Think Twice Before Off-Roading These 10 Expensive SUVs

Off-roading can be thrilling, but not all SUVs are built to handle rugged terrain. Some high-end models look tough but hide expensive repair bills and delicate components beneath their luxury exteriors. In 2025, certain premium SUVs are particularly risky for off-road adventures—one wrong move could cost thousands. If you own or are considering an expensive SUV, here are 10 vehicles you should think twice about before taking off the beaten path.

Land Rover Range Rover

Okay, I know, I know. This is the most controversial one. It’s literally called a Land Rover. And it can do it, technically. It has insane air suspension and wade sensing and all that tech. A new one starts at like, $110,000 and goes way, way up. You get a single scratch on that perfect paint, or worse, you puncture the air suspension bag on a rock? That’s a five-thousand-dollar bill, easy. It’s a palace on wheels, not a rock crawler. Keep it on the gravel driveway to the ski lodge, you know?

Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon

The G-Wagon is the ultimate poseur mobile now. It looks like a military vehicle, right? That matte paint option alone is a $10,000 premium. You scrape that? Game over. It’s for showing off on Rodeo Drive, not for Moab.

BMW X7

I mean, come on. The X7 is a behemoth. It’s massive. It’s designed to carry seven people in absolute silence and comfort on a highway. The approach and departure angles are probably terrible, and the sheer size of it means you’ll get it stuck anywhere that isn’t a fire road. And for a car that costs over $80,000 new, the first time you hear a rock thwack against that expensive bodywork, you’re gonna have a heart attack.

Lincoln Navigator

This is the American version of the same problem. It’s huge, it’s plush, it’s like a rolling living room. It’s got a twin-turbo V6 that’s great for towing your boat, not for picking its way through a boulder garden. The body is just so vast and low-hanging. You’d high-center this thing on a speed bump. And with a price tag pushing $90,000 for a Black Label model, that first crunch from underneath would be soul-crushing.

Cadillac Escalade

Same deal as the Navigator, really. It’s all about presence and bling. Those giant, shiny wheels? Not exactly off-road tires. The super high-tech dashboard that curves around you? You don’t want dust and mud getting in there. It’s a $80,000+ fashion statement. Taking it off-road is like wearing a custom-tailored suit to go paintballing. Just… why would you do that to yourself?

Audi Q8

The Q8 is so sleek and beautiful. It’s a coupe-SUV thing, which means it has a low, sloping roofline. That design immediately means less ground clearance and a rear end that’s just begging to be smashed on a steep incline. It’s a sporty, on-road cruiser. A really fast one, honestly.

Lexus LX 600

Now, this one is tough. The spindle grille is like a giant, delicate piece of jewelry. It’s a $90,000 vehicle now. It feels wrong, you know? Like defacing a piece of art.

Genesis GV80

This car is all about challenging the Germans on refinement and value. It’s a fantastic luxury SUV for the money, starting around $60,000. It feels too… precious. Like a really nice piece of furniture. You don’t take your nice leather sofa camping, and you shouldn’t take a GV80 on a serious trail.

Tesla Model X

I mean, with those giant, fragile glass windows and the complex Falcon Wing doors? The thought of getting mud and grit in those door mechanisms is a nightmare. For a $90,000 electric family hauler, its off-road capability begins and ends with a slightly muddy soccer field.

Bentley Bentayga

This is the king of the “please don’t” list. The Bentayga is a $200,000 handcrafted masterpiece. The interior is like a private club. You’d be risking damage to materials that took artisans hundreds of hours to create. It’s the automotive equivalent of using the Hope Diamond as a doorstop. Just… don’t.