--- title: "Size Doesn’t Actually Matter Anymore, Even for Off-Road Vehicles" date: "2026-11-10" modified: "2026-11-10" authors: - name: "Byron Hurd" job_title: "Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/byron-hurd.md" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/size-doesnt-actually-matter-anymore-even-for-off-road-vehicles" categories: - "Chevrolet News" - "Ford News" - "Jeep News" - "News" - "News by Brand" - "RAM News" - "Trucks" tags: - "pickup" --- # Size Doesn’t Actually Matter Anymore, Even for Off-Road Vehicles ![2027 Chevrolet Silverado HD ZR2]() *\DW Burnett/Chevy\* A few years back at Easter Jeep Safari, then-Jeep-executives Mark Allen and Jim Morrison subtly warned the assembled media that the off-road scene had hit a point of no return. The future of off-road performance, they told us, is all about building machines that can simply brute-force their way over obstacles rather than trying to maneuver around them. In other words, the era of the nimble, [short-wheelbase 4x4]() is effectively over—only nobody has really bothered to say as much out loud. You've probably noticed this trend even if off-roading isn't your scene. [Ram's Power Wagon]() is colloquially referred to as the truck that can go anywhere—even though it could find itself stranded by the narrow dimensions of some older drive-through lanes. All three of the domestic builders offer a heavy-duty pickup in some sort of off-road trim. We already mentioned Ram's, and GM has both the Colorado HD ZR2 and the Sierra HD AT4X. It was behind the wheel of the [redesigned Chevy]() that I was reminded of the current state of things. As we approached an obstacle, our guide discussed a few possible lines we might take to traverse it without introducing the ZR2's skid plates to the scenery. But then, after a brief pause, he followed up by telling us we could just as readily throw his advice out the window and simply wing it. And that's just what we did, to no ill effect. ![2027 Chevrolet Silverado HD ZR2]() *DW Burnett* That was par for the course on the day. The truck's biggest weakness by far was its massive footprint. If you're in a financial position to treat your side mirrors as wear items and simply accept that the truck is going to end up pinstriped to all hell, there's very little out there that will give you real trouble short of a properly technical trail. How did we get here exactly? In a word: Marketing. Ruggedness is all the rage, especially with millennials, who represent America's up-and-coming moneyed generation. [Everything needs an off-road trim now](). It's no surprise that pickups were among the first to push their 4x4 chops; most of them already had off-road packages that have since been either re-branded or simply expanded upon (See: Ford's FX4, GM's Z71). ![]() *DW Burnett* ![]() *DW Burnett* ![]() *DW Burnett* But that explains why the industry wants all these off-road trucks; it doesn't explain what made them technically possible. That really boils down to two things: 1) Improvements in tire manufacturing, and 2) the evolution of electronic safety systems. The former has given us factory tire diameters as large as 37 inches, and the latter helped us fit them to increasingly taller and heavier trucks without littering the side of the road with 4x4 carcasses. Even Jeep is signalling that its future lies in [larger SUVs and pickup trucks](). If so, that could lend credibility to increasingly frequent rumors that the two-door Wrangler won't survive to see another generation. As the owner of a short-wheelbase JK, I hope it's not true, but as somebody who spends more time than he'd like wheeling in big-ass trucks, I can see the writing on the wall. *Got a story tip? Let us know at tips@thedrive.com!* ## Author Byron is an editor at The Drive with a keen eye for infrastructure, sales and regulatory stories. He brings a light, punchy style to all of his content, believing that there's plenty out there to be laughed at—himself included. Born and raised in Maryland but now based just a stone's throw from Detroit, Byron is an auto enthusiast and generalist who enjoys building and tinkering with things of all kinds, from cars, computers and digital cityscapes, to the new garage that will soon house his fleet (a CT4-V Blackwing, a JK Wrangler and an NA Miata). Inspired by an early love of rollercoasters, Byron quickly caught the high-performance driving itch. He's been tracking and auto-crossing his cars since 2007. In his downtime, Byron enjoys reading, playing city builders, and studying the history of the Motor City. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]() ## More - [2024 Chevy Silverado HD ZR2 Off-Road Pickup Gets 35s and Multimatic DSSV Dampers]() - [A Full-Size Chevy Silverado ZR2 Off-Road Truck Is Coming This Fall]() - [Finally: The Jeep Wrangler Doesn’t Flip Over in IIHS Crash Tests Anymore]() - [The 2024 Chevy Silverado ZR2 Diesel Is the Anti-Raptor Off-Road Truck. That’s a Good Thing]() - [GMC Canyon AT4X Pickup Coming to Match the Chevy ZR2 Off-Road: Report]() - [2017 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Review: Finally, a Right-Sized Off-Road Pickup Truck Warrior]() - [Rolled Toyota Tacoma Gets Absolutely Destroyed During Off-Road ‘Recovery’ Effort]() - [The Prospect of a Next-Gen Jeep Gladiator Has Never Looked Bleaker]()