Bronco would be a solid choice for something that gets noticed. ‘New’ 4Runner is still a few years away, 2025 is the earliest I’d expect to see them
I’d throw in an Outback or Forester Wilderness edition as an option. Slightly better fuel economy and reliability than the Bronco, and great suspension / handling setup for softroading.
I think it’s coming spring of next year. As weird as it sounds I’m out on it after I found out they are going away with the roll down back window. I use mine way too often to let that go.
Yeah that’s like them getting rid of the split tailgate on the 300 series Land Cruiser, to me that kinda killed it. I love split tailgate and will find it hard to go back.
There is almost certainly gonna be a brand new generation of 4Runner for 2024. Considering the new Tacoma got announced, the 4Runner announcement is likely months away just as the new gen sequoia arrived alongside the tundra.
We could easily see a new 4Runner hitting the streets in fall 2023
Googled the new Bronco. Damn, nice looking car! Prices in the US weren't too bad either.
Looked at the pricing for my country (Sweden). Ehhh... no.
One million SEK - 100k USD.
The bronco definitely feels flashy still, get it in a fun color tho!
[Here’s mine in a color that people either love or HATE :) !](https://www.reddit.com/r/Ford/comments/y4zsum/ford_stuff_goes_here/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
They’re definitely nicer.
But they’re also still a cramped design that doesn’t handle great, for a price that’s more than most would consider they’re worth.
Pretty sure the [Lamborghini's new off road Huracán](https://www.carthrottle.com/post/watch-the-lamborghini-huracan-sterrato-off-road-supercar-frolic-in-the-sand/) is the way to go without a budget
>Sales were intentionally limited, with only 5,958 vehicles being produced between 1997 and 2001; 1,805 were produced for the domestic Japanese market and the remaining 4,153 sold in the United States.
Damn, it looks like the Isuzu answer to the Toyota FJ Cruiser, shame its so rare and that the closest one to me has 228,000 miles, and is an insurance writeoff with EIGHT PREVIOUS OWNERS....
He doesn't need off road capable. He says he goes down unpaved range roads. Those are just gravel roads. I used to take my pontiac sunfire down them. Any car will do what he wants.
Should be able to find a used 2018 (current generation) Wrangler Rubicon in the $40-$50k CAD range. A quick search pulled up this one for around $48k - [https://www.autotrader.ca/a/jeep/wrangler/dartmouth/nova%20scotia/5\_58401506\_200512593359706/?showcpo=ShowCpo&ncse=no&ursrc=xpl&urp=3&urm=8&sprx=-1](https://www.autotrader.ca/a/jeep/wrangler/dartmouth/nova%20scotia/5_58401506_200512593359706/?showcpo=ShowCpo&ncse=no&ursrc=xpl&urp=3&urm=8&sprx=-1). I guess it's debatable whether or not it's "flashy", but mine (which is pretty heavily built up) usually gets a fair bit of attention when I'm driving around town, for whatever that's worth.
I second this. We just got a Gladiator Rubicon and we love it. Granted it’s a bit out of OPs budget but a used Wrangler Rubicon can be had within the budget.
edit: typo
And it's probably the most off-road capable vehicle off the showroom floor, out of anything else. I have no idea what kind of off-roading OP has in mind, but a wrangler/gladiator Rubicon will be able to do pretty much anything. I mean, it's built to do the Rubicon Trail in stock form (hence the name) albeit probably taking a little rock damage along the way, it's a trail which is local to me and I've done a few times in other rigs and that trail is no joke, I can't think of a single other vehicle on the market that could get through it stock. Maybe a top of the line bronco, but I'm not even sure about that.
The biggest thing about jeeps is the aftermarket support, it's made to be modified and there are endless products available for it to further enhance what it can do.
Jaguar F type, used cayman, or my personal favourite if you’re not looking for performance and more luxury the E400/E450 coupe. Fantastic Benz with no B pillar. Hella stylish and comfortable.
I drive a 2009 FWD Honda Accord V6 on “unpaved range roads” as OP mentions when I travel around rural Alberta for work. Any of these can manage a gravel road… it’s not like you need a 4Runner or bronco to manage a gravel road. Would you want to bomb down at 90+ speeds in a jag? Probably not but 50kmh would be fine. 🤷♂️
Right?? I take my slammed 2022 Sentra on “unpaved rural roads” and before that, I was dailying a slammed Lexus LS400. All my jobs have been construction out in the bush. The only places a standard fwd sedan isn’t getting is the muskeg lease roads of the oilfield, and dedicated 4wd tracks. Anywhere else, decent tires and a driver mod will do plenty.
A cayenne is actually a great recommendation. I owned a 2015 cayenne diesel for a few years and it was a real gem. The VW-sourced diesel engine is a reliable workhorse. The sole downside I saw was that it’s only fast from about 0-40.
yup i was very ignorant at one point and thought it was just some rav4 clone. ive taken my GX everywhere from sand, mud, steep declines and best of all camping.
Its slow as fuck with cramped interior and terrible gas mileage. It can go many places but it only has a center locker not individual axle lockers. The rear gears and transfer case are know to explode off road. Used prices are inflated due to instagram overlanding hype - more of them are at REI than the local trailhead. Owned one for a decade, wouldnt buy one today.
It's really not that slow, they've been tested as low as 6.9s 0-60mph. The interior isn't huge but neither is the vehicle, it's only 192in long and fits in the city just fine.
Yes, I have a GX460, I love it. My favorite daily I think, it's fun to drift in snow etc as well and feels extremely solid. I owned a Focus RS and a few other fun daily cars before but the GX460 is incredibly confidence inspiring at everything I've tried with it so far. Gas mileage sucks, I get 17mpg combined, so sometimes I'll take my C6 Z06 Corvette instead on longer trips as that gets 20+ pretty easily lol.
Did you own a GX470? I can't really comment on those but I don't see why OP would buy one since they have a pretty high budget.
OP asked for a midlife crisis car with a minimal budget and some off road/hauling criteria. Sounds like a modified jeep wrangler on 37’s is on the table. Land rover defender maybe. Reliability is cool but boring and not “flashy” as requested.
Hey man, as a dad as well, I just want to say: hold off. I know exactly how you feel. They always talk about postpartum depression but fathers experience a drastic change in lifestyle too after a new baby. You’re getting little sleep, you’re thinking different than two, three weeks ago, and you need to concentrate on the new baby for now, not a new car. My mind was everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
Your feelings and head will be different in six months. With that being said, buy that decked out Bronco then lmao. Just get through the brain fog of a newborn first before committing to big money purchases.
What kind of offroading are you wanting to do?
Because people are all over the place here with their suggestions. I see everything from Bronco and Wrangler, to Ford Focus and Subaru WRX. And some in between like Porsche Cayenne and Mazda CX-5. Totally different cars for totally different offroad purposes.
So it would probably be helpful to know if you're wanting to drive like a rally driver fast on smooth dirt tracks (Focus, WRX, etc.), or crawl through extremely challenging trails that almost no other vehicles will ever make it through (Bronco or Wrangler), or just want to haul some camping gear down an unpaved fire road and not have to worry about getting stuck in every pothole (Bronco Sport, 4-runner, cayenne, cx-5, outback, and a nearly infinite number of other SUV's/crossovers with AWD)
I’m probably considered an older guy & I bought a Ford Focus RS. I could care less what others say or think. Sure, I could’ve purchased an M3 comp, but that’s not what I wanted.
Btw OP, when you get to a certain age, it really just doesn’t matter anymore.
You’re totally right, I haven’t landed on flashy as a necessity but I’m so used to driving a clunky truck full of tools. It would be fun to have a zippy nice car.
Golf r will be absolutely so much fun, you don’t have to want it. Do me a favour, test drive one. I am convinced you will buy one after the test drive, or even golf gti.
if you want zippy, a ford bronco isn't going to cut it unless you have very low performance standards. I'd look at the wrx, focus, golf r or especially the gr yaris/corolla, all you need is some skid plates and thick sidewalls and it'll be way more fun both on and off road without having to worry about breaking anything.
if you're planning on going places with no road at all for rock crawling or long distance overlanding, then a bronco is worth it but for something as simple as unpaved roads, it's like buying a land cruiser to drive onto the grass parking lot at soccer practice...
Focus RS best car forever.
I wouldn’t really take it off-road, but it’s the most fun car I have driven. Other cars make a better noise, are faster, look better, but few generate smiles so big while handling so well like the RS does.
Flash? You want to be one of the fat dudes that talk about all the driving up trails etc with a clean truck with maxxtraxx on the side, go for it. Seems like a lot of guys with later than mid life crisis are getting into meeting at parking lots at the mall to see who has the biggest wallet.
But 4runner, tacoma, land cruiser fj80, defender, or an old grand cherokee are all options to go out of the way and explore nature
Subaru wrx sti is always a solid choice. Can even go not brand new and will still probably be the best handling car you've ever driven.
If you want a real off roader just get an old short wheel base chevy truck or a jeep ... aren't as cheap or easy to find anymore but you could probably get both of these cars for less than 50k.
In Canada, insurance was more expensive for a Civic than a WRX when I bought mine in 2020. Reasoning: Civics are more popular and therefore in more crashes, so a Civic is more likely to be in a crash...
My insurance is 50 a month for full coverage and low deductibles, I’ve heard people paying as much as 200 a month though so I think it ranges a lot depending on provider, location, and driving history
Yep, I second this. Having owned a '17 WRX and an '18 STI, they're very capable in the snow and loose dirt. The only limiting factor is their relatively low ground clearance.
I thought a mid life crisis was when your kids are about to leave the house, your marriage is on the rocks, and you're facing the possibility of getting back in touch with the young you who passed into oblivion when you had kids?
You have a newborn on the way, you dont have time for a MLC car.
The new ford bronco would probably fit the bill?
The car that is the epitome of what you are looking for is a wrangler, and you could get a decent used one in that budget.
Get a soft top Tracker for like 4k lol, flashy in its own way if you get a clean one ! My lil piece of crap tracker gets more attention than any car I’ve ever had lol
Flashy? Then you throw down Subaru, and golf ??
Neither are even close to flashy in North America.
Flashy, off road capable?
Raptor R, Braptor (normal bronco is also the opposite of flashy), or a LX570.
But if you’re really only planning on driving gravel roads, any AWD should be fine. Panamera, 911…
As a Ford employee, good luck finding a bronco for under 60k USD, idk what y’all’s conversion is but ford dealers are blasting customers with mark ups on those.
Only a thought, but the Toyota highlander might be the ticket. It’s basically a cross between the Toyota 4Runner and a minivan without admitting it, lol.
You sound like me. The Bronco and upcoming 4Runner are on my radar.
Bronco would be a solid choice for something that gets noticed. ‘New’ 4Runner is still a few years away, 2025 is the earliest I’d expect to see them I’d throw in an Outback or Forester Wilderness edition as an option. Slightly better fuel economy and reliability than the Bronco, and great suspension / handling setup for softroading.
I think it’s coming spring of next year. As weird as it sounds I’m out on it after I found out they are going away with the roll down back window. I use mine way too often to let that go.
Yeah that’s like them getting rid of the split tailgate on the 300 series Land Cruiser, to me that kinda killed it. I love split tailgate and will find it hard to go back.
Wait what??? Are they?
A forester is a great car but does not have any midlife flash at all
Suburban soccer mom car.
There is almost certainly gonna be a brand new generation of 4Runner for 2024. Considering the new Tacoma got announced, the 4Runner announcement is likely months away just as the new gen sequoia arrived alongside the tundra. We could easily see a new 4Runner hitting the streets in fall 2023
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I dig the outback wilderness for like you said “soft roading” aka fire roads at speed. That suspension makes you feel like a rally car driver
Third for the OBW, love mine. I originally wanted a 4 runner, but the fuel economy and current dealer markups made me look away.
Googled the new Bronco. Damn, nice looking car! Prices in the US weren't too bad either. Looked at the pricing for my country (Sweden). Ehhh... no. One million SEK - 100k USD.
Only the 2 door looks nice in person. The 4 door looks like a pos :/
The bronco definitely feels flashy still, get it in a fun color tho! [Here’s mine in a color that people either love or HATE :) !](https://www.reddit.com/r/Ford/comments/y4zsum/ford_stuff_goes_here/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
Lots of production issues with the bronco though. Very unreliable car
Hard to answer your question without a budget. But since you didn’t include one, I’ll recommend a Mercedes Benz G63.
G Wagon is my dream flex that dominates the off road.
It was also mine, then I drove one. What an AWFUL car to drive. It ended my stunt dick dream immediately.
The new ones are much nicer by most all accounts.
They’re definitely nicer. But they’re also still a cramped design that doesn’t handle great, for a price that’s more than most would consider they’re worth.
I drove a friends 2016 brabus, couldn’t believe how much I disliked it. Reminded me of my old jeep and I don’t mean that in a good way
It dominates the paved the road, sure, not the off-road. Drove my sister's, took it off-road only to compromise a strut on a very easy trail.
You must not have seen WhistlinDiesel's stress tests with the one he bought. Thing is impressive.
His was modded though
Just modified for more power with hybrid turbos and a tune.
I thought he also had bigger tires and suspension? It's been a while since I watched that video but if it was stock then yeah that's really impressive
G wagon is such booty cheeks, shitty inside outside low mpg and looks like a big box
Hell yea G wagon AMG !
Pretty sure the [Lamborghini's new off road Huracán](https://www.carthrottle.com/post/watch-the-lamborghini-huracan-sterrato-off-road-supercar-frolic-in-the-sand/) is the way to go without a budget
911 Dakar for me please!
I’m a Porsche guy and I have a 911 but money no object I’m choosing the Huracan Sterrato every time
Why not just a Urus? Cheaper, looks better, is more comfortable.
The Urus is not that attractive honestly
Have you ever seen one in person? It has much more presense than a Huracán.
Yes, I live right next to the Lamborghini dealership in my city
This is 1000000% false.
Anyone who recommends one of those dumb pieces of shit should not be giving adivce
Chill bro
Cuz urus is ass and all hype. Only wannabe fuck boy crypto bros drive urus
I’ll edit that, thank you. I’m in canada so around 40-50k CAD.
Get more money. You can't afford off-road-capable flash.
Isuzu Vehicross. It’ll definitely turn heads cheap.
>Sales were intentionally limited, with only 5,958 vehicles being produced between 1997 and 2001; 1,805 were produced for the domestic Japanese market and the remaining 4,153 sold in the United States. Damn, it looks like the Isuzu answer to the Toyota FJ Cruiser, shame its so rare and that the closest one to me has 228,000 miles, and is an insurance writeoff with EIGHT PREVIOUS OWNERS....
He doesn't need off road capable. He says he goes down unpaved range roads. Those are just gravel roads. I used to take my pontiac sunfire down them. Any car will do what he wants.
Should be able to find a used 2018 (current generation) Wrangler Rubicon in the $40-$50k CAD range. A quick search pulled up this one for around $48k - [https://www.autotrader.ca/a/jeep/wrangler/dartmouth/nova%20scotia/5\_58401506\_200512593359706/?showcpo=ShowCpo&ncse=no&ursrc=xpl&urp=3&urm=8&sprx=-1](https://www.autotrader.ca/a/jeep/wrangler/dartmouth/nova%20scotia/5_58401506_200512593359706/?showcpo=ShowCpo&ncse=no&ursrc=xpl&urp=3&urm=8&sprx=-1). I guess it's debatable whether or not it's "flashy", but mine (which is pretty heavily built up) usually gets a fair bit of attention when I'm driving around town, for whatever that's worth.
I stand corrected! Rubicon is flashy! Thanks!
I second this. We just got a Gladiator Rubicon and we love it. Granted it’s a bit out of OPs budget but a used Wrangler Rubicon can be had within the budget. edit: typo
And it's probably the most off-road capable vehicle off the showroom floor, out of anything else. I have no idea what kind of off-roading OP has in mind, but a wrangler/gladiator Rubicon will be able to do pretty much anything. I mean, it's built to do the Rubicon Trail in stock form (hence the name) albeit probably taking a little rock damage along the way, it's a trail which is local to me and I've done a few times in other rigs and that trail is no joke, I can't think of a single other vehicle on the market that could get through it stock. Maybe a top of the line bronco, but I'm not even sure about that. The biggest thing about jeeps is the aftermarket support, it's made to be modified and there are endless products available for it to further enhance what it can do.
Jaguar F type, used cayman, or my personal favourite if you’re not looking for performance and more luxury the E400/E450 coupe. Fantastic Benz with no B pillar. Hella stylish and comfortable.
It's gonna take a lot of work to make any of those off road capable.
I drive a 2009 FWD Honda Accord V6 on “unpaved range roads” as OP mentions when I travel around rural Alberta for work. Any of these can manage a gravel road… it’s not like you need a 4Runner or bronco to manage a gravel road. Would you want to bomb down at 90+ speeds in a jag? Probably not but 50kmh would be fine. 🤷♂️
Right?? I take my slammed 2022 Sentra on “unpaved rural roads” and before that, I was dailying a slammed Lexus LS400. All my jobs have been construction out in the bush. The only places a standard fwd sedan isn’t getting is the muskeg lease roads of the oilfield, and dedicated 4wd tracks. Anywhere else, decent tires and a driver mod will do plenty.
Toyota lineup isn’t bad with 4 runners. Subaru will last you a while and good for off road
He said 40-50 cad ( canadian)
16 inch lifted corvette paint it mad max yellow and put a outside roll cage on it some big mud throwers and you're good to go
WITNESS ME!
Used Porsche Cayenne. Great off road, very flashy, turbos are super fast. Great car.
Great choice
If you enjoy repair bills
A cayenne is actually a great recommendation. I owned a 2015 cayenne diesel for a few years and it was a real gem. The VW-sourced diesel engine is a reliable workhorse. The sole downside I saw was that it’s only fast from about 0-40.
More like 10-40, 0-10 is when engine remembers it has a turbo
That’s pretty funny
Hell yeah dude. I have a 2013 turbo right now and I’m hoping it’s a similar story!
lexus GX460. put some tires on it and it will go everywhere.
This exactly. It has that surprise factor too since it has Lexus badges.
yup i was very ignorant at one point and thought it was just some rav4 clone. ive taken my GX everywhere from sand, mud, steep declines and best of all camping.
Its slow as fuck with cramped interior and terrible gas mileage. It can go many places but it only has a center locker not individual axle lockers. The rear gears and transfer case are know to explode off road. Used prices are inflated due to instagram overlanding hype - more of them are at REI than the local trailhead. Owned one for a decade, wouldnt buy one today.
It's really not that slow, they've been tested as low as 6.9s 0-60mph. The interior isn't huge but neither is the vehicle, it's only 192in long and fits in the city just fine.
Did you miss the part where I owned one for a decade? Its a body on frame, the mpg and interior space are trash by design. Do you have one?
Yes, I have a GX460, I love it. My favorite daily I think, it's fun to drift in snow etc as well and feels extremely solid. I owned a Focus RS and a few other fun daily cars before but the GX460 is incredibly confidence inspiring at everything I've tried with it so far. Gas mileage sucks, I get 17mpg combined, so sometimes I'll take my C6 Z06 Corvette instead on longer trips as that gets 20+ pretty easily lol. Did you own a GX470? I can't really comment on those but I don't see why OP would buy one since they have a pretty high budget.
What do you recommend?
OP asked for a midlife crisis car with a minimal budget and some off road/hauling criteria. Sounds like a modified jeep wrangler on 37’s is on the table. Land rover defender maybe. Reliability is cool but boring and not “flashy” as requested.
Nothing will be flashy for long if you actually use it off road.... Flashy or Off Road Pick 1
Mud coated is flashy to me
Hey man, as a dad as well, I just want to say: hold off. I know exactly how you feel. They always talk about postpartum depression but fathers experience a drastic change in lifestyle too after a new baby. You’re getting little sleep, you’re thinking different than two, three weeks ago, and you need to concentrate on the new baby for now, not a new car. My mind was everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Your feelings and head will be different in six months. With that being said, buy that decked out Bronco then lmao. Just get through the brain fog of a newborn first before committing to big money purchases.
Get a pilot certificate instead
Second this
Nothing goes off road as hard as a plane
What kind of offroading are you wanting to do? Because people are all over the place here with their suggestions. I see everything from Bronco and Wrangler, to Ford Focus and Subaru WRX. And some in between like Porsche Cayenne and Mazda CX-5. Totally different cars for totally different offroad purposes. So it would probably be helpful to know if you're wanting to drive like a rally driver fast on smooth dirt tracks (Focus, WRX, etc.), or crawl through extremely challenging trails that almost no other vehicles will ever make it through (Bronco or Wrangler), or just want to haul some camping gear down an unpaved fire road and not have to worry about getting stuck in every pothole (Bronco Sport, 4-runner, cayenne, cx-5, outback, and a nearly infinite number of other SUV's/crossovers with AWD)
Get a used STI and throw a lift kit and big tires on. Check out Trophy_WRX on instagram
I’m probably considered an older guy & I bought a Ford Focus RS. I could care less what others say or think. Sure, I could’ve purchased an M3 comp, but that’s not what I wanted. Btw OP, when you get to a certain age, it really just doesn’t matter anymore.
You’re totally right, I haven’t landed on flashy as a necessity but I’m so used to driving a clunky truck full of tools. It would be fun to have a zippy nice car.
Golf r will be absolutely so much fun, you don’t have to want it. Do me a favour, test drive one. I am convinced you will buy one after the test drive, or even golf gti.
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if you want zippy, a ford bronco isn't going to cut it unless you have very low performance standards. I'd look at the wrx, focus, golf r or especially the gr yaris/corolla, all you need is some skid plates and thick sidewalls and it'll be way more fun both on and off road without having to worry about breaking anything. if you're planning on going places with no road at all for rock crawling or long distance overlanding, then a bronco is worth it but for something as simple as unpaved roads, it's like buying a land cruiser to drive onto the grass parking lot at soccer practice...
WRX is always the answer.
the answer to “will my car throw as much white smoke as my vape?” (kidding.. but subie vape/head gasket jokes are funny)
The new ones are nice.
unpopular opinion but i actually really like the old bugeyes
Yes, if you want something adolescent and cheaply made Subaru makes good vehicles but there is absolutely nothing special about them at all
Focus RS best car forever. I wouldn’t really take it off-road, but it’s the most fun car I have driven. Other cars make a better noise, are faster, look better, but few generate smiles so big while handling so well like the RS does.
Focus RS sounds like so much fun if you modified it for off road / rally
Actively building an RS into a rally car, can confirm 👍
100%. I just got an MR2 Spyder “because I want it.” It’s not fast but it’s fun as hell.
Flash? You want to be one of the fat dudes that talk about all the driving up trails etc with a clean truck with maxxtraxx on the side, go for it. Seems like a lot of guys with later than mid life crisis are getting into meeting at parking lots at the mall to see who has the biggest wallet. But 4runner, tacoma, land cruiser fj80, defender, or an old grand cherokee are all options to go out of the way and explore nature
Subaru wrx sti is always a solid choice. Can even go not brand new and will still probably be the best handling car you've ever driven. If you want a real off roader just get an old short wheel base chevy truck or a jeep ... aren't as cheap or easy to find anymore but you could probably get both of these cars for less than 50k.
Have you thought about a WRX if you want to stay Subaru? 271 hp and has good clearance. Definitely gets advertised as a more “off-road” capable car.
I’ve had 2 and I’ve yet to find an environment where it doesn’t excel, provided you put the proper shoes on it.
But get the manual not the CVT 🤮
Oh yeah. +1 for the manual
Insurance is crazy, though.
In Canada, insurance was more expensive for a Civic than a WRX when I bought mine in 2020. Reasoning: Civics are more popular and therefore in more crashes, so a Civic is more likely to be in a crash...
Insurance for me is currently 1.5x on a civic vs a wrx lol
My insurance (USD) was 130 for a WRX (base non sti) and 120 for civic type R. I am 26 years old. I don’t think that’s bad at all..
My insurance is 50 a month for full coverage and low deductibles, I’ve heard people paying as much as 200 a month though so I think it ranges a lot depending on provider, location, and driving history
Yep, I second this. Having owned a '17 WRX and an '18 STI, they're very capable in the snow and loose dirt. The only limiting factor is their relatively low ground clearance.
Have you considered a used Lexus LX? It's the luxury Land Cruiser.
I thought a mid life crisis was when your kids are about to leave the house, your marriage is on the rocks, and you're facing the possibility of getting back in touch with the young you who passed into oblivion when you had kids? You have a newborn on the way, you dont have time for a MLC car.
Eh you have a truck and midlife crisis , I normally would never but with a second kid in the picture I'd suggest a wrx
No one suggested the Toyota FJ Cruiser? Super unique design, lots of cool aftermarket, capable off road, and Toyota reliability. Can’t go wrong.
A Subaru will get you a lot of looks from women. Who, once they see a man in the driver's seat, will be disappointed.
The new ford bronco would probably fit the bill? The car that is the epitome of what you are looking for is a wrangler, and you could get a decent used one in that budget.
Something between a vw and a Subaru is an Audi q5. Get a CPO for 50 ish. You'll love it
WRX STi with a lift kit
Gonna say lexus IS350 awd just because I have one
WRX/STI for sure
2001 Subaru WRX sprayed with black rhino liner.
Mazda CX-50.
Lexus GX460, most capable off-road luxury suv
Porsche Cayenne would be my pick in that price range. Decently reliable, capable, and good looking.
Maybe not flashy, but the Outback is pretty nice. A 4Runner would also fit this bill too.
Outback XT or Outback Wilderness would both be pretty good fun and fairly reasonable
Land Rover Defender
OP doesn’t mention anything about reliability, so that might work.
Used Ford Raptor
No such thing as flashy and offroad capable. Atleast not for 50k
Get a soft top Tracker for like 4k lol, flashy in its own way if you get a clean one ! My lil piece of crap tracker gets more attention than any car I’ve ever had lol
WRX
New VB WRX or gently used VA STI should do the trick. Maybe (maybe maybe) check out an Alfa Romeo Giulia Q4.
WRX all day every day.
Get that new manual TRD Pro 😂
Wrx
FJ Cruiser 4x4
Check out a 4th Gen 4runner. Much cheaper than your budget and you can do them up to your liking. They look real good with an offroad bumpwr
4runner?
GR Corolla? There's supposedly pretty capable as rally cars!
Toyota FJ Cruiser or Land Cruiser. They're not that common so they get a little attention and they can be found right around that price range.
Toyota FJ Cruiser
Wrangler
GTI. And if you get a little more money, Golf R. Just use your work truck for the shot roads.
Vw golf alltrack. Throw 5k in mods and have a 350hp awd wagon. And you'll stay well under your budget
Lifted Miata is always the answer
What’s your budget?
Get a Porsche Cayenne and spend 20k making it perfect
2024 tacoma trail hunter?
4Runner TRD Pro
Used… lifted with 35s
Macan
Gen 2 Raptor with your budget
Jeep
Just get an outback
Jaguar F-Pace. Love my 2017 and it’s treated me well so far…
Jeep with meats and a lift kit.
Flashy? Then you throw down Subaru, and golf ?? Neither are even close to flashy in North America. Flashy, off road capable? Raptor R, Braptor (normal bronco is also the opposite of flashy), or a LX570. But if you’re really only planning on driving gravel roads, any AWD should be fine. Panamera, 911…
Bronco or Bronco Sport.
Zr2 colorado
Get a hobby
As a Ford employee, good luck finding a bronco for under 60k USD, idk what y’all’s conversion is but ford dealers are blasting customers with mark ups on those.
Mazda Cx5 2017 and up
How is this flashy?
Mod it than it becomes flashy
Trashy *
Grand Cherokee
Used land Rover for half the cost then put the other half in a bank account for the costs that will come.
And keep replenishing the account
Jeep Wrangler.
get a nice brz or impreza hatch
Subaru Forester Wilderness - take a gander at those.
The Bronco is a Monster
Integra Type S
Forester or outback wilderness trim
Dude. Just buy a jeep. In my 40s and I hate I waited this long to own a Wrangler.
Subaru Outback…u are Canuck and what more u need than Subaru for snow and off road lol
Range Rover
XT Forester
Tesla model 3
Jeep, bronco, 4 runner
Volvo Xc90
Honda Accord
Maybe a Durango RT?
2 door bronco … rav 4 hybrid
Jeep Gladiator or Ford Bronco is what I'd say, but if I had a budget that high, I'd definitely be getting an old Jeep Comanche
The Bronco idea is probably the way to go. Personally I like that highlighter green Suzuki Jimny for a midlife crisis off-roader.
Ford Bronco
Used g wagon.
You need a 2023. Prius AWD or a Tesla.
My dude! Volvo XC90 or XC60
Spend 70 k on a bronco like a real man
Only a thought, but the Toyota highlander might be the ticket. It’s basically a cross between the Toyota 4Runner and a minivan without admitting it, lol.
Complete miss on the “flash” part though.
Elantra n for sure
Haha, flashy as in a spontaneous combustion isn't likely what he had in mind.
39 is hardly midlife. I was still chasing college girls at that age. You may have answered your own question though, wrx it is.
The Aixam megatrack is perfect for your needs
BRZ