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Off-roading is a popular pastime. It connects drivers and their vehicles to nature in a special way. When you’re out on a trail or at an off-road park, it’s just you and your vehicle of choice against everything that obstructs your path. Trucks can provide endless off-road adventures. Here are the best off-road trucks of 2021.

The best off-road trucks are built for adventure

A blue Ram 2500 Power Wagon off-road truck is parked in front of a sunset.
The Ram 2500 Power Wagon | Ram

Off-roading is one of the most extreme forms of driving in existence. Drivers push their vehicles to the limits by pitting them against obstacles that seem impossible to overcome. The best off-road trucks are built to defy the odds and tangle with the toughest of terrain types.

Best off-road trucks of 2021

  1. 2021 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2
  2. 2021 Ram 2500 Power Wagon
  3. 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor

The 2021 Chevy Colorado ZR2 is the best off-road truck of 2021

A red 2021 Chevy Colorado ZR2 off-road truck is parked in nature.
The 2021 Chevy Colorado ZR2 pickup truck | Chevrolet

The 2021 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 starts at $42,600. According to Kelley Blue Book, the 2021 Chevy Colorado is amazing at crawling, one of the most difficult off-roading feats. Crawling is when an off-roading vehicle uses special terrain traction control to skilfully scale inclines, bumpy hills, and even rocks.

Crawling can cause most trucks to get stuck. The Chevy Colorado ZR2’s slow-speed crawl masterfully navigates tricky terrain and wins the day by overcoming challenging obstacles. It uses its tires as well as front and rear locking differentials to battle the gnarliest rocks and bumps.

The Chevy Colorado ZR2 comes standard with a 3.6-liter V6 engine that makes 308 horsepower. It has plenty of optional skid plates to keep its components safe. The 2021 Colorado ZR2 comes standard with Hitch Guidance and Hill Descent Control.

The 2021 Ram 2500 Power Wagon brings Ram power to the trail

A red 2019 RAM 2500 Power Wagon is on display at the 111th Annual Chicago Auto Show at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois on February 8, 2019.
A red Ram 2500 Power Wagon is on display at the 111th Annual Chicago Auto Show | Raymond Boyd via Getty Images

The 2021 Ram 2500 Power Wagon is a force to be reckoned with. It works hard and plays even harder. The Ram 2500 Power Wagon starts at $54,940.

It has a towing capacity of 17,520 pounds and can carry a payload of 4,010 pounds, so it’s a mighty Ram work truck. It comes standard with a 6.4-liter HEMI V8 engine that makes 410 horsepower. It also features an optional 6.7-liter Cummins Turbo Diesel I6 engine with a towing capacity of 20,000 pounds. This thing’s also got off-road chops as well.

The Ram 2500 Power Wagon features front and rear axle lockers, a front disconnecting sway bar, and a 12,000-pound winch to rescue other vehicles that succumb to the challenges that the Power Wagon easily conquers. It uses gas-charged Bilstein monotube shocks to grant its tires the best traction possible. The 2021 Ram 2500 Power Wagon is the second-best off-roading truck on the market because it is equipped to deal with almost anything.

The 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor is an agile off-roading beast

The aptly named Ford F-150 Raptor is agile for a large truck. It’s hard to mention off-roading trucks without mentioning this beast. The 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor starts at $64,145. The Raptor is the most costly off-roading truck listed. It uses a 2.5-liter EcoBoost High-Output V6 engine that makes a whopping 450 horsepower.

The 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor isn’t just powerful. It’s also trail-ready. It features standard heavy duty skid plates for the front and engine. The F-150 Raptor includes sport-tuned Fox shock absorbers for dampening at high speeds. It also includes a five-link rear suspension to handle the roughest terrain with ease.

Is buying one of the best off-roading trucks worth it?

A black Ford F-150 Raptor off-road truck is parked.
The Ford F-150 Raptor | Ford

Off-roading trucks aren’t for the average driver. These trucks are designed for weekend warriors or folks who love hitting trails fast and hard without worrying about their vehicle. The best off-roading trucks aren’t practical as daily drivers for most consumers.

If you’re looking to have some fun in the outdoors and don’t want to worry about damages, these vehicles are great options. Off-roading trucks feature lifts, special suspensions and tires, and skid plates so drivers are encouraged to put their vehicles to the test. These trucks are expensive but the memories that off-roading adventures provide can be priceless.

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