New off-road vehicles are getting softer and softer as manufacturers are aiming their products to the masses and not to the minority that needs vehicles for a certain job.
Us lovers of off-roading, we have a passion for the older vehicles as those are the ones that do the job we want them to do best, strong, capable, and reliable.
In today’s article, we are going over the two vehicles that remain as capable as the older off-roaders. Granted, they won’t be as reliable as the simple trucks of the past but as far as overcoming obstacles goes, they are at the top of their game.
The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon is Still a Capable Off-Road Vehicle
You expected this one to be on the list, didn’t you? All lists with the most capable off-roaders will have a Wrangler on them – the question is why?
The simple answer is that the base of the Wrangler has remained unchanged; therefore, the vehicle has maintained the off-road abilities older vehicles are famous for.
What is that base?
A body-on-frame construction with locked solid axles front and rear and coil suspension. This is a setup that provides great suspension articulation, strength, and a base with plenty of potential to build an off-road vehicle and upgrade depending on personal needs.
Upgradability is a huge benefit of the Wrangler as it is one of the most-used off-roaders in the world, which means the aftermarket is full of parts that make it even more capable.
Kudos must go to Jeep for staying true to their roots with the Wrangler as the whole vehicle is designed with off-roading as a priority. This provides outstanding abilities which make it very appealing to people like you and me.
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Ineos Grenadier is a Retro-New Off-Road Vehicle
Granted, the Grenadier has not been tested yet, but the underpinnings tell everything we need to know to be able to understand whether a vehicle is going to be a great off-roader or not.
Let’s begin with the obvious, just like the Wrangler, the vehicle sits on a frame and has locked solid axles both in the front and rear.
The shape of the body has been designed around function, space, and great approach and departure angles – even the floor has drain holes to remove river water in case you got a bit too excited or to clean the floor from mud and dirt. That’s a feature you won’t find on many new off-road vehicles!
Both the Grenadier and the Wrangler sit on a similar foundation but I believe there is a key difference between them.
In my eyes, the Grandier is a take to revive the old-school hardcore off-roader and by this, I mean the old Defender, G Wagon, and 70 series Landcruiser. These are trucks that were built on an insanely strong and reliable structure that could carry lots of people or equipment through rugged environments.
In today’s world, the Ineos is a hardcore overlander and off-road vehicle with a structure built to do just one job – off-roading. The only issue is that BMW engine and transmission – I am not sure how well they will cope with the test of time and rugged terrain. We will have to wait to find out, I guess.
The Wrangler, on the other hand, shines on the tight and technical trails in which the shape of its body and the articulation of the suspension make it an unstoppable toy for big boys. If rock crawling is what you want to do, then there is no better vehicle on the market right now. With the right setup though a Wrangler can also be a great overlander although space may be an issue.