The Ultimate Mid-Size Off-Road Truck Showdown: Defining 2025’s Champion
As an industry veteran with over a decade immersed in the grit and glory of off-ro
ad vehicle performance, I’ve witnessed the evolution of the mid-size pickup segment transform from utilitarian workhorses to sophisticated, trail-dominating machines. For 2025, the competition among premium mid-size off-road trucks has reached an unprecedented intensity, with manufacturers pushing boundaries in design, technology, and sheer capability. We recently put the leading contenders through their paces at Michigan’s challenging Holly Oaks ORV Park, subjecting them to rigorous real-world tests designed to expose their strengths and weaknesses across varied terrains.
Our mission: to definitively crown the best mid-size off-road pickup for 2025. The field was stacked with formidable contenders: the imposing 2025 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison, the newly refined 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor (representing its 2025 equivalent with no significant changes anticipated), the rugged 2025 Jeep Gladiator Mojave X, and the innovative 2025 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro. These aren’t just trucks; they are purpose-built adventure vehicles, each with a distinct philosophy. Our testing encompassed high-speed desert-style courses, technical rock crawls, demanding hill climbs, and controlled hill descents, culminating in an assessment of their on-road manners – because even the most hardcore off-roader spends time on pavement.
The Verdict: Unpacking the 2025 Mid-Size Off-Road Challenge Results
After countless hours behind the wheel, meticulous scoring, and deep dives into each truck’s engineering, the results are in. Our comprehensive evaluation, which weighted off-road performance significantly, revealed a clear hierarchy among these top-tier off-road vehicles.
2025 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison: The undisputed champion. This truck absolutely dominated the slow-speed, technical challenges like rock crawling, hill climbing, and controlled descents, thanks to its exceptional ground clearance, advanced off-road tech features, and a commanding stance.
2024 Ford Ranger Raptor: Your go-to for high-speed off-road performance. The Ranger Raptor truly shined on our dirt course, demonstrating superior composure and speed. Its impressive powertrain and refined ride quality also earned it top marks for on-road driving dynamics.
2025 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro: A strong contender with an innovative hybrid powertrain. While it performed admirably on higher-speed sections, its Achilles’ heel emerged in the slower, more technical off-road tests, impacting its overall standing despite its compelling on-road manners.
2025 Jeep Gladiator Mojave X: A purpose-built desert runner that, ironically, still leans heavily into traditional slow-speed crawling. Its lengthy wheelbase proved to be a liability in certain extreme off-road scenarios, and its more analog approach, while rewarding for experienced drivers, presented a steeper learning curve for novices.
Let’s delve deeper into each contender, examining where they excelled and where they left room for improvement, all through the lens of a seasoned off-road enthusiast.
The 2025 Jeep Gladiator Mojave X: A Niche Player with Classic Appeal
As-Tested Price: $66,905
Powertrain: 285-hp, 3.6-liter V-6; eight-speed automatic transmission
Ground Clearance: 11.6 inches (second best in test)
Angles (Approach/Departure/Breakover): 44.7 / 25.5 / 20.9 degrees (best approach, worst breakover)
Jeep has meticulously branded the Gladiator Mojave X as a high-speed desert running machine, and it certainly arrives equipped for that role with its specialized Fox suspension. However, after extensive testing, it’s clear the Mojave X, at its core, retains much of the classic Jeep slow-speed off-road prowess. This duality can be a bit perplexing. For seasoned off-roaders who appreciate a more tactile, less digitized experience, the Gladiator’s more analog controls are a welcome throwback. Yet, for those new to serious trail adventures, its quirks can present a steeper learning curve.
What Shines in the Mojave X
Exceptional Approach Angle: From my experience, a superior approach angle is invaluable. The Gladiator’s class-leading 44.7 degrees means you can tackle steep obstacles head-on with minimal risk of damaging the front fascia. It instills immense confidence when eyeing a challenging climb.
Low-Range Gearing Excellence: When it comes to delicate obstacle navigation, the Gladiator’s 4-Low engagement is superb. It effortlessly scales terrain with incredibly precise throttle control, making intricate maneuvers feel surprisingly straightforward. This is where Jeep’s heritage truly shines.
Abundance of Physical Controls: In an era of touchscreens dominating everything, the Mojave X’s dedication to physical buttons for climate, audio, and crucial off-road functions is refreshing. It’s a testament to its old-school ethos, allowing drivers to make adjustments without diverting attention from the trail. This commitment to tactile feedback is a major plus for intuitive vehicle UI.
Interior Quality: For a rugged off-roader, the interior quality in the Mojave X is remarkably strong. The materials feel durable yet premium, with an aesthetic that perfectly blends ruggedness with modern appeal. It felt well-appointed, a strong win in this segment.
Unrivaled Hill-Climb Visibility: The Gladiator’s low, narrow hood, combined with an exceptionally clear forward camera view, provided the best visibility when cresting blind hill climbs. This literally allows you to place your tires exactly where you intend, greatly enhancing driver confidence and safety.
Areas for Improvement
Frustrating Hill Descent Control: While many of its systems are intuitive, the Selec-Speed Control for hill descent proved to be a point of contention. It frequently brought the vehicle to an abrupt halt when a slow, controlled inching was desired, disrupting momentum and requiring manual intervention. This lack of smooth modulation was genuinely frustrating during our testing, a critical flaw for advanced traction management systems.
Challenging Breakover Angle: The Gladiator’s characteristic long wheelbase, while offering stability, translates directly into a subpar breakover angle (20.9 degrees). This became painfully evident on our technical courses, where the truck’s underbelly frequently scraped and bumped on obstacles that others cleared with ease. This can be a significant limitation for serious rock crawling.
High-Speed Off-Road Deficiencies: Despite its “Desert Rated” badge, the Mojave X struggled significantly on our high-speed dirt course. The solid front axle made it feel cumbersome, and the steering was noticeably vague and numb. Maintaining precise control at speed was a constant battle, making it the most challenging truck to push hard in this environment. It clearly prioritizes different capabilities.
On-Road Steering Precision: The imprecise steering wasn’t confined to off-road. On pavement, inputs felt more like suggestions than direct commands, leading to constant minor corrections and a wandering sensation. This impacts daily driving comfort and driver fatigue on longer journeys.
Uncomfortable Seating: Both front and rear seats were a letdown. The front seats, while offering decent bolstering, were overly firm. The rear seat space was borderline unusable for adults on anything more than a short hop, and the overall cramped cockpit feel was universally noted by our team. For a vehicle intended for adventure, long-distance seat comfort is a critical factor.
Modest Powertrain Performance: The Pentastar V-6, while reliable, felt underpowered for a truck of this caliber. Highway merging and passing required considerable planning, with little in the way of reserve power. This can be a concern for those needing robust acceleration, especially when loaded.
Rough Landings: The Mojave X struggled immensely with any air time. Even small jumps resulted in hard, jarring landings that noticeably killed momentum into subsequent corners, highlighting limitations in its high-speed damping capabilities.
The 2025 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro: Hybrid Innovation Meets Trail Ambition
As-Tested Price: $66,410
Powertrain: Turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder gas-electric hybrid with 326 total hp; eight-speed automatic transmission
Ground Clearance: 11.5 inches (third best)
Angles (Approach/Departure/Breakover): 35.7 / 25.3 / 27.4 degrees (best breakover, worst departure)
Toyota’s comprehensive redesign of the Tacoma for 2024, featuring an all-new gas-electric hybrid system, has undeniably injected new life into the TRD Pro. This trim level comes packed with Fox shocks, 33-inch tires, and the distinctive IsoDynamic front seats, designed to minimize body motions – a fascinating piece of next-gen off-road technology. While the Tacoma TRD Pro showcased admirable performance on higher-speed off-road sections and its hybrid powertrain impressed on pavement, certain ergonomic and interior quality issues, coupled with a peculiar accelerator response in technical terrain, held it back from a higher ranking.
What Shines in the TRD Pro
Exceptional Camera Systems: The Tacoma’s large multimedia screen provides ample real estate for its camera views. This was particularly beneficial during our hill climb tests, offering an outstanding forward camera perspective, making precise wheel placement remarkably easy during technical rock crawling. It truly makes a difference.
High-Speed Off-Road Competence: For a truck with “TRD Pro” in its name, it lives up to the promise of “go-fast.” Its stability and control on our high-speed course were second only to the Ranger Raptor, showcasing its impressive capabilities when pushed hard on undulating dirt roads.
Responsive On-Road Hybrid Powertrain: The gas-electric hybrid system is a revelation on pavement. Its substantial torque delivery results in immediate, satisfying responsiveness, complemented by quick and intelligent transmission downshifts. This powertrain makes the TRD Pro genuinely enjoyable to drive daily, offering a fantastic blend of power and fuel efficiency.
IsoDynamic Seat Bolsters: While I’ll address some drawbacks later, the innovative IsoDynamic seats genuinely held occupants firmly in place during aggressive maneuvers on both the hill climb and high-speed off-road tests. They offer a unique level of support, contributing to driver confidence when pushing limits.
Engaging Engine Note: Let’s be honest, sometimes you just want a truck to sound good. The TRD Pro delivered, emitting a robust and muscular exhaust note on the off-road course that added to the visceral experience, almost like driving a muscle car for the dirt.
Areas for Improvement
Overly Sensitive Pedals (Off-Road): This was perhaps the most significant functional drawback. In 4-Low and Rock modes, the throttle was bizarrely jumpy and incredibly difficult to modulate smoothly. The brakes suffered from a similar issue. This forced a clumsy two-foot driving technique to maintain control on rocky obstacles, making delicate maneuvers unnecessarily challenging. This indicates a definite need for refinement in its off-road throttle mapping.
Tire Traction Deficiencies: The stock Falken WildPeak A/T tires, while generally capable, lacked the superior grip demonstrated by other contenders, particularly at the peak of our challenging hill climb. This reduced confidence and required more aggressive driving inputs to maintain momentum.
Cramped Rear Seating: The innovative IsoDynamic front seats, while supportive, severely compromise rear passenger space. It was almost impossible to comfortably accommodate adults in the back for any significant duration, making this a questionable choice for those needing practical family adventure vehicle capability.
Subpar Interior Quality: For its price point, the TRD Pro’s interior quality left much to be desired. A prevalence of hard, hollow-sounding plastics created a less premium feel than its competitors. The noticeable hood shake at highway speeds further exacerbated concerns about overall build quality.
Disjointed Multimedia Integration: The large central multimedia screen, while visually impressive, felt disconnected from the rest of the truck’s systems. Many essential vehicle functions were relegated to fussy gauge cluster and steering-wheel controls, rather than being logically integrated into the expansive touchscreen where they would be far more accessible and user-friendly. This impacts the overall driver-vehicle interface.
Unintuitive Instrument Panel Interface: All our testers found the digital instrument panel’s menus convoluted and difficult to navigate, making on-the-fly adjustments cumbersome. This is a common pitfall of complex digital displays that lack intuitive design.
Impractical Off-Road Gauges: While the display offers tilt and inclinometer readouts in off-road modes, their diminutive size at the bottom of the screen rendered them practically useless. Critical information for technical off-road driving needs to be prominent and easily digestible at a glance.
The 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor: The High-Speed Desert Dominator
As-Tested Price: $60,730 (2025 model-year equivalent pricing)
Powertrain: 405-hp, twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6; 10-speed automatic transmission
Ground Clearance: 10.7 inches (worst in test)
Angles (Approach/Departure/Breakover): 33.0 / 26.4 / 24.2 degrees (best departure, worst approach)
Ford’s decision to bring the Ranger Raptor to the U.S. market for 2024 was met with considerable excitement, and it delivers precisely what it promises: the high-speed off-roading prowess of its full-size F-150 sibling, distilled into a mid-size package. Equipped with a wide-track suspension, a Watts-link rear setup, Fox shocks, locking front and rear axles, and a suite of seven drive modes (including the infamous Baja setting), this truck is engineered to fly over whoops and dominate open desert trails. Our testing confirmed its specialization, as it delivered unmatched comfort and composure on our high-speed off-road course, translating surprisingly well to superior on-road driving dynamics.
What Shines in the Ranger Raptor
Unrivaled High-Speed Off-Roading: This is where the Ranger Raptor truly owns the segment. Its steering and handling are nothing short of superb in this environment, allowing for effortless control through sweeping corners and maintaining remarkable composure over rough terrain. It instills immense driver confidence when pushing limits, making it the ultimate desert running truck.
Potent Twin-Turbo V-6 Power: The 405-horsepower twin-turbo V-6 is a masterpiece. Whether blasting through the desert or cruising on the highway, its linear, predictable power delivery and ample torque are always on tap. On our hill climb, it effortlessly delivered the necessary oomph with easy modulation, and on pavement, its responsiveness made daily driving a joy. This is a genuinely high-performance engine.
Flawless Hill Descent System: The Raptor’s hill descent control was a benchmark for the group. It smoothly and steadily eased the truck down our steep test hill with minimal driver input, making a potentially stressful maneuver feel completely controlled and safe. This level of refinement in traction management is commendable.
Exceptional On-Road Ride Comfort: Surprisingly, what makes it great off-road also enhances its on-road manners. In its Normal setting, the Ranger Raptor’s Fox suspension absorbs road imperfections with remarkable compliance, providing a level of ride quality and controlled feedback that the other trucks simply couldn’t match. Even in Sport mode, performance sharpened noticeably without sacrificing comfort.
Superior Seat Comfort: The Ranger Raptor boasts genuinely comfortable seats. They offer excellent support for long drives and aggressive maneuvering, easily earning the highest seat comfort scores in our test. This attention to driver and passenger comfort is crucial for any adventure-ready vehicle.
Graceful Landings: On our high-speed course, which involved some intentional air time, the Ranger Raptor was the only truck that consistently landed jumps without any drama. It absorbed impacts gracefully, maintaining momentum and allowing for maximum speed into subsequent corners – a true testament to its advanced off-road suspension design.
Areas for Improvement
Impractical Side Steps: The prominent side steps, while visually assertive, proved to be an impediment on our technical off-road obstacles. They were repeatedly torn up, and given the Raptor’s relatively low ground clearance (for this segment), they don’t offer much practical benefit for ingress/egress. This design choice seems more aesthetic than functional for serious rock crawling.
Vertically Oriented Touchscreen: The 12-inch touchscreen, while large, is vertically oriented. This significantly reduces the viewing area for crucial external cameras, particularly when you need a wide, panoramic view for off-road navigation. A horizontal orientation would be far more beneficial for off-road camera systems.
Unintuitive Shifter Design: The transmission gear selector proved to be surprisingly difficult to use quickly and instinctively. Our testers frequently fumbled with it, mistaking the side button for the front release. This is a minor but persistent ergonomic flaw that impacts rapid gear selection.
Limited Seat Bolstering: While generally comfortable, the bottom cushion of the front seats could benefit from more lateral bolstering. While the backrest provided good support, the lack of lower bolstering meant drivers could slide slightly during aggressive lateral maneuvers, detracting from the otherwise excellent seat comfort.
Worst Approach Angle: Despite its high-speed prowess, the Ranger Raptor’s approach angle of 33.0 degrees was the lowest in our comparison. This means it’s more susceptible to scraping its front end on steep inclines or large obstacles, a compromise for its Baja-ready bumper design.
The 2025 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison: The Unstoppable Trail King
As-Tested Price: $64,915
Powertrain: 310-hp, turbo 2.7-liter four-cylinder; eight-speed automatic transmission
Ground Clearance: 12.2 inches (best in test)
Angles (Approach/Departure/Breakover): 38.2 / 26 / 26.9 degrees
Having spent years scrutinizing every detail of mid-size truck capability, I can confidently say the 2025 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison is nothing short of a revelation. This truck doesn’t just dabble in off-roading; it lives and breathes it. With its formidable 35-inch mud-terrain tires and an astounding 12.2 inches of class-leading ground clearance, the ZR2 Bison presented itself as the true “monster truck” of our test fleet. This combination of massive tires and towering ride height directly translated into its dominance in our most demanding slow-speed off-road tests, including rock crawling, hill climbing, and hill descending. While its sheer size and specialized setup presented minor compromises on high-speed sections and daily driving, its unyielding capability where it matters most secured its place as the best mid-size off-road truck for 2025.
The Colorado, completely redesigned in 2023, saw the ZR2 Bison version debut for 2024, now carrying into 2025 with its established capabilities. Featuring rugged bumpers and wheels from American Expedition Vehicles (AEV), Multimatic Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve (DSSV) shocks, locking front and rear axles, and robust boron-steel skid plates and rocker protection, this truck is meticulously engineered for the most extreme environments.
What Shines in the ZR2 Bison
Unparalleled Rock-Crawling Capability: The advantages of those gargantuan 35-inch tires and the exceptional ground clearance become immediately apparent here. The ZR2 Bison literally floated over obstacles that challenged other trucks, providing a level of ride quality and damping over large rocks that was simply unmatched. Its ability to maintain traction and articulate over uneven terrain was nothing short of brilliant, a true masterclass in extreme rock crawling.
Flawless Hill Descent Control: With its immense 35-inch tires providing supreme grip, the Colorado ZR2 Bison eased over the top of our steepest descent with absolute confidence. The sophisticated hill descent system then meticulously managed the vehicle’s progress down the incline, making a stressful situation feel utterly low-stress and controlled. This level of advanced terrain management is a game-changer.
Commanding Hill Climb Performance: The combination of superior ground clearance and the second-best breakover angle in the test allowed the ZR2 Bison to crest our challenging hill climb with room to spare. It simply hooked up and powered its way to the top with an unwavering sense of purpose, instilling immense confidence in the driver.
Intuitive Off-Road Tech Usability: Chevrolet has nailed the integration of off-road technology. The simplified controls and a large, horizontal display screen with outstanding graphics make engaging various off-road modes and activating systems incredibly straightforward. It’s one of the most user-friendly interfaces I’ve encountered for sophisticated off-road electronics.
Exceptional Overall User Interface: Beyond just off-road tech, Chevy has struck the perfect balance between touchscreen controls for less frequent adjustments (like headlights or traction control) and physical hard buttons for commonly used functions (climate, audio). This thoughtful design greatly enhances the driving experience, both on and off-road. The Colorado’s screens and controls were unanimously rated highest by our editors for their blend of modernity and practicality.
Brilliant Screen Technology: The customizable digital instrument panel is bright, vivid, and highly informative. Coupled with the responsive and intuitive Google Built-In infotainment system, which seamlessly integrates Apple CarPlay, the ZR2 Bison offers a top-tier multimedia experience. The combination of an 11-inch digital instrument panel and an 11.3-inch center touchscreen is a technological highlight for a premium off-road truck.
Vital Underbody Cameras: The inclusion of underbody cameras is a crucial asset for precise wheel placement in technical terrain. They allow drivers to see exactly where their wheels are relative to obstacles, eliminating guesswork and significantly reducing the risk of damage. This is a feature every serious off-roader desires.
Areas for Improvement
Compromised On-Road Dynamics (Due to Tires): Those incredible 35-inch mud-terrain tires, while fantastic off-road, naturally translate into a bouncier, floatier ride on pavement. While still more composed than the Gladiator, it lacks the precise handling of the Tacoma or Ranger, and steering responses feel somewhat vague. It’s a trade-off for its extreme off-road tire setup.
Limited High-Speed Off-Road Composure: Paradoxically, the ZR2 Bison struggled at higher speeds on our dirt course. The elevated center of gravity and the bounciness induced by the tires limited driver confidence and pace. Its poor forward visibility at speed was also a factor. This was the only off-road test it didn’t outright win, highlighting its specialization for slow, technical challenges rather than Baja-style desert racing.
Challenging Ingress/Egress: The Colorado’s sheer height, necessitated by the 35-inch tires, makes getting into the driver’s seat a significant climb, even for taller individuals. A dedicated driver’s-side grab handle would greatly assist entry and exit, improving the overall daily usability for such a tall vehicle.
Absence of Rearview Camera Mirror: This is a notable oversight. While other GM vehicles offer a rearview camera mirror, the ZR2 Bison, with its bed-mounted full-size spare tire completely obstructing the rear view, desperately needs it. Driving on the highway with such limited rear visibility felt unsafe and was a constant source of frustration during our evaluation.
The Road Ahead for Off-Road Enthusiasts
The 2025 mid-size off-road truck segment is more vibrant and capable than ever before. Each of these vehicles brings a distinct flavor to the table, tailored for different types of adventurers. The Jeep Gladiator Mojave X offers rugged, old-school charm for those who appreciate a more involved driving experience, albeit with some on-road compromises. The Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro showcases the exciting potential of hybrid powertrains in off-roading, though it still needs to refine its technical terrain manners and interior ergonomics. The Ford Ranger Raptor is an absolute beast for high-speed desert runs, blending thrilling performance with surprising on-road refinement.
But for the ultimate combination of trail-conquering capability, cutting-edge technology, and sheer confidence-inspiring performance in the most challenging slow-speed environments, the 2025 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison stands supreme. Its ground clearance, tires, and integrated off-road tech make it an unstoppable force, a true benchmark for what a mid-size off-road truck can be.
The choice, as always, comes down to your primary use case. But if you’re looking to dominate the toughest trails with a blend of brute force and intelligent engineering, the ZR2 Bison is the one to beat.
Ready to elevate your off-road adventures? Explore the full capabilities of these incredible machines and find the perfect adventure truck that aligns with your passion for the wild. Visit our comprehensive vehicle listings and expert reviews to make your informed decision today. The trails are calling.
