With a little bit of historical hindsight, we can safely say that the 1995 Subaru Legacy Outback was one of the truly revolutionary cars from the final years of the twentieth century. Not only did this lifted wagon finally bring the quirky Japanese brand into the mainstream, but it also became the archetype for many…
Category Archives: 4WD
Overland News of the Week, July 18th, 2025
The New Jeep Compass 4xe Combines Rugged Off-Road Capability with Refined Practicality The Jeep Compass 4xe is the latest evolution of Jeep’s compact SUV, designed to combine rugged off-road capability with refined practicality. Built on the Stellantis STLA Medium platform, it offers multi-energy powertrains and features a raised suspension, optimized bumpers, and upgraded tires for…
The Big Thing :: A Mighty Little Triumph in Montana
Having attended my share of overland events over the years, I half-expected XOverland’s inaugural The Big Thing (July 10–13, 2025) in Montana to feel like a polished production with an established vibe. What I didn’t anticipate was the heart, the attention to detail, and that family-oriented community energy pulsing through the XOverland Ranch like wildfire….
Dave Harriton on What it Takes to Build a Factory Overlander
In this episode of the Overland Journal Podcast, hosts Matt Scott and Scott Brady are joined by Dave Harriton from American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) to delve into the complexities of building a factory overlander. The discussion examines the key components of overland vehicle construction, including transfer case chain integrity, the distinction between aftermarket and OEM…
The Big Thing :: Where the Heart of Overlanding Came Home
The Big Thing event began with a simple idea: create something that feels like why we all fell in love with overlanding in the first place. Not for the gear. Not for the builds. But for the belief that adventure makes us better—because it brings people together and changes us along the way. So, we…
Toyota Taps Rachelle Croft and Taylor Pawley to Lead Rebelle Effort
This isn’t their first rodeo. Rachelle Croft and Taylor Pawley won the grueling Rebelle Rally outright six years ago, and they have their sights set on taming the California and Nevada deserts again in 2025—this time with factory support from 4WD giant Toyota. In fact, the Croft/Pawley duo from XOverland will be the first outside…
Travel Beasts’ 1993 Toyota Land Cruiser HZJ73 :: Feature Vehicle
It happens to the best of us; we purchase a vehicle and kit it out for a long-distance overland journey, only to find that our needs change as we fall deeper into overlanding and commit further to a life lived on the road. A rooftop tent and daily outdoor existence are fine for a few…
Stay on the Road: Why the Overland Industry Needs Real Travelers with Basil Lynch
It’s easy to get caught up in the business of overlanding and actually forget to travel. But Basil Lynch never stopped. In this episode, we sit down with the founder of Basil’s Garage—an overland outfitter based in San Diego—to talk about why staying on the road matters more than ever. From international travel to local…
Overland News of the Week, July 4th, 2025
Rossmönster Debuts All-New Havn Adventure Vehicle In this week’s overland news, the Havn is designed for those who love dirt roads and remote trailheads but don’t need the extreme off-road focus of a Rossmönster Baja Series truck or the compact limitations of a Sprinter van. Built on a Mercedes-Benz 3500 chassis and engineered for four-season,…
Made in the West: American Innovation in Overlanding
What does overland innovation look like when it’s born in a Montana machine shop instead of an international trade show? In this Overland Journal Podcast episode, hosts Matt Scott and Sinuhe Xavier sit down with Matt Linder, CEO of Truckhouse, and Graeme MacPherson of Go Fast Campers—two leaders shaping the future of American-made expedition vehicles….
Meeting a Legend: Barbara Toy’s 1950 Series I Land Rover, Pollyanna
Photography by Richard Giordano Sitting under a vintage map of Chipping Norton, I wait for my Scotch egg and gin and tonic. Cool autumnal weather typical of the Cotswolds had led me inside, and I figured a good book and an English pub were the perfect antidote. Opening my current read, Barbara Toy’s In Search…
Land Rover Launches Global Defender Trophy Competition
Two years ago, I participated in the Land Rover Trek event held in Texas and came very close to winning the event with my team (we finished second, losing to the returning champions). The event comprised a series of physical and mental challenges centered around the capable, tenacious, and stylish new Land Rover Defender 130….
Sierra Trek Adds New Adventure Trips for August 2025
Established in 1967, Sierra Trek has become an annual destination for families across the West, and this year they are pulling out all the stops by adding four new Platinum trips. The event takes place in the Sierra Nevada north of Truckee, California, with a base camp placed on the cornerstones of the 1862 mining…
Graham Jackson: At the Beginning of American Overlanding
Before overlanding was a hashtag, it was a mindset—and Graham Jackson was one of the people who helped define it in the US. In this Overland Journal Podcast episode, Scott Brady and Matt Scott sit down with Graham to trace the origins of overlanding in North America, from the founding days of Overland Journal to…
More than Mapping: onX Offroad Grants, Features, and Initiatives You May Not Know About
In this installment of the Expedition Portal series on brands that inspire us, Senior Editor Ashley Giordano profiles the off-road GPS and mapping app onX Offroad. In 2009, outdoorsman Eric Siegfried lost his way while hunting at night. Navigating through rough terrain in the dark, Siegfried wished for the ability to see public and private…
2026 Nissan Armada Expands Lineup with High-Performance NISMO Model
The 2026 Nissan Armada ushers in a new chapter for the brand’s full-size SUV lineup by introducing the first-ever Armada NISMO. Positioned as the most powerful and performance-focused version of the vehicle to date, the NISMO model brings together decades of Nissan’s motorsport engineering with the long-standing capability that has made the Armada—and especially its…
2026 Ford Explorer Tremor Expands Off-Road Capability in a Three-Row Package
Ford has officially unveiled the 2026 Explorer Tremor, marking the first time the long-running nameplate receives the Tremor treatment. The new three-row midsize SUV aims to meet the needs of families who spend their weeks navigating city traffic and their weekends venturing into more rugged terrain. Following the success of Tremor-badged trucks and SUVs in…
Hunter RMV Unveils the Isuzu Predator XLE 4×4
Hunter RMV, the Nevada-based builder known for its rugged, custom off-road expedition vehicles, has introduced a new model designed to combine long-range off-grid capability with luxury living and extensive gear-hauling capacity. The new Isuzu Predator XLE 4×4 is the latest addition to Hunter’s lineup, built to handle remote travel while offering all the comforts of…
The Torsus Praetorian Off-road Bus Is Ready to Take on the World
Czech-based manufacturer Torsus recently unveiled the Shell variant of its Praetorian off-road bus, showcasing its latest evolution in both design and performance. Built on a robust MAN TGM 4×4 truck chassis, the Praetorian Shell is the empty-bodied version intended for customized conversions in applications ranging from mobile clinics and command centers to RVs and overland…
Matt Prior on Traveling the Silk Road with a Family
Join Overland Journal Podcast host Scott Brady as he speaks with adventurer Matt Prior about his remarkable five-year journey around the world with his family, known as Project Wild Earth. Matt, his wife, Leah, and their two children are traveling extensively, currently more than halfway across Asia in an INEOS Grenadier and towing a Patriot…