It may surprise you to find out that there are plenty of off-road-ready new trucks and SUVs available in the mid-$30,000 to mid-$40,000 range. That falls well below the average price of a new car these days, and it's proof you don't need a fully loaded 4Runner TRD Pro or a Hummer to get out into the wild. A growing field of soft-roaders hitting the market alongside a revived mid-size truck segment leave you with many options to choose from. This list includes plenty of Jeeps, some Toyota trucks, and even a surprisingly capable group of Subarus. Keep in mind that not every soft-roader is built to be as hardcore as the next, though you’d be surprised how well a little ‘ute like a Crosstrek Wilderness comports itself on a rough trail. And lastly, don’t be afraid to explore the aftermarket with some of these options, as the pickups in particular could be just a set of tires away from being a proper off-road beast.
More Car Rankings: Best Off-Road Vehicles | Cheapest SUVs | Best SUVs | Best Pickup Trucks | Best Compact and Mid-Size Trucks | Best Mid-Size SUVs
Jeep Wrangler Sport 2-Door: $34,090
Funnily enough, the least-expensive proper off-roader on sale today is the Jeep Wrangler. Of course, the Wrangler can also be one of the most expensive off-roaders money can buy should you step all the way up to its ballistic, V-8-powered 392 trim. Such is the wide breadth of possibilities with the Wrangler. The cheapest version is this entry-level Sport trim in 2-Door form. It’s no Rubicon, but this basic Wrangler can still wheel thanks to the inherent off-road goodness built into it.
Jeep Wrangler Loses Ground, Still Beats Ford Bronco in Sales
Jeep Compass Trailhawk: $34,390
Many mainstream compact crossovers offer off-road trim levels and rugged styling packs, but Jeep deserves a nod thanks to how much effort it puts into its Trailhawk models. The Trailhawk version of the Compass has a suspension lift, skid plates aplenty, and all-terrain rubber. Particularly special for this class of vehicle, though, is its two-speed “Power Transfer Unit” that includes a low range for a 20:1 crawl ratio. Plus, it comes at a relatively low price.
These Are The Cheapest AWD Cars
Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness: $34,780
Subaru takes off-roading seriously with its Wilderness trims, and the Crosstrek is the least expensive of the bunch. It has a huge 9.3 inches of ground clearance, a longer-travel suspension, all-terrain tires, and all sorts of electronic wizardry to help make off-roading easier including hill descent control, active torque vectoring, and a “Low Ratio Gradient Control” program in X-Mode. Even a standard Crosstrek is respectable off-road, but the Wilderness trim is the top dog.
Crosstrek Wilderness Feels Like a New Era of Subaru
Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD: $36,385
Even if you don’t spring for the fully loaded TRD-everything version of Toyota’s trucks, you get a capable off-road platform. The basic Tacoma SR with four-wheel drive is reasonably priced, and you’re only some all-terrain tires away from being able to pull off seriously impressive off-road moves. Should you be willing to part with a few thousand dollars more, the TRD PreRunner, TRD Sport and TRD Off-Road trims aren’t too much of a stretch in terms of extra cost.
Tested: 2025 Toyota Tacoma Trailhunter
Nissan Frontier S 4x4: $36,560
Just like the Tacoma, the Nissan Frontier has a strong body-on-frame platform that can take a beating off-road. The basic S trim is nearly identical in price to the Tacoma, but it’s the pricier PRO-4X trim that really raises the off-road bar. That trim starts at $43,280 with 4WD, adding key bits such as Bilstein off-road shocks, all-terrain tires, and underbody protection.
Nissan Frontier Hardbody Edition Is Retro Perfection
Chevrolet Colorado WT 4WD: $36,895
A basic Colorado Work Truck can take a lot of abuse off-road. And yes, there’s the extreme ZR2 variant at the top of the trim range, but a more affordable way to get into some basic off-roading is with the Trail Boss that starts a smidge over $41,000. The lift, off-road suspension, all-terrain tires, and off-road drive modes (including hill descent control) would make life easier off-road for not much more coin.
The Chevy Colorado ZR2 Is All the Truck I'd Ever Need
Subaru Forester Wilderness: $37,705
There are other compact SUVs with light off-roading intentions, but the Forester Wilderness takes things more seriously. Like the Crosstrek, it has 9.3 inches of ground clearance, all-terrain tires, and lots of extra tech to help you slog through some rough terrain. Subaru even adds additional cooling capacity for the transmission and a rear differential temperature sensor. You’ll get a lot further in this Subaru than many of its less capable contemporaries such as the CR-V TrailSport, and Kia Sportage X-Pro.
2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness Skips the Hybrid, Brings the Cladding and the Lift
Ford Ranger XL 4x4: $38,545
Just like the other mid-size pickups here, the basic Ford Ranger starts from a great place in terms of off-road capability, with four-wheel drive and a chassis shared with the venerable Bronco. If you want to upgrade, the XLT trim allows you to tack on the FX4 package, bringing the total to around $42,000. The electronic-locking rear differential, off-road shocks, bash plates, and additional drive modes could be worth it if you’re planning more serious excursions.
Tested: Ford Ranger Lariat 4x4
Ford Bronco 2-Door Base: $40,990
It’s surprising how much more expensive the base Bronco is compared to the Wrangler, as it starts about $7000 higher than its rival. Yes, Ford’s basic off-roader comes better-equipped than Jeep’s, but it’s still a bare-bones two-door SUV. Like the Wrangler, the sky is the limit with how much money you’d like to spend in off-road and luxury upgrades for a Bronco. It’s one of the most capable vehicles on this list next to the Wrangler, but you’re going to pay for it.
Ford Bronco Big Bend Review: Less Bronco Is Best Bronco
Jeep Gladiator Sport: $40,095
Jeep’s pickup, the Gladiator, is the best rock-crawler with a bed on this list. That's what happens when you turn the Wrangler into a pickup. The basic Sport trim is already more expensive than nearly every other mid-size pickup’s starting point, but all of those models would require additional cash spent on upgrades to wheel at the same level as the Gladiator. Those with a bigger budget will find maximum capability from the Rubicon and Mojave trims, but they might be overkill.
The Jeep Gladiator Mojave Is a Rowdy Wrangler
Ford Bronco Sport Badlands: $42,110
It’s a whole lot pricier than the Jeep Compass Trailhawk, but the Bronco Sport Badlands is that small SUV’s natural competitor. Every Bronco Sport is meant to be taken off the pavement, but the Badlands is particularly suited for it. It has a torque-vectoring rear differential, all-terrain tires, and skid plates. It even offers an additional Sasquatch package for 2025 that tacks on Bilstein rear dampers, increased suspension travel, and additional drive modes.
2025 Ford Bronco Sport Gets a Bull Bar-Equipped Sasquatch Option
GMC Canyon Elevation 4WD: $43,395
The Canyon is GMC’s version of the Chevy Colorado, making it similarly effective at punching through off-road trails. It is, of course, more expensive to start with the Elevation trim. That said, the AT4 is where you’ll want to head to find the same off-road parts as are on the Colorado Trail Boss. It gets expensive quick, though, making some of the other mid-size trucks on this list a better budget option.
The GMC Canyon Is More Off-Road Friendly Than Ever
Toyota 4Runner SR 4WD: $44,765
The cheapest four-wheel-drive 4Runner is nearly $45,000, but like the base-model Wrangler and Bronco options here, a basic 4Runner will take you a long way on off-road trails. Toyota is more than happy to supply additional capability via various TRD trims all the way up to the ultra-pricey TRD Pro and Trailhunter. That said, there’s still plenty to love about a basic 4Runner SR.
The 2025 Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road Is a Reasonably Priced Adventure Rig
Subaru Outback Wilderness: $46,445
The Subaru Outback is new for 2026, and it looks less like a wagon and more like a full-blown SUV. The Wilderness model returns and looks to be more capable than ever. It’s chock-full of goodies to make off-roading easier including an upgraded suspension with electronically controlled dampers, all-terrain tires, an X-Mode setting, and a whopping 9.5 inches of ground clearance.
The Subaru Outback Wilderness Is Back, and Bolder Than Ever
You Might Also Like
Comments