WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:05.840 I've got a confession. America's off-road boom isn't really about off-roading 00:06.040 --> 00:14.160 It's about how you feel on an ordinary Tuesday. Because here's the data that makes this whole trend make sense 00:14.480 --> 00:26.240 Strategic Vision Survey data says 98% of SUVs and crossover buyers go off-road or over rocks and mud at most once a year, if ever 00:26.240 --> 00:31.540 and 91% drive on dirt or gravel once a year or not at all 00:32.000 --> 00:36.840 Yet, walk through any single dealership on any day of the year 00:36.840 --> 00:42.120 and you'll suddenly see everyone's sort of preparing for the Dakar rally 00:42.520 --> 00:50.640 This off-road trim boom is confidence marketing. A tougher look, chunkier tyres and slightly more ready-for-anything stance 00:50.640 --> 01:01.580 and there's a story your driveway will never fact-check. And automakers love it because it's one of the easiest ways to lift profits without renovating its vehicles 01:02.200 --> 01:09.480 In model year 2023, the EPA says 62% of new vehicles sold in the US were trucks under its regulations 01:09.680 --> 01:22.260 meaning SUVs, pickups and vans, not traditional cars. So as the market tilts towards SUV shapes, the real competition shifts from models to trims 01:22.260 --> 01:37.685 Same vehicle different identity higher transaction prices And the proof is in how mainstream this trend has become So what are you actually buying with these trims Usually three things Looks that cladding and 01:37.685 --> 01:45.605 badging and wheels. Light capability, tyres, drive modes and traction software and only sometimes 01:45.605 --> 01:51.765 real hardware, that's skid plates, recovery points and lifts and suspensions. Which brings me to the 01:51.765 --> 02:00.245 vehicle that I'm driving right now the 2026 Honda CR-V Trail Sport Hybrid and I'll say Honda is 02:00.245 --> 02:06.965 being pretty honest about what this actually is. Car and Driver calls it a starter off-roader 02:06.965 --> 02:14.405 and that's the right framing for this vehicle. It's hybrid only starts around $40,250 and makes 02:14.405 --> 02:23.605 204 horsepower and 247 pounds feet of torque and it wears continental cross-contact ATR all-terrain 02:23.605 --> 02:30.165 tires. Here are the key details, there's no extra ground clearance so it isn't a rock cooler and 02:30.165 --> 02:36.405 it's not pretending to be. What Honda did is meaningful for real life. The updated system can 02:36.405 --> 02:43.845 now split torque 50-50 from front to rear which helps when traction is sketchy. Snow, gravel, mud 02:43.845 --> 02:50.485 and ruts, steep wet driveways, that sort of thing. And yes you pay a little, the Trailsport Hybrid is 02:50.485 --> 03:08.111 rated 35 miles a gallon combined about two miles a gallon less than the all drive CR hybrid trims and it a bit noisier on the highway That the trade A little efficiency and refinement for more grip and more I got 03:08.111 --> 03:14.051 this energy. Now if you want to see how powerful this confidence trim idea really looks, all you 03:14.051 --> 03:20.571 have to do is look at Honda's complete lineup. Honda says the Passport Trail Sport didn't just 03:20.571 --> 03:26.731 do well it's about 80 percent of passport buyers they chased the trail sport and they did so in 03:26.731 --> 03:35.771 2025 with passport sales hitting 55 231 for the year that's not enthusiasts that's normal people 03:35.771 --> 03:43.611 voting with their wallets and it's not just honda subaru basically turned its entire brand identity 03:43.611 --> 03:53.851 into trim strategy. Subaru's US year-end 2025 sales was 643,591 vehicles. And when you look 03:53.851 --> 04:00.891 at something like the Outback Wilderness, Subaru leads with stuff buyers can understand. A raised 04:00.891 --> 04:07.931 ride height, 9.5 inches of ground clearance, and real changes to bumpers and protection. Plus the 04:07.931 --> 04:16.031 turbos 260 horsepower and 277 pounds feet of torque and that's usable off-road things that 04:16.031 --> 04:33.137 you can actually feel GM figured out the same ladder from the other direction Luxury one rung grit the next GM own GMC release says 84 and Denali account for over 50 of GMC US retail in 2024 04:33.137 --> 04:39.857 That's the formula in one sentence. Sell the same vehicle two different ways, rugged or premium 04:39.857 --> 04:45.857 and let buyers pick the identity that fits the story they tell themselves. So here's my quick 04:45.857 --> 04:51.857 don't get played checklist when you're buying a new vehicle. Tires, all-terrain or all-season 04:51.857 --> 04:58.517 matter more than the badges? Ground clearance. Did it actually change? Traction. All-wheel drive 04:58.517 --> 05:05.277 logic. Is there a real upgrade or just a new button? Protection. Metal skid plates or skid 05:05.277 --> 05:11.997 garnish that basically is decoration. Is it basically cosmetic? You should negotiate like 05:11.997 --> 05:18.257 it's fashion. If it's real equipment, price it like real equipment. The bigger point is this 05:18.257 --> 05:29.717 Americans love off-road trims because they fit the modern lifestyle narrative. Weather, potholes, national parks, weekend escapes, and the desire to feel prepared 05:30.137 --> 05:38.937 Most of the time, the trail is in our heads, but capable enough for snow, broken pavement, and campsite roads 05:39.177 --> 05:47.037 It's a perfectly rational way to buy a family SUV. And trims like this Honda CR-V Trail Sport Hybrid 05:47.037 --> 05:53.577 they're not trying to be extreme they're trying to make normal life feel a little more confident 05:53.577 --> 05:56.677 I'm Nick Miles and I love my job