Heading off-grid? The best off-road campervans

Ready for a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life? If packing up and heading off the beaten track appeals to you, here are our top AWD and 4-wheel drive camper bases for off-road adventures. 

Going off-road hasn’t historically been a campervan’s strength. Heavy 2-wheel drive vehicles, with the added weight of camping conversions and equipment, don’t tend to thrive when the tarmac runs out — who’d have thought, right? But we have good news.

With the rise of #vanlife and the associated desire to reconnect with nature, AWD (all-wheel drive) and 4x4 campers have become an increasingly in-demand option — and there are now a variety of bases to choose from. Offering adventurous travel to remote locations, without sacrificing the home comforts of beds, kitchens, showers, and even toilets in some cases. 

When carrying everything (including the kitchen sink) out in the wild, it’s especially important to have the right tyres. Well, more good news. Each of our top off-road campervan bases below can be fitted with the DriverReviews 2024 Customer Choice Awards Best Tyres for Vans Winner: Michelin Agilis CrossClimate.

3. Ford Transit 

The Ford Transit needs no introduction as one of the UK’s favourite commercial workhorses, but its AWD variant is what sets it apart when it comes to off-road camper conversions.

The all-wheel drive option spreads power from the rear wheels across all four of the van’s corners, giving boosted traction on trickier surfaces. Decent ground clearance is offered as stock, but for truly rugged off-grid driving an aftermarket lift kit may be advisable.

Luckily, as the second best-selling van in the UK (only outsold by its Custom sibling), there’s wide availability of DIY modification parts and conversion kits, on top of a wide range of pre-baked conversion options. And with up to 15.1m³ of conversion space in the back, there’s plenty of space to house your camper creature comforts.

As a warning, fully loaded AWD Transits are notorious for low mpg performance, so worth planning for that in your off-grid adventures.

2. Volkswagen Transporter 

It’s our favourite overall campervan base for a reason. There’s an endless supply of DIY conversion inspiration and resources, as well a lengthy queue of specialists ready to assist in creating your dream VW camper — and it’s all ready to be applied to AWD Volkswagen Transporters. 

Using the same 4MOTION all-wheel drive system as the rugged Amarok pickup, AWD Transporters boast the additional off-road traction required to safely tackle sand, mud, gravel, and even snow for the bravest of van-lifers. The relatively light and compact nature of this camper base is also a plus when navigating tricky or winding trails, although its maneuverable size does come with a trade-off. With only up to 6.7m³ to work with in the current model, luxury additions such as toilets may require solutions which are a little more… inventive. There is plenty of space for a shower attachment though.

Furthermore, due to their renowned reliability (modern Transporters hold the UK’s highest van MOT pass rate) you won’t need to worry about getting stranded off-grid — always a bonus. And as an aside, yes, AWD will be a feature of the much-anticipated 2025 Transporter.

1. Mercedes Sprinter

And in at number 1, our community's campervan choice: The Mercedes Sprinter. There are literally thousands of Sprinter variants out there, but the Sprinter 4x4 is our off-road camper base of choice. 

Bridging the gap between AWD and true 4-wheel drive, the Sprinter 4x4 comes just about as close to the latter as any van can. It still can’t compete with dedicated off-road vehicles, but the raised ride height, low-ratio gears, and locked-in drive to all four wheels offer the capabilities needed venture far beyond the limitations of tarmac.

A strong all-rounder: Mercedes’ large vans offer reliable engine options, a deep community for dedicated camper conversion support, and an easily adaptable platform which can be molded to your every off-grid need. With a blank conversion canvas of up to 15.5m³, we’ve seen some impressive luxuries hauled out to the edges of the map — and yes, that includes full bathroom setups.

Our partners at DriverReviews have pulled together 430,000 reviews, backed up by over 840 million kilometers of driving for their 2024 Customer Choice Awards. The ‘Best Tyres for Vans’ category winner — the Michelin Agilis CrossClimate — can provide your off-grid camper with the traction to keep you safe on any adventurous travels.

Hero image credit: Adobe Stock