Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives Best new off-road truck?

MAy have to buy a new truck here in a few days and haven’t looked at trucks in a long time (6-7 years)
I need a true off-road capable truck (ground clearance, lockers, power to weight, etc)
Been running a old body style 2003 four door Tacoma with e locker and it has been great for the past 7 or 8 years
What would you guys recommend in today’s lineup ?

2nd gen Tacoma........

'12-15 are good years.......

popular & available......sellers market though

sold our clean '05 DC SB TURD w/183K on it for $15300 in January

Do you need anything more full size & more balls ?

Toyota has to be bringing out the new Tacoma next year and if you can wait i doubt you'd be disappointed. If you have to buy now interest rates on new may make it real attractive and Tacomas are actually being discounted in some markets.. if not new, Tikkanut has some real solid advice.

Yes - if you can wait - the automakers are feeling a Covid-19 squeeze right now.

March saw the average price financed on a new vehicle hit 34,000 - or 5k more than it was a few years ago and the average term over 70 months - the longest its ever been.

A TON of automotive parts and supplies move through the supply chain via inter-modal means. March saw those shipments down just shy of 70% - good indicator of where the makers will be here shortly. Toyota closing their plants till end of April.

If you're financially stable and can really swing things - there should be quite a few deals to be had as the economic situation deteriorates.

Tacoma or did you mean Tundra the Tacoma was updated 2016 Tundra hasn't had a major update since it came out in 2007.

Tundra or Tacoma depending on room and what your pullin

Ford Raptor if you want a REAL off-road pickup truck 🤠

Tacoma is due for an update not a refresh like 2016. Tundra may get the same. the tacoma is just like the 4 runner and technology has moved forward on them. Toyota makes great vehicles but they tend to ride them and refresh them longer since it's more cost effective. I have to think 2021 may be the year but knowing Toyota I'm probably wrong. Read the reviews on them and the four runners and you may see how they keep using the "TERM dated" in evaluating them........that's not a knock on their reliability since they build what works. But it is an indicator that the auto writers won't give them as much ink and those 3-8 page articles with lots of pictures and praise and pointing out features sell lots of vehicles.

I'd be looking at a 2nd generation Tacoma, I'd pass on the newer versions. Assuming off road performance is more important than towing or hauling.

The Ford Raptor checks all of the boxes in a 1/2 ton, but those things are expensive. The bells and whistles aren't worth what they are wanting for those to me.

From a purely off road perspective I'd have to look at the Jeep truck. Not sure I'd buy one, but I'd at least research them.

I have a Ford Super Duty with 35" tires, 4" lift, ARB Lockers front and rear and 456 gears and it is a great truck for pulling a trailer full of ATV's down a rutted 2-track muddy road.

When I think of off-road I think smaller is better and a Toyota Tacoma with lockers and good suspension will go many places that my truck will just not fit. If you do not have to tow get the small truck.

I'm a frugal Toyota shopper.......wife's DD.....

replaced the '05 Taco with this '11 Lexus GX 460 Premium w/95K on the clock

After a few continuing mods....not quite a truck.....but damm close......

It's badged the Toyota Landcruiser Prado 150 across the pond......

FORD e-lock, long travel front suspension,great clearance and POWER....With a cab with head,leg and shoulder room.

I'm going to the dealer here soon to see what I can get for trade in on my '12 Power Wagon on a new one. Might not get a chance at 0% interest again. What I like about the PW is anything I'd do to a truck it already has it, and it's factory warranted.

I would second the power wagon. Full lockers front and rear, electronic disconnect swaybar for more articulation than any other truck available plus big enough to do any real hauling until you get to diesel territory.
The raptor is built for go fast offroad and the power wagon is built for rock crawling, hill climbing, etc with a 3/4 ton payload.

I, too, am still drooling for a Ram Power Wagon. My local dealer sells several of them a year here. But..... the Tacoma has the highest resale value of anything in this area, the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mtn. Range. Jeep Wrangler is No. 2 BTW.
I would say it would depend on what you really need it for. I know lots of people with Tacos and none are unhappy. In a full size half ton, I'd do a Tundra. With either, I'd get the Pro versions, not the TRD versions. Just a bit more for off road use.
When it comes to Jeep Wranglers, a lot of locals own the Rubicon version. I don't. I could have, but I'm not into real rock crawling. The Rubicon Trail is not my thing. I hunt desert mulies. With a True Trac in the front, I can drive the softest, deepest sand I've ever encountered w/o ever bogging down. And it will climb anything anywhere near safe. That's why I have the Willys Wheeler Package on my Wrangler Sport.
Over the years I've learned that 4WD's are very expensive to buy and maintain. The really tricked out ones sometimes don't even work as well as a stock item if you understand how to use one. E

I drool every time I see a Power Wagon as well!! Raptors are quite common around here. Doubt very many of them have ever been more off road than a two-track across the prairie! LOL But, when I see a Power Wagon, hey, that guy is serious! One vehicle not mentioned yet, since these boards are pretty much taken over by the ToyBoys, but gets very high ratings in all the tests, is the Colorado ZR2. Sounds like one heckuva great ride. Me? I don't do much off roading anymore. More into luxury rides in my old age, which is why I drive a Denali. Reminds me of a friend of mine from Casper, after he bought a new Ford diesel, his teenage son asked why he didn't get the off road package, he replied "because the only time I go off road is when I'm having a wreck!" LOL But, were it me, and I decided I needed a HD off road ride, it would probably be a Power Wagon. Just my ramblings, carry on. Good luck however you proceed!

I’m kinda leaning toward a Tundra
Looks like the new Tacoma’s have a few complaints about them

Haven’t bought new in years
How do Toyota dealers deal now days
What percent should they come off msrp

Factory new trucks?

My company buys 3200ish pickups a year

Best Is the Raptor. I've had a 2014 and now have a 2018.

Second, by a LONG shot is the 2019.2020 Silverado Trail Boss.

Next the ZR2

Distantly next the Power Wagon

3rd Gen Tacoma Sucks.

EVERY Gen of Tundra has sucked.

Anyone who says different doesn't "use" a truck...

City folks bragging about their adventures are a hoot...

I drive a civic to work but my toy is a 2017 Power Wagon. No complaints.

Best is like most things, awful subjective. A Raptor doesn't have the payload or towing capacity to do much, but can go really fast on rough roads. I'd be interested in the GMC AT4 if they weren't a million dollars. And I'd have to put an aftermarket winch on.