10 Times Soft-Roaders Went Hardcore

Crossovers are supposed to provide the best of several worlds: a refined and comfortable on-road ride, topped off with a dose of mild off-road DNA – just in case you come across a dirt track that you can barrel down. The same applies to lifted wagons like the Volvo V60 Cross Country and Subaru’s Outback. But what if you want to turn your comfy crossover or wallowy wagon into something more serious?

Here are ten examples of what happens when soft-roaders go hardcore.

This list features a selection of practical crossovers with extra off-road credentials, but it also lists some exclusive and amazing machines that (unfortunately) never made it to dealer floors.

Volkswagen Golf Country

In 1989 Volkswagen’s designers decided to have some fun with the Golf, and create a special display model for the Geneva Motorshow. Based on the Golf Mark 2 platform, it featured a lifted suspension and VW’s Syncro all-wheel drive. It was never supposed to make it to the production line. Then VW fans started arriving at dealerships in Europe, ready to place an order for their Syncro Golf. And so the Golf Country was born.

Semi-assembled vehicles were shipped from Germany to Steyr-Damiler-Puch in Graz, Austria. That’s the same factory that rolled out the first Mercedes-Benz Gelandewagens. Using a new sub-frame, the Golf was lifted by nearly five inches, providing real-world clearance of seven inches.

The Country was powered by the Golf’s stock 1.8-liter four-cylinder with just under 100 hp. Shorter gearing ratios masked the additional weight to a degree, but the Golf was never fast out of the block. Less than 8 000 Countrys were built from 1990 to 1991. Limited editions included the Chrome (just over 500 units), which featured chrome trim on the outside and more kit for the interior.

The ultimate Country was the Wolfsburg Edition… this bad boy was fitted with the GTi’s 110 hp engine. Only 50 units were made and they apparently all went to VW staff members who worked on the Country project.

Toyota RAV4 TRD Off-road

In 1994 the RAV4, featuring all-wheel drive combined with a monocoque body, became the first mainstream crossover to hit the market. Light and nimble, the original three-door RAV4 packed a surprising off-road punch. The latest Toyota RAV4 is much bigger and heavier, and is not as capable off-road as the original. The 203-hp 2.5-liter engine is combined with an eight-speed auto ‘box. The ground clearance is similar to a stock RAV4, but the TRD gets off-road tuned shock absorbers, 18-inch all-terrain tires, and extra skidplates to protect the underbody.

The all-wheel drive system has an electronic system and the driver can select between mud/dirt and sand/dirt, and drive can be split 50% between the axles. It’s okay in an off-road environment, but not nowhere as capable (or cool) as the original.

Isuzu VehiCROSS

One of Isuzu’s lesser-known gems is the VehiCROSS. Produced from 1997 to 2001, the VehiCROSS was essentially a rally car hidden in the body of a two-door crossover.

Quirky styling aside, the Isuzu featured a bunch of cool tech back in the day. Powered by a 215 hp 3.5-liter V6, with a torque on demand four-wheel drive system, produced by BorgWarner. The system is computer controlled, offering excellent traction on a winding gravel track. The handling is augmented by special monotube shocks with external heat-expansion chambers – tech that had been the reserve of off-road motorcycles and rally cars at the time.

As a final party trick, the VehiCROSS gets a low-gear transfer case, enabling it to tackle any off-road terrain. About 4 000 units were sold in the US market, and less than 2 000 in other parts of the world. Calling the VehiCROSS pretty is a bit like calling the Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier cute. But cool (and capable) it certainly is.

Ford Maverick Tremor

Want something nimble yet hardy? Then the speedy Ford Maverick Tremor may be just the thing. The Tremor’s front bumper is new, and incorporates a steel plate. It also increases the approach angle for off-road use. It also rides one inch higher than a normal Maverick, taking clearance to 9.4 inches. The 2-liter turbo engine has 250 hp, and has an eight-speed automatic gearbox. The all-wheel drive system has a torque vectoring rear differential, and it rides on 30-inch all-terrain tires.

It also has a trick traction-control system with modes like Mud & Ruts, Rock Crawl and Sand. Is it any good off-road? It sure is. Thanks to the unibody design and independent suspension set-up, wheel articulation is limited, though, so ultimately it is not as capable off-road as a ladder-frame 4WD truck – but it’s certainly more than a parking lot crawler.

Honda Pilot TrailSport

Honda’s 285-hp Pilot TrailSport, with three rows of seats, has a bag full of off-road party tricks. This includes a special suspension set-up with unique spring rates, damper valve tuning and stabilizer bars to increase articulation and improve off-road ride quality, with an extra inch of ground clearance. It also gets all-terrain tires and special steel underbody protection plates.

Honda’s i-VTM4 torque-vectoring all-wheel drive system is standard, and can send up to 70% of the drive to the rear wheels while continuously apportioning 100% of that torque between the wheels of an axle. There is also a four-mode traction control system in the game, with several driving modes. Most significantly, Honda’s engineers developed a new trail mode, with Trail Torque Logic programming. With the electronic systems fine-tuned to provide optimal traction in conjunction with the i-VTM4 system, off-road traction has been greatly enhanced. Yes, it can!

Porsche Taycan 4 Cross Turismo

Okay, so this one blurs the line a little:

A wagon body, lifted ride height for soft-roading functionality, and an electric powertrain combine to create a truly one-of-a-kind product – and then Porsche makes it so ridiculously powerful…

The Porsche Taycan 4 Cross Turismo comes with 429 hp, while the 4S has 590 hp. The Turbo makes even more, but the base model is just fine here. The advanced air suspension, which comes with Porsche’s Active Suspension Management system (PASM), is particularly handy. When you need more clearance, the driver pushes a button and the Smart Lift function raises the Turismo to a suitable height (up to 7 inches at speeds less than 19 mph).

Cool trick: Smart Lift memorizes the location and duration of the manual lift. The next time you tackle that road your Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo will lift itself up and down automatically. The all-wheel drive electric Porsche has a motor for each wheel, rear axle steering (optional on this model), and for $5 500, you can even fit your Taycan with a Porsche roof-top tent.

Hyundai Santa Cruz XRT

Ah, another unibody pickup with some off-roading DNA. This one has some beefed-upped plastic cladding on the side, sidesteps, limited underbody protection, bed rails and blacked out badges. It also has the brand’s HTRAC four-wheel drive system. This system normally runs in front-wheel drive mode to enhance efficiency, but the intelligent multi-mode system sends drive to the rear axle when needed, using an electronic variable-torque-split clutch with active torque control tech.

The driver can ‘lock’ the center clutch for a 50/50 split between the front and rear axles. Power comes from a 281 hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder turbo, and the gearbox is an eight-speed dual clutch unit. Ground clearance is a stocky 8.6 inches, there are no all-terrain tires and… well, the Santa Crux XRT is way cool, but it is cooler on gravel tracks than on a tough 4WD trail.

Kia Sorento Yosemite Edition

The Kia Sorento AWD Yosemite Edition was specially created for the 2020 SEMA show, which was canceled due to the global pandemic. The cool factor here remains, however.

The Yosemite Edition of the Kia Sorento is based on the X-Line off-road derivative, and created by LGE-CTE Motorsports. Riding on custom 20-inch rims and 32-inch off-road tires, with custom wheel arches, ground clearance was more than 8 inches. Decked out in a matte Pine Green, the Yosemite Edition is supposed to be able to drive over mountains. Custom skid plates and brush guards and a bulky roof-rack with additional lighting, the Kia Sorento Yosemite Edition is a hoot, and it really can go quite a way off the beaten track.

Tesla Model Y

* Tesla Model Y Standard Range RWD

Elon Musk would jump for joy (or maybe not) about this one: German 4×4 tuning company Delta’s Tesla Model Y Off-road makes it onto our list. It’s a Model Y with a two-inch lift kit, 20-inch wheels with Continental Cross Contact all-terrain tires living in custom-made wider arches, a custom roof-rack with accessories and lighting, and four LED spotlights embedded in the front bumper.

The kit, which costs around $9 000, can be fitted to any Model Y derivative. So you can have a mundane RWD version with a 290-mile range, up to the twin-motor Performance version that does 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds.

Special Mention: Subaru Family Huckster

Subaru started flirting with the crossover segment back in the 80s, with models like the 1984 Subaru Turbo Traction GL station wagon. The 1.8-liter turbocharged wagon had 95 hp, linked to a three-speed automatic gearbox sending power to the front wheels. But by pressing a button on the gear lever, the rear axle came to the party too, for a 50/50 power distribution between the front and rear axles. It even had high and low ranges.

More recently, motorsport legend Travis Pastrana created a rather special Turbo Traction station wagon. This Turbo Traction has a few upgrades, like a spectacular active aerodynamic system that provides additional cornering and braking force, the cabin features a retro-styled dash, and even a tape deck. Oh, and there is the small matter of the engine and drivetrain. Running with Subaru’s symmetrical all-wheel drive, the Family Huckster is powered by a 2.3-liter flat-four breathing through a massive turbocharger. The result is 862 hp of beautiful tire-smoking madness.

But can it go off-road? At the famous Festival of Speed event, Pastrana aimed for the grass next to the track on several occasions.While we wouldn’t take it to a trail, this is not city-dwelling wagon – this is a rally hero.