5 SUVs With Higher Ground Clearance Than A Jeep Wrangler

The Jeep Wrangler has long been the dominant force in off-road conversations, with its cult-like following, massive aftermarket support, and go-anywhere capabilities, particularly on trims like the Rubicon. For 2026, even the base model Wrangler comes with a (minimum) ground clearance of 9.7 inches, which is crazy to think about. But the automotive world has evolved a lot since 1986, which is when the first Wrangler was introduced to the world. Using things like air suspension tech, four-wheel drive systems, and a bit of engineering, OEMs are now able to make vehicles that match or even exceed the Wrangler's ground clearance while offering much more comfort and refinement. Ground clearance is important because, in some ways, it is the base metric for off-road capability in any vehicle. 

Ground clearance determines what obstacles can be cleared without catastrophic undercarriage damage, and is the difference between confidently rock-crawling and nervously creeping over speed bumps in parking lots. Some of the models we've listed may use ground clearance figures available only in specific modes on other cars. This, in our opinion, is fair, because the Wrangler also gets an unfair advantage with its massive stock tires, which are 35 inches from the factory (on certain trims) – while the tires on most SUVs would range between 17 and 22 inches. So then, with all that said, here are five SUVs with higher ground clearance than a Jeep Wrangler.

If there's ever a vehicle that is the best of all worlds, it has to be the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk. There's a spec for every type of buyer, including the absolutely insane Trackhawk, the basic people-hauling Cherokee, and the Grand Cherokee for those who want a little more luxury. The Trailhawk holds its own with a ground clearance of 11.3 inches with the air suspension, which, while impressive, is still the lowest on this list — which is absolutely wild to think about. The model was introduced back in 1992 and has not really changed much since, retaining its boxy wagon shape. In 2026, it has seating for up to seven passengers. Also impressive is the cargo space in this behemoth, which comes in at an okayish 17.2 cubic feet in the three-row model, but a stellar 37.7 cubic feet in the two-row model. 

The standard engine is a 3.6-liter V6 unit that produces all of 293 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 RPM, which sounds adequate until people learn of the 4,863-pound curb weight of the vehicle. This engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, and while it would have been nice to have a couple more gears, it does the job just fine. Pricing, however, is another issue altogether, with the starting MSRP for the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk coming in at a whopping $40,585, and that's before a frankly ridiculous $1,995 destination freight charge is tacked on, and whatever dealer markups are in force at the moment.

Next up is the 2025 Range Rover, Land Rover's luxury offering. Arguably, the Range Rover was the first off-road luxury SUV, envisioned as the go-to vehicle for the gentleman farmers of the  British countryside, but it has since become rather popular across the world. People are often surprised to learn that, though the Range Rover has been in production since 1970, there have really only been five major generations of the car, excluding, of course, derivative models like the Evoque, Sport, and Velar. 

The modern Range Rover is more of a pavement princess than anything else, but for owners who do choose to test out the off-roading chops on their land yacht, ground clearance is an ample 11.6 inches when the air suspension is at maximum height. That's nearly a foot of ground clearance, on an SUV that will likely spend most of its life fording puddles and climbing curbs, at best — talk about overkill. In 2025, the base power unit in the Range Rover is a 3-liter inline-six that makes a whopping 395 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque at 2,000 RPM. 

There are standard- and extended-wheelbase versions, with seating for up to seven passengers in the extended-wheelbase version. The Range Rover is also at the top of the Land Rover lineup when ranked by cargo space. The base MSRP is an eye-watering $113,300 with $2,150 in destination fees. Unsurprisingly, numbers like that help put Range Rover among the worst depreciating car brands on the market.

Next, we have another go-anywhere machine from across the pond in the U.K., in the form of the Land Rover Defender. First released in 1983 as the 110, though its predecessor came out in 1948, the Defender looked aesthetically similar to previous models until 2020, which is when a major redesign was done, and, much to the chagrin of enthusiasts, switched to a unibody design. However, the new L663-generation Defenders look impressive and perform decently, too. 

The Defender is available in three body and seating configurations, which are the two-door 90, five-door 110, and five-door 130, which are ordered by size from smallest to largest. Of these, the 130 is the largest and can seat up to eight passengers, while the P110 accommodates up to seven. The base power unit on the 110 is a 2.0-liter inline-four engine that makes 296 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, though a number of other options are available to buyers. The most powerful engine in the lineup is the twin-turbo V8 in the flagship Octa trim, which delivers 626 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque, though this option significantly increases the price. 

In terms of ground clearance, the maximum ride height on the off-road-focused Octa-edition Defenders can reach up to 12 inches in certain modes. As can be expected, these boxy SUVs command a significant premium over the rest of the market, with the P110 coming in with a base MSRP of $63,500 in 2026, while the top-tier Octa Black demands $168,700 to start, and that's before $1,850 in destination charges.

Our next vehicle brings us back stateside and comes to us in the form of the Bronco by the blue oval company. The Bronco is Ford's only off-road-focused model, though some would argue that the F-150 is as well, but that's a debate for another day. It is a smaller-than-usual SUV with a 116.1-inch wheelbase and an overall bumper-to-bumper length of 191 inches. It seats five passengers, though rear legroom is limited to 36.3 inches. 

With a respectable minimum of 13.1 inches of ground clearance on Raptor trims, the Bronco is a formidable force off-road, given that its floor stands more than a foot above the road. Power for the Raptor-trim Bronco comes from a twin-turbo 3-liter V6 power unit that produces 418 hp at 5,750 RPM alongside 440 lb-ft of torque at 3,250 RPM, mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. 

The non-Raptor trims get a smaller, less powerful 2.7-liter inline-six engine that makes a still-respectable 300 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque, while being paired to the same 10-speed transmission as before. Raptor buyers may find the price hard to stomach. In 2026, a base Bronco will have a base MSRP of $40,495, while Raptor models have an introductory MSRP of $79,995, which is eye-wateringly expensive. For reference, the F-150 Raptor starts at $81,600, and that's before the destination charge of $1,995 for the Bronco and $2,595 for the F-150.

Next up, we have the first and only electric powertrain vehicle on our list, and it comes to us in the form of the GMC Hummer EV. It was released back in 2021, when the world and automakers in general were very bullish on the future of electric cars and trucks, and can seat up to five passengers. While the new Hummer EV SUV has gotten a bashing from the press, its off-road capabilities absolutely cannot be faulted. Its 22-inch wheels ride on tires with a profile of LT305/55R22, coupled with a maximum ground clearance of 16 inches – that's the best on this list so far — make it a force to contend with when pounding trails. 

Being an electric vehicle, the Hummer EV eschews a traditional engine in favor of two electric motors, capable of making 570 hp, though an optional three-motor model makes 1,000 hp. The instantaneous torque available from electric powertrains is the stuff of legend, and so it is on this SUV, which has a torque figure of 1,200 lb-ft available from basically the get-go. 

Given that it's positioned as a premium electric vehicle from a premium General Motors brand, the MSRP is not what most would consider affordable or even reasonable. In 2026, the GMC Hummer EV has a base sticker price of $97,200 and a destination freight charge of $2,495, bringing the total out-the-door price to at least $99,695. However, given the Hummer EV's lackluster sales performance, it might be fair to expect the price to drop.