5 Great Used Luxury Off-Roaders

Jan. 11, 2017 By Tim Healey
Earlier this month we looked at six luxury off-roaders you could buy now and take out on the trail. Most of the rigs, however, cost so much that the vast majority of people wouldn’t even consider engaging most of the traction-enhancing features. For those who’d like to save some money and buy a luxury off-roader to wheel and use as a daily driver, here’s a look at slightly-used versions that are more reasonably priced. The lone exception is the Land Rover Discovery that doesn’t make the cut because it only returned to the market for 2017 and has been off the market for over a decade (so there’s no current-generation used market).

Toyota Land Cruiser
Toyota’s modern version of its classic off-roader isn’t cheap, even used. That’s due to V-8 power, plenty of in-cab amenities, and off-road features like a terrain management system, tow hitch, tow hooks, crawl control, and full-time four-wheel drive. The current version (200 Series) has been on the market since 2007, and even still you’re probably looking at the $30K range for something with 100,000 miles or more, so expect upwards of $50K for something newer or with considerably less mileage. Chances are you’ll likely have to expand your search to find a nice 200 Series because most aren’t willing to part with them yet.

Lexus GX 460
The Lexus GX 460 is actually the second generation of the GX 470 model the company offered from 2003 to 2009. The GX 460 is built on the LC150 platform, and in other parts of the world it is tabbed the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. Here in the U.S., however, this 4.6L V8-powered SUV is more in line with Toyota’s 4Runner but is a little more luxury-focused and offers three-row seating to fit a couple of kids in the back row for up to seven passengers overall. The body-on-frame GX 460 features full-time four-wheel-drive with a two-range transfer case, along with off-road goodies like hill-start assist and downhill assist. There’s also more up-scale goods in the GX 460 like heated and ventilated front seats, navigation and premium audio. The GX 460 isn’t quite as large as the U.S.-based Land Cruiser and therefore has a lower price in the secondary market – a quick scan of AutoTrader reveals three- or four-year-old models coming in around the $30K-$35K range.

Mercedes-Benz G550
The celebrity-favorite G-Wagen offers a ladder frame and V-8 power, and it’s got plenty of off-road toughness. It also rides on a platform that’s old enough to run for president of the United States. It’s got a six-figure price tag when new, and unfortunately that remains true when searching out examples from 2013, although non-AMG models are slightly cheaper. The G550 is not likely to be on anyone’s shopping list for a trail rig anytime soon, but it's still worth looking in case one hits the market.

GMC Yukon Denali
The Yukon Denali has all-wheel-drive and a V-8 that makes over 400 horsepower, and it offers off-road features like skid plates, off-road-ready tires, two-speed transfer case and specially tuned suspension. It’s also available for around $45K for a three-year-old model, so you can have your full-size luxury at a semi-reasonable price.

Jeep Grand Cherokee
Jeep’s five-seat Grand Cherokee has off-road tuned suspension, available locking limited-slip differential, available two-speed transfer case, available adjustable air suspension and available V-8 power. It’s also considered to be one of the more luxurious mid-size SUVs on the road. And if you’re in the market for a slightly-used one, you can pick up a 2013 or 2014 with four-wheel drive for under $30K, which is enough to undercut most mid-size sedans on the new-car market (check out our review on the 2014 Grand Cherokee). One Laredo-trimmed model listed for under $20K.


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