You think of the recent spike in gas prices not as a deterrent to buying a gas-hungry SUV, but as incentive to get the hard-core SUV of your dreams for a great price. The market is still full of choices to satiate your craving for an off-road ready ride. Keep in mind this is not the "off-road" type of vehicle we're considering. The budget is a generous $42,875, which should cover any suitable ride plus some serious change for options.
On-road civility is nice, but you're really after a ride that can tackle Death Valley's hardest trails. After you make your own choice, stay tuned to TruckTrend.com on Friday for our torture test in which we take those five SUVs to, yep, Death Valley.
By Zach Gale