These Are The Best Off-Roaders Of All Time, According To You

Well, if very much depends on what the cutoff is. Highway vehicles? Military vehicles? Commercial vehicles? etc.

For highway vehicles you can certainly go down a few paths as well in terms of overall, or specialty like crawling.

Obviously, I have my preferences.

For highway vehicles the Land Cruiser is the best all around off-roader, and the best all around Land Cruiser is the 80 series.

The Land Cruiser really can go anywhere and do anything. I’m not shocked it was the most liked comment on my question post.

I also appreciate that you use your LC for real LC business and not just driving down the pavement.

Submitted by: HammerheadFistpunch

The WW2 military Jeep

Patton called this Jeep one of the seven tools that it took to win WW2\

And they sure weren’t taking Autobahns on their way across Europe crushing the Nazis. All other off-roaders pale in comparison to what this Jeep accomplished.

Submitted by: the1969DodgeChargerFan

When you get stuck in your Pinzgauer and the Uminog that comes to your rescue also gets stuck, it is time to ring up the guy with the Tatra.

This thing looks like an absolutely unstoppable menace. When I get stuck, I’m calling a Tatra from now on.

Submitted by: nic

Either the Unimog U5023.

Or for faster “stuff”: Any top 20 dakar car or truck.

Still, though, it would take a lot to get a Unimog stuck. If you somehow manage that, it’s between you and god, because this machine gave you every opportunity to get out.

Submitted by: NBM343

Doesn’t matter whether it is two wheel drive, or four, truck, SUV, or sedan, you can smash that thing up any and every forest track with carefree abandon, because “its a rental”.

Few things on earth have a harder life than a rental car. Poor guys. Anyway, take a moment to watch one of my favorite “Top Gear” segments of all time

Submitted by: skeffles

The “Best” is hard to say, as so many of the “best” are pretty hard to come by, and often (nearly) impossible to drive on regular roads. But if we take “best” to mean “most successful,” I think it’s hard to argue against the Jeep Wrangler. They brought off-roading to the masses, and they’ve been doing it for decades.

I totally agree with you, but I just wish more Jeep people took their Wranglers off-road. There’s a whole world out there to explore, and it’s a hell of a lot more fun than hanging out on the street.

Submitted by: Give Me Tacos or Give Me Death

I was going to say Unimog but someone beat me to it so, Pinzgauer it is

I want a Pinzgauer badly... mostly because it’s such a fun word to say.

Submitted by: nic

My other vote would be for Peugeot’s 504's. I remember watching alot of those nature films taken in Africa and if it wasn’t a Land Rover it was a Peugeot being used to ferry people around the various corners of the unpaved paths. I got spend three summers in Tuscany/Umbria behind the wheel of one of these wagons exploring all sorts of goat paths and farm lanes and the car never waivered or complained.

The French really knew what they were doing when they built this car. Really impressive stuff from a mundane-looking wagon.

Submitted by: Monsterajr

I am sure there are better options, but for my money I’m going with a 1973 Jeep J-2500. I bought one in college for $450 and it took me EVERYWHERE in the far northern reaches of California. Cross a river to get to a beach and drive on said beach? Check. Getting out to the middle of nowhere on a reservation for camping? Check. Crawling through snow and mud to reach that backcountry spot for some snowboarding? Check. Trips to the river bar in 100+ heat? Check.

I put that thing through it’s paces on what was essentially a bone-stock 35 year old truck. The 4-speed (with a stump-puller 1st gear), 360 AMC, and Dana 44s were bulletproof. It also taught me how to work on vehicles for real...replacing starter motors, exhaust manifolds, and even repainting the bed in the original “Avocado Mist”. I sold it at the end of college for $1,000 and of course now they cost an arm and a leg....I miss that thing.

These old Jeep trucks were so cool, man. I still look at Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace for J-10s every once in a while.

Submitted by: SantaCruzin6

There’s nothing it can’t roll over, pretty much nowhere it can’t go and because of it’s unique construction, it’s super easy to get parts for so you can just keep going. There are other fatbikes but none are as versatile as the Pugsley. It’s a rock crawler, a long distance off-road touring monster, it’s fine on sand, snow, mud, roads, gravel, grass. You can build it so the front and back wheels are interchangeable so you can have a spare singlespeed wheel up front when your derailleur breaks. The frame is overbuilt and features all the warts you need to attach pretty much any accessory. You will roll over stuff that will stop a cybertruck, through stuff that’s too crazy for a jeep and the self rescue is nothing more than, “I guess we have to carry it over this.” Who needs articulation when your vehicle is only about 5 inches wide at the ground and only weighs 30 pounds?

Surly stopped making them a few years ago but there’s always one on FB marketplace somewhere and usually pretty cheap.

No. This sucks. Don’t do it. Cars are better.

Submitted by: Buckfiddiousagain

It’s gotta be the Coot, an articulated 4WD amphibious vehicle. Crawls over rocks, can climb trees, and cross rivers and lakes. I understand the Coot2 now offers a luxurious hydrostatic drive system. But if you want a machine you can fix in the middle of nowhere with the most basic of tools and the most basic of skills, the original Coot is the way to go. If you can troubleshoot your lawnmower, you can maintain a Coot - it will never leave you stranded.

TIL The Coot exists. I need one. Badly.

Submited by: Muqaddimah (call me Muck)

With 12 wins in Dakar out of 26 attempts, 7 of those being consecutive, with nicknames such as King of the Desert, I’d say the Pajero is at least top 5. They mainly raced with the 2 door variant, but the 4 door is also a very capable off-roader.

The Pajero is infinitely cooler than the Land Cruiser. You’ve got to be a real car connoisseur to appreciate it.

Submitted by: darthspartan117

A Landy! I mean they’ve been made in so many flavors and configurations and are damn near unkillable while being mechanical mountain goats.

These old Land Rovers are cool, but I’m sorry. Old Jeeps are better. I don’t care if I’m a homer. That’s just the way it is.

Submitted by: Monsterajr

Would also have to go with the Jeep, 1941 original, CJ, YJ, TJ, LJ, Wrangler, 2,4 door. Whatever generation or configuration. Affordable to all, and plenty of flavors to choose from. Stood the test time.

The wife and I prefer the XJ Cherokee, we own 5. Yes you read that right. They do right by us. Highway, rock climbing, Overlanding (done the Mojave Road), 4 wheeling, grocery getter, lumberyard hauler (roof rack), daily driver. Fairly fuel efficient.

We love the 1st and latest versions of the Bronco’s. Owned a 72 Blazer w/ a big block and other mods. Love the Euro entries, many not be affordable to all.

You asked me to pick one...Jeep

So what you’re telling me is you like Jeeps? Good to know.

Submitted by: NW AZ XJ 4Wheeler

I wouldn’t try to ride it.

Submitted by: You’llBeSleepingWithTheFilet-O-Fishes