In the past, if you wanted a compact SUV with off-road capabilities, your search began and ended with the words "Jeep Wrangler". Like it or hate it, the iconic Wrangler (and its CJ predecessors) has set the standard for anytime, anywhere mobility over the past 80 years. Although in the past few years, Wrangler’s competitors also have similar off-road vehicles, such as Ford Mustang, Land Rover Defender, Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Toyota Land Cruiser, but recently, factory-modified crossover SUVs have begun to be The jeep shot, too.
Equipped with all-terrain tires, upgraded all-wheel drive system, redesigned software and improved suspension, upstarts such as the Escape-based 2021 Ford Bronco Sport Badlands and well-known brands such as Subaru Outback Wilderness and Toyota RAV4 TRD Off-Road aim to provide Off-road capability without sacrificing the familiar roads of Wrangler owners. The prices of these three potential competitors are all around $40,000. In terms of off-roading, are they as capable as the similarly priced Wrangler? Are they even better than jeeps?
After identifying the problem, we collected some of the most suitable crossovers on the market and rented a barebones 2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport (Jeep is not available for us) to find out which is the most balanced SUV.
The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport Badlands is Ford's response to Jeep's Renegade and Compass crossovers. (Please check our frontal test of Bronco Sport Badlands and Compass Trailhawk here.) It guarantees the efficiency and comfort of the crossover SUV and the true off-road capability of the SUV. Based on Ford’s C1 architecture (shared with Escape and the new Maverick pickup), Bronco Sport Badlands abandoned the base model’s turbocharged 1.5-liter I-3 in favor of a 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4, which can generate 250 horsepower and 277 pound-ft of torque. Power enters the torque vectoring all-wheel drive system through an eight-speed automatic transmission, which can "lock" the virtual center differential and rear differential to increase traction when driving off-road. Ford has also equipped the 2021 Bronco Sport Badlands with a unique suspension setting designed to improve its off-road clarity and high-speed handling of rugged terrain. If this is not enough, there is also "GOAT" (for any terrain) off-road mode and Falken Wildpeak A/T tires. Sitting on top of the Bronco Sport decorative ladder, our load tester is priced at $36,005, making it the cheapest vehicle in our test.
Although Ford has built the Bronco Sport as a cross-border SUV with off-road capabilities from the beginning, our other non-Jeep contestants are actually modified versions of crossovers that have been sold for many years.
Over the years, inspired by many car owners adding sturdy off-road tires and lift kits to their Crosstreks, Foresters and Outbacks, the new 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness is a legendary off-road brand trying to bring some aftermarket money back inside. Starting with Outback XT, Wilderness got a small lift (making the ground clearance an impressive 9.5 inches), some skid plates and improved bodywork, and downsized 17-inch wheels with Yokohama Geolandar all-terrain tires. Power comes from a 2.4-liter turbocharged flat-4, which produces 260 hp and 277 lb-ft. It is routed through CVT (modified to improve its off-road low-speed behavior) and Subaru's famous all-wheel drive system, and is now equipped with two new "X Mode" off-road settings. The tested price of Outback Wilderness is US$39,965, which is approximately US$2,000 higher than Outback XT Onyx Edition-which is a bargain considering that you may spend more just by purchasing your own aftermarket wheels and tires.
With the 2021 RAV4 TRD Off-Road, Toyota follows a similar road to Subaru. Based on RAV4 Adventure, the RAV4 TRD Off-Road Sport has retuned shock absorbers and retuned springs ("inspired by rally racing," Toyota said) for better off-road performance, and Falken Wildpeak A/T tires to increase traction. Some visual adjustments and new off-road driving modes complete this package. The RAV4 TRD Off-Road is powered by a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated I-4, which produces 203 hp and 184 lb-ft of test low power. It also has a torque vectoring all-wheel drive system and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The suggested retail price of our test example is $42,338.
Our quartet is our benchmark vehicle: the rental specification 2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport. Although there are various power system options on the nameplate (from plug-in hybrids to the long-awaited Wrangler 392 V-8 models) and more types of off-road hardware, our test Wrangler is almost naked you Bones available. Its off-road performance depends on its four-wheel drive system, optimal approach and departure angles, and "combo" (as noted by feature editor Scott Evans) Michelin LTX all-season (road) tires. Directly from the rental fleet, our Wrangler sports version is easily selected. It is equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4, which produces 270 horsepower and 295 pound-feet, which is the cheapest way to get an eight-speed automatic transmission (a six-speed manual paired with a 3.6-liter V-6 is other standard), limited Sliding differential and hard top. This example is priced at $37,780.
Although you will undoubtedly consider one of these SUVs because it can get away from the world by off-road, most of its time will be spent on the sidewalk. Therefore, we released our four off-road SUVs on the highways, mountain roads, and city streets that make up Los Angeles County, the size of Rhode Island, to see which one is the best.
We expect Subaru and Toyota to thrive on paved roads, but this is only one of the cases.
Compared with the smaller version, the Subaru’s inland wilderness in 2022 will have even more suspension travel. It is undoubtedly the easiest ride in the area. It is also suitable for use on expansion joints because it is in potholes and speed bumps. superior. Wilderness’s suspension modifications and all-terrain tires hardly affect ride quality or add extra road noise.
However, changes in the suspension and tires did change the way Outback navigated corners. Although the "smaller" inland is more like a car and sharper when cornering, the wilderness feels more like an SUV. Its steering does not respond to eccentricity, and as its higher center of gravity leads to inland wilderness almost every time you make an initial steering input before finally entering a corner confidently, you will be surprised.
Outback Wilderness is the fastest vehicle in our team, and power has never been an issue. Although we hope to make more improvements in its overly aggressive throttle response (most Subarus using this engine have this problem) and less turbo lag, we are fascinated by the overall power output of the inland wilderness. It offers a great vacation and agile pickup, and has one of the best tuned CVTs we've driven in a while.
As pleasant as Subaru, the 2021 Toyota RAV4 TRD off-road vehicle is disappointing. Our biggest complaint is its power system: Although the car manufacturer offers two hybrid systems on the RAV4-a "regular" (not to mention very good) RAV4 Hybrid, and the extraordinary RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid Power-Toyota hinders TRD off-road only offering 2.5-liter I-4. Before adding the extra weight of the TRD off-road kit, the power system did not match well with the RAV4. The high gear spread of the eight-speed automatic transmission and its tendency to find the right ratio also didn't help. We find that when you reach high speeds in the speed range, this combination becomes harsh, rough, and loud and ridiculous, and you often do this.
We obviously have mixed feelings about the ride quality of the RAV4 TRD Off-Road. Some of our testers found it "busy like a jeep", while others described it as sturdy but not punishing. In any case, there is still a long way to go before being inspired by the rally. Although we have different opinions on the driving of the RAV4, we generally believe that Toyota's steering feel is the best in the group, with good feedback and feel.
"Exquisite" and "Wrangler" seem to be contradictory words, but Jeep has made great strides with the Wrangler (our 2019 MotorTrend SUV). Compared with Toyota—actually in terms of its own advantages—Jeeps are a treat. Of course, it uses outdated active axle suspension settings and body frame structure, but the Wrangler is infinitely charming, warts, etc. in a way that its competitors cannot match.
The current Wrangler is by far the best, which may help. Its power system is one of its best features: the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine has a large amount of low-end torque, zero turbo lag, and a strong power band. The engine is backed by one of the best gearboxes in the industry, with excellent gear ratio distribution, smart software adjustments, and fast and seamless gear changes. The Wrangler’s ride is full of energy, but not unanimously rugged, with an indestructible quality that encourages you to aim for potholes instead of bypassing them.
You really have to give it to the Jeep engineers, who tamed the active axle suspension and corrected the steering. They found a way to eliminate almost all steering tilt and reduce most of the Wrangler's tendency to wander on the highway. It's not as good on the road as having a beautiful independent suspension system, but the Wrangler's weakness around town can still be forgiven.
In many ways, the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport Badlands bridges the gap between Toyota, Subaru and Jeep. It may be based on crossovers, but from behind the steering wheel it is hard to believe that Bronco Sport shares its architecture with Escape. Baby Bronco has a distinctly old-school SUV-like feel, while Subaru and Toyota lack solidity.
To complement the off-road promise made on tin, Bronco Sport went well on the road. Its turbocharged four-cylinder engine has large torque and is responsive. Although the gearbox occasionally trips in low-speed stop-and-go traffic, it is responsive and other aspects have been well adjusted. Like the Jeep and Toyota, the Ford is more rugged, but it has a reasonable tolerance. It can quickly eliminate shocks without passing them into the cabin. Bronco Sport even handles it well; despite using all-terrain tires, it is confident and uncompromising on the road.
With this, we point the nose of our SUV to the mountains and head to the dirt.
Many off-road vehicles have a one-dimensional function: they perform well in the desert, but they perform poorly in rock crawlers. Or they are great for muddy swamps, but not for drier forest trails. Therefore, we threw a variety of terrain at our four protagonists-fast desert trails, rutted forest roads, large-scale big shots, and technical climbing.
For a long time, we have believed that an all-wheel drive crossover SUV equipped with a set of high-quality all-terrain tires can go almost where the owner wants to go, but after letting the Toyota RAV4 TRD off-road vehicle complete its pace in 2021, we are “not sure about all This is true for crossovers.
TRD (Toyota Racing Development) badge might mean something on 4Runner or Tacoma, but it was wasted on RAV4. One of the biggest problems with RAV4 TRD Off-Road is that compared with the standard RAV4, TRD does not bother to improve its ground clearance or approach angle and departure angle (the worst data of all tests). When driving anywhere except on fire roads or completely flat desert trails, the driver is prepared for the painful screams of anti-skid boards and rocker arms.
Assuming you can drag the RAV4's abdomen far enough to actually reach the obstacle, its drivetrain will disappoint it. We thought that the torque vectoring rear axle would be an off-road clutch, but it didn't feel like it helped. No matter what off-road mode the RAV4 is in, it will transmit power to the wheels with minimal traction, which usually causes one of the first two wheels to sink into sand or burn rubber on rocks. To make matters worse, if you are unfortunately stuck, there are no recovery points on the RAV4 TRD Off-Road (unless you choose the optional trailer receiver). If you have to make RAV4 off-road, you'd better buy Hybrid or Prime and install all-terrain tires. Or better yet, check out other vehicles in this comparison.
Considering that Subaru has as much off-road heritage as Toyota, we are a little surprised that the inland wilderness is only slightly better than the RAV4 TRD. Like RAV4, the approach and departure angles (increased to 20.0 degrees and 23.6 degrees, respectively) are a challenge for the inland wilderness, but fortunately, its increased ground clearance does help to make an impact. We were surprised at the size of the ridge that Subaru could tiptoe over. The increased ground clearance allows the driver to choose clever lines above and around obstacles that would otherwise cause his beak to penetrate into the soil. There is no doubt that if you are not careful, it will dig soil frequently. Outback Wilderness leaves a convincing impression of a rally car even on flatter trails. Its suspension can quickly handle bumps, although it will turn into an impact on the tycoon.
But just like the RAV4 TRD, with the moderate difficulty of the track, Subaru's inland wilderness really began to struggle. On the same obstacle that made Toyota desperately turn its wheels—usually when the car’s diagonal traction was reduced—Subaru stopped. However, when the RAV4 turns the wheels, Outback cannot transmit torque to the ground. Its CVT couldn't find a low enough "gear" to fluctuate back and forth, and Subaru's famous all-wheel drive system felt helpless when it swayed intermittently in the Outback. Switching to a more aggressive X mode setting can sometimes help, but motivation is usually the solution to the problem—always play adventure games in remote places.
Compared to its crossover-based brothers, the Ford Mustang sports wasteland is a revelation. It never hiccups, stutters, slips or coughs from anything we throw at it. The clever tuning of the Bronco Sport all-wheel drive is praised for its capabilities.
Even in the default normal driving mode, Ford can quickly find out which wheel is slipping. Then it clamps the brakes to simulate locking the differential and transfers power to the tires through traction. If you have a deep understanding of its various off-road modes, or "lock" all-wheel drive to 50/50 front/rear torque distribution, and then "lock" the rear wheels, Bronco Sport Badlands will be more stable and the axle is divided into 50/50 left / Right split. Although Bronco Sport’s tires and neat dimensions are undoubtedly commendable for its off-road capability, smart engineering choices make Bronco Sport stronger than paper.
This may be zero surprises, but the 2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport-even in its most basic form-is truly top-notch in off-road performance. Just like the puppy you just fell from the nursery, the Wrangler is hopping on the trail to become active.
On the terrain that brought Subaru and Toyota to a stop in their most aggressive off-road environment, the Wrangler was able to walk directly in two-wheel drive. Overcoming the obstacles that require Ford to "lock" its differential, Jeep only needs to pull its transfer case firmly into 4 High. It was interesting to watch the Wrangler put through the obstacles that almost stranded Toyota and Subaru. When driving a crossover under these conditions, you will carefully choose your driving route. Driving the Wrangler, you can go anywhere you want, no special driving mode is required. Although we emotionally want a Wrangler Rubicon with lockers and disconnected anti-roll bars, the truth is that the Wrangler Sport is more than enough for most people.
Not all cross-border SUVs for off-road are created equal. Those based on crosswalks are usually worse off-road, but not necessarily better on the road. Vehicles designed from the ground up are actually very comfortable on trails, but also very suitable for living on sidewalks.
The 2021 Toyota RAV4 TRD Off-Road came in last. To say that we were surprised by the poor performance of the RAV4 is an understatement — especially considering the automaker’s legendary reputation for off-road capability, reliability and ruggedness. Of course, Toyota offers better powertrain options in its hot-selling SUVs, but we think the increased TRD love will enhance other stylish and practical vehicles. This is not the case. The RAV4 TRD Off-Road is the off-road vehicle with the worst off-road capability and the most unpleasant off-road vehicle.
The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness Racer won third place. We expect the inland to perform well on the sidewalks, and it does. Although its steering response is slightly sluggish, it is an extremely comfortable and easy-to-drive crossover. However, it hardly shows better off-road performance than RAV4. It feels a lot like it is wearing off-road brand clothes instead of muddy skin. The obstacles it crosses without problems can probably be handled by the standard Outback, while the most difficult obstacles cannot be handled by any factory Outback, Wilderness.
For its part, even in its most streamlined configuration, the 2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport will immediately feel interesting and unique in a way that the other three simply cannot. Indeed, this is a jeep. Of course, that matter includes compromise on the road so that there is no compromise at all. This is the original intention of Jeep. If you are willing to ignore its lively riding, slow, heavy steering and noisy cab, then you should not ignore the silver medalist Jeep. (Compared with other less professional off-road vehicles in this test, a Wrangler with comparable equipment will cost you about $48,000.)
For those who must have all of this-excellent road manners and extraordinary off-road capabilities-the 2021 Ford Mustang Sports Wasteland is the winner. No other vehicle here can manage the duality of on-road and off-road like Ford, including our benchmark Jeep. It's comfortable, fast and fun on the sidewalk, and it's damn almost unstoppable. No matter what path we let all four cars go through, it sniffs the Wrangler's tail happily. Although you usually have to compromise when developing an SUV with impressive off-road capabilities, it is difficult to find any compromise in the Ford Mustang sports wasteland.
Not what we expect from Toyota and TRD. It is pleasant when off-road, but unpleasant when off-road.
Cool packaging and great drive, but we don't believe it is more capable than the standard Outback. With this, you will not go deep into the wilderness.
There are compromises on the road, but almost no compromises. Our 2019 SUV of the year is still MT's favorite.
It almost seamlessly integrates cross-border comfort and SUV functions. Impressive design and engineering achievements.
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