I attended the Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA) Spring Rally at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. This is a fantastic event with more than 60 vehicles available to drive in an efficient timeline. Over a day and a half, I hopped into and out of 14 different offroad vehicles. There were two difficulty levels of the offroad course. All of the Jeep vehicles, the Colorado Trailboss and the Bronco Raptor were able to complete the more difficult blue course. The rest of the vehicles were limited to the green course due to their size (Raptor R, Silverado ZR2, & Ram 2500 Rebel) or their ability levels. Both courses included some offroad obstacles, but the blue course included a rock garden, a tight wooded section with rocks to navigate, and some smaller whoops.
New Trucks & SUVs Driven:
Here is the quick download from each vehicle.
Off-Road Trucks
2023 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro i-Force Max
Base Price: $68,520.00
As Tested: $73,175.00
Options include Special Color ($425), TRD Pro Tow Package ($290), Stainless Steel Door Edge Guards ($150), Ball Mount ($87), TRD Cast Aluminium running boards ($1,219), TRD Performance Air Filter ($130), Bed Step ($399), & TRD Pro Black Bed Lettering ($160).
Quick Positives:
Very competent power delivery.
Smooth on-road ride
Spacious cabin, comfortable place
“Normal” gear selector
LED lights in the bed
Quick Negatives:
Wide for tighter sections on the trails
Learning the hybrid power train will take a little time
Only a rear locker
No factory winch standard on the TRD Pro
Exhaust exit is not “tucked” up and out of the way
2023 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty Rebel
Base Price:$68,840
As Tested: $91,730
Options groups selected: Safety Group, Towing Tech Group, and 17-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.
Quick Positives:
Cummins Diesel Power
Torque is enough that at idle it pulled the huge truck across the rock garden
Column shifter
Spacious cabin
Large multifunction display
Includes Engine Exhaust Brake
Quick Negatives:
Absolutely massive
Tricky in the tighter forested sections of the course
Very much a truck suspension
Engine Exhaust Brake could be louder
2023 Nissan Frontier Pro-4X Crew Cab
Base Price: $38,720.00
As Tested: $46,380.00
Options include Premium Paint ($395), Pro Convenience Package ($2,190), Pro Premium Package ($2,790), & Technology Package ($990).
Quick Positives:
Easy shift to 4HI and 4LO.
Rear Locking Differential
Factory skid plates and nothing hangs below the frame rails
Comfortable interior
Quick Negatives:
Exhaust tip is not “tucked” out of the way.
Only 2 cupholders near the driver
Heavier steering feel
Lower resolution of the front and rear camera compared to competitor vehicles
2023 Chevrolet Colorado TrailBoss
Base Price: $37,000.00
As Tested: $42,115.00
Options include Technology Package ($950), Advanced Trailering Package ($620), TrailBoss Convenience Package II ($545), Safety Package ($505), Spray-on Bed Liner ($475), TrailBoss Convenience Package ($375), & 220 Amps Generator ($150).
Quick Positives:
Reasonable size without being too big or too small
Torquey Turbo 4-Cylinder engine (mid-range tune)
Pulled through obstacles without a lot of throttle input
Sliders with the TrailBoss package.
Tailgate storage compartment
Traditional gear selector
Quick Negatives:
Bland Interior
Rear seat legroom is limited
Scrapped more than other vehicles on the more difficult off-road course
Only the Compass Trailhawk scrapped more
Exhaust is not “tucked” out of the way
Sliders do not act as a sidestep
2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 AEV Bison
Base Price: $69.800.00
As Tested: $82,900.00
Options Include ZR2 Bison Edition ($7,895), Technology Package ($1,970), Power Sunroof ($995), & Multiflex Tailgate ($445).
Quick Positives:
6.2L V8
Hard recovery points integrated into the front and rear bumper
Exhaust is “tucked” out of the way
Sliders included (but do not act as a sidestep)
Front & Rear locking differentials
Downhill Cruise Control
Spacious cabin
Ample cupholders surrounding the driver
Adequate rear legroom
Quick Negatives:
Hood Bulges limited sight lines created the sensation of a much larger truck
Traditional hood-mounted radio antenna (kept hitting vegetation)
The truck felt heavy
Some binding from the front with four-wheel-drive activated
Unconventional gear selector utilizes movement and buttons to select the correct mode
2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R
Base Price: $75,775.00
As Tested: $111,935.00
Options Include Equipment Group 802A ($31,575), Moonroof & Tailgate ($2,195), & Spray-In Bedliner ($595).
Quick Positives:
Power! – 5.2L Supercharged V8
Responsive power
Suspension soaks up everything
Quickest times around the off-road course
Usual spacious F-150 cabin
Quick Neutral:
Couldn’t hear the supercharger regularly. This was a positive for me but will be a negative for others, mainly adult children.
Quick Negatives:
Cost, the most expensive offroader at the event ~$111,000 as tested.
Size
Check out Chris’ quick review with Zack from Shooting Cars.
SUV Off-Roaders
Three of the SUVs are not traditional off-roaders. In a world where the Subaru Outback Wilderness exists, other companies are entering the competition with their “tough” SUVs. Ground clearance was an issue for all of the tested SUVs, except the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk.
2023 Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek
Base Price: $42,820.00
As Tested: $45,250.00
Premium Paint ($790) and the Rock Creek All-Season Floor Liners and All-Season Cargo Area Protector ($345) are the only add-ons to the price other than destination charges ($1,295).
Quick Positives:
Toyo Open Country AT3 all-terrain tires
3 Rows of Seats
Comfortable ride
Camera screens turn on unprompted when the scenario deems them
60/40 split third-row seat folds flat with rubber mat cargo space cover
Quick Negatives:
Traction Control/Stability Control was intervening unnecessarily
Not a lot of ground clearance (⅝-inch lift) and no added protection
Unconventional gear selector with buttons and directional movements
Rear seat center console limits mobility to the 3rd-row seats
Lack of panoramic glass roof
2023 Honda Pilot Trailsport
Base Price: $48,350.00
As Tested: $48,745.00
Options include Sonic Gray Paint ($395).
Quick Positives:
All Wheel Drive system
Continental TerrainContact All Terrain tires
Push Button gear selector, unconventional, but made more sense than other examples
Good Cameras
Panoramic Glass Roof
Three-rows of seating
Clear walkway to 3rd row
Quick Negatives:
No real added protection (lower plastic cladding) or ground clearance
Scrapped in a couple of spots that the Kia did not
The transmission would take some getting used to
Not as comfortable a ride as others
2023 Kia Telluride SX-Prestige X-Pro
Base Price: $52,785.00
As Tested: $55,120.00
Options include Midnight Lake Blue Pearl ($495), Terracotta Interior Color Package ($295), & Carpeted Floor Mats ($210).
Quick Positives:
Continental TerrainContact All Terrain tires
The most comfortable ride of any of the SUVs
Traditional gear selector
Offroad Driving Modes
Most Luxurious interior of the test group
Glass Roof
3 rows of seating
60/40 split 3rd Row seats
Clear walkway to 3rd row
Quick Negatives:
No real protection or ground clearance added
V6 does not offer the best power or torque
2023 Jeep Compass Trailhawk
Base Price: $35,745.00
As Tested: $46,290.00
Options include Exterior Paint Color ($495), Driver Assist Group ($2,640), Trailhawk Elite Group ($3,235), & Sun and Sound Group ($2,580).
Quick Positives:
Did everything on the harder off-road course
Includes 4WD LOW & 4WD LOCK buttons
Downhill Cruise Control
Panoramic Glass Roof
Front & Rear recovery points
Least expensive vehicle tested
Quick Negatives:
Scrapped the most of any vehicle offroad over the two days
Most Highway-style tires of the test group
2.0L Turbo four-cylinder engine, after all the V6s, V8s, & electric motors, this wasn’t as powerful
Only seating for 5
2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk 4xe
Base Price: $65,260
As Tested: $72,630
Quick Positives:
4xe – 2.0L Turbo four-cylinder plus an electric motor
Full-time EV offroading is available
Rock mode for the highest air suspension setting (requires to be in 4LO)
4LO and Sway Bar Disconnect buttons
Downhill Cruise Control
Front and rear hard recovery points
Quick Negatives:
Heard everything in electric mode: every creak and groan
Only seating for 5, no 3rd Row seats (Grand Cherokee L offers 3rd Row, but not Trailhawk yet)
Jeeps & Bronco
2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe 20th Anniversary AEV
Base Price: $60,585.00
As Tested: $75,685.00
Quick Positives:
Turbo 4-cylinder and EV motor combine for a very quick vehicle.
Electric mode is amazing for offroad
Sway Bar disconnect button
Forward-view camera with tire thread lines (includes a washer)
The slot for the Jeep key between the cupholders
Quick Negatives:
Price. $75k…
2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 20th Anniversary
Base Price: $82,495.00
As Tested: $95,385.00
Quick Positives:
Engine noises, feel, and power
Absolute giggle factory the whole time.
Sway Bar disconnect button
The slot of the Jeep key between the cupholders
Quick Negatives:
Price.
Suspension doesn’t soak up the bumps as much as the Bronco Raptor does
2022 Ford Bronco Raptor
Base Price: $68,500.00
As Tested: $77,090.00
Options include Equipment Group 374A Raptor Series ($2,695), Keyless Entry Keypad ($110), 17-inch Wheels ($1,695), and Leather-trim/suede Seats ($2,495).
Quick Positives:
Suspension soaks up everything
Faster time completing the harder off-road course
Great power delivery
Quick Negatives:
Front view camera turned off while on trail (either timed out or went too fast)
Hardtop roof still creaks in offroad situations