24 Affordable Off-Roaders That Can Conquer Any Terrain

Off-roading has become more popular in recent years, and it’s easy to understand why: you get to drive your car, you’re out in nature, and it provides a challenge. Automakers have noticed the growing trend and naturally want to capitalize on it.

New off-road-capable vehicles can get very expensive as the options lists grow longer every year. However, we have scoured the internet to come up with some affordable options for you. With a bit of effort, it should be possible to find all the vehicles on this list for less than $20,000 – in fact, some are much cheaper than that.

Let’s check out some affordable off-roaders that can conquer any terrain.

2010 Nissan Xterra

Nissan built the Xterra SUV to go up against off-road giants like the Jeep Wrangler, Land Rover Discovery, and the Toyota 4Runner. The Xterra is a proper old-school body-on-frame SUV, not a crossover, and Nissan never tried to pass it off as a luxurious on-road SUV.

The Xterra was in production from 1999 to 2015, and plenty of cheap ones are available on the used market.

2013 Ford F-150 FX4

The F-150 is the smallest truck from the best-selling Ford F-Series lineup, but that’s okay if you’re venturing off the beaten path. The 2013 F-150 FX4 may not be as rugged as its Raptor sibling, but it is still a very capable off-roader and certainly better than other F-150 trim levels.

It packs many off-road essentials as standard, and Kelley Blue Book consumer reviews rate it 4.5/5.

2002 Isuzu Trooper

The Isuzu Trooper is no spring chicken. The last models rolled off the production line in 2007 but haven’t been on the American market since 2002. The Acura SLX, sold from 1995 to 1999, was a slightly upgraded and rebadged version of the Isuzu Trooper.

This full-size SUV was always a bit underpowered, but it makes up for that by being a very affordable but excellent off-roader.

2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor

The first Raptor appeared in 2010, immediately changing the off-road truck game. The F-150 SVT Raptor had a 5.5-liter V8 engine (or an optional 6.2-liter), off-road tires, rear locking differential, and body-hugging seats.

These days, the outrageous F-150 SVT Raptor is a bargain on the used market; just make sure it’s been taken care of and not constantly driven within an inch of its life. You can even take it on an overland expedition.

2003 Ford F-250 Powerstroke

Another F-Series Ford, this time in the shape of the older and larger F-250. The F-250 trucks fitted with the 7.3-liter diesel engine are known to be proper workhorses that will get the job done, no matter what you throw at them.

The 7.3-liter Powerstroke engine is legendary due to its reliability. These trucks are old, but if taken care of, they’ll still serve you for a long time. The F-250 is a large truck, which means there are some drawbacks in rougher terrain, but regular off-road driving will be fine.

2012 GMC Sierra 1500 SLT

The GMC Sierra 1500 SLT is a slightly more luxurious Silverado, perfect for those who want to be comfortable during their off-road stints. It was available with a 5.3-liter Flex-Fuel V8, 4WD drivetrain, and a 6-speed automatic gearbox.

The All Terrain package added Rancho high-pressure monotube shocks, a skid plate, all-terrain tires, off-road bumpers, and a different air cleaner. J.D. Power even scored it 89/100 for reliability.

2006 Mitsubishi Montero

The Mitsubishi Montero SUV is known to be a competent off-roader. The third generation was in production from 1999 to 2006, and this was the last version sold on the North American market.

Thanks to a 210 horsepower 3.8-liter V6 engine, the Montero had more than enough power for both on- and off-road duty. There may be better vehicles for rock crawling than the Montero, but it’ll certainly get you through some seriously rough terrain.

2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT Z71

The top-spec 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT has a 5.3-liter V8 that sends its 315 horsepower and 335 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels via a 6-speed automatic gearbox.

The Silverado 1500 LT became an off-road beast with the optional Z71 package. Z71 versions received an improved suspension setup, off-road bumpers, all-terrain tires, a skid plate, and a better air filter.

2001 Jeep Cherokee XJ

The Jeep Cherokee XJ is practically the poster child of affordable off-roading. Owners report that it’s super reliable, especially later models fitted with the 4.0-liter inline-six engine that produces 190 horsepower and 225 lb-ft of torque.

If you encounter a particularly rough section, plenty of aftermarket parts are available that can take the Cherokee to the next level.

2012 Chevrolet Colorado LT

Chevrolet temporarily discontinued the Colorado in North America after the 2012 model year. That year, the Colorado was available in two trims: the base WT trim and the top-spec LT trim.

Chevrolet also offered a Z71 Appearance Package and a Z71 Off-Road Package. With the full Z71 setup, the Colorado LT 4WD had a 3.7-liter engine that produced 242 horsepower and 242 lb-ft of torque, off-road-tuned suspension, a one-inch front lift, locking differentials, and all-terrain tires.

1997 Toyota RAV4

Toyota’s RAV4 is not the best off-roader, but it’s cheap, and with a few upgrades, it can undoubtedly tackle more challenging terrain than most people will have you believe. RAV4 stands for “Recreational Active Vehicle with 4-wheel drive,” and the first generation certainly lived up to that.

Later models are more advanced and luxurious, so we’d go off-roading in the original. In true Toyota fashion, it’s pretty bulletproof, and if something does break, parts are readily available.

2011 Toyota Tundra

Toyota wanted a slice of the full-size truck pie, and the Tundra soon became one of the best trucks in the segment. It’s a decent off-roader in basic 4×4 form, but the TRD Rock Warrior Package takes it to the next level.

A 5.7-liter V8, Bilstein off-road suspension, TRD wheels, skid plates, limited-slip differential, and 33-inch tires means you can go practically anywhere. Being a Toyota, you know it’s reliable and will get you all the way home.

2009 Toyota 4Runner

Another Toyota, another favorite among off-road enthusiasts. The fourth-gen 4Runner was marketed as an off-road capable midsize semi-luxury SUV.

The 4.0-liter 1GR-FE V6 or 4.7-liter 2UZ-FE V8 engines power North American models. Both are among the most reliable engines Toyota has ever made. Toyota clearly built the 4Runner to run forever and go anywhere.

2011 Ford Ranger Sport SuperCab 4×4

The 2011 Ford Ranger Sport SuperCab 4×4 is the top trim version of the midsize truck. The Sport version came with RWD as standard, so the 4×4 option box had to be ticked to turn it into an off-roader.

It has a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter V6 engine, heavy-duty suspension, skid plates, limited-slip diff, side-step bars, all-terrain tires, and sports seats.

2010 Land Rover Freelander 2 / LR2

The Land Rover Freelander 2 (LR2 in the U.S.) compact SUV is one of the cheapest and most reliable Land Rover vehicles you can buy. It was the first Land Rover model with a unibody structure rather than body-on-frame, but it still delivers the famous Land Rover off-road abilities.

In the States, the LR2 was fitted with a 230-horsepower Volvo 3.2-liter inline-six engine mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. European models received a 2.2-liter Ford turbo diesel as standard.

1990+ Land Rover Defender

The Land Rover Defender is like the British equivalent of the Willys Jeep. It’s famous for its off-road capabilities and ruggedness. The Defender uses a traditional steel ladder chassis, and the bodywork is aluminum.

The Defender is known for being unreliable, but it’s a simple vehicle that you can repair yourself. It’s not particularly comfortable either, but if you want to go off-road, few vehicles can match it.

2009 Land Rover Discovery

The Discovery is the way to go if you want a comfortable Land Rover. Our pick would be the third-generation model, as it can be found for reasonable money.

Land Rover came up with what they call an Integrated Body Frame, combining the best parts of a monocoque and ladder frame. For maximum comfort and off-road capabilities, Land Rover also developed a ‘cross-linked’ air suspension, which mimics a beam axle when off-roading. Reliability? It’s what you’d expect from a Land Rover – not great, but it’ll last with proper maintenance.

2012 GMC Canyon SLT

The 2012 GMC Canyon is built on the same platform as the Chevrolet Colorado. The top trim level is the SLT, which is also the most off-road friendly.

The SLT trim with the Off-Road Package offers a 3.7-liter engine, 4WD, skid plates, heavy-duty suspension, 17-inch rims, all-terrain tires, and a locking rear differential.

JK Jeep Wrangler

There’s no way we could make a list of affordable off-roaders without including the Jeep Wrangler. The Wrangler has been around for decades, and while they do have their issues, they’re great off-roaders.

Our pick would be the JK generation that arrived in 2006. It combines everything that made its predecessors good with some modern tech. Since it was on the market for a decade, plenty exists to pick from.

2012 Nissan Pathfinder SE

The Nissan Pathfinder’s name is synonymous with off-road adventures. The model has been around since the mid-80s, but our pick would be the third generation available in the U.S. from 2005 to 2012.

The SE trim could be ordered with an Off-Road package that included taller tires, different shocks, hill assist, and hill-descent control.

2012 Toyota Tacoma

If you want a reliable off-road pickup truck, you should definitely consider the Toyota Tacoma. For the past couple of decades, it’s been the best-selling midsize truck, so there are plenty of used ones to choose from.

The 2012 Taco offered a TRD Off-Road Package for the 4X4 Double Cab. The 4×4 Double Cab provides a 4.0-liter V6 engine, front skid plates, a 5-speed automatic, and Hill-Start Assist. Adding the TRD Off-Road package gave it heavy-duty suspension, fender flares, 16-inch rims, a locking rear differential, hill-descent control, and sports seats.

2010 Subaru Forester

Subaru is famous for its rally-derived AWD sedans and even built an STi version of the second-gen Forester that received some parts from the Impreza WRX STi. That’s different from the one we’ll talk about here, though.

The third-gen Forester is a crossover SUV that offers 8.9 inches of ground clearance. Not as much as others on this list, but it’ll still be up for some off-road duty. If you want something that looks cool, go for one of the previous wagon-styled generations instead.

2012 Nissan Frontier PRO-4X

Nissan offered a PRO-4X trim for the 2012 midsize Frontier pickup truck. This trim came standard with the 261-horsepower 4.0-liter V6 engine, so it certainly had all the power you could want.

In addition, the Frontier PRO-4X had Bilstein off-road shocks, a locking rear differential, 16-inch wheels with off-road tires, and underbody skid plates.

Suzuki Jimny

Unfortunately, the Suzuki Jimny isn’t available in the States, so the next best option would be one of the older Suzuki Samurai models. The tiny Suzuki Jimny can surprise many of the bigger and more expensive off-roaders, proving that size isn’t everything.

The Jimny enjoys an absolutely massive aftermarket, so it’s possible to turn it into a rock crawler, overland vehicle, or anything in between.