Carolina Auto Program
A gray Nissan Armada PRO-4X, a white Ford Expedition Tremor and a tan Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro parked in a row on the Carova 4x4 beach, wild horses grazing far behind them by the dunes.
Armada PRO-4X, Expedition Tremor and Sequoia TRD Pro on the Carova beach · illustration

Compare · Armada PRO-4X · Expedition Tremor · Sequoia TRD Pro · Tahoe Z71 · Yukon AT4

Armada PRO-4X vs. Expedition Tremor vs. Sequoia TRD Pro: the three-row 4x4s, on sand

The full-size SUVs built to leave the pavement: Nissan’s Armada PRO-4X, Ford’s Expedition Tremor and Toyota’s Sequoia TRD Pro, with Chevrolet’s Tahoe Z71 and GMC’s Yukon AT4 alongside. Here is the hardware that matters on sand, what the reviewers found, and how to spend half a day in one on the Carova beach before you buy.

Drive one The numbers

Three rows, one beach.

The whole family, the coolers and the chairs, and the soft sand north of Corolla. Three of these five carry the full kit for it.

5Full-size off-road SUVs
3With low range and a locking rear axle
11.6″Armada PRO-4X ground clearance, air suspension raised
45Minutes of Highway 12 each way

Highway 12 is North Carolina Highway 12, the two-lane road up the Outer Banks. The three with low range and a locker: Armada PRO-4X, Expedition Tremor and Sequoia TRD Pro.

The five

What each one is, and who it suits

From the reviews and the makers’ own specifications, current model year. Options vary; the SUV on our beach depends on the dealer who places it.

A dark gray Nissan Armada PRO-4X with red recovery hooks parked on the Carova 4x4 beach, wild horses grazing behind it by the dunes.
Nissan Armada PRO-4X · illustration

Nissan Armada PRO-4XThe value pick, fully kitted

The hardware

A 425-horsepower twin-turbo V6, a two-speed transfer case and an electronic locking rear axle, all standard. Air suspension lifts it from 9.6 to 11.6 inches, three skid plates cover the fuel tank, oil pan and engine, and it rides on all-terrain tires.

What reviewers say

The Drive called it about as close to a true Land Cruiser as buyers can get in America. TFLoffroad took one into the dunes.

The catch

The third row and the cargo space behind it are the smallest of the group, and the floor slopes with the third row folded. 16 mpg combined.

Who falls for it

The buyer who wants the most off-road hardware for the money and doesn’t need a big third row.

A white Ford Expedition Tremor with orange accents parked on the Carova 4x4 beach, wild horses grazing far down the beach.
Ford Expedition Tremor · illustration

Ford Expedition TremorThe big family 4x4

The hardware

A 440-horsepower twin-turbo V6, 33-inch General Grabber all-terrain tires, 10.6 inches of clearance, an electronic locking rear axle, low range, and a skid plate and side steps borrowed from the F-150 Raptor.

What reviewers say

Gear Patrol liked the Raptor parts and the 33-inch tires; the Journal Gazette’s gripe is controls tucked away in the screens.

The catch

About $20,000 more than the Armada to start, at about $81,000.

Who falls for it

The family that needs eight seats and a usable third row, and wants the biggest tires in the class.

A tan Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro parked on the Carova 4x4 beach, wild horses grazing behind it by the dunes.
Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro · illustration

Toyota Sequoia TRD ProThe torque and the shocks

The hardware

A twin-turbo V6 hybrid with 437 horsepower and 583 lb-ft, a two-speed transfer case, an electronic locking rear axle, Fox internal-bypass shocks and Falken Wildpeak all-terrains on 18-inch forged BBS wheels.

What reviewers say

The most pull at low speed and the best fuel economy here, 20 mpg combined. The Drive rated its 10-speed automatic crisper than the Armada’s nine-speed.

The catch

9.1 inches of clearance, the least of the three, and seven seats, not eight.

Who falls for it

The Toyota loyalist who tows, drives long distances and wants Fox shocks from the factory.

A black Chevrolet Tahoe Z71 parked on the Carova 4x4 beach, wild horses grazing behind it by the dunes.
Chevrolet Tahoe Z71 · illustration

Chevrolet Tahoe Z71The comfortable V8

The hardware

A V8 (a 6.2-liter with 420 horsepower is offered), all-terrain tires on 20-inch wheels, a front skid plate and an electronic limited-slip rear differential. Air suspension comes with the off-road package.

What’s missing

No locking rear axle. One dealer’s build sheet lists the two-speed transfer case only with the Max Trailering Package.

Who falls for it

The family that wants a V8 and a big cabin and will keep to packed sand.

A blue GMC Yukon AT4 parked on the Carova 4x4 beach, wild horses grazing far down the beach.
GMC Yukon AT4 · illustration

GMC Yukon AT4The upscale one

The hardware

All-terrain tires on 20-inch wheels, a front skid plate with red recovery hooks, air suspension available, and the 6.2-liter V8 offered. From $76,600; the AT4 Ultimate from $97,900.

What’s missing

GMC’s AT4 page doesn’t list a locking differential or low range.

Who falls for it

The buyer who wants a luxury cabin with the off-road look and some of the gear.

The spec sheet, kept short

The few numbers that matter on sand

“Not listed” means the sources we checked don’t say. Starting prices are before options; ask the dealer for today’s number.

Armada PRO-4XExpedition TremorSequoia TRD ProTahoe Z71Yukon AT4
Engine3.5-liter twin-turbo V6, 425 hp, 516 lb-ft3.5-liter twin-turbo V6, 440 hp, 510 lb-ft3.4-liter twin-turbo V6 hybrid, 437 hp, 583 lb-ftV8; 6.2-liter, 420 hp, offeredV8; 6.2-liter offered
Low rangeTwo-speed transfer case, standardYesTwo-speed transfer caseListed with the Max Trailering PackageNot listed
Rear lockerElectronic locking rear axleElectronic locking rear axleElectronic locking rear axleLimited-slip, not a lockerNot listed
Ground clearance9.6 to 11.6 inches, air suspension10.6 inches9.1 inches, plus a half-inch liftAir suspension with the off-road packageAir suspension available
TiresYokohama Geolander all-terrains, 20-inch wheels33-inch General Grabber all-terrainsFalken Wildpeak all-terrains, 18-inch forged wheelsAll-terrains, 20-inch wheelsAll-terrains, 20-inch wheels
UnderbodyThree skid platesSkid plate from the F-150 RaptorNot listedFront skid plateFront skid plate, recovery hooks
Seats7 or 887Not listedNot listed
Fuel economy16 mpg combinedNot listed20 mpg combinedNot listedNot listed
Starting priceAbout $61,000 with destination (The Drive)About $81,000 (Gear Patrol, 2025 model)About $84,000 (Kelley Blue Book)Not listed$76,600 (GMC)

Watch them

Three reviews worth your time, not ours

Their videos, their opinions. We picked the ones that leave the pavement.

TFLoffroad takes the Armada PRO-4X into sand dunes, the closest thing on YouTube to the Carova beach. Plays from YouTube when you press play; YouTube’s terms and cookies apply then.

Truck King takes the Expedition Tremor off-road to see what a full-size SUV can take.

MotorTrend’s full-size SUV comparison: the Yukon, the Expedition, the Grand Wagoneer and the Armada, side by side.

Why this beach

The beach is the road

There is no pavement north of Corolla. Homes in Carova are reached over the sand, so this is real four-wheel drive on soft and packed sand, with the whole family aboard if you like.

The road leg is part of the test. About 45 minutes up Highway 12 through Duck and Corolla each way. How a 6,000-pound SUV rides at 45 miles an hour matters as much as how it floats at 35, the beach limit.

Air down to 18–20 psi. A full-size SUV floats on soft sand when the tires are aired down, and bogs when they aren’t, whatever the badge says.

Questions

Straight answers

Which full-size SUV is best off-road?

On hardware, the Nissan Armada PRO-4X, the Ford Expedition Tremor and the Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro, the three with low range and a locking rear axle. The Armada adds standard air suspension that lifts it to 11.6 inches; the Expedition Tremor has the biggest tires, 33-inch all-terrains, and 10.6 inches of clearance; the Sequoia has the most low-speed pull, 583 lb-ft from its hybrid V6.

Is the Armada PRO-4X better off-road than the Sequoia TRD Pro?

On paper it has more clearance, from its air suspension, and both have low range and a locking rear axle. The Sequoia answers with Fox shocks, more torque and better fuel economy. The Drive called the Armada PRO-4X about as close to a true Land Cruiser as buyers can get in America; TFLoffroad took one into the dunes. The sand will show you the rest.

Expedition Tremor or Armada PRO-4X?

The Tremor is the bigger family SUV: eight seats, the larger third row, 33-inch tires and a skid plate borrowed from the F-150 Raptor. The Armada starts about $20,000 lower and has standard air suspension and three skid plates. Its third row is the smaller of the two.

Do the Tahoe Z71 and Yukon AT4 have a locking differential?

The Tahoe Z71 uses an electronic limited-slip rear differential, not a locker. GMC does not list a locker for the Yukon AT4. Both come on all-terrain tires with a front skid plate, and both offer air suspension.

Which one gets the best gas mileage?

The Sequoia TRD Pro, at 20 mpg combined from its hybrid V6. The Armada PRO-4X is rated 16 mpg combined.

Which one has the smallest third row?

The Armada. The Drive found its third row noticeably smaller than the Tahoe’s and the Expedition’s, and the floor slopes when it is folded.

Can I drive one of these on the Carova beach?

Request a date and name the SUV you want to drive. We confirm by email the same day whether one is on the sand for your date. Drivers are 25 or older.

Are these prices what I will pay?

No. They are starting prices from the sources listed, before options. On the Carolina Auto Program, our dealer for that brand puts one no-haggle, out-the-door price on a numbered certificate, good for 30 days.

The Carolina Auto Program · Open all year

Torn between two of them? Drive them on the sand.

Request a date
Pick your date

$325 a vehicle for the full five and a half hours, any month of the year. Request a date on the main page and name the SUV you want; we confirm by email the same day whether one is on the sand for your date, with the booking link and the online license and insurance check. Questions? Text (252) 564-4218 or email bret@beach4x4.com.

The price
How the savings add up

Our dealer for that brand emails one no-haggle, out-the-door price on a numbered certificate after the drive, good for 30 days. Beat it in writing within the 30 days and your $325 comes back. Drivers 25 and older.

Order alerts

We email you when factory ordering opens or changes for the vehicle you pick, and only about that vehicle. It is not a reservation.