10 best cars with the highest ground clearance

In Russia, this brand of car is better known as Patrol, and under the name Armada it is produced exclusively for the American market. At least that was the case until 2019, when this car appeared on our market. Does it have significant differences? Let's see. The first thing that catches your eye is the appearance.The American version looks different, more brutal and harsh. There are still a lot of rounded shapes, but the flat roof and window line make it more rough, hinting to us that this is an SUV, and its main task is to fight bumps.

But is it really so? Let's start with ground clearance. With the air suspension turned off, it is 230 millimeters, and increases to 270 when it is activated. The difference is small, and it's hard to say whether it makes sense to overpay for this option. There are no low gears here, although the engine is quite powerful, delivering up to 250 horsepower. There is also no automatic differential lock, which is an invariable attribute of any large SUV. What conclusions can be drawn from this? Before us is a fairly powerful car that can cope with off-road, but you should not assign too difficult tasks to it. Still, this is more of a city car, albeit with good potential.

Among Japanese manufacturers, those who produce real SUVs are rare. We emphasize that they are real, and not those that only create an appearance, but here we have a Toyota that can give odds even to the most famous SUVs. This is a special model for the US market, which can now be bought in Russia. What distinguishes it from the main line of the brand? Let's figure it out.

So, the first thing you should pay attention to is a large clearance. When the suspension is turned off, it is 220 millimeters, and when turned on, it increases it by 4.2 centimeters. Not the highest figure, but do not rush to draw conclusions.In addition to the air suspension, special springs and shock absorbers from American brands that produce components for Monster trucks are installed here. In addition, the machine is equipped with an automatic differential lock and a gearbox with reduced gears. Under the hood, she has a 4 liter engine that produces 270 horsepower. In the basic configuration, special off-road tires are installed, and all this, taken together, makes this Toyota model a real monster that can cope with even the most difficult obstacles.

Until 2018, no one could call this large and powerful SUV an SUV. It was equipped with an automatic differential lock, low gears and other bells and whistles relevant for off-road driving. In the restyling that the company carried out in 2018, the Tuareg lost these options, turning, in fact, into a city car. The appearance has also changed, making the car more brutal.

But it is the high ground clearance that interests us, and the manufacturer decided not to touch this parameter. In the standard position, that is, with the air suspension turned off, the ground clearance is 250 millimeters, which is quite normal and even high for a car of this size. Suspension activation increases the clearance to 30 centimeters, and this is already an indicator for an SUV. It is difficult to say why the manufacturer decided to remove a set of special options from the package, and even deprived us of the opportunity to order it separately. Apparently, Tuareg is gradually becoming a standard city car, albeit quite large.

Chasing quality and not accustomed to compromise? Then Mercedes is exactly what you need. A real masterpiece of the German automotive industry. A car that not only gives its owner a status, but can also become a real SUV due to the presence of air suspension. It should be noted here that this car is produced both with air suspension and without it. With a standard landing, the ground clearance is 204 millimeters, which makes it quite comfortable to feel even not on the best city roads.

When the suspension is turned on, the ground clearance increases to 306 millimeters, turning the car into a real SUV. True, this model ends the similarities with off-road monsters, because despite the rather powerful, 240 horsepower engine with 6 or 8 cylinders, there are no lower gears in the box, and there is no automatic differential lock. Simply put, it is impossible to call this Mercedes an SUV to the full extent of this word. This is more of a city car, but the most convenient and, of course, reliable, like everything released by this eminent brand.

Do you dream of a car that combines the qualities of a real SUV, but at the same time one that feels comfortable in an urban environment? Be sure to pay attention to this masterpiece of the English car industry. So, let's start with the urban environment. The standard clearance of this car is 240 millimeters. This is a fairly tall car that will easily overcome various bumps in the road. An 8-speed automatic transmission will also help you feel comfortable.

If we leave the city and go on a bumpy off-road, then by pressing just one button we increase the ground clearance to 309 millimeters. Yes Yes exactly. The car rises by 7 centimeters, and additional assistance will be provided by an automatic differential lock and the presence of low gears in the box. Simply put, this is the best combination of an SUV and a city car. And we are still silent about additional options, of which there are just a lot. Of course, for the possession of such a car you have to pay, and a lot. The price is the main drawback, if I may say so, of all the cars of this concern.

Before us is a bright representative of the high-quality Japanese car industry, which falls under the category of budget cars. This is a relatively inexpensive car, pleasing with many parameters, including a high ground clearance of 180 millimeters. But first of all, it is distinguished by reliability and build quality.As tests show, the car is very reliable, which means that you can safely go on a long journey.

By the way, there is everything for long trips. The car is the most comfortable. The rear seats easily accommodate three adults, and the driver has the ability to adjust his seat in several planes. An ideal choice for people who value not only build quality, but also comfort. As for the technical aspects, the car cannot boast of any sky-high performance. Under its hood is a 1.6 or two liter engine with up to 144 horsepower. The power of a one and a half liter engine is much less - only 105 horses, but even this is quite enough to feel normal in an urban environment and on the highway.

For many motorists, BMW is the standard of quality and excellence. Yes, you can’t call the budget products of the German auto industry, but here all the technical characteristics are at their best, and even more so in the restyled X6 model. So, how is this car different from its predecessors? First of all - ground clearance, increased to 195 millimeters, which equates this model to SUVs. True, you cannot call it such, since there is no lockable differential and low gears.

But there is an 8-cylinder engine that produces almost 600 horsepower. A real monster that knows no equal both in the urban environment and on the race track. Up to a hundred kilometers, this car accelerates in just 4.2 seconds, and can easily give odds even to many sports cars.And also in the M version, special sports seats were added, and the appearance was slightly changed. The changes affected only body kits, but they give the X6 that very brutal appearance.

Before us is an inexpensive car of excellent quality. In fact, this is the most budget crossover with a high ground clearance of 200 millimeters. Of course, this will not be enough to overcome difficult bumps, but the car does not set such goals. This is an inexpensive, city car that can please the driver and passengers with the maximum level of comfort. The back easily accommodates 3 adults, and the trunk volume is 700 liters.

The engine is also installed optimally here. Its volume is 2.4 liters, and the output power is 167 horsepower. The ideal size for urban travel, allowing you to quickly pick up speed and not feel overloaded with a full seat and a loaded trunk. And finally, the main advantage is the price. We have already said that this is the most budget car in our ranking, but other than that, it can be safely called the perfect combination of price and quality.

Speaking of German cars, the first thing that comes to mind is reliability, quality and durability. And indeed it is. No matter what you choose, Mercedes, BMW or Porsche, it will be a very reliable car with top performance. Of the Porsche lineup, the most famous option in Russia is, of course, the Cayenne.A large SUV that perfectly combines the maximum level of comfort and high cross-country ability.

Note that this is exactly an SUV, and not only due to the high ground clearance of 215 millimeters, but also the presence of a lockable differential, as well as low gears in the box. Such a car will easily overcome difficult obstacles, of course, if you are ready to overcome them in a car worth five million. At the same time, you will feel as comfortable as possible while driving. All Cayennes are equipped with the latest technology. It has everything known to automotive engineers today. The ideal car for any need, for which there are practically no obstacles and difficulties.

The top of the top is occupied by the Jeep Wrangler. The real personification of the all-terrain vehicle. A car that has been leading in its segment for many years and has practically no competitors. There are no obstacles for her, and even if you get stuck in the deepest hole, you do not have to look for a tractor. On the contrary, you yourself can act as a tractor, pulling less passable colleagues out of the swamps. On board this monster has everything you need for difficult trips, even a winch comes standard.

Are there any disadvantages here? Probably not, except for the rather utilitarian appearance, which has long become the hallmark of this model. Broken lines and the lack of smooth transitions make the Wrangler as brutal and harsh as possible. The car clearly stands out in an urban environment, hinting with its whole appearance that it is uncomfortable on smooth and straight roads.And despite such characteristics, Wrangler is often chosen by people who do not often storm off-road. It is difficult to understand their motivation, but if necessary, they will easily cross even the Siberian taiga.