Awesome Suvs

Do you love trucks (or SUVs)? Then check out our friend Tim Esterdahl’s excellent YouTube channel. Tim’s honest, matter-of-fact style, and no B.S. opinions are a refreshing change of pace from slickly-produced automotive content, and he really knows his vehicles. Check out some of his videos, then subscribe.

Toyota’s rugged, body-on-frame SUV not only is getting upgrades like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Toyota’s latest TSS-P safety systems, but the new Venture Edition gets a Yakima Megawarrior roof rack with crossbars, 17″ gunmetal TRD wheels, and black accents. It looks really sweet in Barcelona Red metallic.

German performance tuner Brabus is making just 10 of these badass Mercedes-Benz G-Wagens, widened 4-inches over stock, and equipped with a 6.3L, twin-turbo V12 that makes 900 hp and 1,106 lb-ft. of torque. Equally impressive is its opulent interior, outfitted with quilted leather, Alcantara, carbon fiber, and aluminum.

We get to drive a lot of cars around here – some of which might attract the attention of the police. This time, we got some wheel time in Ford’s latest police pursuit vehicle – a fast, sturdy, and safe SUV made here in Chicago. We were especially impressed with the new Hybrid model. Read on and learn what makes a police SUV different.

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.

Volkswagen turned its Atlas family SUV into a trail-ready camping vehicle. The Atlas Basecamp Concept has a custom body, lift kit, custom wheels, all-terrain tires, roof rack with bike mounts, and LED light bars. It also comes with a HIVE EX trailer that has a queen size bed.

A variant of Porsche’s popular SUV that swaps some cargo height for a svelte new look. Its separate rear seats are more car-like, and it gets a slick adaptive spoiler on its hatchback lid. In its robust Turbo form, its 4L V8 launches it from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.9 seconds.

Audi’s concept for a smaller and more affordable electric SUV. Like the e-tron, the Q4 e-tron has two motors that provide all-wheel drive. There’s a 200hp rear motor and a 100hp rear motor. It goes up to 112 mph and has a range of over 280 mi.

The Tesla Model Y is the bigger brother of the Model 3. It seats up to seven people, has up to 66cuft of storage space and will have a range of up to 230mi on its entry level variant. Its performance model features all wheel drive and a 0 to 60mph time of 3.5s.

Toyota is releasing a limited-edition of 1200 vehicles featuring a black accented grille, bronze BBS 18″ forged aluminum wheels, and retro-style badging. Its chrome lower moldings and running boards have also been removed to make it more off-road friendly.

Maxlider Brothers Customs is working on a modern and large reimagining of the classic Ford Bronco. They took the SUV’s chassis and added an extra pair of doors and a third row of seats. It will have a 5L supercharged V8 that produces up to 670hp.

Land Rover is teasing us with its first images of the new Defender – thinly disguised under camouflage during testing. This time out, the rugged SUV will be coming to the US and Canada, offering off-roaders capability, comfort, and technology like no Defender before it.

If you’re willing to pay for a quality restored Ford Bronco, head to Gateway Bronco. The company has a licensing deal with Ford itself to produce custom old school Broncos. You can choose one with a 347 Stroker V8 or a Mustang V8 engine.

Available for the first time as a 296 hp hybrid, the new Evoque features a luxurious new interior with improved rear legroom and cargo space, and a slick new tech suite, with features like a digital rearview mirror and cameras that see through to the ground when off-roading.

We headed to the twisty roads and beautiful beaches of Carmel, CA to test drive the all-new RAV4. The latest model of the compact SUV has rugged new looks, increased power, sharp handling, and tons of safety and convenience tech. Read our full review on 95octane.

After putting some mud on the Toyota TRD Pros, we headed to the dusty Nevada desert to put the 2019 Tacoma, Tundra, and 4Runner TRD Pros to the test as part of our collab with the Trail Trek Tour. The rocky trails were no match for the FOX shocks each vehicle now sports.

Audi’s first ever pure electric vehicle. The e-tron shares similar styling to the Q SUV series, but is decidedly more futuristic. It packs a long-range 95 kWh battery, 2 high-performance motors for AWD, and a sleek, high-tech interior. Deliveries start Q2 2019, with a $1000 reservation deposit.

We recently headed up to Seattle, Washington to test drive Cadillac’s all-new XT4 compact crossover in two flavors. We were drawn in by its bold styling, zesty 237 hp twin-turbo engine, sporty handling, luxurious interior, and user-friendly tech. Read our full review on 95octane.

We spent a day taking GMC’s latest full-size pickup on a road trip through Newfoundland. We found a truck that looks great, drives great, and packs an array of whiz-bang features, from its versatile Multigate tailgate, to its Prograde trailering tech. Full review on 95octane.

Customizer APR took a stock 2.0L turbo 2018 Volkswagen Atlas SUV and bestowed it with 350 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque, a 1.5″ lift kit, rugged Toyo Open Country tires, custom brakes and exhaust, giving this big AWD grocery getter improved off-road chops.

An upgraded version of Rezvani’s TANK utility vehicle designed to protect its occupants in an ambush. Its glass and armor can handle high-caliber weapon fire, it packs night vision, bomb protection, electrified door handles, gas masks, magnetic deadbolts and more.

We joined up with a team of men’s lifestyle and automotive experts in the woods of Virginia to see if seven everyday crossover utility vehicles could handle a rugged off-road course, and to pick our favorites. Read on for our top picks and the overall winners from the first Trail Trek Tour.

…and not just any plane. The Boeing 787-9 is a passenger airplane mostly made of carbon laminate, but it still weighs over 280,000 lb. The Tesla Model X P100D managed to tow the beast, setting a Guinness World Record in the process. Cue “yo mama” jokes.