MUD ’N’ RUTS

In January, we Big Tested eight compact SUVs and ranked the rugged but aging Jeep Cherokee seventh, adding this caveat: “If you’re planning to take your compact CUV off-roading, bump the Cherokee to the top of your list.”

But then we wondered, with so many new entrants, is the Cherokee still the king of the hill among soft-roaders? The Toyota RAV4 Adventure trim level now gets a Jeep-ish Multi-Terrain Select dial, Mud & Sand and Rock & Dirt settings, hill descent control (HDC), a new torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system, and increased ground clearance (8.6 inches versus other RAV4s’ 8.4).

Despite their car-based platforms, the upgrades to these two crossovers could make them capable of handling some tough conditions.

But is this enough for Toyota to dethrone Jeep? We ordered up one of each and headed to our local off-road park to find out.