How the pandemic brought out the off-road 'animal spirits' in drivers

Overlanding and off-roading are no longer hobbies of extreme thrill seekers with more Americans traversing local trails and taking their pricey sport utility vehicles and trucks with them.

Adventuring into national parks and unfamiliar terrain went into high gear in 2020 "when we were all cooped up and stuck in our homes and couldn't socialize," Ed Kim, president and chief analyst of Auto Pacific, told ABC News. "The interest in off-roading ... was pandemic driven and we have seen sales and popularity of rugged SUVs rise."

Automakers responded to the growing trend by unleashing new models and variants that offered more capability than the average driver could ever desire. Vehicles come equipped with unique shock absorbers to cushion the impact from a grueling rock climb. Specialized equipment and massive tires from the factory help novices gain confidence when traversing through mud, creeks and sand dunes.

"You can go out in the middle of nowhere and run around and go over boulders and enjoy the uncontaminated wilderness," Howard Swig, head of auctions at Bring a Trailer, told ABC News. "COVID brought out these animal spirits. Off-roading turned into a longer-term hobby and interest for some people."

Of course, there was a healthy market for these rugged SUVs before the pandemic. Proselytizers of the off-roading culture formed clubs and meetups to take their Jeep Wranglers, Toyota Land Cruisers and modified 4Runners on remote trails and deserted backwoods. Yet the pandemic inspired drivers to get out of their comfort zones and expand their horizons, literally.

"The vehicle that started off this whole wave of rugged outdoor-style vehicles was the 2019 Kia Telluride," said Kim. "It was an instant hit -- even Kia didn't see its success coming. The Telluride is tall, has an upright stance and buyers were entranced with it."

Boxy, muscular styling and a long list of capabilities are now top selling points for automakers that are continually fighting for consumers' dollars. Moreover, these outdoor variants and trims are selling for well above the vehicle's entry-level model.

"SUVs are returning to their roots [and] people are spending a lot of money to get that special look and all the capability," said Tony Quiroga, editor-in-chief of Car and Driver. "There's a huge upcharge and manufacturers are making a ton of money on them. SUVs and trucks keep getting priced higher and entering the luxury sphere."

Quiroga pointed to the Ford Ranger Raptor, a favorite truck of his that he called "a lot of fun" to drive. The Ranger Raptor's "beefy" foundation reinforces the front frame rails, front shock towers, rear shock brackets and suspension mounting points so it "can handle more punishing off-road conditions," according Ford. It also costs nearly 50% more than the base model, the Ranger XL, Quiroga said.

The eye-popping cost of some of these vehicles hasn't seemed to stop buyers, though. And automakers are now offering their own off-road packages and accessories, which can tack several thousand dollars onto the final price.

"There's definitely more margin for automakers on the off-road packages and equipment," said Kim. "Automakers love to sell them and it's all very profitable.

Swig noted that older 4x4s and SUVs are selling at or above asking price on the auction site, underscoring this desire by U.S. drivers to get out and explore. A 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser URJ200 Heritage Edition, for example, recently sold for $133,000. The vehicle's original MSRP? $89,070.

Swig said continued excitement for these type of vehicles is a win-win for automakers and consumers.

"Automakers have invested a lot of money and energy into this space," he said. "We've moved way beyond the Wrangler. It's awesome to see all these manufacturers competing with each other -- competition is great for consumers, leads to lots of variety and hopefully better value."

A spokesperson for Lexus said the Japanese automaker has seen high demand for both the Overtrail and Overtrail+ trims of the Lexus GX SUV, which debuted this year.

The "ultimate off-road luxury SUV" is powered by a 3.4-liter twin-turbo V6, which is more capable than the previous V8 model, according to Lexus. The GX Overtrail grade comes with 33-inch all-terrain tires "to easily get you over muddy hills" and the vehicle's electronic kinetic dynamic suspension system offers on-demand swaybar disconnect/reconnect functions.

"The GX Overtrail and Overtrail+ offer the best of both worlds when it comes to luxury and capability for off-road enthusiasts," the spokesperson said.

Then there's the Toyota Tacoma Trailhunter, a heavily optioned truck designed for fearless travelers. The truck's high-clearance trail exhaust provides enhanced ground clearance and departure angles and the 33-inch tires deliver off-road traction in not-so-ideal conditions. The Trailhunter was "conceived, designed and built to be a ready-made overlanding beast," Toyota brags.

Off-roading is certainly not limited to combustion engine vehicles. Rivian, the upstart electric vehicle maker from California, highlights the off-roading chops of its vehicles in its marketing campaigns, showing consumers to new to EVs that there are zero boundaries with a zero emissions SUV or truck.

"We put chargers in areas where people want to explore ... so they're more confident to go deeper into a national park," Tony Caravano, head of Rivian customer engagement, told ABC News.

Rivian announced this week that it was opening its second Charging Outpost in Joshua Tree, California. The first, in Yosemite, provides amenities for drivers and education on EV charging basics. Moreover, Rivian's fast-charging network will soon become accessible to all other EVs, "encouraging more people to embark on their next adventure in an EV," the company said.

Caravano said the Tri-Motor variant for the R1S SUV and R1T truck, though more expensive, gives the range, performance and horsepower that consumers are seeking. Three motors -- two in the rear and one in front -- pack more capability than other Rivian versions, he said, adding that the software inside can assist owners who may be novices to camping.

"The vehicle tells you what you to need to know about your off-road experience," he said. "There are new drives modes like snow and sand and we also added the camp mode to help level your vehicle if the campsite is not perfectly flat."

The electric Hummer SUV and pickup were tested at some of the most challenging environments in the world, according to Sean Millwood of GMC marketing. Millwood said a "substantial" number of owners take their vehicles off asphalt, where they can truly experience the vehicle's DNA.

The Extreme Off-Road Package, a $10,000 option, gives drivers 35-inch tires, an additional skid plate, underbody cameras, front e-lockers with virtual rear lockers, ball spline half shafts and more, he said. Plus, the infotainment screen inside shows G-force, the vehicle's pitch in real time, a compass and torque vectoring. The coolest feature though may be the Crab Walk, which allows Hummer to maneuver in tight corners.

"We are seeing a good amount of growth with the Hummer," said Millwood. "Customers are driving it every day on paved roads and cities and off road too."

Kim said he was unsure if Americans will fall out of love with off-roading now that pre-pandemic life has largely returned.

"Is this a phenomenon that will last long term or is just a fad?" he said. "Style and trends are always cyclical. Are we in the middle of a cycle or is this sustainable over a long time?"

He noted that the RV industry has cratered since the pandemic ended and the market is now flooded with cheap, used RVs.

"RV sales have declined nearly 50% since height of the pandemic and manufacturers are selling half the volume they did years ago," Kim said. "The pandemic years have been absolutely catastrophic for RVs, which gives me a little bit of concern for the car side."

Kim and Quiroga agree that owners can still enjoy their rugged SUVs and trucks even if the only off-roading adventure is navigating around potholes in town.

"The specialized suspensions, the special dampers ... these vehicles are better to drive than the standards models," said Quiroga. "There's more sidewall and cushion. The supple suspension just swallows up the bad pavement."