Aug 01, 2018 Challenging the notion you can’t off-road with a CUV, we took 7 CUVs and pitted them against each other in a unique off-road competition. A blown tire, numerous scrapes and a few close calls. Volkswagen off-road is a phrase we haven’t heard much of for years. Not since the Meyers Manx dune buggies were created from Beetles has VW really been associated with off-roading. But that’s changing thanks to Americans’ love affair with crossover SUVs. Because of that Volkswagen has recently spruced up and added to its crossover SUV lineup.

Crossovers are here to stay. Enthusiasts have kicked and screamed, blasted every comments section with hate, but at the end of the day, more and more consumers prefer the increased ride height and ground clearance of these lifted hatchbacks. The roads are littered with CRVs, RAV4s, and Traverses, carting families around from home to the grocery store, to the soccer field, and back again. Out of this takeover, however, there’s been a community rise-up and rally around these seemingly throwaway transportation appliances.

Enthusiasts began to wonder that if a vehicle has a lifted ride height and AWD, what’s to stop it from going off-road? Sure, it’s not going to challenge the legends of the 4x4 world, but if a set of tires and some skid plates make for a more exciting daily driver, what’s the harm in seeing how far they could get?

Several years ago, manufacturers began to take notice. More and more crossovers have been marketed in “adventure-ready” guise. The aftermarket began to take notice, and small companies have appeared offering all kinds of modifications to outfit these vehicles for the trails. We figured it was time to take a look at some of the newest offerings from manufacturers, see what the aftermarket was like for that model, and hopefully provide a good starting point for interested buyers.

This entire market owes its existence to Subaru. This Japanese company has AWD baked into their DNA, and the “lifted trail wagon” has been there since the early ‘80s. While nearly all of Subaru’s offerings show up in soft-roader circles, the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek represents the latest version from the brand. A refresh of the existing second generation model, the 2021 Crosstrek Sport finally offers a larger 2.5L engine from the Forester with 182hp. If you want the manual though, you’ll need to stick with the existing 2.0L.

The Crosstrek’s aftermarket is certainly the healthiest for any of the soft-roaders. Wheel and tire companies have released packages tailored to that chassis, companies like Subtle Solutions and ADF offer lift kits, skid plates, off-road accessories, and chassis-specific solutions to problems that arise from taking the Crosstrek further into a trail ready machine. It’s safe to say if you really want to go all the way with a late-model soft-roader build, you should certainly consider the Crosstrek first.

Having a conversation about anything off-road without mentioning Jeep would be a bad move. Obviously best known for its legendary Wrangler, the company has a couple of entrants in the soft-roader scene. For an out-of-the-box ready rig, a buyer certainly wouldn’t be wrong to start with the 2020 Renegade Trailhawk.

With off-road capability already incorporated into the brand, the Renegade Trailhawk offers a few more tricks than its competitors. Trailhawk models are sold with a locking 4WD mode, available crawling gear ratio, hill descent control, and tow hooks. A quick search reveals that many of the same companies that offer lift kits and off-road protection for the Wrangler are offering Renegade parts as well. For buyers that want to dive right in without doing a lot of mods though, the Renegade offers the most bang for the buck.

Another legend in the off-road world, Toyota's recent update to its RAV4 crossover has set the soft-roader community on fire. New for 2020, the most capable model is the TRD Off-Road RAV4 model that builds on the AWD Adventure model by adding a TRD-tuned suspension and stabilizer bars, TRD wheels, and a unique interior. Like other AWD crossovers, a multi-terrain selector switch is available to help guide the AWD system in its behavior.

Find what's trending now in your city, country or worldwide. Shock G, Ashanti, Digital Underground, Demon Slayer, #FalconAndWinterSoldierFinale - Today's top Twitter trends and hashtags at United States. The latest tweets from @trending. The latest tweets from @explore. The latest tweets from @WhatsTrending. United states trending topics.

Off Road Crossover Suv

Although the model is new, aftermarket companies have jumped on board with the AWD RAV4. Companies like Rough Country and LP Adventure are already offering 2.5” lift kits and skid plates, which when combined with TRD package make for probably the best looking of the recent soft-roader entries.

Although Honda has had several AWD models in its history, the new 2020 Passport is certainly the most aggressively marketed “adventure-ready” model in decades. Built on the existing Pilot/Ridgeline platform, the Passport shrinks its overall size compared to its bigger brothers and adds nearly an inch of lift on AWD models. Sand and Mud modes are added to the multi-terrain selector for the i-VTM4 AWD system.

Several companies have begun offering lift kits for the Passport, but Los-Angeles based shop JSport has been working closely with Honda to offer dealer-installed ready-to-go packages as well as piecemeal products for the aftermarket that are guaranteed not to interfere with factory performance. Time will tell if other companies jump on board with more aggressive mods, but like RAV4, the model’s newness has prevented many owners from going too far down the rabbit hole yet.

The Switch Up gives you the freedom to play your way with wireless support for the best controllers, including Playstation 4 and Xbox One (including the Xbox One Elite). Switch up. Every year, SwitchUp collects and analyzes thousands of reviews from alumni and current students to bring you the top-rated bootcamps by subject, location, and learning environment. With over 20,000 reviews across 500 schools, SwitchUp has been an industry leader for. The Switch UP by Collective Minds is a BREAKTHROUGH accessory for today's Switch gamer. Use your existing PS4 or PS3, Xbox One or Xbox 360 controllers right on your Nintendo Switch. Use Mods on the Nintendo Switch.

The European off-road scene has always had a strong, devoted following. While Volkswagen hasn’t traditionally been a player in that world (with a few exceptions), their recent 2020 Atlas Basecamp concept shows promise from the German manufacturer. With help from Fifteen52 for wheels and H&R for a set of lift springs, the 280hp AWD-equipped crossover certainly looks the part. An Offroad-Road with hill descent control setting should help the 4Motion AWD system on more aggressive trails.

Like the other newer models, modifications are mostly limited to lift kits, skid plates, and other bolt-on adventuring accessories. Traditional VW-friendly shops like Smith Performance, Forge, and APR are already deep into off-road Atlas builds, so the future seems bright for this model.

This list is certainly not exhaustive. Nearly every manufacturer offers some variation of AWD crossover, so it’s really up to the owner to how adventurous they want to get without serious aftermarket support. Ford’s 2021 Bronco Sport (baby Bronco) will almost certainly be a big contender in the soft-roader market, especially if it borrows styling from its bigger brother.

Still need to be convinced? Check out our piece on the Rise of the Soft-Roader.

There aren't that many body-on-frame SUVs around these days, save for a handful of large SUVs and iconic models such as the Jeep Wrangler and Toyota Land Cruiser. Instead, the majority of today's SUVs share platforms with their car counterparts, resulting in less off-road capability than body-on-frame vehicles. But that doesn't mean car-based SUVs shouldn't go off-road — the ones listed below can handle some of the rough stuff.

Honda Pilot

© Provided by MotorTrend 2016 Honda Pilot AWD Elite front three quarters in motion No longer the boxy SUV it used to be, the Honda Pilot is more aerodynamic, more family-oriented, and larger than the vehicle it replaces. From the outside it doesn't look like the Pilot has a lot of ground clearance, but it has enough to clear rough, unpaved dirt roads on the way to a campsite. All-wheel drive is optional and the new 3.5-liter V-6 has 280 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. That's plenty of power for when you're traveling through the rough stuff.

Porsche Cayenne

© Provided by MotorTrend 2016-Porsche-Cayenne-GTS-front-three-quarters-in-motion-04 When equipped with the available air suspension, the Porsche Cayenne can raise and lower itself depending on how much ground clearance you need. In Off-road mode the Cayenne can conquer everything except serious obstacles like climbing large rocks, giving it more capability than you might expect from a car-based crossover. You can choose between several engines including a 420-hp, twin-turbo V-6 and a 570-hp, twin-turbo V-8.

Volvo XC90

© Provided by MotorTrend 2016 Volvo XC90 T6 AWD Inscription front three quarter in motion 03 Motor Trend's 2016 SUV of the Year, the Volvo XC90, is just as good off-road as it is on-road. When equipped with the available four-corner air suspension, you can raise the car to increase ground clearance or lower it for improved aerodynamics. If the 316-hp, super- and turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4 isn't powerful enough for you, the T8 plug-in hybrid with 400 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque should satisfy you.

Subaru Forester

© Provided by MotorTrend 2014-Subaru-Forester-XT-front-three-quarters-in-motion1 With 8.7 inches of ground clearance and all-wheel drive as standard, the Subaru Forester is one of the few car-based crossovers built with off-roading in mind. Whether you get the base model or the 250-hp Forester XT, you'll be able to go farther—and faster—on an unpaved road than most of the Forester's competitors.

Audi Q7

© Provided by MotorTrend 2017 Audi Q7 30T Quattro front three quarter in motion 02 Redesigned for the 2017 model year, the Audi Q7 is lighter and more fuel efficient than the car it replaces. Audi's Quattro all-wheel drive system is standard and so is a 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 with 333 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque that lets the Q7 go off-road with ease. There's also an adaptive air suspension to help you traverse trails by letting you raise and lower the car.

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

© Provided by MotorTrend 2016-Mercedes-Benz-GLC-Class-4Matic-promo2 As with every Mercedes-Benz vehicle, the GLC-Class is over-engineered and able to do more off-road driving than its looks might suggest. An available adaptive air suspension allows the car to adjust to the driving conditions and lets the driver change the ride height and ground clearance based on the road. Sports fan widget.

Kia Sorento

© Provided by MotorTrend 2016-Kia-Sorento-SXL-AWD-front-three-quarter-in-motion-03 When equipped with the available all-wheel drive, the Kia Sorento comes with a locking center differential for improved low-speed traction on less-than-perfect roads. Available with the 240-hp turbo-four or the 290-hp V-6, the Sorento is more than capable off the beaten path and the 7.3 inches of ground clearance should allow you to clear most trail obstacles.