America has always had a love affair with off-roading. Be it in a pickup truck, a dedicated off-roader, or something crazier, America has always loved going off the beaten track. And it doesn’t look as if that love is going away anytime soon if a recent survey is to be believed.
As seen from Hankook Tire’s latest Gauge Index survey, it looks like there are more Americans than ever before who would be willing to go on an off-road adventure. In fact, it looks like America’s love for off-roading is the highest it has ever been.
The survey also looked at what kind of vehicles Americans enjoy the most when it comes to off-road adventures. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it was gasoline-powered vehicles that were more popular, with EVs still lagging behind. Something that manufacturers will no doubt be taking note of.
Hankook’s study also broke down the various generations and what percentage of them are likely to go on an off-road adventure. Incredibly, the study showed that overall, there has been a more than 30 percent increase in Americans going off-roading, showing that the pastime has no sign of slowing down.
How Many Americans Want To Go Off-Road?
The study showed that nearly two-thirds of American drivers still have an interest in going off-road. That is up massively from what the same study said in 2025. In fact, the Gauge Index survey said that 64 percent of Americans want to take an off-road adventure. That is a massive jump of 34 percent from last year.
Hankook polled 1,000 randomly selected American drivers who were above the age of 18 to get their results. The tire manufacturer also broke down the generations of society and how they felt. For Gen Z, 74 percent of respondents said that they were interested in off-roading. Next up came millennials at 72 percent. The study also revealed that 57 percent of Gen X and 42 percent of baby boomers have an interest in taking their car off-road.
What is interesting is that younger drivers are leading the way when it comes to off-road adventures. If younger people are getting hooked on it, that is a good sign for this segment of driving. Hankook also revealed where Americans want to go on these adventures, with wooded trails the most popular by a long shot at 45 percent. Desert terrain was second at just 17 percent, and younger people were more interested in desert adventures than older generations.
What Vehicles Do Americans Want To Take Off-Road?
When it comes to the vehicles off-roaders are using, there aren’t any surprises here. The vast majority said they would opt for an SUV, and there are certainly plenty of options to choose from. Pickup trucks were in second place, as they can often combine the best of utility and ruggedness with practicality. Incredibly, a small number of people said they’d like to off-road in a sedan.
Out of the 1,000 people in the survey, 52 percent said they would choose an SUV. Pickup trucks were at 36 percent, and there was a small percentage who opted for the sedans. In terms of propulsion, gasoline-powered vehicles ruled the roost. Some 87 percent of pickup truck buyers chose gasoline over an electric SUV, while 79 percent of specifically SUV buyers also said they would choose gas over electric.