Episode 8 of the Project [S]Cars podcast features Brett and Kyle with Seyth out on vacation, and they’re using all this newfound freedom to figure out how to get into real off-roading without spending many tens of thousands of dollars on a fancy new truck or SUV, and instead spending all that money on parts and mods during the CARiD ID Days promotion.
Speaking of fancy new off-road trucks, Brett is looking forward to the delivery of a 2024 GMC Canyon AT4X AEV edition with a whopping nearly-$68,000 price tag. It looks like one hell of a truck, but that asking price is pushing it for a midsize.
Despite his normally questionable recommendations, Kyle’s first pick for a cheap off-roader is the totally awesome, totally capable and still weirdly under-the-radar Nissan Xterra. He found a nice yellow one with a naturally aspirated motor and an automatic gearbox for under $6,000 and it inspires a trip down memory lane for Brett who pulls up the original ad from the Xterra’s debut.
Brett counters with the Suzuki XL7, another under-appreciated gem that never sold especially well in the US, but which had big success overseas. He champions its narrow body and surprisingly capable running gear, while both he and Kyle lament the lack of boring cloth interiors in modern cars.
Practicality goes way downhill from there with a more typical Kyle pick – a Land Rover – and a Korean-domestic-market badge-engineered Mitsubishi Montero in eye-searing yellow both inside and out.
As to the rest, you’ll just have to kick back and listen until Brett’s internet fails him and he disappears back into the matrix.
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