SUBSTANCE OVER STYLE?

WITH OFF-ROAD-ORIENTED CROSSOVERS RESURGENT, TWO OF THE NEWEST PLAYERS CHALLENGE A PIONEER

- MIGUEL CORTINA

Вlame the pandemic or Instagram: People want outdoor action, and they want sharp-looking vehicles with some off-road capability. That's why the Honda Passport TrailSport and the Subaru Outback Wilderness are here. Honda and Subaru tired of seeing customers resorting to the aftermarket for suspension lifts and adventure-ready looks, so they created their own versions straight from the factory. The big question: How do the unibody-construction Honda and Subaru perform against body-on-frame SUVs like the Toyota 4Runner TRD Sport, one of the most popular off-roaders on the market?

Both use their street-oriented variants as their base, with added equipment to make them look meaner and perform better off-road. The Outback Wilderness has beefier tires and more off-road hardware than the Passport TrailSport, while the Honda has better approach, breakover, and departure angles. The 4Runner TRD Sport, meanwhile, applies Toyota's tried and-true off-road formula.

We packed our bags, dusted off our recovery equipment, and headed to Big Bear, one of Southern California's most popular ski resorts and home to dozens of trails. For two days we crossed multiple mud holes, traversed miles of rugged terrain, and drove for hours on pavement. We based this comparison around both on- and off-road performance, value, safety, and fuel economy. Yes, we know people buy these SUVs with their off-pavement utility in mind, but that still accounts for just a fraction of the miles they drive.

Before you vent about us comparing a wagon, a crossover, and a body-on-frame SUV, here's our reasoning: All three fall in the midsize SUV segment, and these specific models have similar prices. You might not cross-shop them, but many will.