The Trail Trim Is No Longer a Niche
Hybrids with lift kits, a Hyundai concept pointing at a production truck, and Subaru's Wilderness badge spreading across the lineup.
Ten years ago an off-road trim meant a Wrangler, a 4Runner or a body-on-frame Land Rover. The category has since widened to the point where nearly every mainstream crossover has a version with more clearance, chunkier tyres and a skid plate.
Toyota's redesigned 2026 RAV4 is hybrid-only and includes a Woodland version aimed squarely at trailheads. Subaru continues to extend its Wilderness line; the Forester Wilderness starts just under $40,000, and a hybrid version has now been shown for 2027. Hyundai used the New York show to display a rugged concept that reads as a preview of a production midsize truck.
Buyers who still want a frame under them have the Lexus GX, which makes no apology for being truck-based and pays for it at the pump, and the Ineos Grenadier, built for hardship rather than refinement and returning fuel economy in the mid-teens either way.
On the electric side, Rivian's smaller R2 is the one to watch: roughly 9.8 inches of clearance, more than 300 miles of range, and a price expected around $55,000, with a more aggressive R3X shown alongside it.
The through line is that off-road capability has become a trim level rather than a vehicle type. Whether the hardware underneath justifies the badge is a question for the first washboard road, not the brochure.
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