Toyota’s latest update to the Land Cruiser introduces an electrified powertrain, but not in the way most drivers associate with hybrid technology. The newly announced 2.8D 48V model adopts a mild-hybrid system designed to support, rather than replace, the traditional diesel engine. This setup pairs the familiar 2.8-liter turbo-diesel with a compact 48-volt electric motor-generator,…
The Hyundai Crater Concept Is USA-Designed and Needs to Become a Reality
At the Automobility LA 2025 in Los Angeles, Hyundai Motor America unveiled the globally-first presentation of the Hyundai Crater Concept, a compact adventure-oriented SUV concept developed to signal a new direction for the automaker’s rugged-mobility vision. This adventure vehicle, with its wide stance, knobbly tires, and suicide doors, would even appeal to Mad Max’s War…
2026 Jeep Recon: A 650-Horsepower All-Electric SUV Designed for Trail Rated Capability
Jeep is stepping into a pivotal moment in its history with the introduction of the 2026 Jeep Recon, its first fully electric SUV to earn the Trail Rated designation. The debut is the strong, silent type. It arrives at a time when global EV sales continue to climb at roughly 25 percent annually, even as…
Jeep Launches Yearlong Series of Wrangler Special Editions to Mark 85 Years of Off-Road Heritage
Jeep has announced an expansive, year-long celebration to mark its 85th anniversary, unveiling a rolling series of 12 limited-edition Wrangler models that will debut on the 12th day of each month throughout the coming year. The campaign begins with the reveal of the 2026 Jeep Wrangler Moab 392, a V-8-powered model designed to set the…
Expanded Recall of Jeep 4XE Hybrids Highlights Battery Fire Risk and Challenges Facing the Plug-in Segment
In early November 2025, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced an expanded safety recall for the Jeep Wrangler 4xe and Grand Cherokee 4xe plug-in hybrids after Stellantis NV, through its Chrysler division, identified a potential risk of battery-pack fires. While relatively minor compared to historic campaigns, the Takata airbag inflator recall remains the…
The Next-Generation HiLux Blends Subtle Refinements with Bold Transformations
Toyota has lifted the curtain on the next-generation HiLux. While its bolder design and broader technology suite will attract attention, the debut of the model’s first battery-electric variant marks the real turning point in the legendary pickup’s story. Developed with extensive input from Australia, the 2025 HiLux signals not just a redesign, but a redefinition…
The Landrovers: From Cape Town Daydream to Bespoke Defenders
My old Land Rover Defender has seen better days. The instrument binnacle is cracked, the headliner has been replaced with cheap vinyl, the body is scratched and dented from a thousand trails, and the motor has covered 300,000 tough miles across continents. If not a beloved part of the family, my Defender would likely be,…
2026 Jeep Cherokee Returns With Hybrid Power and Expanded Capability
The Jeep Cherokee has, with much fanfare, been reintroduced for the 2026 model year with a bold redesign, a new hybrid powertrain, and a focus on efficiency (without abandoning its off-road heritage). Jeep unveiled the vehicle in Brooklyn, New York, highlighting both its technical advancements and its deep ties to the brand’s legacy. While the…
Subaru Debuts New All-Electric AWD Compact Crossover 2026 Subaru Uncharted
Most overlanders know that wherever they may explore, they are likely to come across a Subaru, from the trails to the campsite, highway to coffee shop. This Japanese automotive giant has collaborated with a Japanese automotive superpower to present a vehicle that will no doubt be as popular with the canoe and camping crowd as…
Overland News of the Week
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…
Hotomobil Launches Cybertruck Cyberglad Camper at Bitcoin 2025
Hotomobil, the Turkish manufacturer best known in Europe for its yacht-inspired camper bodies, chose the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas to unveil a model aimed squarely at Tesla’s Cybertruck crowd. Branded Cyberglad, the unit is being marketed as the world’s first camper formally offered for sale in Bitcoin, a launch strategy the company says…
Overland News of the Week
Itchy Boots Book Launch Free Ride: Heartbreak, Courage, and the 20,000-Mile Motorcycle Journey That Changed My Life is Noraly Schoenmaker’s memoir chronicling her transformation from a geologist in the Netherlands to a solo motorcycle traveler. After discovering her partner’s long-term infidelity, she left her job and traveled to India, where she developed a passion for…
Slate Auto Drops a $20,000 DIY Bombshell
Let’s get this out of the way up front: Slate Auto’s brand new electric pickup is not available with any kind of AWD or 4WD system. Yet. However, the under-$20,000 projected asking price (after federal EV tax credits) for a base model “Blank Slate” and its unmatched modularity and options for owner customization are extremely…
Pole to Pole Expedition Sets New Records
It’s safe to say that Julie and Chris Ramsey from the Pole to Pole Expedition are currently the most ambitious electrified overland adventurers on the planet. Now, they have the Guinness World Records to prove it. Guinness World Records has awarded the couple the well-known recognition for completing the “first expedition by an electric car…
Jeep Debuts the New Avenger 4xe in Europe
Jeep has taken a significant step forward in the compact SUV segment with the debut of the new Avenger 4xe, the latest addition to its growing lineup of electrified vehicles. Blending urban efficiency with proven moderate off-road capability, the Avenger 4xe is now available to order in select trims, including the range-topping Overland model. The…
Phoenix Campers Introduces CyberPhoenix
Phoenix Campers has introduced the CyberPhoenix, a slide-in camper specifically designed for the Tesla Cybertruck. And boy, are we excited. Mild sarcasm aside, the CyberTruck remains a head turner, and what better way to let all your neighbors that you are a funky and quirky metrosexual with a temperamental Bitcoin wallet and a handful of…
Rivian Introduces the Desert Inspired California Dune Limited Edition
Rivian has introduced the California Dune limited edition of the ever-popular R1S and R1T models, an exclusive variant of its electric adventure vehicles. This special edition takes cues from desert landscapes and incorporates distinctive styling elements that set it apart from the existing Rivian lineup. Initial impressions suggest that the Dune limited edition is poised…
Rivian Launches the Delivery 500 and 700 Commercial Vans
The designers of the Ram Promaster probably had no idea that the vehicle designed primarily for commercial use would become such a massive hit with Neo Bohemians on the great unwashed trail down to Guatemala. Those same bohemians would no doubt love to travel in a dusty new Rivian delivery van, stopping often to soak…
Audi Teases Sublime Q6 e-Tron Offroad Concept
Portal axles, off-road suspension, and beefy tires? It’s almost as if Audi is trying to make us fall in love with an EV. Audi has recently taken the wraps off its Q6 e-tron Offroad Concept, revealing a glimpse of what the future might hold for the company’s electric SUV lineup. Audi CEO Gernot Döllner said,…
The Expanding Ai-THD Camper Produces Its Own Water and Power With Integrated AI
The Ai-THD camper, which I would be tempted to name the Mahi-Mahi (or maybe Robo Cop) thanks to its tall forehead and tight lips, is more than just another concept. It is a bold step into the future of not only travel but also living, and it gives us the fizz. AC Future recently unveiled…