Four Wheeler is the oldest magazine for 4×4 SUVs, and off-road truck enthusiasts. The first issue was published in February 1962, and in 2012, the internationally-read magazine celebrated its 50th anniversary. Four Wheeler focuses on new vehicle evaluations, project vehicles, the technical aspects of building a vehicle (such as how to install aftermarket accessories and do complete engine swaps), product tests, outdoor equipment and machines, 4x4 shows and competitions, travel and adventure.
Four Wheeler is published monthly by Motor Trend Group and is headquartered in El Segundo, California.[1]
The first Four Wheeler Top Truck Challenge (TTC) took place in 1993 and was held annually at the Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area near Hollister, California, until June 2015. The concept of the challenge was to test the engineering capabilities of 4x4 vehicles nominated by the magazine's readers.
Although competitors were selected by Four Wheeler readers, that process didn’t begin until 1995. Starting with the 2004 Top Truck Challenge, competition vehicles were no longer required to be street-legal either. Over the years, the challenges have included an obstacle course, a mini Rubicon Trail, and the Tank Trap. In 2012, Four Wheeler held the first-ever Top Truck Champions’ Challenge, pitting past Top Truck Challenge Grand Champions against one another. Segments from the Top Truck Challenge have been broadcast on the Outdoor Channel.
Each year, the magazine hands out two awards, voted by the editors, to automakers of new 4x4s: Four Wheeler of the Year[2] and Pickup Truck of the Year. The competition began in 1974 with the Four Wheeler Achievement Award, given to the 1974 Jeep Cherokee.
In 1989, pickup trucks were separated into their own contest. In 2012, Motor Trend included a behind-the-scenes look at the Four Wheeler of the Year and Pickup Truck of the Year competitions in an episode of The Downshift on the Motor Trend channel. In 2017, the Four Wheeler of the Year was renamed SUV of the Year.
Vehicles are evaluated in categories such as off-road performance, highway performance, mechanical and empirical data, interior, and exterior. The competition typically takes place in Southern California and covers about 1,000 miles on- and off-road, and vehicles are scored by experienced judges.
In 2020, Jeep won both SUV of the Year and Pickup Truck of the Year. No manufacturer had won both 'SUV of the Year' and 'Pickup Truck of the Year' in the same year until then.