@@tylergibson6418 For sure. I have a similar vehicle (4wd station wagon, same-ish clearance as a subie) and its nothing amazing. The lack of low range and low ground clearance are the two biggest factors
Great list TFL! I’m an owner of a 2 inch lifted (soon to be 3.5 inch lifted) 2019 Honda Passport riding on 32’s with a cut front bumper. It has the same simulated 4 low as the trailhawk Jeep renegade and compass, but it has a simulated rear LSD/Locker. I bought it because of what I saw on your reviews of the pilot and Ridgeline, thanks for that! I’m not sure about the Ford Explorer. I’d imagine the new one has the same GKN twinster rear differential as the Ford Expedition you tested, and that failed on gold mine hill, so I’d put the Honda Passport at #2. The Mini Jeeps deserve #1 because of their approach/departure angles.
A guy I work with takes his 4runner offroading regularly on the weekends and is always coming across a crossover that got stuck thinking they had an offroad vehicle lol.
KYDashcam tires Tires do a lot My suv has all seasons A/T My dads jeep commander had AT And my dads explorer has all season. But out of the bunch my dads explorer has gotten stuck. Lmao this one time he got stuck in the snow and couldnt get out, and ahen he did so he didnt get stuck again he used my suv to run it over a couple of times and knock it down. 💀 its tires, look at the tourag they have, and the one lady with the jeep compas that added ground clearance and tires
@@overknight5278 Proper tires do play a big role, but most of the crossovers are stuck at/in water crossings or at spots that require a lot of suspension articulation.
Along with all that others have said, I think it's also probably reasonable to assume the vast majority of those people had no meaningful prior offroading experience as well.
I think the difference between the Subaru and Mitsubishi CVT’s when being used off road is not so much that the Mitsubishi works better, but more so that that Subaru has better programming to preserve its own life. So while the Mitsubishi may get you to more places in the short term, it does so at the cost of probably having that CVT die an early death as compared to the Subaru. Regardless, I totally agree with your statement that automakers should not be pairing CVT’s with any vehicles that are targeted towards off road or even soft road use.
Jaroslav Záruba I have owned exactly zero Subaru’s. I have owned a Mitsubishi though...it was a decent car, but that was more than 20 years ago. The remaining models they sell in North America are garbage and their days here are numbered.
Just bought the 2019 Renegade Trailhawk...love it. The new 1.3L Turbo is great, having full torque at much lower RPM's makes a big difference. Massive rebates on them right now. ($8k off). Will be an excellent commuter and forest road runner.
We had a 2002 Allroad. Beautiful car but jesus, the airsuspension was horrible. After that we had a standard A6 with the 2.5 TDI and it ran forever. We sold it with 500.000 km and had no problems at all.
Honda's torque-vectoring AWD system is the bomb compared to many others. Can send up to 70% of power to the rear and split that power to individual wheels. It's essentially the SH-AWD that's in the Acura's. I have it on my Ridgeline and it really works well.
I think they are a little butt hurt over not being allowed to see Subaru's, I think they should have included Subaru on this list somewhere and just say they didn't get a chance to test it and move on. I wouldn't have titled it they way they did.
@@underthelibertytree712 Says who? Roman said it was because TFL damaged two Subaru's on the cliffhanger which went against Subaru's review lending agreement. I wouldn't loan someone a car either if they didn't obey the rules.
I have a 2016 Kia Sorento which has a similar AWD system as the Telluride just older. But it has the same locking 50/50 distribution transfer case and it is awesome hands down. As a commuter in the snow great it did awesome up to about 2 feet in snow then I got stuck. But I've driven through about 7ish inches successfully. But a couple weeks ago took it out on some dirt trails that were muddy and I was sliding quite a bit. Locked the transfer case and boom it went straight and didn't slip at all. These weren't serious trails at all but I was on street tires on mud and at one point uphill. But you could probably take a sedan up those trails dry as long as you don't mind scraping the bottom a little. But I'm still impressed with the Sorento so far.
I'm currently building a 2017 Volvo V60 Cross Country in to a soft offroader. I plan to put some 16 inch wheels wrapped in a 215/70R16 BFGoodridge KO2 or General Grabber APT. Along with fitting a 1.25 inch spacer kit. I also plan to fit some different skid plates to the underside.
I sure miss my Nissan Xterra. Simple, capable, affordable, not the most reliable (neither is Jeep). Had a new 4runner for a year but sold it because I wasn't going off road as much as I used to and need something a little better for normal duty but would still like to hit a dirt road every so often. Thanks for this review.
Acura MDX ... Although, it's not a whole lot different than the Honda.. But it does have a torque vectoring rear end. I got a 2002, fully loaded, sun roof, heated leather seats/mirrors, 3rd row seats. Plenty of power 3.5 vtek. 160k miles.. only $1700.. and everything works. I LOVE this thing.
thanks, awesome list! Especially seeing the opel/buick made me happy. I am right now stuck between skoda octavia scout, opel/vauxhall isignia country tourer and vw passat alltrack (coming from austria). It is rather difficult to find a soft roader that is not a SUV and also is allowed to tow 2.2tons (2 Horses). Your videos help A LOT. Thanks so much! Another idea I am missing is the volvo xc70 (maybe you can grab one somehow) or the p90 cross country, seems you didn't have those yet unless I can't find them
People continually forget that Audi was NOT, the first AWD crossover. It wasn't even the second. The real first and second crossovers would be (depending on your definition) the Subaru and the Jeep Eagle.
I enjoy you guys putting the manufacturers money where their "poser" off road cars are! Subaru won't talk to you anymore, and the RAV4 "adventure " is mostly a styling exercise. Love the series👍😀
I have a 09 sorento with 4wd and I never took it “off roading” but when I lived in Indiana we lived up a dirt road. I was quite impressed the way it handled the weather. When it rained it had no problem going up the hill in the mud and the same with the snow and ice. I still have it and it has 118,000 miles on it.
mud, snow, and ice isn't offroading. that stuff any awd can go through, even an awd sedan. real 4wd means being able to go over rocks and rocky inclines/declines with a low range transfer case and locking differential
I think you should also check into: Mercedes Benz GLA, GLB, GLC, GLS, E-class all terrain, BMW X1, X2, X3, X4, X5, X6, Audi Q3, Q5, Q7, A6 all road Porsche Macan, Cayenne, VW Golf Alltrack, Passat Alltrack, Tiguan, Touareg Bentley Bentayga Lamborghini Urus
That was ALMOST me today in my 2019 manual crosstrek! It’s been raining tons in northern Wisconsin and today was out doing some national forest backroads. I came around a blind corner and BAM -a section of road that was just logged...huge muddy ruts from the equipment. I learned that Subaru A.W.D. Works just as good in reverse -lol.
So, they didn’t do justice to the Compass Trailhawk. The video that Mike and Nathan did with the Compass and the Eclipse Cross featured the Limited version of the Compass and Mike had no issue with a slow approach on phase 3 of Goldmine Hill. That video was 6 months after the Trailhawk video that Roman and Andre did, so any trail damage would be worse and either Mike is a better driver or he had traction control switched off and Andre didn’t . Either way, that Trailhawk footage they show was an injustice.
No longer produced but the freelander 2 (LR2) is really good off-road. I'm surprised you guys only had one small segment on it in the snow. That Renault/dacia duster seems to go almost anywhere.
If you look at 3:08, I actually climbed a hill steeper than that on smooth ground in my RAV4 with really wide pursuit street tires. Even with old AWD technology I still climbed the hill without locking the rear in or disabling traction. The BOA (break over angle) on my car for that hill was almost too much for my car. I have a video of it. I mean, it isn't mountain climbing or rock crawling but so far, it had managed everything I've thrown at it since I bought it with 25k miles on it, now with 183k. My wife's 2013 RAV4 does great as well. Neither have been stuck and had to be pulled out. Don't take anything past its intended purposes and run good tires suited for the conditions and you'll be fine. PS, I hate a CVT
baby bronco, whatever toyota has in the works for 2022 sometime and crosstreck are all that i would consider. Great video TFL i love the small cross overs. They are the jimney we can never have.
Love these videos with the less capable off-road cars being pushed to their limits. When your next ranking a big group of these please include the Subaru and the discovery sport in your list
I have a MB E220D AllTerrain. Softroader might be a stretch but it will handle any dirt road and has an outstanding AWD-system in the 4Matic. With the 45 volt hybridsystem there is plenty of torque when you need it and it does 40 mpg mixed (my mix, 80% 65 mph Hwy, 20% small town). I know the diesel isn't sold in the US and it is a crying shame...
Someone will have to loan them their's. Subaru has put a halt on loaning them any vehicles because they damaged a press release vehicle still being reviewed.
This was a great list, but I miss the slip test you guys do. Would have loved to see how their all-wheel drive systems compare on that. It would also be great if you could figure out a more empirical way to measure the slip test such as how far does the pedal have to be depressed to get off the rollers or time elapsed to get off etc.
@@mushroomcloud1 I felt the same way until I bought one. My uncle, who is a rancher swore by his as a daily driver to get to and from his property. Does pretty well here in Wyoming.
@@mushroomcloud1 I considered the Jeep but I didn't think it held its resale value as long. I also heard that Subaru fixed the headgasket issue in the 2018 outback generation for an engine that will see me reach 350,000 miles. Lastly, there is safety. They are rated highly and I have a family.
You don't get it in the States but the Fiat Panda 4x4 is an awesome little car off road. When I say little, I mean little. You could fit it in the bed of a full size pick up
Here in Sweden, Jeep seem to think that anything called trailhawk is made out of pure gold. They are horrendously expensive (as in somewhere above +50% from US prices). Wish only means that no one buys them. You almost never see a new Jeep here.
15:20 maybe i need to watch that episode, but why is that jeep tied for #1 if it needed a second person to help push it up? seems like other vehicles higher up handled it with fewer issues
You guys missed an Aussie iconic, that we heavily off-road here in Australia. The Holden Adventra. It's equivalent if not better than the Audi All Road. Tootally underrated, we've wheeled it on our channel for over 7 years now. Incredibly surprising.
Wow I never new they did a commodore crossover. Should look out for them, havent noticed any in nz. Did they come with the v8? because that would be awesome haha
@@moa-wg3bo yup LS1 unfortunately though with the clunky 4L60 gearbox but 100% mechanical driven all gears no chains or belts. Underrated significantly for what it was. Bunch of them driving around in NZ!
@@AllTerrainAction I'll keep an eye out. I'm always on the lookout for quirky old station wagons (I own a 1992 toyota carib myself). I guess I never noticed them because they look so much like a regular commo! Some cool stuff on your channel 👍 love to see people getting stuck right in the tricky stuff with their softroaders
Some crossovers I have seen tested on other channels that showed a lot of promise: Renault ( Dacia) Duster, VW Tiguan, BMW X3 and X5. Not sure if they are sold in US but if you live in Europe or Central Asia they make a lot of sense.
Did I miss something? Your #1 pick is the Fiat... um... I mean Jeep powers thru the hole and has to be pushed when all 4 wheels in contact? They may be cheap(er), and for a reason, Don't waste your money people! Poor reliability resale and owner satisfaction, I would rather be broke down in any of the other 9
I have one of the new Jeep Compasses, its not the trailhawk trim but thats all the trailhawks really are: trim. There are some minor differences but our 'Limited' trim 4x4 does basically just as good off roading as the trailhawks, without the TH gimmicks (Fake low range with 1st gear lockout programming? Give me a break!) If you made some kind of graph plotting how far down an increasingly difficult trail different cars could go, you'd be hard pressed to measure the minuscule gap between the Limited/Latitudes and the TrailHawk Compasses, while obviously the gap between any of the Compasses and something like the Wrangler would be huge.
got it. go a little faster. momentum is your friend. pull it up the hill (unless you test a subaru - then none of these apply)(and the outback ultimately did it anyway)
You picked one GM and it was the Buick Tour X ... I think a new body style Terrain with the 1.6 l Diesel engine might cause you to warm up to it as a soft roader. I think you’re in for a treat with the 40 mpg fwd mode on hwy and it might be surprisingly okay with the off road mode AWD engaged. The might even be hill control on it... maybe not a Jeep but maybe better than a Tour X?
You guys left out the Cherokee Trailhawks that have an electronic locking rear differential...... Which is car based & has independent front & rear suspension.
@@demoncleaner80 still doesn't explain why the Cherokee isn't #1 it is a car based CUV, It is the same as the Renegade & compass except it has an electronic rear locker. Which makes it the best "soft roader"
@@robinsonmac the best? Their #1 choice didnt even make it up the hill without being physically pushed by a person and any type of longterm reliability and resale? Yeah right...
Omg, your bias tires are showing! Your #1 pick of jeep was stupid! You had to literally push that junk car to get it up a hill that many other vehicles on your list managed with aplomb. I like the rest of your list, but could you maybe get some integrity and stop shilling for FCA?
Almost makes you think just how much is Jeep "gifting" these guys? But hey, if they're ok with pushing Jeep sales on their viewers and sticking them with poor quality vehicles...to each their own.
@@TFLcar So that's why you guys pick on Subaru over and over again and again ?? You think that's the Right way to bash them.....in return. That's Childish.
@@Honestandtruth007 Jeezus dude...TFL went out and bought an Outback themselves to test & compare against the other vehicles. Subaru threw a hissy fit over a bad review from them and took their press cars from them late on evening. Subaru's being childish, not TFL.
I've had the chance to drive a Compass Trailhawk and I was impressed with what it offered, but I didn't get the chance to drive it in snow. Do you think it could handle a Chicago winter? (Especially with deep lake effect snow?)
@@drgonzo767 definitely, I'm just hoping it has enough power to pull through (and if the Falkens were "aggressive" enough). I had a Mitsubishi where I couldn't make it up the apron of a driveway at work
@@ChicagoOutfit1900 Buy Blizzaks. Mount on ugly steel wheels. Conquer winter. Take them off in the spring, put on the pretty wheels and "all-season" tires. Power is not key, traction is. Severe winter duty tires flat out rock in snow. I also turn off the traction control crap if there is a hint of a hill...that's the case where power does make a difference, because if the car is braking/cutting power you will not be going anywhere. Signed, someone who lived on top of a mountain and had a long, steep driveway.
I'd go with either the Pilot/Passport or the Explorer over the Renegade/Compass...unless Roman will always be at the trail to help drag me over obstacles.
N Pooch the Pilot and Ridgeline climbed up gold mine hill without momentum. The Passport would do the same. As far as the Explorer, the previous generation was no good for off-road, TFL actually called it a crossover that Couldn’t go offroad, but I’d imagine the Brand new one would be proficient and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s very capable now. I think they will have the GKN twinster rear differential like they have in the Focus RS and Expedition. I guess the reason why the Jeep renegade compass and trail hawk are #1 is because of the impressive approach, breakover, and departure angles. I agree with TFL (despite owning a 2 inch lifted Honda Passport on 32’s) that the jeeps are more off-road ready from the factory.
Brilliant review for the off road performance of each vehicle, but everyday transportation and the most economic I’d go for the Toyota RAV4 and it’s proven reliability and the performance of 0 to 60 in 5 .5 seconds also in the uk up to 10 years warranty available can that be beaten?
I dont know what these guys have against subarus. The audi all road is great but it DEFINITELY did not "lead the way" for offroading wagons/crossovers. Yes CVTs suck but that's most CVTs. Lift a subaru and put some KO2s on it and itll destroy almost all of these cars with the same setup
The term "soft roader" lol is cool, i love it.. My first language is not a English lol so it sounds funny to me haha... I think crossovers should be called "knock off roaders" because they are not the real thing lol... My sister has a Rav4 Adventure and doesn't understand why my ex husband and I laughed at her when she suggested she will get a rooftop tent and come overlanding with us.. We owned a brand new 4Runner TRD Off Road as well as a 80 Series Land Cruiser, both geared for overlanding in the toughest terrain.. She doesn't understand what dif locks are or know about independent suspension or axles, or anything lol.. She thinks simply having 4 wheel drive is enough, as I use to lol.. I suggested she watch some TFL vids lol.. They taught me.
Ron Johnson 2 lol that’s preposterous. Jeeps are shiny an fun when new, sure. But good luck with those mechanic bills once the hunk of junk is off warranty.
MCMXC even if the bill is big it’ll never be as big as lets say a luxary car which are also even less reliable But their alright. Id say their close to gm. If you take care of them they’ll last a long time. Plus he uses the jeep b/c a wrangler are made just for off roading and the large community. Which isnt there compared to the 4runner, the off road community there isnt as large (although it is still Large) And the 4runner is to me an all well rounded car, while a jeep has kept its same design and again, purely off road based.
Ron Johnson 2 -> tell that to my bud with a 2015 Wrangler Rubicon with 60,000 miles, currently at the dealer getting $5900 worth of work done. Axle seals, sway bar actuator, a bunch of stuff. That is NOT good quality. You won’t find a 60,000 mile Toyota at the dealer needing anything.
Their #1 vehicles are ones they demonstrated to be _less capable_. Several other vehicles overcame obstacles their #1 Jeep could not do. Obvious bias is obvious
@Ron Johnson 2 Everything FCA (Jeep included) is at the lowest point in every single rankning (Consumer reports, JD power, literally anyone else) of reliability. So no, it really isn't 100% emotion. It's actually the only reasonable stance to take given the available information.
I really wanted a car that could get to trailheads at the end of crappy Forrest roads in NM while maintaining reasonable economy, comfort, and safety on the highway/in the city (so, no Wranglers). I quickly came to the conclusion that the best choices were a Subaru Crosstrek or a Jeep Compass Trailhawk, since nothing else in the small crossover class is anything more then a cosmetically altered car. I flirted with the idea of the Jeep for a long time. I wanted to love it. I really did. But the horribleness of that drive-train on the road ( I swear it takes 2-3 seconds to respond to throttle input) combined with rock bottom reliability, and I just had to go with the Subaru. I love the idea of the little Jeeps. I even think they're well engineered for the most part (save perhaps for transmission programming). But the atrocious quality control at FCA means that every time you buy one you're gambling on major problems, and since I'm an apartment dweller with room for only a single vehicle, I just can't take the risk. On the plus side, I love our Subie! I know you guys are still salty about them not giving you test models, but there's a reason you see so many of them in the mountain states.
Just had my 2019 crosstrek (Manual trans) out on crappy, muddy, forest roads today and it did great! Got myself out of one sketchy situation that really reminded me why I bought Subaru (I don’t think a crv or Mazda CX-5 would have escaped this mud hole). Furthermore, the drive home was smooth and gas mileage great!
John I agree with everything you said! I bought a 2017 Jeep Cherokee Sport with the 4 cylinder (same motor and transmission as the Compass- but even heavier). The thing is slow and very uncomfortable- yeah I know it's only a 4 cylinder and the power is competitive for the class- but the damn thing weighs 400lbs more than the competition. Worst part is that every Subaru model has more ground clearance. Didn't plan on taking it off road, but got it stuck in the alley in 6-7 inches of snow. I bought the thing online and didn't test drive it first, so I figured it would grow on me. It hasn't. Bottom line- a good test drive is worth more than good pictures!
Not know if any one else said it but the Grand Cherokee without the low range would be a good soft rotor because of lack of low range but that wonderful Jeep four wheel drive system
You said don't take the new Explorer ST off road. It has .1 inch more clearance than a couple of the other models at 8.3 which is getting close to the Outback 8.7. It also has the same 'trail' mode.
You should do some minivan softroading like the Toyota FWD and AWD vans I have a FWD with Wildpeak AT's , my friend has the AWD and they are awesome . If you need to do a lift Journeys offroad sells a kit for 700 bucks. They are not your grandma's minivan. lol
Why not the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk. It's a great little car that will be better off road than any on your list. It has a real low range, a rear locker and does great offroad.
Do you guys have any videos on the quadratrac 1 system in the jeep grand Cherokee? I bought an altitude and am curious now reliable this 4x4 system is and been loving your reviews
No, he’s right and right - they are based on Fiats. That said, my 2018 Compass has been fine so far (about 20,000 miles in, half done with my 3 year lease). Indeed, it’s very capable on backroads and a lot of fun to drift in the snow - no surprise given it’s a “baby Jeep”.
Great vidio. Of all cars you have taken to gold mine hill i was most inpresst by the volvo xc 40 in the snow
I think its really cool that you guys "off road' crossovers. Don't stop doing it!!!
"We didn't include Subaru because they already have a reputation for off-road ability"
(Includes two Jeeps)
Subaru is insanely overrated off-road. I do like mine but it’s nothing special at all.
The CVT makes new Subarus kinda bad at off-roading
@@tylergibson6418 For sure. I have a similar vehicle (4wd station wagon, same-ish clearance as a subie) and its nothing amazing. The lack of low range and low ground clearance are the two biggest factors
Great list TFL! I’m an owner of a 2 inch lifted (soon to be 3.5 inch lifted) 2019 Honda Passport riding on 32’s with a cut front bumper. It has the same simulated 4 low as the trailhawk Jeep renegade and compass, but it has a simulated rear LSD/Locker. I bought it because of what I saw on your reviews of the pilot and Ridgeline, thanks for that!
I’m not sure about the Ford Explorer. I’d imagine the new one has the same GKN twinster rear differential as the Ford Expedition you tested, and that failed on gold mine hill, so I’d put the Honda Passport at #2. The Mini Jeeps deserve #1 because of their approach/departure angles.
I have subscribed your channel and now I found that you watch tfl
A guy I work with takes his 4runner offroading regularly on the weekends and is always coming across a crossover that got stuck thinking they had an offroad vehicle lol.
KYDashcam tires
Tires do a lot
My suv has all seasons A/T
My dads jeep commander had AT
And my dads explorer has all season. But out of the bunch my dads explorer has gotten stuck. Lmao this one time he got stuck in the snow and couldnt get out, and ahen he did so he didnt get stuck again he used my suv to run it over a couple of times and knock it down.
💀 its tires, look at the tourag they have, and the one lady with the jeep compas that added ground clearance and tires
@@overknight5278 Proper tires do play a big role, but most of the crossovers are stuck at/in water crossings or at spots that require a lot of suspension articulation.
Along with all that others have said, I think it's also probably reasonable to assume the vast majority of those people had no meaningful prior offroading experience as well.
I had to pull out a crv who thought he could take on China wall. Ripped out all the plastic protection and bent the driveshaft
KYDsahcam
That's the fault of the vehicle. Its the owner's problem.
I think the difference between the Subaru and Mitsubishi CVT’s when being used off road is not so much that the Mitsubishi works better, but more so that that Subaru has better programming to preserve its own life. So while the Mitsubishi may get you to more places in the short term, it does so at the cost of probably having that CVT die an early death as compared to the Subaru.
Regardless, I totally agree with your statement that automakers should not be pairing CVT’s with any vehicles that are targeted towards off road or even soft road use.
lmao, proper Subaru fanboi
Jaroslav Záruba I have owned exactly zero Subaru’s. I have owned a Mitsubishi though...it was a decent car, but that was more than 20 years ago. The remaining models they sell in North America are garbage and their days here are numbered.
They should combine it with a torque converter so the belt doesn't have to slip at low speeds. Toyota has done it, so can they.
Agreed
@@horus909 who should, Subaru has a torque converter
The reason I started watching you guys is because of your offroad crossover reviews👍
Just bought the 2019 Renegade Trailhawk...love it. The new 1.3L Turbo is great, having full torque at much lower RPM's makes a big difference. Massive rebates on them right now. ($8k off). Will be an excellent commuter and forest road runner.
"That was a pretty beefy car... When it ran"
So true
@@TFLcar Yeah, I laughed out loud at it... Early 2000s German cars are not the place to be for reliability.
@@leleedler As a prior own of a 2001 A4 Avant I can attest to that. Terrible car. Nice when it ran, but it didn't run often. LOL.
@@Roaming50 Yeah my buddy was emburdened with an 01 1.8t A4 Sedan. That thing was a proper nightmare. It was broken more regularly than not.
We had a 2002 Allroad. Beautiful car but jesus, the airsuspension was horrible. After that we had a standard A6 with the 2.5 TDI and it ran forever. We sold it with 500.000 km and had no problems at all.
Honda's torque-vectoring AWD system is the bomb compared to many others. Can send up to 70% of power to the rear and split that power to individual wheels. It's essentially the SH-AWD that's in the Acura's. I have it on my Ridgeline and it really works well.
I have a 2017 honda pilot, that vehicle has not disappointed me on any trail i have been on, even with all season tires.
Im happy to see the wagons making a come back 👍
So does this mean that Subaru is #1 and everyone else starts at #2?
tubemember21 they also can’t compare Subaru since they’re not allowed to test them.
I think they are a little butt hurt over not being allowed to see Subaru's, I think they should have included Subaru on this list somewhere and just say they didn't get a chance to test it and move on. I wouldn't have titled it they way they did.
Well, Subaru is being a bunch of cry baby pee pants and won't give them cars to test as they don't like the results.
@@underthelibertytree712 Says who? Roman said it was because TFL damaged two Subaru's on the cliffhanger which went against Subaru's review lending agreement. I wouldn't loan someone a car either if they didn't obey the rules.
Subaru failed most of the test
Nice video I love driving my Rav4 adventure! Gets me around even better then my crosstrek I use to have and get about 29.5mpg average
Wagons are sadly underappreciated
I have a 2016 Kia Sorento which has a similar AWD system as the Telluride just older. But it has the same locking 50/50 distribution transfer case and it is awesome hands down. As a commuter in the snow great it did awesome up to about 2 feet in snow then I got stuck. But I've driven through about 7ish inches successfully. But a couple weeks ago took it out on some dirt trails that were muddy and I was sliding quite a bit. Locked the transfer case and boom it went straight and didn't slip at all. These weren't serious trails at all but I was on street tires on mud and at one point uphill. But you could probably take a sedan up those trails dry as long as you don't mind scraping the bottom a little. But I'm still impressed with the Sorento so far.
I'm currently building a 2017 Volvo V60 Cross Country in to a soft offroader. I plan to put some 16 inch wheels wrapped in a 215/70R16 BFGoodridge KO2 or General Grabber APT. Along with fitting a 1.25 inch spacer kit. I also plan to fit some different skid plates to the underside.
Im also planning a offroad camping trip to Boulder, CO in the summer of 2021
I sure miss my Nissan Xterra. Simple, capable, affordable, not the most reliable (neither is Jeep). Had a new 4runner for a year but sold it because I wasn't going off road as much as I used to and need something a little better for normal duty but would still like to hit a dirt road every so often. Thanks for this review.
We hope the Audi A6 allroad is a larger A4 allroad (with all the capacity, comfort, etc.)
Acura MDX ... Although, it's not a whole lot different than the Honda.. But it does have a torque vectoring rear end. I got a 2002, fully loaded, sun roof, heated leather seats/mirrors, 3rd row seats. Plenty of power 3.5 vtek. 160k miles.. only $1700.. and everything works. I LOVE this thing.
thanks, awesome list! Especially seeing the opel/buick made me happy. I am right now stuck between skoda octavia scout, opel/vauxhall isignia country tourer and vw passat alltrack (coming from austria). It is rather difficult to find a soft roader that is not a SUV and also is allowed to tow 2.2tons (2 Horses). Your videos help A LOT.
Thanks so much!
Another idea I am missing is the volvo xc70 (maybe you can grab one somehow) or the p90 cross country, seems you didn't have those yet unless I can't find them
I would take Suzuki Jimny 2019 to gold mine hill.
What a wrangler should be, they have gotten to big heavy and expensive.
@@jeffk464 Yes indeed Jeeps are getting way more expensive and heavy.
I used to own a 2007 Suzuki Grand Vitara Xsport and took that bad boy off roading. Lol
I wish Mexico got more of them. Only got around 300-400 vehicles.
Suzuki grand vitara / vitara, VW T-Roc, Mitsubishi Outlander, Suzuki Jimny, Renault Duster...could you guys do a review of these please?
People continually forget that Audi was NOT, the first AWD crossover. It wasn't even the second. The real first and second crossovers would be (depending on your definition) the Subaru and the Jeep Eagle.
I enjoy you guys putting the manufacturers money where their "poser" off road cars are! Subaru won't talk to you anymore, and the RAV4 "adventure " is mostly a styling exercise. Love the series👍😀
I have a 09 sorento with 4wd and I never took it “off roading” but when I lived in Indiana we lived up a dirt road. I was quite impressed the way it handled the weather. When it rained it had no problem going up the hill in the mud and the same with the snow and ice. I still have it and it has 118,000 miles on it.
mud, snow, and ice isn't offroading. that stuff any awd can go through, even an awd sedan. real 4wd means being able to go over rocks and rocky inclines/declines with a low range transfer case and locking differential
Would have loved to see the Skoda Kodiaq Scout but unfortunately the entire brand isn't available in the US
I think you should also check into:
Mercedes Benz
GLA, GLB, GLC, GLS, E-class all terrain,
BMW
X1, X2, X3, X4, X5, X6,
Audi
Q3, Q5, Q7, A6 all road
Porsche
Macan, Cayenne,
VW
Golf Alltrack, Passat Alltrack, Tiguan, Touareg
Bentley Bentayga
Lamborghini Urus
Acura RDX/MDX both of SH-AWD which is great in the snow or a little off-roading.
Softroaders are great but people tend to get a little overconfident and "BAM". Carry tow straps.
That was ALMOST me today in my 2019 manual crosstrek! It’s been raining tons in northern Wisconsin and today was out doing some national forest backroads. I came around a blind corner and BAM -a section of road that was just logged...huge muddy ruts from the equipment. I learned that Subaru A.W.D. Works just as good in reverse -lol.
So, they didn’t do justice to the Compass Trailhawk. The video that Mike and Nathan did with the Compass and the Eclipse Cross featured the Limited version of the Compass and Mike had no issue with a slow approach on phase 3 of Goldmine Hill. That video was 6 months after the Trailhawk video that Roman and Andre did, so any trail damage would be worse and either Mike is a better driver or he had traction control switched off and Andre didn’t . Either way, that Trailhawk footage they show was an injustice.
Because as a sensible dad who needs to fit the family and the dog along extra junk, and drive the car as a daily driver, this matters to me. Thanks.
No longer produced but the freelander 2 (LR2) is really good off-road. I'm surprised you guys only had one small segment on it in the snow. That Renault/dacia duster seems to go almost anywhere.
If you look at 3:08, I actually climbed a hill steeper than that on smooth ground in my RAV4 with really wide pursuit street tires. Even with old AWD technology I still climbed the hill without locking the rear in or disabling traction. The BOA (break over angle) on my car for that hill was almost too much for my car. I have a video of it. I mean, it isn't mountain climbing or rock crawling but so far, it had managed everything I've thrown at it since I bought it with 25k miles on it, now with 183k. My wife's 2013 RAV4 does great as well. Neither have been stuck and had to be pulled out. Don't take anything past its intended purposes and run good tires suited for the conditions and you'll be fine.
PS, I hate a CVT
That new RAV4 looks absolutely stunning
baby bronco, whatever toyota has in the works for 2022 sometime and crosstreck are all that i would consider.
Great video TFL i love the small cross overs. They are the jimney we can never have.
Love these videos with the less capable off-road cars being pushed to their limits. When your next ranking a big group of these please include the Subaru and the discovery sport in your list
I own the Adventure, it may not be all that but I love it 🙃
I really want you guys to test a Subaru Ascent off road to compare it to the older Outback you tested. CVT and all.
Subaru doesn't give them press vehicles because they scratched an Outback about 5 years ago
Initial Wii oh I know, I’ll volunteer mine. Roadtrip!
@@benniewalker312 good idea
That are NOT Subarus! Lolol Keep up the Great Work
I have a MB E220D AllTerrain. Softroader might be a stretch but it will handle any dirt road and has an outstanding AWD-system in the 4Matic. With the 45 volt hybridsystem there is plenty of torque when you need it and it does 40 mpg mixed (my mix, 80% 65 mph Hwy, 20% small town).
I know the diesel isn't sold in the US and it is a crying shame...
These guys are severely underrated. And they deserve all they get and more!
No. They don't. Nathan said the Kia looks good. That's a blasphemy. That thing looks horrible.
@@jaromor8808 I see what you mean but, for a crossover which is an awkward appearance by nature, it ain't bad
Can you test a new Subaru with a locking rear dif?
Someone will have to loan them their's. Subaru has put a halt on loaning them any vehicles because they damaged a press release vehicle still being reviewed.
If I lived near them, I would lend them my 07 Forester with LSD and Wild peaks.
Ford escape. I have a 05 mazda Tribute samething. I've taken it offroad a lot. Very capable
What about the Land Rover Discovery Sport?
Mm the Audi they showed is just as expensive
@@MichaelMiller-rg6or or the GLE.
Yes! I’d like to see them test out the new 2020 model.
Mm -the Kia and Audi are all around 50k as shown, plus that GLE they showed is probably over 70k!
This was a great list, but I miss the slip test you guys do. Would have loved to see how their all-wheel drive systems compare on that. It would also be great if you could figure out a more empirical way to measure the slip test such as how far does the pedal have to be depressed to get off the rollers or time elapsed to get off etc.
Agreed. The slip test was a lot more accurate and repeatable of a test than going on a trail that degrades or has different paths of approach.
TOP 10 - SOFT-ROADERS SUV
10. AUDI A4 ALLROAD
9. TOYOTA RAV4-ADVENTURE
8. MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE CROSS
7. BUICK REGAL TOURX
6. KIA TELLURIDE
5. MERCEDES GLE
4. VW ATLAS
3. HONDA PASSPORT
2. FORD EXPLORER
1. JEEP- RENEGADE & COMPASS TRAILHAWK
Curious about your thoughts as a soft-roader, an AWD version of current (maybe past 3 years) model: Ford Edge?
Just reinforces that my Subaru was a good buy and that I'll be getting another one.
Why?
To carry your vegetarian sandals to your gender studies class.
A Prius is more masculine.
@@mushroomcloud1 I felt the same way until I bought one. My uncle, who is a rancher swore by his as a daily driver to get to and from his property. Does pretty well here in Wyoming.
@@jackrandom4893
Maybe, but I think I would go with one of the competitors that do just as well off road like the Mitsubishi or the Jeep.
@@mushroomcloud1 I considered the Jeep but I didn't think it held its resale value as long. I also heard that Subaru fixed the headgasket issue in the 2018 outback generation for an engine that will see me reach 350,000 miles. Lastly, there is safety. They are rated highly and I have a family.
Great video! If I won the lottery the GLE hands down but I do love Buicks styling and incredibly comfortable interior.
You don't get it in the States but the Fiat Panda 4x4 is an awesome little car off road.
When I say little, I mean little.
You could fit it in the bed of a full size pick up
I already have the 2019 Jeep renegade trailhawk and I LOVE IT. It can do a lot for its size and it is perfect for my age. Thank you for this review!
Here in Sweden, Jeep seem to think that anything called trailhawk is made out of pure gold. They are horrendously expensive (as in somewhere above +50% from US prices). Wish only means that no one buys them. You almost never see a new Jeep here.
15:20 maybe i need to watch that episode, but why is that jeep tied for #1 if it needed a second person to help push it up? seems like other vehicles higher up handled it with fewer issues
I would rather have a 4runner
You guys missed an Aussie iconic, that we heavily off-road here in Australia. The Holden Adventra. It's equivalent if not better than the Audi All Road. Tootally underrated, we've wheeled it on our channel for over 7 years now. Incredibly surprising.
Wow I never new they did a commodore crossover. Should look out for them, havent noticed any in nz. Did they come with the v8? because that would be awesome haha
@@moa-wg3bo yup LS1 unfortunately though with the clunky 4L60 gearbox but 100% mechanical driven all gears no chains or belts. Underrated significantly for what it was. Bunch of them driving around in NZ!
@@AllTerrainAction I'll keep an eye out. I'm always on the lookout for quirky old station wagons (I own a 1992 toyota carib myself). I guess I never noticed them because they look so much like a regular commo! Some cool stuff on your channel 👍 love to see people getting stuck right in the tricky stuff with their softroaders
Some crossovers I have seen tested on other channels that showed a lot of promise: Renault ( Dacia) Duster, VW Tiguan, BMW X3 and X5. Not sure if they are sold in US but if you live in Europe or Central Asia they make a lot of sense.
The Compass really tied with the Renegade for #1? 🤦♂️
Then you go on to show us the Compass struggling to get up that incline? 😐
k3rrons unfortunately this channel is pro dodge/jeep
@@skyline5354 yeah.. :/ I'm surprised the Honda was as high as it was.
I mean that incline was worse than anything the other vehicles had to deal with.
Did I miss something? Your #1 pick is the Fiat... um... I mean Jeep powers thru the hole and has to be pushed when all 4 wheels in contact? They may be cheap(er), and for a reason, Don't waste your money people! Poor reliability resale and owner satisfaction, I would rather be broke down in any of the other 9
Please do this video with 2023 models
Trailsport
Timberline
AT4
Lots of new softroader trim lines
Shout out to everyone and specially to the renegade family! I love my 2020 renegade trailhawk.
Solid video again!
I have one of the new Jeep Compasses, its not the trailhawk trim but thats all the trailhawks really are: trim. There are some minor differences but our 'Limited' trim 4x4 does basically just as good off roading as the trailhawks, without the TH gimmicks (Fake low range with 1st gear lockout programming? Give me a break!) If you made some kind of graph plotting how far down an increasingly difficult trail different cars could go, you'd be hard pressed to measure the minuscule gap between the Limited/Latitudes and the TrailHawk Compasses, while obviously the gap between any of the Compasses and something like the Wrangler would be huge.
got it. go a little faster. momentum is your friend. pull it up the hill (unless you test a subaru - then none of these apply)(and the outback ultimately did it anyway)
You picked one GM and it was the Buick Tour X ... I think a new body style Terrain with the 1.6 l Diesel engine might cause you to warm up to it as a soft roader. I think you’re in for a treat with the 40 mpg fwd mode on hwy and it might be surprisingly okay with the off road mode AWD engaged. The might even be hill control on it... maybe not a Jeep but maybe better than a Tour X?
I don't agree with your assessment of cvt's seeing as there are a multitude of channels dedicated to subaru's offroading and they do just fine.
And this is the reason why Subaru will not loan you guys a car to review. Your hate for Subarus shows...really bad.
Okie Rider I acknowledged at the very beginning that most of their fleet is good off road. These are “alternatives.”
@@NathanDAdlen
Also, please list all (10) vehicles in the description box when doing multiple vehicles comparison. Thanks!
You guys left out the Cherokee Trailhawks that have an electronic locking rear differential...... Which is car based & has independent front & rear suspension.
Roman mentioned it when they were talking about the Compass and Renegade.
@@demoncleaner80 still doesn't explain why the Cherokee isn't #1 it is a car based CUV, It is the same as the Renegade & compass except it has an electronic rear locker. Which makes it the best "soft roader"
@@robinsonmac the best? Their #1 choice didnt even make it up the hill without being physically pushed by a person and any type of longterm reliability and resale? Yeah right...
@@LT-jc4qb well they definitely did not mention those other items, it was purely off road performance. And it wasn't a very good list.
What about the ford Edge?
Omg, your bias tires are showing! Your #1 pick of jeep was stupid! You had to literally push that junk car to get it up a hill that many other vehicles on your list managed with aplomb. I like the rest of your list, but could you maybe get some integrity and stop shilling for FCA?
Almost makes you think just how much is Jeep "gifting" these guys? But hey, if they're ok with pushing Jeep sales on their viewers and sticking them with poor quality vehicles...to each their own.
Nice vid. Isn’t Honda Passport also a CVT? So the Passport is still good?
The Honda Passport doesn't have a CVT, it uses a ZF 9 speed automatic.
@@donaldwilson2620 Thanks for the info.
Don’t understand how you don’t do a crossover like the Subaru Ascent but then give us jeeps at the end?
Because Subaru does not loan us cars so we can’t test it.
smart one read the title, especially the end of it.
@@TFLcar So that's why you guys pick on Subaru over and over again and again ?? You think that's the Right way to bash them.....in return. That's Childish.
@@Honestandtruth007 Jeezus dude...TFL went out and bought an Outback themselves to test & compare against the other vehicles. Subaru threw a hissy fit over a bad review from them and took their press cars from them late on evening. Subaru's being childish, not TFL.
@@luchaDor how would you feel if someone damaged your car and broke a contract ??
I've had the chance to drive a Compass Trailhawk and I was impressed with what it offered, but I didn't get the chance to drive it in snow. Do you think it could handle a Chicago winter? (Especially with deep lake effect snow?)
With the right tires, absolutely. Tires. Are. Everything.
@@drgonzo767 definitely, I'm just hoping it has enough power to pull through (and if the Falkens were "aggressive" enough). I had a Mitsubishi where I couldn't make it up the apron of a driveway at work
@@ChicagoOutfit1900 Buy Blizzaks. Mount on ugly steel wheels. Conquer winter. Take them off in the spring, put on the pretty wheels and "all-season" tires. Power is not key, traction is. Severe winter duty tires flat out rock in snow. I also turn off the traction control crap if there is a hint of a hill...that's the case where power does make a difference, because if the car is braking/cutting power you will not be going anywhere. Signed, someone who lived on top of a mountain and had a long, steep driveway.
I'd go with either the Pilot/Passport or the Explorer over the Renegade/Compass...unless Roman will always be at the trail to help drag me over obstacles.
N Pooch The Explorer sucks at off-roading, It’s a true CUV.
N Pooch the Pilot and Ridgeline climbed up gold mine hill without momentum. The Passport would do the same. As far as the Explorer, the previous generation was no good for off-road, TFL actually called it a crossover that Couldn’t go offroad, but I’d imagine the Brand new one would be proficient and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s very capable now. I think they will have the GKN twinster rear differential like they have in the Focus RS and Expedition. I guess the reason why the Jeep renegade compass and trail hawk are #1 is because of the impressive approach, breakover, and departure angles. I agree with TFL (despite owning a 2 inch lifted Honda Passport on 32’s) that the jeeps are more off-road ready from the factory.
JonDZ Adventuring WHY do you assume the new one is proficient? Just because it’s rear-biased? That’s not enough for such a conclusion.
Not sure if it's just me but I've had great success with my BMW X3 28i xdrive. Doing some normal off-road and snow.
We had a 2005 Audi A6 allroad it was great
Brilliant review for the off road performance of each vehicle, but everyday transportation and the most economic I’d go for the Toyota RAV4 and it’s proven reliability and the performance of 0 to 60 in 5 .5 seconds also in the uk up to 10 years warranty available can that be beaten?
that bouncy tech is pure genius.
I see the new Suzuki Jimny is amazing offroad in almost every review ! I don't think the states are getting it though, which is a shame for you
I dont know what these guys have against subarus. The audi all road is great but it DEFINITELY did not "lead the way" for offroading wagons/crossovers. Yes CVTs suck but that's most CVTs. Lift a subaru and put some KO2s on it and itll destroy almost all of these cars with the same setup
The term "soft roader" lol is cool, i love it.. My first language is not a English lol so it sounds funny to me haha... I think crossovers should be called "knock off roaders" because they are not the real thing lol... My sister has a Rav4 Adventure and doesn't understand why my ex husband and I laughed at her when she suggested she will get a rooftop tent and come overlanding with us.. We owned a brand new 4Runner TRD Off Road as well as a 80 Series Land Cruiser, both geared for overlanding in the toughest terrain.. She doesn't understand what dif locks are or know about independent suspension or axles, or anything lol.. She thinks simply having 4 wheel drive is enough, as I use to lol.. I suggested she watch some TFL vids lol.. They taught me.
Lunamaria that’s funny. Gotta teach your sister the basics of off-road!
That would be the equivalent of trying to explain quantum mechanics using the grunts and screeches of a Chimpanzee. Lol
that shot where you were bouncing the telluride through those huge puddles is better than any footage kia has used to advertise it.
You guys are definitely Jeep fan boys...
Ron Johnson 2 lol that’s preposterous. Jeeps are shiny an fun when new, sure. But good luck with those mechanic bills once the hunk of junk is off warranty.
MCMXC even if the bill is big it’ll never be as big as lets say a luxary car which are also even less reliable
But their alright. Id say their close to gm. If you take care of them they’ll last a long time. Plus he uses the jeep b/c a wrangler are made just for off roading and the large community. Which isnt there compared to the 4runner, the off road community there isnt as large (although it is still Large)
And the 4runner is to me an all well rounded car, while a jeep has kept its same design and again, purely off road based.
Ron Johnson 2 -> tell that to my bud with a 2015 Wrangler Rubicon with 60,000 miles, currently at the dealer getting $5900 worth of work done. Axle seals, sway bar actuator, a bunch of stuff. That is NOT good quality. You won’t find a 60,000 mile Toyota at the dealer needing anything.
Their #1 vehicles are ones they demonstrated to be _less capable_. Several other vehicles overcame obstacles their #1 Jeep could not do.
Obvious bias is obvious
@Ron Johnson 2 Everything FCA (Jeep included) is at the lowest point in every single rankning (Consumer reports, JD power, literally anyone else) of reliability. So no, it really isn't 100% emotion. It's actually the only reasonable stance to take given the available information.
Tires are a vital ingredient. I almost put some BFG KO2s on my Outback. I ultimately purchased Michelin CrossClimates.
If you actually had that kind of money to spend on a tire, then the KO2 was without a second guess. Best overall tire by far
@thefastlanecar How's a non Trailhawk version of a Jeep Grand Cherokee with Quadra Trac II for off-roading? Is there enough ground clearance?
Why does a Mercedes need that feature? All it gets driven by are soccer moms?
My guess would be Saudi Arabia
I'm pretty sure it's an option for people that want it.
And Arab royals
Because german lowrider
I really wanted a car that could get to trailheads at the end of crappy Forrest roads in NM while maintaining reasonable economy, comfort, and safety on the highway/in the city (so, no Wranglers).
I quickly came to the conclusion that the best choices were a Subaru Crosstrek or a Jeep Compass Trailhawk, since nothing else in the small crossover class is anything more then a cosmetically altered car.
I flirted with the idea of the Jeep for a long time. I wanted to love it. I really did. But the horribleness of that drive-train on the road ( I swear it takes 2-3 seconds to respond to throttle input) combined with rock bottom reliability, and I just had to go with the Subaru.
I love the idea of the little Jeeps. I even think they're well engineered for the most part (save perhaps for transmission programming). But the atrocious quality control at FCA means that every time you buy one you're gambling on major problems, and since I'm an apartment dweller with room for only a single vehicle, I just can't take the risk.
On the plus side, I love our Subie! I know you guys are still salty about them not giving you test models, but there's a reason you see so many of them in the mountain states.
Just had my 2019 crosstrek (Manual trans) out on crappy, muddy, forest roads today and it did great! Got myself out of one sketchy situation that really reminded me why I bought Subaru (I don’t think a crv or Mazda CX-5 would have escaped this mud hole). Furthermore, the drive home was smooth and gas mileage great!
John I agree with everything you said! I bought a 2017 Jeep Cherokee Sport with the 4 cylinder (same motor and transmission as the Compass- but even heavier). The thing is slow and very uncomfortable- yeah I know it's only a 4 cylinder and the power is competitive for the class- but the damn thing weighs 400lbs more than the competition. Worst part is that every Subaru model has more ground clearance. Didn't plan on taking it off road, but got it stuck in the alley in 6-7 inches of snow. I bought the thing online and didn't test drive it first, so I figured it would grow on me. It hasn't. Bottom line- a good test drive is worth more than good pictures!
Not know if any one else said it but the Grand Cherokee without the low range would be a good soft rotor because of lack of low range but that wonderful Jeep four wheel drive system
You said don't take the new Explorer ST off road. It has .1 inch more clearance than a couple of the other models at 8.3 which is getting close to the Outback 8.7. It also has the same 'trail' mode.
Great description. I love it.
You should do some minivan softroading like the Toyota FWD and AWD vans I have a FWD with Wildpeak AT's , my friend has the AWD and they are awesome . If you need to do a lift Journeys offroad sells a kit for 700 bucks. They are not your grandma's minivan. lol
What about the 2019/20 BMW X5 with the off-road package?
What about the. HONDA CRV?
Why not the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk. It's a great little car that will be better off road than any on your list. It has a real low range, a rear locker and does great offroad.
Discovery Sport or Range Rover Evoque. Both excellent off road.
How much was the Corolla Cross again?? So where does that leave the cost of RAV-4?? What is going on??
Do you guys have any videos on the quadratrac 1 system in the jeep grand Cherokee? I bought an altitude and am curious now reliable this 4x4 system is and been loving your reviews
How does the Golf AllTrack compare? Or the 2020 Land Rover Evoque?
Lol those two Jeeps are actually the Fiat 500X and Fiat Panda. JUNK
Wrong & wrong.....
No, he’s right and right - they are based on Fiats. That said, my 2018 Compass has been fine so far (about 20,000 miles in, half done with my 3 year lease). Indeed, it’s very capable on backroads and a lot of fun to drift in the snow - no surprise given it’s a “baby Jeep”.
Why are you guys always after subarus? Try ascent on Gold Mine hill if they lend you one :)