If you are an archaeologist, you need a vehicle that will take you off the beaten path. After all, that’s where you spend a good deal of your time. And that means that you will need, ideally, an SUV or a truck. Four-wheel drive is likely to be a necessity.
With these requirements in mind, we have evaluated several used vehicles that we think would be appropriate for archeologists, and have identified five that we think are the best. They are the Toyota Sequoia, Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, Nissan XTerra Off-Road, Dodge Ram 1500, and Jeep Wrangler Rubicon.
Toyota Sequoia: This is a very serviceable vehicle, with body on frame construction and locking time slip differential, and it will get you where you need to go. Toyota’s reputation for serious off-road capability is well-earned, and very apparent in the Sequoia.
Land Rover Range Rover Evoque: In years past, Land Rover has morphed somewhat from its reputation as a serious off-road vehicle to more of a luxury SUV niche, but it has done so without sacrificing any of the “go anywhere” capability it’s known for. The Range Rover Evoque has no shortage of bells and whistles, but it is, at its essence, still a Land Rover.
Nissan XTerra Off-Road: This is an economically priced SUV, but don’t be fooled. It packs features that you might expect in a more expensive model, like a boxed ladder frame, two-speed transfer case and locking rear differential. This is a good, solid off-roader that will serve the archeologist well.
Dodge Ram 1500: This is a good looking truck, with a powerful V8 engine. It features a shift-on-the-fly transfer case, and locking 4WD. It has a 5-ton towing capacity, so if you need to move a trailer onto the site, you’ll have no difficulty doing so. It’s also a surprisingly comfortable ride.
Jeep Wrangler Rubicon: You could think of the Rubicon as the mountain goat of off-road vehicles – it’s not built for speed, and it’s not the most beautiful SUV on the market, but it’s solid and reliable, and it can navigate even the roughest terrain. The Rubicon features skid plates, rock rails and a 73.1 crawl ratio.
