GMC just revealed the 2023 Sierra 1500 AT4X AEV Edition — an extreme off-road version of its venerable pickup designed to cross deserts and mountain ranges alongside the Ram TRX and Ford Raptor. It flaunts skid plates, off-road tires and all the luxury trimmings, but biggest influence may be on fortified crossovers sporting big wheels and facelifts.
“It started about ten years ago, but more with the Ford Raptor pickup,” said Ivan Drury, senior manager of insights at Edmunds. “Then it proliferated down to SUVs. Subaru was already in that realm, but other automakers realized nobody wants the image of a soccer mom SUV, so they have packages that make them look more capable than they really are.”
A good example is the GMC Terrain AT4 — a compact crossover with cosmetic upgrades like a black chrome grille and roof rack that hint at enhanced capability. Drivers get hill descent control to creep down steep inclines, grippier tires for muddy trails, and Traction Select System to configure the powertrain for all conditions, though it needs increased ground clearance to challenge significant trails. It’s some show, some go.
In reality, almost nobody utilizes the full capability of these jacked-up station wagons as they go where no baseball dad dares. Most come with off-road tires, higher ground clearance, skid plates, all-wheel-drive and hill descent control. Reinforced roof racks cradle tents. Busting boulders is denied, but getting to a favorite fishing spot poses little trouble.
“We’ve heard from crossover customers that they desire real capability, even if they aren’t using it every day,” said Daniel Peake, senior manager at GMC Communications. “GMC customers engage in active vehicle use, ranging from off-roading and overlanding to hauling outdoor sports equipment. So, they need something that IS capable and doesn’t just look the part.”
Serious competition
Subaru is more serious. Its Outback Wilderness gains nearly an inch of height, off-road tires, X-Mode powertrain programming to smash snow/mud, and available skid plates on top of a standard 260-horsepower turbo-four engine. Black cladding and hood soul patch add spirit. Fat tires and enhanced suspension travel add competence, but also comfort on asphalt. Don’t like wagons? Check out the similar Forester Wilderness.
Kia’s Sorento X-Line hands Subaru its beer with a 1-inch higher ride, center locking differential, and 281-horsepower turbo-four. Its drive mode selector overlords the electronic AWD system to maximize traction. Visual differentiation comes via a ruggedly dark grille, angry LED headlamps, and 20” wheels. This belle is ready for the ball, whether that’s at the mountain lodge or lodge hall.
Honda snatches action with the Passport TrailSport. More of an appearance package with black trim, aggressive tread and torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive, it has less ground clearance than a standard Outback. Still, based on its solid Honda-ness, it won a comparison that included the Outback Wilderness in the August 2022 issue of Motor Trend.
Perhaps the ultimate is the Ford Bronco Sport Badlands, an Escape-based crossover that goes full Sasquatch with exposed tow hooks, alloy wheels that look like steelies, metal bash plates, and G.O.A.T. modes (Goes Over Any Terrain) to configure throttle and traction for all surfaces. Interiors can be scrubbed down after days of dirty deeds.
All of these vehicles offer what one really needs in an SUV without the bounce house common in hard-core off-roaders. But dressing up crossovers is about more than fancy frocks; it’s also about mining money where customer dreams and automaker ledgers collide.
Stylish halos
“These vehicles have pushed aside sedans or sports cars as a halo vehicle,” Drury said. “People want it to do everything. It’s about less compromise. People think they are going to live this off-road lifestyle, to have the look that you are capable whether or not you are. It adds to the DNA and the idea that some of what is in that model lives in others.”
I get it. My husband and I recently bought a Subaru Outback Wilderness. I feel sexy driving it, love throttling the turbo engine, and know we didn’t sacrifice our family. It’s spacious and practical with faux leather seats that are washable when Little Miss makes a little mess. It’s a good mid-life crisis car that triggers few regrets.
Same is true of others in this realm where prices in the $35,000-45,000 range make them good values for customers and profit-generators for their makers — even if it’s a bit of wistful thinking.
“Like sports cars, higher trim levels equal higher profits,” Drury said. “Buyers just want the look — envision themselves if they had that free time to work remotely. So many of these vehicles can do more than anybody will throw at them. True off-roaders buy Jeeps, Broncos, and others tailored to their needs. Crossover buyers just want it to look good.”
Fuel effects
All of this style does come at the price of fuel economy. Those big tires, higher profiles, fat fenders and weighty skid plates shave MPGs … and electric range. They are not the future vision presented by sleek electric crossovers like the Tesla Model Y or Cadillac Lyriq, but could wear well on the upcoming 2024 Chevy Blazer EV and Honda Prologue. A Subaru Solterra Wilderness sounds delicious, but will drivers still want off-road gear on their EVs?
“We are constantly monitoring consumer sentiment and the impact of higher fuel prices,” Peake said. “Our portfolio of vehicles is much more fuel efficient than during past periods of high fuel prices. EVs present so much robust potential to innovate modern transportation, from propulsion to design.”
Change is eternal, but drivers are embracing the fact electrification is imminent — even in off-road vehicles.
“People have come to the reality that things are changing,” Drury said. “With electrification, drivability improves with instant torque and the ability to drive all four wheels independently. If you electrify, you have all of the looks and none of the penalty. It’s such a different animal.”
Whether gas or electric, big tires and facelifts will continue to loft dreams of adventure, even for those whose thrills are never more extreme than scaling morning traffic or picking up the kids at band practice.
