These cars aren’t afraid to go where there are no roads.
Americans love big off-roaders, even if they’re only used to crawl slowly into a parking space at the mall. In many ways, it’s like owning a supercar. There are few public roads where you can get away with driving at 200 mph, but it’s nice to know you can.
Here at CarBuzz, we take a different approach to off-roaders. If one comes our way, we’ll put it through its paces thoroughly to find the best of the best. Last year’s final three were blessed with massive power and every piece of off-roading technology in the book, and we didn’t think 2023 could get any better. Boy, were we wrong?
As it turns out, it was another excellent year for drivers who like to get down and dirty. We drove the Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss and the long-wheelbase Land Rover Defender 130, and they didn’t even make the finals.
Ahead of the winner’s announcement on November 15, the finalists for the Off-Road Warrior category, in no particular order, are:
CarBuzz 2024 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison
In short, the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison is everything off-roaders could possibly want. It comes straight out of the factory, ready to tackle the most challenging trails America has to offer.
The recipe for the Bison is remarkably simple. You take one Colorado pickup truck and equip it with the high-output 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine (310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque), Multimac DSSV position-sensitive dampers, updated suspension geometry, and locking differentials front and rear. GM also turned to AEV to help equip the exterior with bits and pieces that increase the approach, breakover, and departure angle while protecting the body.
Standard items include a steel bumper with space for a winch, fender flares, skid plates, and proper underbody protection.
By not following in the footsteps of the high-speed jumpy crowd, Chevy has created a midsize pickup perfect for overlanding and tight technical off-road trails.
2023 GMC Canyon AT4X
The AT4X is the ZR2’s corporate cousin, and you can even order it with the AEV upgrades mentioned above if you were to get it in AEV specification. It’s mechanically similar, but in regular AT4X guise, the Multimac dampers are only available as an optional extra. The GMC also has three auxiliary switches on the inside, making it more appealing to overlanders who want to add additional aftermarket kit themselves.
Basically, the Canyon is sold as the Colorado’s fancier big brother, and it’s aimed at customers with a little bit more to spend. The interior is also nicer, with higher-quality trim, which goes a long way toward justifying the higher sticker price.
At the time of writing, the AT4X had an MSRP of $57,640 without the destination charge and options included. The Bison is expected to cost the same, albeit with more standard equipment (pricing not confirmed at the time of writing). The big question is whether GMC did enough to outshine its less fancy sibling.
2023 Jeep Wrangler
Yep, Old Faithful is back, wading back into the fight, sporting a facelift. If you’re into off-roading, you know this car well. To date, more than five million have been sold, making it the go-to off-roader for just about everyone.
Thankfully, the facelift did not mess with the mechanical bits. The Wrangler received some exterior upgrades, and the interior is quieter with newer tech, but underneath, it’s still pretty much the same car that debuted 37 years ago.
That means you get solid axles front and rear, high ground clearance, iconic looks, and the ability to remove the roof and doors to get as close to nature as possible. If you opt for the Rubicon, you get Jeep’s Rock-Trac full-time four-wheel drive system with a low-range transfer case. It also adds differential locks front and rear and the famous sway-bar disconnect for ultimate front wheel articulation.
It comes standard with 33-inch all-terrain tires, but you can order a set of 35-inch rubber straight from the factory, and thanks to new AEV packages for the 2024 Wrangler, you can go as big as 37 inches.
