The Must-See Off-Road Trucks, SUVs, and More from the 2023 L.A. Auto Show

At the L.A. auto show, you’d expect to find the usual off-roaders—the Chevrolet Colorados, Ford Broncos, or other standard showroom floor examples of today’s factory 4×4 hardware. But a slew of truly off-road-worthy vehicles, far separated from the stock rigs you can go buy today with a warranty? That proved to be a pleasant surprise. Usually, modified off-roaders are reserved for enthusiast and aftermarket trade shows like SEMA or the Off-Road Expo. Here are our favorite off-road machines from the 2023 L.A. auto show:

One of the biggest displays was by the world renowned dealer and modifier Galpin Auto Sports. This awesome looking Bronco prepped similarly to the heritage-inspired Bronco we featured back in August caught our eyes immediately, but was a four-door and used gold trim instead of Wimbledon White. It was also equipped with a winch bumper with a Warn VR Evo winch, Rigid Industries lights, and a rooftop camper, among other things.

We did get a kick out of this 2023 Outer Banks Bronco that had a military theme with its Cheetah Wrap Sand Storm vinyl wrap (hard to see here), canvas roof, and mean-looking Black Rhino 20-inch Arsenal Wheels with 37×13.50R20 Toyo Open Country M/T Tires. It also had slew of DV8 gear like the bumpers, tubular fender flares, and 12,000-pound winch.

Getting away from the Broncos, of which Galpin had quite a few of, this 2024 Ford F-350 Super Duty with its 6.7-liter Powerstroke turbodiesel engine was brought back to its roots thanks to this great looking two-tone paint job.

It really gives you that feeling of going back in time when trucks regularly shipped with these simple, yet timeless exterior designs. Even in 2023, this still is a great look for any truck and we’d love to see it make a comeback beyond dealer specials.

Of course, fun paint aside, you are reminded that this is a new truck thanks to its large wheels and skinny tires. These 24-inch American Force wheels are wrapped in a set of Toyo Open Country MT tires sized in at 37×13.50R24 all around. It’s still a good look for a truck that will most likely be used primarily on the street, even if the rolling stock undermines the off-road mission.

Just across from that heritage-inspired F-250 was a tastefully modified Land Rover Defender 110. It was set beside the modern example of the Defender 110 and shows just how drastic the body change has really been. Still, this old-school Defender is ready with its beefier tires, exo roof rack, and rock-ready sidesteps.

Just before the off-roady Porsche scene was about to be turned upside-down by the factory-made 2023 911 Dakar, Galpin crafted this Safari-themed 1974 Carrera. The ’70s stripe theme is amazing, no?

It even features a functional roll bar and harnesses for this Targa-topped Safari Porsche.

Plus, there is a proper set of Safari-ready wheels with these Braid Fullrace A 16-inchers with a set of BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A tires in LT215/65R16. This wheel and tire combo can fit under the fenders thanks to a Stage 4 Elephant Racing Safari suspension with MCS coilovers to keep the body in full control. This modern suspension is backed by a modern 986 Boxster brake system all around.

Of course, no true safari-ready vehicle can really be called such without a set of off-road lights. This 1974 Carrera uses a functional set of TRE lights within its hood-mounted TRE lightbar (and, as seen here, a cover). Another interesting bit are the speedholes cut into the front bumper and its period correct 1973-inspired ducktail spoiler on the rear deck.

Staying with the safari-theme, Ford had the 2023 Tjin Edition Mustang Mach-E Safari Concept in its large L.A. Auto Show Booth. While it’s wild enough to see a Mach-E with a set of widebody fender extensions and hood-mounted Rigid Industries lights, the wildest part is under the hood. Yes, what you see is a Warn Epic Hawse fairlead and Factor 55 Ultrahook, but they aren’t just mounted to the false grille for show. Underhood is a Warn Zeon 8-S winch mounted beside an Optima yellow-top 12-volt battery.

To really get this Mach-E safari-ready, a custom RPG Offroad suspension lifts the electrified Mustang to fit a set of 18-inch Black Rhino Barrage wheels with a set of Falken Wildpeak AT3W tires sized at 265/60R18. Behind each tire is a Rally Armor mudflap for that rally-esque aesthetic.

On the custom rear bumper is a bike rack, instead of a standard pedal bicycle, you’ll find a Monday Motorbikes Anza 750S Midnight Edition electric-bicycle with the 48-volt dual-battery system. That’s good for 1,344 Watts of capacity for its 750-Watt motor. We have to say, the use of a light within the rear fender is an interesting touch, too. It adds a bit of character to the rear of this already unique Mustang Mach-E.

Though, we can’t help but love the Wilderness display that Subaru had in its booth. Among the three Subaru Wilderness models on display, this 2024 Forester was given the “mud” treatment while a matching 2024 Outback was given the “snow” version. The only disappointing part is the fact the mud and snow are all fake—and neither was applied to the newer 2025 Forester Wilderness—but we suppose there isn’t really a good way to bring in real snow and not let it melt inside the L.A. Convention Center. Hopefully fake mud won’t become the next “mall crawler” trend after this.

We’re big suckers for any Meyers Manx, and the Resorter is a “reimagined” dune buggy for the electrified era. As it sits here, it meets the Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV) standard and will only do 25 mph, but does so as a twin-motor four-seater. It also features air conditioning, heating, power steering, regen braking, and more. Hey, it sure as heck beats your typical golf cart that gets classified as a NEV.