Ideal Vehicles For Back Road Use

Back Roads Can Be Treacherous

One word: Jeep. Jeeps were originally developed in Toledo, Ohio for use throughout a number of battlegrounds during the second world war. Owing to their resilience and design, they’ve since become a favorite for camping in the wilderness, and traveling off-road. There are even national “trails” which are regularly traversed by Jeeps.

The “Trans-American” trail goes from Tennessee to Oregon, and if you want to take a trek down the world’s largest highway—the pan-American highway which stretches from Alaska down to South America—you’ll practically need a Jeep for the jungle parts. But what if you want to drive on back roads, and you don’t like Jeeps? Well, that’s what this writing is about. 

Non-Jeep Back Road Options

For most back roads, a four-by-four pickup truck will cover your needs. That is: a vehicle that sits high and incorporates four-wheel drive. However, sometimes the back road you’re traveling down has more obstacles than bumps and trees in the way. When rivers or streams overrun, you may need the snorkel that comes built-in with the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro.

You don’t have to specifically buy a Toyota Tacoma for a “snorkel”, though. This is a modification that can be installed across a variety of vehicles—that said, there’s really no point in putting a snorkel on a town car. In general, you’ll want a truck, a Jeep, or a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) of some variety; like a Chevy Suburban. 

Jeep-Like Vehicles

There are also faux “Jeeps”, like the Jeep Gladiator, which looks like a mix between a Humvee, a Jeep, and a pickup truck. (Also, Hummers are good for back roads, though in general they’re not too practical.) 

If you hate Jeeps but like how they look, a Land Rover is a fine choice for tough roads. Ford’s answer to this engineering design is the Bronco, which looks like somebody built a truck with a topper designed for riding inside. 

If you want a family vehicle that can get over back roads without too much difficulty, you might look at a Subaru Outback; so-named owing to the connotation of Australia’s wild “outback” region, which has much in common with the American southwest. 

Non-Traditional Vehicles

If you’re not looking for a ride with a heated or cooled interior, you could always search out an  All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) or a Utility-Terrain Vehicle (UTV). Snowmobiles also have some use; though they’re going to need snow to function. Still, in some regions, without a snowmobile, your only option is walking or sled dogs. 

Know The Road, And Choose A Vehicle That Speaks To You

If you’re doing work in rural areas that have back roads so crunchy, you might as well get out of the tire tracks and cruise, ATVs and UTVs can be necessary. If you’ve got an actual trail cut through the dirt, then a traditional pickup truck should work for you; just make sure it’s four-wheel drive. 

Also, know what you’re dealing with before you get off the main track. Trucks, Jeeps, SUVs, Broncos, augmenting traditional vehicles with a snorkel for wet situations—these are all viable alternatives to the Jeep; but it’s hard to beat these boxy little vehicles for efficiency as regards difficult terrain. 

To learn more about this and other key pieces of information pertaining to the best back road autos, be sure to explore our blog at Anybody’s Autos!