How I turned my crossover into a budget adventure vehicle

I’ve driven a lot of different vehicles in my day. Looking back, I’ve sat behind the wheel of an Impala, a Batmobile-esque 1980s Monte Carlo Supersport, a much tamer appearing 2000s era Monte Carlo, a GMC Safari van, and even a 1986 Corvette. Of all the vehicles I’ve owned, my favorite is my 2001 Ford Ranger which; which, to be clear, I purchased in 2019. Now, through the twists and turns of life, and the serpentine course of the last few years, I’m driving a 2018 Kia Sorento, formerly my wife’s daily driver. 

Yep, I’m behind the wheel of a dad-mobile. But don’t you worry, I’m still getting after it. In fact, yes, the Kia is a decent little adventure vehicle… as long as I don’t forget its limitations. 

As a heads up, if you’re looking for practical advice on making an SUV or crossover your adventure rig, I’m not an expert. I’ll share some of what I’ve picked up along the way, but this is really more of an exploration of what you’re driving, with a little bit of waxing philosophical thrown in. Tucked in the digital marginalia, so to speak, you’ll find a few explanations of how I’ve tweaked my setup to make it a little more adventure friendly. I hope it’s helpful, but I’m not a mechanic or even a car guy so your mileage may vary. Literally.

But this is for everyone who’s looked at Instagram, seen $80,000 overland builds with rooftop tents and lift kits, and thought, “I guess I can’t do that.” To hell with that. If you’ve got a reliable vehicle and a little creativity, you can probably have a lot more adventures than you think.

My old trucks

Like a suburban soccer dad, I’m kicking around in a midsize crossover these days. It is neither tough nor intimidating. Of course, my first truck, the 2001 Ford Ranger, didn’t look very tough either. For hardcore truck guys with lift kits, brush guards, after-market lighting, and all that, it barely registered as a truck at all, and there was nothing intimidating about it. It was old enough to drink, had more than a few miles on it, and she acted her age. She eventually would make it to 70 mph, but she much preferred cruising at 65 or lower. She had rust spots everywhere, including one big rust spot that covered most of the undercarriage. But that Ranger did everything I needed it to do. It got me to and from my job as a house painter, it hauled lumber and backpacking gear, and it carried me and Inkling all over Forest Service roads in the Black Hills. Back then, we only had one dog. 

I loved that truck, but they say all good things must come to an end. I got a job that required commuting about 120 miles round trip each day, and I decided to upgrade to a 2017 Ford F-150. It was arguably “better” in most ways, although I did miss the simplicity of the old Ranger. Still, she performed admirably and later, when we had a kid, it turned out I needed that extended cab to accommodate a car seat. 

But the wheel never stops turning, and following a hailstorm-precipitated insurance claim, I ended up in a very similar F-150. Except this one was, let’s say lemon-flavored. It made constant trips to the shop and may have even caught fire once. I tossed way too much money into that truck before we finally parted ways. When I spoke to my mechanic and told him that I had gotten rid of it, he said, pointedly, “Thank god.”

And thus, now my wife’s former Sorento is my new ride. 

It’s not all bad, but the fact is that my little crossover doesn’t compare to a truck. Even tougher SUVs don’t really compare when it comes to doing “truck stuff.” That doesn’t mean that they’re bad vehicles, It means that they’re made with a different purpose in mind, even when many are marketed to make you believe that they’re just trucks without beds. 

Marketing aside, it’s okay that not every SUV or crossover is a badass rig. Somewhere along the way we’ve convinced ourselves that every adventure requires a lifted truck, locking differentials, aggressive tires, and enough accessories to invade a small country. That’s great if it’s your jam. But if you just want to get outside, find a trailhead, haul a kayak, or take your family camping, you probably don’t need nearly as much vehicle as social media would have you believe.

Truck vs. SUV vs. Crossover: which do you actually need?

Now is a good time to clear something up. Once upon a time, the terms SUV and crossover were distinct. Crossovers were built like cars, using unibody construction. They were designed with more emphasis on comfort and fuel economy than heavy-duty capability, and they were targeted toward traditional on-road commuting and vehicle use. 

SUVs, on the other hand, were built more like trucks. They used body-on-frame construction, like trucks, which gave them higher towing capacities, greater durability, and better off-road capability.

But now… Eh, the labels don’t mean nearly as much. Marketing has slapped “SUV” on just about everything to make vehicles sound tougher. Truth is, nearly all mainstream SUVs sold today,  like the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Ford Edge, and my Kia Sorento, are actually crossovers. And they’re just not built to take the same abuse as trucks and traditional SUVs. 

You can still find true, body-on-frame SUVs out there, like the Toyota 4Runner, Ford Bronco, Chevy Tahoe, Nissan Armada, and maybe even the Jeep Wrangler. These are much more comparable to trucks than my Sorento, particularly when it comes to towing, durability, and off-road performance. 

But again, the terms SUV and crossover are used so interchangeably in marketing and by the general public that there’s little value in trying to differentiate in casual conversation. I’ll be the first to admit that I use the term SUV for pretty much everything.

The point that I’m making is that while there are some SUVs, like the 4Runner or Bronco, that can do much of what a midsize truck can do, at least in terms of off-roading and towing capability, most vehicles people call SUVs are actually crossovers. They’re designed much more like cars than trucks, and understanding that helps set realistic expectations for what you can do with them.

The bed

Of course, the most noticeable difference between SUVs and trucks is the pickup bed. Although there are exceptions, like the Honda Ridgeline, Hyundai Santa Cruz, Chevrolet Avalanche, and a few others. 

There’s also the Subaru Baja which is its own weird thing and I mean that in the most affectionate way possible. There’s also the Ford Maverick, which is another interesting outlier: a pickup that’s built more like a crossover than a traditional truck.

And who could forget the El Camino, right?

Still, these vehicles are exceptions, not the rule. And the bed is part of what makes a truck so handy. Yes, you can haul lumber, soil, firewood, and deer carcasses in an SUV, but it’s a whole lot easier when you’ve got an open bed you don’t mind scratching up or getting dirty. 

The bed also gives you flexibility. Dirty gear, muddy boots, gas cans, coolers, generators, chainsaws, and other things you’d rather not put inside the passenger compartment can simply be tossed in the back. That’s a convenience that’s hard to replicate.

That said, don’t sell your crossover short. A hitch basket, roof rack, cargo box, or small utility trailer can close much of that gap for a fraction of the cost of buying another vehicle. It may not be as convenient as a truck, but it’s often more than good enough for weekend adventures.

GVWR

The GVWR, or Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, is the maximum safe operating weight of your vehicle. That includes the weight of the vehicle itself, the driver and all passengers, cargo, gear, fuel, fluids, aftermarket accessories, and anything else you’re carrying.

Remember how trucks are built on body-on-frame chassis? That’s one reason many trucks have a higher GVWR. Add heavier-duty suspension components, axles, brakes, and cooling systems, and you’ve got a vehicle that’s designed to carry heavier loads without excessive wear or strain.

In a crossover, like my Kia Sorento, the GVWR is generally lower because it’s built on a unibody design, which is more like a passenger car. Even when crossovers advertise impressive horsepower, their structure, suspension, and braking systems ultimately determine how much weight they can safely carry. Some true body-on-frame SUVs compete well with midsize trucks, but full-size pickups are still in a league of their own when maximum payload and towing are the priority.

Engine tuning

We can make a similar observation about engine tuning. Most trucks are engineered to produce strong low-end torque, delivering steady pulling force under load. A crossover is generally tuned for smoother daily driving and responsive acceleration, which often means making its power at higher RPM. That’s why two vehicles with similar horsepower ratings, like my Sorento and a Chevy Colorado, can perform so differently when asked to tow a trailer or haul a heavy load.

Horsepower tells you how much work an engine can do. Torque tells you how effectively it can get that work moving. For trucks, torque is usually the more important number.

AWD vs. 4WD

The last mechanical difference worth mentioning is the difference between all-wheel drive and four-wheel drive, or AWD and 4WD. These systems seem similar, but they actually do different things. Once again, marketing has muddied the waters here, which is why you see crazy stuff happening, like people getting Tellurides stuck on offroad trails that are intended for trucks.  

AWD and 4WD systems both provide power to all four of a vehicle’s wheels, but they do it differently and for different reasons. 

AWD is automatic. It uses sensors and computers to constantly adjust  where power goes, usually prioritizing traction, stability, and fuel efficiency. On your daily commute, AWD shines quietly in rain, snow, slush, and ice. On the highway, it improves stability in poor weather, but most of the time you’ll never notice it’s working. AWD systems are designed to help you maintain traction. They aren’t designed to turn a crossover into a rock crawler.

4WD, on the other hand, is deliberate and mechanical. You engage it when conditions require it. Rather than allowing the front and rear axles to operate independently, most traditional part-time 4WD systems mechanically lock them together, creating a roughly 50/50 torque split.

You shouldn’t use traditional 4WD on dry pavement because the drivetrain can’t easily relieve the stress created when the front and rear axles rotate at slightly different speeds while turning, damaging the drivetrain. But 4WD is ideal for rough roads, deep snow, mud, sand, rocky trails, and other off-road terrain.

Many 4WD systems also include a low-range transfer case, which multiplies torque at low speeds. That’s what allows trucks to crawl over obstacles, climb steep terrain, and pull heavy loads with far more control than an AWD crossover.

To summarize:

AWD helps you drive confidently in bad weather.
4WD helps you drive through bad decisions and worse roads. 

There is some middle ground though. Lots of modern trucks have an automatic 4WD mode that behaves like AWD on paved roads, but lets you manually engage traditional 4WD when conditions demand it. This is a bit of the best of both worlds. Likewise, some crossovers and SUVs have an AWD Lock mode. My Sorento has this, but it won’t magically make my grocery-getter into an overlander.

Despite the name, it doesn’t actually lock the front or rear differentials. Instead, it tells the AWD system to maintain a much more even front-to-rear power split, typically around 50/50, using an electronically controlled clutch. That’s great for snow-covered highways, muddy Forest Service roads, loose gravel, and getting unstuck at low speeds.

But let’s be clear, even with AWD Lock engaged, I’m still relying on lighter-duty components. I don’t have low-range gearing. I don’t have locking differentials. Ground clearance is still limited. And I’m relying primarily on electronic traction control rather than the heavy-duty mechanical components found in traditional 4WD systems.

What this means

Despite what commercials would have us believe, my crossover is never going to be a rough rider. But she isn’t useless. I can reliably get where I need to go, explore well-maintained Forest Service roads, and, if I’m smart, probably get myself out of whatever minor trouble I manage to get myself into.

The important part is that I know what the vehicle is built to do, and just as importantly, what it isn’t. A truck would probably be better, but I’m not going to wait until I buy another vehicle to do the things I want to do.

I’ll come back to that in a minute.

My current adventure vehicle: the Kia Sorento

I mentioned that the Sorento isn’t tough or intimidating. But luckily, it is reliable. 

Since we bought it in 2018, it has given us no real problems. A minor issue here or there has popped up, but nothing major. It’s been exactly what you want from a daily driver: dependable enough that we’ve rarely thought about it.

Certainly nothing like my lemon-flavored truck of the recent past. 

In fact, Kias have been the most reliable, least problematic vehicles I’ve ever owned. When I first met my wife, she was driving a two-wheel drive, four-cylinder Kia Sportage. I had my doubts about it. People told me that they’re unreliable, that they burned oil, and that they come with a myriad of problems. 

None of that materialized for us. We took that Sportage on two month-long road trips across the western U.S. and put over 150,000 miles on it before trading it in for the Sorento. Toss in the Telluride, which is Clarissa’s new ride, and we’ve had a very good run with Kia vehicles.

I know that’s not everyone’s experience, and every manufacturer has its horror stories, but ours have served us well. If they made a truck for the US market, or started producing the Tasman stateside, I would absolutely be interested. But for now, I’m just making the most out of the Sorento. 

The magic of no payments

I like the Sorento well enough, and it’s largely capable of doing the things I want to do. It’s true that a truck would do most of them better, or at least more easily. I like trucks, and it’s common knowledge that I would like to have another truck in the future. 

But the Sorento has another quality that clinches the deal for now; she’s paid off. Sure, we still pay for insurance, registration, maintenance, gas and cute bumper stickers, but we own the ride free and clear.

That may not seem like a big deal, but it’s huge for me right now. We’re working to aggressively pay off debt, and not having an additional vehicle payment means we can throw that money directly at the principal. Every month we don’t have a truck payment is another month we’re buying a little more financial freedom instead.

Think about it. A new truck with enough room for me and the family would probably cost well over $30,000. More realistically, I’d probably be shopping somewhere around $45,000 or more. That would likely mean a monthly payment of at least $600, possibly much more depending on interest rates and financing. That’s a lot of money.

To be clear, I’m not making a moral judgment about that. If you want to spend that, or more, on a vehicle payment, that’s your choice. Some people think it’s absolutely worth it. 

But for me, right now, I’d rather put that money toward paying off debt, having experiences with my family, upgrading gear, or saving for the next adventure. Those things matter more to me than driving the perfect adventure vehicle. When the time comes to buy my next truck, I’m probably buying an older, well-maintained truck for my next adventure mobile. Until then, I’m going to make the most of the Sorento.

Because here’s the thing: the paid-off vehicle sitting in your driveway is often a better adventure vehicle than a brand-new one on a dealership lot that you need to finance. Only one of them will get you outside right now. 

And once you have something shiny and new, are you prepared to let the rocky roads, low-hanging branches, and flying debris kick the shit out of it? Let me tell you, once a bison has planted its hooves on the hood of your Sorento, a few nicks and dings don’t really bother you anymore. 

Making it a better adventure vehicle

Since I’m trying to get as much utility as possible out of a crossover, I’ve made some changes to bring the Sorento more in line with the things I’m trying to do. Let me be transparent; it’s not perfect. Even with these adjustments, a crossover won’t magically become a truck. There are always compromises, but overall, a handful of reasonably inexpensive upgrades have made it noticeably more useful for the kinds of adventures I enjoy. 

Tires

Although this isn’t an upgrade, I think it’s worth mentioning tires. These are the only part of your vehicle that touches the ground, unless something has gone wrong. A quality set of all-terrain or all-weather tires can improve traction on gravel, mud, snow, and Forest Service roads far more than anything else you can buy for a crossover. But a word of advice here: buy the tires that match the adventures you actually have, not the ones you imagine having someday. That means if you’re doing a lot of highway driving, you probably don’t need a knobby set of off-road tires. I run high-quality all-terrain tires right now to balance my time on the pavement with my time on Forest Service roads. 

Hitch

After good tires, I think the best investment is a trailer hitch receiver. Some Sorentos come with a factory towing package, which includes a hitch receiver already. My current vehicular needs and wants weren’t on the radar when we bought our Sorento in 2018, so ours didn’t come with that package.

Luckily, there’s a pretty straightforward solution: an aftermarket hitch receiver.

I bought this CURT hitch off Amazon. There are cheaper options available, but because I wanted the ability to use it as a proper recovery point—more on that in a moment—it was important to me to buy something from a pretty reliable brand. 

My best friend Tim, who is significantly more knowledgeable and experienced in all things automotive, helped me install it. Or, to put it more accurately, he did most of the work while I tightened some bolts and held the light. While we were down there, we installed a trailer wiring harness, just in case I ever need to run brake lights on an accessory. I’m pretty confident that I could have done this work myself, but it would have taken much longer. 

If you don’t have a Tim you can count on, or you’d rather not crawl around underneath your vehicle, most U-Haul locations will install a hitch receiver for a reasonable price.

Let’s talk about the trailer hitch for a second, because it’s very unlikely that I’ll ever tow anything. Adding the hitch has given me the ability to connect things to the back of my ride, but it hasn’t increased my towing capacity. Remember, I don’t have the towing package, and according to Kia, my Sorento can only pull 2,000 lbs. I could pull a small pop-up camper or a small utility trailer, but the weight adds up quickly, and I’ve decided to prioritize the longevity of the vehicle. I could do some additional work to increase my towing capacity, but I don’t think it would be a judicious use of money right now. 

What the hitch has done, however, is give me the ability to add useful accessories. I have a bike rack that can carry both my bike and Clarissa’s while Tom’s bike trailer rides in the back. I’ve also picked up a hitch-mounted cargo basket, which has been fantastic for camping gear and even hauling a deer home after a successful hunt. 

If you’re trying to make a crossover more adventure-friendly, I think a hitch receiver is probably the highest-value upgrade you can make simply because it opens the door to so many useful accessories.

Recovery shackle

Just as important, the hitch receiver has given me a place to mount a recovery shackle. Remember how I mentioned safety? That’s what the shackle is for. 

Let me be abundantly clear, I’m not using it to recover other vehicles. That’s a job for a truck, not my Sorento. No, I have the shackle so that someone with the proper equipment can safely pull me out if I manage to get stuck. This is much safer than wrapping a recovery strap around a suspension arm or using the screw-in tow eyes that come on crossovers that are marketed as capable outdoor vehicles. Those are just fine for towing a vehicle onto a flat bed trailer, but they’re not intended to be used for actual recovery, marketing be damned. 

Crossbars

I also bought a set of removable crossbars for the roof, which make it possible for me to strap bulky items up top, or install a rooftop cargo basket or carrier if I decide to in the future. So far, they’ve carried lumber, SUP boards, and last year’s Christmas tree.

My set only cost about one hundred bucks, and they’re pretty decent. Look for a set that is as aerodynamic as possible—avoid any of the super cheap, square bars. Rounded bars are generally quieter at highway speeds and create less wind resistance than square bars.

That said, any crossbars left on your roof will add a little drag and chip away at fuel economy, as well as make some noise, so it can be worth taking them off when you’re not using them.

What makes life better?

These are simple upgrades. Nothing flashy. But they’ve made the Sorento more useful without the cost of a truck payment. 

But the coolest upgrade? It’s a special little add-on. I just reach down and to the left of the steering wheel and press a little red button. 

And then… the theme to the 1989 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon plays through the horn.

It adds zero capability, but makes me smile every single time I use it. And isn’t that worth something too?

Safety first, second, and third

Safety matters, and most of the accessories I throw in the back are safety related. This includes a battery jump starter, a rechargeable air compressor, a small shovel, and traction mats for helping get out of minor messes. Again, none of this stuff is going to make the Sorento into an overlander, but that’s not the point. 

Toss in a decent first-aid kit, some halfway-decent ratchet straps, some work gloves, and a few basic tools and you’ll be more prepared than most people out on the road. 

But the best safety advice I can give you is to understand your vehicle’s limitations and your own capabilities. Back when I drove two-wheel-drive sedans, I still managed to get to some tricky trailheads. I also turned back a lot of times if the going got too rough. While a trailer hitch with a recovery shackle can help someone pull you out of a shitty situation, it’s far better to avoid the trouble in the first place.

Yes, you can go adventuring with whatever vehicle you’ve got. But let me be crystal clear here: no amount of tweaking, adjustment, or accessorizing is going to turn my crossover into a badass 4×4 overlander. It’s capabilities are mechanically limited, and all the sweet bumper stickers and custom floor mats in the world aren’t going to change that. Your vehicle, whatever it is, has limitations too. But once you accept that, and come to understand those limitations, you’ll also understand what its capabilities are.

Pay attention, be mindful, and don’t be afraid to bail out. Don’t get on the news for getting your rig stuck somewhere it shouldn’t have gone. Trust me, there are plenty of cool roads to explore with whatever you’re driving without putting yourself in unnecessary danger. Just don’t ask your machine to do something it isn’t capable of doing. 

An informed brain with sound judgment is the best accessory you can have, no matter what you’re driving. 

They’re all just vehicles

No matter what I add to my rig, it’s never going to be an overlander or a tough work truck. It just isn’t what Kia designed it to do. But you know what? I’m still making the most of it. I’ve camped in the back, hauled a deer out of the woods, and carried cargo on the roof. We’ve hauled our bikes, carried firewood and a cooler, and ferried the family to trailheads all over the Black Hills. 

None of this requires the perfect vehicle. No car payment needed.

And I’ll tell you, on Monday mornings, when I pull into the parking lot at work, I see a lot of clean, shiny trucks and scratch-free Jeeps. I see cool accessories, winches, and recovery shackles in pristine condition. Maybe the owners are just meticulous about keeping things clean, or maybe they’re smarter than I am.

But I suspect lots of those vehicles never leave the pavement, 

That’s okay. I don’t make the payments on them, so it’s none of my business. What I can tell you, though, is that I always find a spot among the dirty, beat up, used-and-abused rides. I take my scratched up, mud-spattered, dog hair and dirt-filled Sorento with the bison hoofprint on the hood and the Reptile Gardens sticker on the back, and park it alongside the other well-loved trucks, SUVs, and cars. As I hop out and start walking to the building, I know my rig has stories to tell. 

I’m not telling you that a crossover, or even a tough SUV, can do everything that a truck can do. They can’t. They’re different vehicles built for different purposes, and a truck really is the better tool for lots of jobs. 

But that’s not the point. 

Too many people postpone the experiences they want while waiting for the perfect adventure vehicle, the perfect gear, the perfect schedule, or the perfect time. But life has a funny way of making sure that perfect never quite arrives.

So, if you want to do something, figure out how to do the best you can with what you’ve got. 

Sleep in a car, haul wood on a crossover, throw a trailer hitch basket on your SUV if you want to start hunting—or put a kiddie pool in the rear hatch. Just don’t wait to buy a new ride. 

By all means, be careful. Check your tire pressure, be mindful of what you’re doing, always let someone know your plans, and don’t get your Chevy Impala stuck trying to drive the Rubicon Trail. Get to know what your vehicle can and can’t do.

But don’t assume that because you don’t own a lifted truck, you can’t explore. You’ll get dusty and dirty, and maybe pick up some scratches or dings, but it’s just a car. They’re all just vehicles in the end, and they’re meant to enable us to do the things we want to do.

Memories are worth more than unblemished paint, so to hell with resale value. Go get dirty.