Are you Surprised These Trucks are No Good Off-Road?

This is a little snippet of an article about what SUV's and trucks are really bad for taking off-road. I was assuming it would talk about only the crossover type vehicles like the Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot. Not so, apparently...

The most popular sport-utility vehicles are the worst for true off-road driving, says a new ranking by Consumer Reports  magazine. The magazine tested 34 vehicles with four-wheel-drive (4x4) systems that included low-range gearing, which is intended for extreme off-road situations where a combination of high power and very low speed is necessary to avoid getting stuck.

Two of the worst, Ford Explorer and Chevrolet TrailBlazer, are the two best-selling SUVs in the USA. Ford Expedition, judged worst of any tested, is the second-best-selling full-size SUV, behind Chevy Tahoe. Ford spokesman Jon Harmon noted that Ford SUVs are top sellers "because they offer the best combination of all-around utility, both on- and off-road." Chevy spokesman Mike Stoller pointed to TrailBlazer's strong sales and said, "TrailBlazer performs well for what it was designed for — use in everyday life, including off-pavement needs."
Taken from USA TODAY  

I think part of it is because they're BOF, the frames hang too low and get caught on stuff, and secondly, the OEs equip most of these models with all-season street tires. Say what you want about the Pilot, Highlander and ilk, but for what they are, they're not too shabby. Just because something has low-range doesn't automatically make it a mountain goat off-road.  

I speculate that when testing the vehicles they tested them in "stock" set-up; even then the standard, stock, garden-variety Jeep Wrangler with those undersized wimpy tires would not do much of CRAP off road.  As I see the image of the Balboa455, your Wrangler is no where near what would have rolled off the lot; you made it into something "better" to suit your needs just as if anyone would look at www.explorer4x4.com to see Ford Explorers rock climbing, heavy snow, Utah, Baja, - up to 38" tires to one I found in Iceland.

Otherwise, outside of the U.S. and heading into South America and other poorer countries, the Suzuki small-body 4x4s(and whatever else they can find) have been ran harder/longer than some of the pretty geared-up Jeeps here in America.  Explorers and Mountaineers sold well in Australia where many of them endure challenges second to everything anywhere stateside has to offer.

Don't take what everyone else leads as "truth" without considering "what"s, "why"s, and "why not"s. - and that many articles are written for the quickest/highest bidder.

---BUT - This is NOT to say that a Ford Escape could have done half the stuff of a Willy's back in the day; and they're both 4-bangers.