Carefully plotting every tire placement through a rock-strewn trail at tortoise-like speeds can be just as exhilarating as perfectly connecting apex after apex to shave a tenth of a second off your lap time. And as it happens, today, June 2, is National Rocky Road Day. While the calendar authorities probably meant the ice cream flavor, it still got us thinking about what a good starter off-roader would be — something that’s affordable, plentiful (for parts scavenging), easy to operate and fix, and guilt-free when banging against rocks.
The affordability criterion likely eliminates any Land Cruiser and anything with the Toyota tax. The parts availability requirement will limit the JDM options. We almost think something like a beat-up Subaru or Honda CR-V might work better than an actual 4×4 if we’re just talking practice vehicles.
What’s the best rig for a novice off-roader?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What’s your most memorable road trip?“. Continue reading
