What makes a great off-road vehicle is a hotly debated issue in the automotive world. Some drivers want amazing torque and traction, the ability to dig into the soil and climb over any terrain. Others want a transmission that can adjust to any and all weather conditions. Many drivers simply want the assurance of knowing that if they need to hire a car accident attorney, it won’t be for personal injury, because their car protected them and their family during dangerous road conditions. Whatever reason compels you to purchase an off-road vehicle, make sure you get a hard-working beast. The following three cars will not let you down:
Land Rover LR3
Complete with its Integrated Body Frame, Hill Descent Control, Dynamic Stability Control, rear locking differential, and Land Rover’s Terrain Response feature, which allows you to easily control suspension, engine and traction, the LR3 is suited to nearly every possible outdoor scenario you can encounter. This includes built-in modes for sand, grass, gravel and snow, mud and ruts, and rocky terrain. The LR3’s torque and gear shifting capabilities make this car an on-road sedan with off-road War Tank qualities. Rocky mudslides are no problem.
Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4X4
Though it’s not the collector’s dream car, as was the Jeep Wrangler Tomb Raider model released in 2003, the Rubicon with four wheel drive may actually be better suited for a Laura Croft-type adventurer faced with the prospect of turbulent conditions. With front and rear Dana 44 axles, rock sails, Electronic sway bar disconnect, a V6 engine, this jeep is perfectly engineered for off-roading and puts a lot of power and decision into the driver’s hands. It’s also very easy to customize, which will be appealing to anyone looking to get out into the desert and go a little hog-wild.
Toyota 4Runner limited 4WD
The four wheel drive edition of this popular Toyota fleet features A-TRAC (a clutch-based all wheel drive system) as well as the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension system, rear locking differential and Crawl Control. The 5-speed automatic V6 Dual VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing) engine creates amazing horsepower and torque for your off-roading needs. This car also gets great fuel economy, which should be attractive to environmentalists and wallet-watchers alike.
There are many considerations to take into account when choosing an off-road vehicle. Torque, traction, horsepower, transmission, and fuel economy all play a role. Be sure to put the three vehicles above on your short list for 2012.
