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by lamp_book
676 days ago
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> 4WD and no clearance I think I've only really seen this as a Honda Element - otherwise I'm not sure it meaningfully exists. The reality with most AWD cars is that their important guts are hanging lower compared to 4WD trucks even when the paper ground clearance is similar. My previous car was AWD and I have a 4WD SUV now largely for off road performance, and there's no question 4WD (particularly 4LO) is much better at getting unstuck in trail conditions. The AWD is definitely superior for icy pavement in the cold months though. > Bonus points if you don't care about wrecking it This was actually what mainly pushed me over to the 4WD side instead of something like the Forester. The crossovers can actually get you to a lot of places but they do get thrashed if you do it enough. They are still more geared for pavement use but, if you're wrecking your suspension off road, the on road performance isn't gonna be great either. |
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Maybe it's not meaningful, but vans in the 80s and 90s were often offered with optional 4x4, sometimes with a locking differential. An unmodified Astro or Aerostar doesn't have a whole lot of ground clearance, but could fit the definition of 4wd if properly optioned and probably wouldn't be suitable for these trails unless it gets some aftermarket help.
Of course, few of these are running anymore. 4x4 kei vans can get pretty serious too, but not a lot running on US national park fire roads.