lift, a reinforced frame, a front skid plate, and rides on 33″ Falken Wildpeak all-terrain tires.

ICON 4×4 has introduced a stripped-down version of its hand-built Toyota truck tribute. The FJ40 Roadster Edition is all about purity of experience. To trim weight, it has no doors, a fabric roof, and no A/C. But it still rocks a 6.2-liter GM V8 that makes 430hp, and a rugged, lifted suspension that’s ready to dominate any terrain.

We spent some time in Wyoming putting GMC’s 2020 trucks through their paces, including the Sierra 1500 AT4 on a dirt and rock course. It has a 2” lift, a 2-speed transfer case, Rancho monotube shocks, skid plates, a locking rear diff, and is now available with a 3.0L Duramax turbo diesel, making 277 hp and 460 lb-ft. of torque.

We managed to get our grubby little paws on the Ford Performance F-150 Raptor, and were blown away by just how good this truck is at everything. It hauls ass, handles any terrain, and offers a supremely comfortable ride on-road thanks to its new Fox suspension. Read on for our full take on this monster of a truck.

We recently spent the day at one of our favorite off-road spots in the Midwest – Badlands Park in Attica, Illinois. There, we were given free-reign to explore acres upon acres of challenging terrain behind the wheel of the 2020 Jeep Gladiator, and 2019 Ram 2500 Power Wagon.

Recently we went to Moab, Utah with our friends at BFGoodrich to check out the sights and sounds of the Easter Jeep Safari. Held every April, Jeeps from all over the country descend on the remote desert town to hit the trails, see old friends, and live the Jeep life.

Inspired by the classic 1960s truck bearing the same name, the 21st century Jeep Gladiator has the 4×4 capabilities of a Wrangler, with a 5-foot truck bed. It can be equipped with a removable roof, its doors can be popped off, its windshield folds down, and it rides on up to 35″ tires.

People often use the terms 4-wheel drive and all-wheel drive interchangeably, but that’s just wrong. The Team O’Neil Rally School explains how the two types of drivetrains differ. Proper 4x4s might be better at off-roading, but modern AWD systems are typically more versatile.

We spent a day off-roading in Toyota’s latest Tacoma, Tundra, and 4Runner TRD Pro series. All three now ride on rugged FOX shocks and are ready to take on just about any terrain you can throw at ’em. Check out our running footage, then read on for more.

The RZR RS1 is based on the RZR XP 1000 but with a lighter chassis and a center-cockpit setup. That means better visibility and stability, especially when ripping through corners. It has a 110hp 4-stroke twin cylinder engine, 16″ travel front suspension and 18″ travel rear suspension.

Outfitter Iron and Resin teamed up with 4×4 restorers New Legend to bring this classic 1972 International Scout II back to life, loading it up with a modern GM LS 5.3L engine, a leather and waxed canvas interior, modern roof racks, a swing-out motorcycle mount, and more.

Honda’s concept autonomous ATV is designed to work like a robotic pack mule, carrying loads to work sites, and also performing tasks like plowing snow, tilling soil, or harvesting crops with attachment modules. It’s rugged, has a 4-wheel drivetrain, and runs on electric power.

The Jeep Wrangler JL combined visual cues from the CJ line with a ton of modern conveniences and updates including a powered soft top option, a convenient fold-down windshield and a choice of 2.0L turbo I4, 3.6L V6, and 3.0L V6 diesel engines.

UTVUnderground and MadMedia let off-roader RJ Anderson go absolutely bonkers in a highly-modified 2017 Polaris RZR XP Turbo EPS UTV, taking on treacherous terrain and manmade ramps, culminating in a sideways ride around the WALL OF DEATH, and an epic backflip.

Toyota’s most rugged mid-size pickup yet, the new Tacoma TRD Pro rides on 2.5″ FOX Shocks, is wider, taller, has a 35º approach angle, and a 1/4″ skid plate to protect components. We dig the blacked out grille, hood scoop, and overfenders. Read our full review on 95octane.

One of the many tricked out vehicles slated headed to the 2016 SEMA show, this special off-road SUV has been blessed with a nitrous-boosted 3.3L V6, and a jacked-up suspension with massive wheel articulation and ground clearance, 35″ tires and 17″ beadlock wheels.

Currently available in Europe as the G500 4×4², this beastly off-roader is heading to the US in 2017. The $200K+ SUV has 17.2″ of ground clearance, 39″ fording depth, articulating axles,a 416 hp biturbo V8, and the sort of luxury interior we’d expect from Mercedes.

Pennzoil continues its series of awesome videos for gearheads, this time leaving the pavement behind and ripping up sand and crawling over rocks in extreme heat with a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. Bonus 360º video here.

This over-the-top custom 4×4 has an incredibly articulate suspension, which allows it to crawl and drive over just about any terrain, including wildly irregular surfaces. Under the hood is a 5.0 V8 from a 1993 Ford Mustang.

Filson customized AEV’s supersized Jeep JK Wrangler. This double cab pickup truck has a 6L V8 engine, 17″ wheels, 35″ tires, rust- and dent-resistant steel bed and leather interior. It also comes with two rugged twill bags.

Pro-X driver Kata Karenina doesn’t seem the least bit worried that the inside of her 4×4 has filled up with muddy water, as she hits an impasse in the Russia Rainforest Challenge. She says: “I’m up to my ears in sh*t, but I’m happy.”

The 2014 Polaris RZR XP1000 UTV starts out impressive, but the guys at UTVUnderground and Mad Media worked with a team of experts to create a badass ride capable of amazing off-road feats with driver RJ Anderson at the helm.

West Coast Defender buys classic (at least 25 years old) Land Rover Defenders in the UK, imports them to the US and then fixes them up with modern amenities, like GPS, leather interiors, LED headlights and more. Videos here.

The trusty off-roader gets a new look with a manly new front end, a more upscale, but still pragmatic interior, LED tail lamps, an Entune multimedia system with upgraded 8-speaker audio, SiriusXM, USB and Bluetooth.