An instructor guides a driver in a Wrangler Rubicon through an off-road course in Bobcaygeon, Ont. in September, 2025.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and the Ford Bronco Sasquatch are both higher-priced trims that provide superior off-road capability for hardcore fans of rugged terrain.
But now there’s a new trend in toughness: soft roaders are beefing up with higher-priced, rugged trims as an option on grocery-getting, school-drop-off SUVs. Marketing has pivoted toward buyers who want “enhanced off-road capability” or “off-road-oriented vehicles” that don’t sacrifice comfort for maximum all-terrain fortitude.
In this category: the Toyota RAV4 Woodland, Subaru Wilderness trim, Nissan Rock Creek, Honda TrailSport, Hyundai XRT Pro and GMC AT4.
We’ve “seen consistent interest from RAV4 customers in trims that reflect an active or sporty lifestyle,” said Rebecca Wu, director of sales, marketing and product planning at Toyota Canada. These standalone models “allow us to continue attracting new buyers, differentiate RAV4 in a highly competitive market and offer more choice for customers whose idea of adventure or performance looks different from that of a 4Runner owner.”
The Woodland trim comes with bigger 18-inch black wheels, distinct bumpers, a skid plate, LED fog lamps and roof rails and cross bars.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
The Woodland hybrid trim features a funky Everest green colour, bigger 18-inch black wheels, distinct bumpers, a skid plate, LED fog lamps and roof rails and cross bars to differentiate it from other RAV4s. But it also adds a hefty price. The Woodland costs nearly $10,000 more than the base LE model, starting at $50,121 including freight, pre-delivery inspection and dealer fees. The LE starts at $40,621.
So why is rugged so appealing to mainstream buyers?
It dates back to the idea of “status being linked to auto mobility and identity. You are what you drive, so to speak,” said Dimitry Anastakis, a professor of history and business at the University of Toronto.
Car advertisements from the 1920s up until present day consistently “speak to this idea of the open road – getting into the country, driving over mountains and really being able to use your vehicle to conquer nature,” said Anastakis. This is why so many vehicles, especially in North America, are rugged off-road vehicles, he added.
“A lot of people think they are what they drive, so there’s [an intense] connection between what you think about yourself and the choice of vehicle you pursue.”
That the RAV4 – “an everyday person‘s vehicle” – is being marketed as an off-road SUV does not surprise Anastakis. “Car manufacturers want to maximize whatever value they can get [from higher-priced trims],” he said.
And there’s not much difference in producing a Woodland versus other RAV4 trims, which all roll off the line at Toyota plants in Woodstock, Ont., and Cambridge, Ont.
Anastakis called this growing trend a “cash grab.”
It’s the next level of trimflation – where automakers prioritize higher-end configurations to boost profits.
When asked, Toyota wouldn’t say how much more money it makes on these trims.
The Rock Creek trim includes black roof rails and larger 20-inch wheels.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
For Nissan, its full-size Rock Creek trim accounts for 15 to 20 per cent of sales for the Pathfinder nameplate. Likewise, the refreshed 2026 Rogue PHEV Rock Creek is expected to drive 15 to 20 per cent of sales on the Rogue, according to Nissan Canada.
It starts at $44,197 versus $37,197 for the base S trim, which includes freight and pre-delivery inspection.
Nissan didn’t say how much more money it makes on the rugged trims and neither did Subaru on its growing family of Wilderness trims.
The bumps in the fender flares of the 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness are designed to make the car more aerodynamic.Doug Firby/The Globe and Mail
Offered on the Outback, Forester and Crosstrek SUVs, each features higher ground clearance, skid plates and all-terrain tires.
Wilderness trims have been very popular for our car lines … that trim reinforces our values of adventure and exploration with outstanding rugged capability as well as high levels of comfort, versatility and safety,” Julie Lychak, senior manager for public relations and sponsorships at Subaru Canada, wrote in an e-mail.
The Outback Wilderness trim has a take rate of 10 per cent or more, according to Lychak. Subaru Canada won’t disclose the take rate of Wilderness trims on the Forester or Crosstrek as they have been dropped from the Canadian lineup for 2026 because they are built in the U.S. and are subject to tariffs.
“Carmakers are trying to increasingly go up-market. The average price of a vehicle has skyrocketed in the last 15 years. [Carmakers] are focused on profitability per unit, especially in North America,” said Anastakis. “This is the logical end result where you’re maximizing profitability because you’re finding there are enough people who are willing to pay that premium because they want that image.”
The 2023 Honda Pilot TrailSport on the Broken Arrow Trail, a five-kilometre mountain trek, in Sedona, Ariz. in January 2023.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail