Owning a side-by-side is more than just about going fast and jumping in the dirt. It's a useful farm tool and a great replacement to that rusty pickup that has run its course. Known for its legendary quality with on- and off-road vehicles, Honda is the latest manufacturer to step into the side-by realm with its MUV700, better known as the Big Red. Built for the guy that needs his side-by to be a true multiuse vehicle, the 675cc engine puts out enough power to tow 1,200 pounds. With front and rear lockers and over 10 inches of ground clearance, the Big Red is ready for the trail. Though it's a tad too big to fit in the bed of a pickup, this side-by is more than just business. We found it to be a blast in the mud and really fun and stable on moderate Jeep trails. Our only reservation is the transmission-it shifts smoothly but will not let you hold or manually select each gear. What can we say? We are die-hard manual fans when it comes to off-road. Overall this is a great side-by for the guy that needs more than a toy. It's a tough work machine that's easily serviceable and completely competent to tackle the terra.

The '10 Ford F-150 Raptor is the most highly anticipated off-road vehicle of the year. Over the last 12 months, bits and pieces of its story have leaked out on the Internet. Reports of the program's being canceled and revived have only added to the truck's mystique. Even the project's code name, Raptor, has set a precedent. It's the first time a vehicle's code name became the actual brand name!

For those of you in the market for an efficient, midsize adventure vehicle, the '09 Equator from Suzuki is a truck you may want to take a gander at. The sporty truck was developed in a joint effort with Nissan North America. In our testing of the Equator, we've found that it's a very capable and comfortable vehicle both on- and off-road.

The rumor mill is running full-steam with whispers about a new super off-road F-150 coming from Ford. Stories of a black ops factory-prepped desert and trail truck with front and rear lockers, aggressive tires, long-travel suspension, and serious V-8 power have been burning up the airwaves, but being respectable magazine journalists we don't want to fall into this pit of possibilities and rather stick to the facts. In late 2008 the new-for-2009 Ford F-150 will go into production. It will enter the market when truck sales are down, competition is up, and Ford is desperate for a winner to keep the Blue Oval afloat.

This 4WD segment is stuffed to the gills. That's because every automaker saw this midsize SUV platform as a hot potato three years ago, when many began to build the models driven in America today. Who knew then we'd be oversaturated with vehicles in a world turned upside down, with a gas-centric market and quickly decreasing dollars? However, the midsized segment is actually predicted to grow as folks migrate down from fullsized SUVs.

Roll the mountain bikes out of the way, put up those dusty boxes, and make room in your garage for the newest side-by-side to hit the dirt-the Kawasaki teryx 750. sporting a colossal name but still squeezing into the bed of most fullsize trucks, the '08 Kaw comes equipped with a powerful 749cc v-twin powerplant that will propel you up and over the kind of obstacles that would make even some of the beefiest 4xs think twice. though at $10,000 we are still suffering from a bit of sticker shock, five minutes behind the wheel of one of these do-it-all wheelers and we knew why they are filling up truck beds and trailheads across America. similar to the explosion of Jeep Rubicons in the early part of the decade, the side-by-side revolution has caught notice from aftermarket manufacturers to private land owners and continues to steam ahead. so don't let soaring gas prices, killer taxes, and ever-increasing insurance rates drag you down! When the weekend rolls around, simply strap on your helmet and leave your worries and your daily driver behind.

The Staff At 4-Wheel & Off-Road Has Had A spunky, two-door, flame-red, six-speed manual transmission Jeep Wrangler Rubicon JK for more than a year. Chrysler dropped the Jeep off for our long-term evaluation and testing after it handily won our 2007 4x4 of the Year competition. But the long-term test is where a vehicle's true colors shine, and since we are 4x4 professionals and enthusiasts at heart, we look forward to a yearlong review. Each of us on staff has a little dirt, sand, mud, and rock flowing through our veins, and we all have different lifestyles, driving habits, and quirks, which seem to spice up our vehicle evaluations.

This Is The Beginning Of What's Sure To Be a decade of huge changes in the automotive landscape. Soaring oil prices and growing concerns about global warming are prompting the government to enact ever-stricter regulations in the areas of fuel economy and emissions. Those regulations are pushing automakers to find cleaner and more efficient ways to power our vehicles.

Back When the hammer H3 was introduced, we lamented the lack of power from the five-cylinder mill, and the need for additional drivetrain options and a front locking diff. The Hummer guys were listening though, and responded with the H3 Alpha (First Drive, Jan. '08), which sports a 5.3l V-8, but no front locker. But we still wanted bigger tires, regular cogs behind the V-8, a front locker, and maybe even an sUT or a diesel mill. it was only a matter of time before the highly capable H3 followed its genetic destiny. Enter the H3T, a four-door shortbox pickup, with lockers front and rear!

When the Hummer H2 was introduced to the market back in 2003, we noted that compared to the H1, the H2 was twice the 4x4 for half the money. In fact, in our 2003 4x4 of the Year contest we ranked it highly, but our major complaint was the lack of power that we felt was needed in this size 4x4. Likewise when the Hummer H3 was introduced in 2005, we applauded its off-road prowess but condemned it for the weak five-cylinder engine that made freeway merging a hazardous occupation. Improvements over the years to the Hummer line included an Alpha version of the H1 fitted with a Duramax diesel powerplant that dispelled the "0-60 in two days" myth, but the H2 and H3 performance features languished, until this year. Yes, a new day has dawned for the intrepid Hummers still in production (the H1 has since gone the way of the dodo bird) with the introduction or new and improved powerplants for the H2 and H3.

By now you've seen them on the street, and other than the number of lug nuts, the new 3/4- and 1-ton Chevy and GMC trucks look similar to their younger 1/2-ton siblings, for the most part. Of course the drivetrain is the important part of any 4x4, but good looks make for an important selling point. So much so that GM has made a big point of having different sheetmetal, trim, and bumpers not only to differentiate the big boys from the light-duty trucks, but even between the GMC and Chevy brands. Underneath, however, GM stuck with what works well, and that tips the scale.

We know, you are all wondering about the '07 Cayenne since you want to go snag one now. Well, either find an '06 model or wait for the new '08, as the folks at Porsche figured they didn't want toconfuse customers with a slightly different model. That makes us wonder about the target audience of these ultracapable speed and dirt machines. Will the new '08 cross the Rubicon with ease? If power, performance, and traction was all that was needed, then yes it could. But the Cayenne is built primarily as a road vehicle, since the clearance issues and tire selection don't cut it in the tough stuff.

Are you a Jeep loyalist? If so, the all-new '07 Jeep Patriot will likely not find a docking station in your garage...or backyard. Those of us that know that true wheeling without a low-range set ofgears is just wrong will call the expected horde of Patriot owners The Great Unwashed. Why? Because this new model has no low range and shares its platform with the recently introduced Jeep Compass and related Dodge Caliber, which are better classified as hatchback crossover vehicles appealing to fashion-conscious consumers.

Forget fuel prices and conspicuous consumption-big trucks aren't going away! In fact, Ford's 2008 Super Duty lineup has grown even more talented and tough, with extra towing, greater payload, additional features, and further refinement. Ford says there are more than 1,000,000 Super Duty configurations, but we say the most important news zeros in on the all-new F-450 Crew Cab that can tug more than 24,000 pounds and haul in excess of 6,000 pounds. It also features an industry-first integrated Tailgate Step (a step and grab bar handle for easy access to the rear) and a nifty, new stowable bed extender. Added to that is a new 6.4L Power Stroke Diesel; an upgraded TorqShift transmission; the industry's only tow command system that integrates a trailer brake controller; and power-fold, power-telescoping trailer-tow side mirrors, with heated glass, integrated turn signals, and a manually adjustable spotter mirror that is twice the size of the previous generation.

For 2007 the Toyota Tundra finally delivers the goods as a fullsize pickup. Toyota has had a toe in the fullsize truck water since it introduced the T100 in 1993 and the first-generation Tundra in 2000.

We recently borrowed an '07 Chevrolet Avalanche to be the workhorse for a week of suspension testing on other Chevys. We had originally asked for a new Chevy truck to haul all the equipment, tires, camera gear, and spare parts, but when GM told us they only had an '07 Avalanche available, we quickly pursed our lips and said thank you very much; beggars can't be choosers.

Wheeling in Africa? Well, why not? Sure, you might not know much about Africa, but Jeep cared so much about their new Jeep Wrangler, they sent us across the drink to the Dark Continent for three days of intense wheeling, just to show off their new baby. And while the baby fat has increased on the Wrangler (which is 5 inches wider) the off-roadability has become even better with numerous improvements to the chassis and drivetrain. True, the new 3.8L V-6 is no match for the venerable 4.0L inline-six for useable torque, but we did find the new mill more than adequate, even in the four-door version. While we won't be thinking of loading up to max GVWR and adding a trailer when crossing the Continental Divide, remember that the old six-popper wasn't a stormer either.

4-Wheel & Off-Road magazine has named the 2007 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon the winner of its coveted 4x4 of the Year award. This is the 25th year of the enthusiast magazine's in-depth competition of new vehicles, and the eleventh time that a Jeep product has taken home the award.

While driving on gridlocked Los Angeles freeways, you get to look at a lot of rear axles, and it's sad to see new fullsize SUVs riding on wimpy independent rear ends. Luckily, the all-new '07 Chevy Tahoe will not be suffering from the affliction of IRS (Independent Rear Sissyfication) that infected the Ford Expedition. The General's new GMT900 platform includes a fully boxed, hydroformed frame and a new five-link suspension to keep the solid rear axle in place.

Our 2005 4x4 of the Year winner was the Jeep Grand Cherokee (Feb. '05), and after a year of abuse and 24,000 miles piled on it, it's time to say goodbye. Yes, we'll miss it for the most part, as it has been a fine vehicle in many respects. However, a few quirks have driven us crazy over the course of the year, but not enough to make us second-guess our choosing it as 4x4 of the Year.

It's ironic how much engineering has to go into a product in order for it to work in the dirt. Off-road performance is a whole other world from street performance. And dirt utility and durability are a lot harder to achieve than top-of-the-line pavement pounding. Designing a vehicle that excels in both worlds is perhaps the toughest automotive job on the planet. But it's also the most fun.




Photo Gallery: 2004 Volkswagen Toureg V8 - 4Wheel & Off-Road Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2004 Volkswagen Toureg V8 - 4Wheel & Off-Road Magazine

As Jeep expands its brand image and hold on American wheeling-dom, the new seven-seat Commander will carry on the tradition, as it still has the moxie underneath its skin to pull off a trick or two out in the dirt. Borrowing heavily from the '05 Jeep Grand Cherokee, the Commander takes a boxier profile and industrial-looking trim to make a jeepophile reminisce about the days of the XJ and FSJ version of Jeeps. The somewhat retro design is just what signifies a Jeep, and the underpinnings are nearly identical to the Grand, which won our 4x4 of the Year award back in February. However, the Commander is its own vehicle with an important difference in today's marketplace: the third row of seats for that crucial seven-passenger market. But make no mistake: Despite Jeep's initial claims, the Commander is not the first Jeep with seating for seven. The Willys Jeep station wagon of the '50s offered such an option in a similarly sized vehicle, but without the three rows, creature comforts, and power of today's offerings.

Since its introduction in 1990, the Ford Explorer has been one of the most ubiquitous 4x4s in America. According to Ford, more than 511/42 million Explorers have been sold to date, and given its combination of utility and road manners at a competitive price,it's no surprise it's been the best-selling vehicle in its class for 15 years running. But given the quantum leaps in power, suspension tech, and traction control made in recent years by the competition-including the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Lexus GX 470, and Land Rover LR3-it was probably time for a refreshening of Ford's flagship sport-ute, which last saw a major redesign in 2002. But Ford decided to go one better for the 2006 model year, reengineering the Explorer from the frame up, and the new-for-'06 Explorer boasts an all-new chassis, suspension, transmission, interior trim, and exterior sheetmetal.

When the first HMMWV rolled off the assembly line back in 1983, most 4x4 enthusiasts surely didn't envision future generations of Hummers running around the civilian market. Yet that's exactly what has happened, and the new H3 is a welcome addition to the SUV market. We had our first experience with the H3 on the Rubicon trail while on an engineering study ("H3 First Drive," Jan. '05). At the time the rigs weren't in final form, nor were we allowed to report our on-road driving impressions. But now the wraps are off and you'll be able to snag a testdrive at your local Hummer dealership.

As automotive journalists we get many offers to take trips for truck launches, product previews, and other weird and wonderful reasons. As a rule, the inviters pay for the trip and we promise not to let that influence our editorial integrity, which of course it doesn't. In other words, we feel we can write bad things about the presented 4x4 or product even though the manufacturer dropped a ton of money to show us its stuff. As such, we also pick our trips accordingly, and only cover the things that you, our readers, may find interesting. So when we first were informed that Volvo wanted to take us to Alaska and Mexico, we wondered what in the world we could write about that would make sense in a hard-core 4x4 mag. It was not only the adventure aspect, but also we couldn't figure out why Volvo would want us to experience its new XC70 instead of the new V-8-powered XC90.