Americans Are More Interested In Off-Roading Than Ever, Survey Finds

More than 64 percent of Americans are eager to get off the beaten path.

Tacoma Off-Road

Photo by: Andrew Link | Motor1

Jeff Perez

By: Jeff Perez

Jul 23, at 11:00am ET

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the breakdown

Interest in off-roading has nearly doubled in the past year.
SUVs remain the vehicle of choice for off-road adventures.
Gas-powered vehicles are still overwhelmingly preferred over EVs.

America's love affair with off-roading isn’t slowing down anytime soon. A new study shows that nearly two-thirds of US drivers are interested in taking an off-road road trip—a major jump from last year.

According to Hankook Tire's latest Gauge Index survey, a large majority of respondents say they would like to take an off-road adventure. The study polled 1,000 randomly selected American drivers above the age of 18.

That number is up significantly from the previous year's study, with younger drivers leading the charge. But Gen X and baby boomers aren’t far behind:

64% of Americans want to take an off-road adventure (up from 34% last year).
74% of Gen Z respondents are interested in off-roading.
72% of millennials say they'd like to venture off the pavement.
57% of Gen X and 42% of baby boomers share that interest.

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As expected, the majority of drivers surveyed said they would opt for an SUV first and foremost (with plenty of options to choose from). Pickup trucks were the next-best option, and a small number of heroes actually said sedans.

With limited adventure EV options, gas still reigned supreme. The majority of respondents still picked internal combustion, as expected:

52% of respondents would choose an SUV for an off-road adventure.
36% said they'd rather take a pickup truck.
79% of SUV buyers would choose a gas-powered model.
87% of pickup buyers prefer gasoline over electric.

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The survey also revealed where Americans actually want to go. Wooded trails were the most popular destination by a long shot, with 45 percent of respondents choosing that option. Desert terrain came in a distant second at 17 percent, with younger drivers showing a greater appetite for sandy landscapes than older generations.

Motor1’s Take: The results line up with what we've seen across the industry. Off-road-focused vehicles continue to be popular. Whether those vehicles actually see more dirt than a gravel parking lot remains to be seen, but this study is interesting nonetheless.

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Source: Hankook Tire

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