There are fundamental elements of a good overland vehicle: the combination of serviceability (or ultimate reliability), capacity (payload and cargo volume), capability for when the terrain gets technical, and enough comfort to keep driver fatigue at bay. For the last 15 years, American Expedition Vehicles has been trying to pull the Jeep Wrangler into the…
Land Rover’s 2020 Defender, and The Elephant in The Room
In psychology there’s a well-documented phenomenon called the mere-exposure effect. It basically states that the more often people see something, the more they tend to like it. This has proven effective on words, paintings, and even sounds, but now I’m beginning to think that Land Rover has been testing it on vehicles as well. You…
Balancing Act: 2017 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk
Photography by Sarah and Chris Ramm While the Cherokee XJ is now regarded as an incredibly capable off-road vehicle, it wasn’t always that way. When the XJ first hit the markets in 1984, it was scoffed at for tarnishing the family name. People said things like, “Square headlights?” “That isn’t a real Jeep! It is…
Asp Kickin’ Ford: Bruce Dorn’s Project Ford F-250 Super Duty
Cinematographer Bruce Dorn prepares his Ford F250 for a drastic mid-life carrier change.
The 2019 Ram 2500 Power Wagon
“The Ram Power Wagon is an off-road, all-access pass, removing the limitations, instilling confidence and allowing owners to reach areas of recreation and lifestyle not attainable with any other pickup,” said Mike Manley, head of Jeep Brand and Ram brand, FCA, “…(for) those who travel into extreme terrain, while providing the towing and payload capability…
Clean Cruiser Project
Photography by Danny Pellissier and Nathan Stuart In 2002 my father passed down his pristine 1994 extended-cab Toyota pickup to me. That truck led to a lifelong infatuation with Toyota off-road vehicles. Sixteen years later, I’m a 40 Series junkie, which means my pockets are empty, but my smile is full. Throughout the years I’ve…
The GMC Sierra AT4 1,000 Mile Off-Road and On-Road Review
My fingers prickled painfully as I wrapped them around the AT4’s heated steering wheel. They were finally beginning to thaw after packing up my frost-covered tent, but the transition from numbing cold back to warmth was giving my hands a less than delightful sensation. Fortunately, the drive was more than making up for that minor…
The 2020 Range Rover Evoque
The 2020 Range Rover Evoque – To Call Forth A crossover SUV was never meant to be a truck; they have been designed to be a far more capable and usable car, and in some cases like the Evoque, a great car with the backroad performance that exceeds some traditional SUVs. This is not an…
The Jeep Gladiator :: Wayout
Each year, the design team from Jeep reveals a series of concept vehicles that either spark the consumer’s imagination for current models, or tease possible future offerings. The 2019 Easter Jeep Safari was no exception, and Mark Allen (Chief Designer, Jeep) pulled out all of the stops with a fleet of Gladiators. Of particular interest…
The Expedition Portal Diesel Excursion Wrap-up
At one point or another, we’ve all asked it. That one question that never fails to stir up a fight on four-wheel-drive forums and social pages the world over, What is the ultimate overland vehicle? Plenty of people have voiced their opinions, but from Jimnys to Unimogs, their responses couldn’t be more diverse. Some might say that…
The Nissan Titan Surfcamp
I accelerated hard out of the curve, pushing tight against the apex and to the limits of adhesion from the Nitto Grapplers. The Cummins diesel pulled strong and sent me into the next bend with more momentum than an 8,000-pound truck should, and with a bigger smile on my face than I expected a full-size…
Heart of a Range Rover Stage III
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Gear Guide 2013. There are certain events you never forget. While some drift away on the winds of memory, those that stay with you define your attitudes and perceptions for life. Camping by the banks of the Boteti River in the Kalahari Desert, Botswana, when I was…
The Overland Gladiator and Other 2019 Easter Jeep Safari Concepts
With the recent unveiling of the Gladiator, we figured there would be some cool truck concepts prepared for Easter Jeep Safari this year. What we hadn’t planned on was every concept vehicle being a truck, yet it’s a very welcome surprise. At a glance the 2019 lineup is all about heritage and hobbies. From the…
The Jeep Gladiator Off-Road Review, Pricing, and Fuel Economy
Since the official unveiling of the Gladiator last November, we have been discussing comparisons, weighing opinions, and feverishly waiting to get behind the wheel of the latest Jeep truck to see how it would stack up against the Colorado, Ranger, Tacoma, and Frontier. That opportunity finally arrived earlier this week when we set out on…
Where the Wild Places Are
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Summer 2018. Photography by Joe Fleming and Scott Brady TRAVEL CHANGES US IF WE LET IT. There is something different about Peru. On my third trip to this variegated country in as many years, it became clear. It is easy to say that the difference…
Form Meets Function
This will probably come as a surprise to exactly none of you, but I love Land Rover Defenders. I’m not sure if it’s their character, heritage, or looks that get me most, but I’ve often found myself dreaming of selling all my belongings and hitting the road behind the wheel of one of these classics….
Quicksand Dreams
The Tacoma has long been a favorite among overlanders for its reliability, capability, and compact size, but the latest generation seems to be most popular yet. Sure, there are some mixed reviews, but there’s no denying that the internet is flooded with more third-gen Tacomas than it knows what to do with. That is a…
GMC’s AT4 Brings Competition to TRD Pro Tundra, RAM Rebel, and Titan Pro-4X
GM hasn’t always been the first name that comes to mind when you think about an overland vehicle. However, this is quickly changing with the introduction of the Bison and now the newly introduced AT4. To find out about this newest offering, I hopped on a flight to San Diego, California, to put their new…
ExPo Classifieds: 1999 Toyota Land Cruiser
There’s a little-discussed and often feared portion of overland travel, and it’s not what you might expect. Unlike armed robberies, corrupt officials, or remote breakdowns, this thing cannot be avoided, which for many people makes it all the more terrifying. I’m talking of course, about the realization that there will be an end to your…
Field Tested: Land Rover Discovery 5
I still remember falling in love with the first generation Discovery. Its boxy yet elegant lines, stadium seating, and alpine windows seemed to beckon me towards the driver’s seat with a promise of adventure, and there was no question of whether or not it had the capability to deliver on it. After all, this was…