These Are the Off-Road Trucks You Can Buy in 2022

Automakers in the U.S. are releasing more pickups with dedicated off-road packages than ever. The trend spans all shapes and bed sizes. Or, at least maybe it would if single cabs were still a thing. God, I miss the clean lines of the first-generation Toyota Tundra, or the GMT400 Sierra and C/K.

Decades ago, it wasn’t common to pay a premium for off-road packages straight from the factory. Most turned to the aftermarket. To be fair, off-roaders are not just more common now; they’re also more capable. And choice is always good.

There are almost too many choices to list here. The U.S. truck market is lousy with off-road models, or packages sold as such. There are still more of them on the way for 2023, but I didn’t count them because they’re not available yet.

I’ve listed the models at the top of their respective lineups to simplify the list, but also included the next down the line as an honorable mention. So, here are the trucks with off-road packages you can buy in the U.S. in 2022:

• MSRP: $45,940
  
• Premium Over Base Model: $12,400
• Honorable Mention Off-Road Model: Colorado Z71

A new, redesigned Chevy Colorado is on the way for 2023, but the older model is still around for now, and it’s still as gnarly as ever thanks to a high-tech suspension. The Colorado ZR2's claim to fame is its spool valve dampers, which have more precise control over the fluid inside the shock absorber than traditional systems.

• MSRP: $69,990
  
• Premium Over Base Model: $26,645
• Honorable Mention Off-Road Model: Silverado LT Trail Boss

The same spool valve suspension in the midsize Colorado ZR2 made its debut on the bigger Chevrolet Silverado in 2021. Chevy applied the magic of the ZR2 to its flagship full size truck to stay competitive with rivals Ford and Ram. And while the Silverado is heavier than the Colorado, it tries to make up for the weight with a 6.2-liter V8 making 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque.

• MSRP: $80,590
• Premium Over Base Model: $13,515
• Honorable Mention Off-Road Model: Ram 1500 Rebel

I organized this list in alphabetical order, and since Ram trucks will always be Dodge Rams in my heart, I’m putting the TRX after Chevrolet’s trucks. The Ram TRX was undoubtedly inspired by the Ford F-150 Raptor, but Ram outdid Ford by putting a V8 under the hood when the Raptor got a V6. This is classic Dodge, err, Ram. The company is wont to literally muscle its way into a segment.

• MSRP: $63,860
  
• Premium Over Base Model: $13,190
• Honorable Mention Off-Road Model: N/A

Ah, the POWER Wagon. See what I mean about Ram muscling into segments? The Ram Power Wagon is a testament to the love the U.S. market has for large, heavy and powerful trucks. It weighs 7,001 pounds and makes 410 horsepower from its hulking 6.4-liter V8. Something this big and cumbersome might not be the best for technical trails, but that’s not the point: power is the point.

• MSRP: $41,650
  
• Premium Over Base Model: $5,960
• Honorable Mention Off-Road Model: Ranger XLT FX4

Good. We’re back to smaller, sensible machines. The Ford Ranger Tremor may not be as capable as the upcoming Ranger Raptor, but it’s a step up from the classic FX4 models Ford once touted as its gnarly trucks. Well, it’s not that much of a step up, but does come with an upgraded suspension and a taller, (mildly) wider stance than other Rangers. I just wish it had a chrome bumper.

• MSRP: $70,555
  
• Premium Over Base Model: $30,985
• Honorable Mention Off-Road Model: F-150 Tremor

The Ford F-150 Raptor is arguably one of the models that drove the resurgence of our off-road craze. Even at its price, the Raptor managed to convince truck fans that wide fenders and meaty tire treads were the way. To be fair, the F-150 Raptor had capability to match its price. I just wish it still came in a SuperCab.

• MSRP: $66,590
  
• Premium Over Base Model: $24,810
• Honorable Mention Off-Road Model: Super Duty F-250 FX4

Again, heavy-duty trucks are not usually what off-roaders prefer for trail use, but that doesn’t stop American truck makers from selling them anyway. The F-250 and F-350 are towing machines, but Ford added a bit of trail talent to the Super Duty with the Tremor, including 35-inch tires and lifted off-road tuned suspension. These models are powered by a 7.3-liter V8 engine. Tremor, indeed.

• MSRP: $38,400
  
• Premium Over Base Model: $11,600
• Honorable Mention Off-Road Model: N/A

The GMC Canyon AT4 is basically a Chevy Colorado Z71 with a makeover. As an upscale sibling to the Chevy, the GMC will appeal to drivers who want a good-looking truck with a bit of performance. It’s like a Patagonia vest over a button-down shirt. But the upcoming Canyon AT4X promises to change all that.

• MSRP: $76,500
  
• Premium Over Base Model: $41,400
• Honorable Mention Off-Road Model: Sierra AT4

The GMC Sierra AT4X is unlike the current Canyon. It’s an actual step up from the AT4, borrowing the tech of ZR2 models. Forget the Patagonia vest; this is more like an Arc’Teryx jacket over a Brook Brothers shirt. Gnarly and refined.

• MSRP: $63,1000
  
• Premium Over Base Model: $22,900
• Honorable Mention Off-Road Model: Sierra 2500 HD X31 Off-Road

And we’re back to heavy-duty trucks wearing off-road garb. Fine. But at least the Sierra HD AT4 is available with a big 6.6-liter Duramax diesel, which is pretty cool as one of the bigger diesel mills in the “off-road” heavy-duty trucks.

• MSRP: $112,595
  
• Premium Over Base Model: $2,300
• Honorable Mention Off-Road Model: GMC Hummer EV Pickup

Technically, this version of the Hummer EV is not “off-road” specific. But off-road is the Hummer EV’s raison d’être, so I’m including it. I’ll note it’s so heavy (+9,000 pounds) its performance is yet to be proven, but everything about this truck is bonkers big. Including power output, at 1,000 horsepower. And its big, heavy battery will give it a range of 329 miles.

• MSRP: $49,110
  
• Premium Over Base Model: $11,545
• Honorable Mention Off-Road Model: Jeep Gladiator Mojave

This cousin to the Wrangler could’ve been so good. It could’ve honored the spirit of previous Jeep trucks. It could’ve been as cool as the Jeep Comanche. It had so much potential. But the U.S. had to go and mess it up by favoring Jeep Wrangler Unlimited models. Four-door Jeeps! The nerve. In any case, the Jeep Gladiator did actually keep its off-road potential, especially in the Rubicon trim.

• MSRP: $38,120
  
• Premium Over Base Model: $8,130
• Honorable Mention Off-Road Model: N/A

The new Nissan Frontier was way overdue. And with the current off-road fad, Nissan went for it with the Frontier Pro-4X, which includes Bilstein shocks, underbody protection, and e-lock rear differential. Not much, maybe, and the Pro-4X name is a bit derivative of Toyota’s TRD Pro line, but I’ll stand up for the Frontier as the weirdo who thinks it’s cooler than the Tacoma. Call me an iconoclast, or a contrarian, but the new Frontier looks awesome.

• MSRP: $51,700
  
• Premium Over Base Model: $11,120
• Honorable Mention Off-Road Model: N/A

The Nissan Titan may not be coming back, but Nissan had to give the model a shot with this Pro-4X package. The Titan Pro-4X predates the latest Frontier Pro-4X, and came with the same off-road upgrades, more or less. Of course, as the bigger model, it boasted more power courtesy of its 5.6-liter V8 engine.

• MSRP: $55,590
  
• Premium Over Base Model: $9,210
• Honorable Mention Off-Road Model: N/A

Ah, well. You tried, Nissan; you tried. That’s worth something. Maybe not worth 55k, but... something. Now that I look at it, the Titan XD looks kind of cool. At least, cooler than the American heavy-duty trucks it was meant to compete with.

• MSRP: $87,000
  
• Premium Over Base Model: $8,000
• Honorable Mention Off-Road Model: Rivian R1T Adv. Dual-Motor AWD

Here’s another EV worth including though it lacks a specific off-road package. The Rivian R1T acquitted itself on the trail so well, in fact, that David Tracy (the off-road OG) called it a masterpiece. Our own Steve DaSilva compared its SUV cousin, the R1S, to the Land Cruiser. So, while the R1T may lack an engine that harnesses explosions to propel it forward, it does not lack off-road capability.

• MSRP: $46,685
  
• Premium Over Base Model: $19,435
• Honorable Mention Off-Road Model: Toyota Tundra Trail Special Edition

We’ve made it to the Toyota Tacoma: the perennial off-roader. The Tacoma has long been held in high esteem for its durability and capability. Toyota forced U.S. carmakers to rethink their approach with more extreme off-road versions just to catch up with the Tacoma, and even though some models easily outdo its capability now, the truck is still hugely popular. The Tacoma TRD Pro got a mild upgrade for 2023 (its available model year) and some incredible colors.

• MSRP: $68,520
  
• Premium Over Base Model: $31,555
• Honorable Mention Off-Road Model: Toyota Tundra TRD Off-Road

Much like the Nissan Frontier, the Toyota Tundra was overdue for a redesign. Toyota delivered with the 2022 Toyota Tundra, and gave the full size truck a modern drivetrain pairing a twin-turbo V6 with an electric motor. But the Tundra TRD Pro is a big truck that lacks the tech of the Silverado ZR2 or Ford F-150 Raptor. It’s not competing with those trucks, however, so it’s hard to fault Toyota for falling short of metrics that apply to those extreme off-roaders.