Adventure, Actually – Reliable and Rugged Luxury Road Warriors

Alternative-powered SUVs and smaller sporty crossovers are all well and good, but when the pavement runs out you want something reliable and rugged. Navigator selects a quartet of luxury road warriors that can’t be beaten.

Mercedes Benz G 550 SUV

The recent rebirth of MB’s legacy off-roader, the G 550, brings cutting-edge engineering and performance while retaining just enough traditional authentic styling and bad-ass details to satisfy die-hard fans of the so-called original “G Wagon.” The overall design and sitting position are still straight up and down; expect high-axle ground clearance of 9.5 inches, almost 29 inches of water-fording clearance, steep approach and departure angles, and, heck, even the spare tire is bolted right where it should be on the outside of the rear gate. Take all those legitimate, heritage-inspired off-road details. Stir in state-of-the-art suspension, three differential locks, LED lighting, the latest driver-assist technology, upgraded leather interior detailing for a larger, more passenger-friendly tub, and more. Mate all that to a glorious 4.0-liter biturbo V8 and slick 9G-TRONIC next-gen transmission tuned for off-roading, and well….who needs pavement?
mbusa.com

Land Rover Range Rover P615 SV

While the automaker’s more recent next-gen Defender has been dominating its off-road news of late (and the waiting list has started on the planned electric version of the flagship Range Rover), there is something about a full-fuel, full-bred Range Rover that makes you feel unconquerable behind the wheel. You could drive it through one wall of a 14th-century ruin, out the other wall, dust off the hood, and continue on your way. Especially in the 2024 release of the Range Rover SV flagship, and particularly in the so-called “P615” engine version (an 8-speed, 4.4-liter turbo-charged V8 delivering 606hp and an 8,200-pound towing capacity), you get the best of three worlds: blazing performance, uncanny off-road tech (think full-time 4WD and descent control, standard), and unmatched comfort via an exceptional 29-speaker Meridian sound system and a plethora of customized options (including a sweet tailgate event suite option).
landrover.com

Jeep Grand Wagoneer

For many people, the very concept of off-road luxury begins and ends with one word: Jeep. For 2024, the flagship Jeep Grand Wagoneer sports a Hurricane twin-turbo I-6 510 engine that brings 510hp and 500 lb-ft of torque to your adventure (as well as featuring plenty of room for seven passengers). But telling off-road options and features like the Advanced All-Terrain Group (which bolts on protective steel skid plates for the front axle, transfer case, fuel tank, and rear sway bar), 24 inches of water-fording ability, and three available Quadra-Trac 4×4 systems (which adjust shift patterns, engine output, and torque for optimal traction on rough roads and beyond) let you know this grand SUV can handle whatever you can throw at it. On the comfort side, expect a state-of-the-art heads-up display, 360-degree surround camera, Amazon Fire TV capabilities, and a thrilling McIntosh audio system.
jeep.com

Rolls-Royce Cullinan

Yes, you can take your Rolls off-road. Especially if your idea of adventure is a nice sundowner cocktail at the top of your local moor, the Cullinan is more than up to both getting you there and providing the needed convenience and comfort for that perfect dusk-hour moment (think bespoke bottle refrigeration and a swanky, fold-out tailgate viewing package, if you so choose). With Rolls-Royce’s famed customization program, every Cullinan has some level of personalization but an enviable spectrum of color, materials, window visibility/privacy options, interior lighting schemes, and exterior and interior details (from immaculately grained woods to box-grain leathers, to sumptuous lambswool) are on the table as you create your personal masterpiece. Your Cullinan will truly be yours and yours alone. But all executions of the Rolls-Royce SUV-cum-hotel room on wheels share a buttery-smooth 6.7-liter twin-turbo V12 power plant that pumps out 592 horses, standard AWD, and lightning-fast road-scan-enhanced suspension to ease out the occasional bump and grind of going beyond the pavement.
rolls-roycemotorcars.com