Vehicles with high water wading depth

The Philippines is prone to weather extremes, this can come in the form of sudden and heavy rain to baking hot heat. While we can’t do much against the heat, there are cars out there that can handle a sudden flood or two with ease. Whether you are going off-road or wading through a flooded street, your vehicle’s wading depth matters. Aside from its grounded clearance, some buyers often consult the wading depth capacity of the model they’re eyeing, many Filipinos put this into consideration given the high probability of flooding during the rainy season.

Currently, there are a lot of options in the automotive market that have a high water wading depth. We were able to come up with a list of vehicles, ranging from crossovers, SUVs, and pickups, you might want to consider any of the below. We have arranged the list alphabetically by manufacturer.

First, on the list, we have the Mitsubishi Xpander Cross, we understand that you might be a bit confused as to why it's here, well Mitsubishi Philippines markets it as a crossover SUV thanks to its more rugged appearance compared to its regular Xpander version. The 7-seat crossover comes with 225mm of ground clearance and a good amount of tech for its price point. Aside from this, the vehicle also boasts 400mm of wading capacity. It may not be a lot compared to the rest of the competitors mentioned in the list but you can’t deny it's one of the more affordable options. 

The Next-gen Ford Everest also makes it onto this list thanks to its practical strong points and a generous amount of technology under the hood. It also boasts a strong Bi-Turbo engine and can even tackle off-road situations thanks to its off-road technology. As with its previous generation, this new model also has a high water wading depth and retains the 800mm water wading capabilities of its predecessor. You can take on floods safely knowing that you have 31-inches to play with from the ground to the car’s critical components. 

Like its SUV counterpart, the Next-gen Ford Ranger is also a tech-packed and feature-rich pickup truck to consider if you want a car that can handle water. It comes with the same powertrains as its SUV brother and comes with a similar wading depth as well. The Blue Oval’s pickup truck boasts 800mm worth of wading depth which is a slight downgrade over its predecessor which was able to do 850mm on chunky tires.

While the Ford F-150 is the biggest pickup truck the Blue Oval currently sells in the Philippine market it has a substantially lower wading depth compared to its Ranger brother. It is important to note though that the F-150 has a slightly higher ground clearance coming in at 239mm compared to its smaller pickup truck brother’s 232mm of clearance. Despite its lower wading depth, the Ford F-150 is still a great choice for those who want a large pickup truck that can go off-road and through a flood if needed.

The latest generation of the Isuzu mu-X has officially made its way into the Philippine market. Aside from its new design, the seven-seater SUV has also brought a few changes to its ground clearance. It now comes with 250mm worth of ground clearance over its predecessor which only had 230mm. This current version of the SUV also retains it's 800mm water wading capabilities making it a good choice for those who want that extra safety when traversing through a flash flood. 

The new Isuzu D-MAX made its initial debut back in March of 2021. With that, it brought a new design along with a new chassis and improvements that made the pickup truck more modern and technologically advanced. It is still a rugged rig, however, as the D-MAX still has 240mm worth of ground clearance and a wading depth capability of 800mm. 

It's an open secret that the new Mazda BT-50 is a mechanical twin to the Isuzu D-MAX. With that in mind, these two pickup trucks pretty much share the same specifications especially when it comes to their wading depth and their ground clearances. For this latest version, the BT-50 now comes with 235mm of ground clearance and an 800mm wading depth. 

The Maxus T60 happens to be one of the most affordable options in its segment, even its 4x4 variant costs just under P1,400,000. It’s also a capable steed, with the T60 being having an 800mm water wading depth.

It’s one of the most renowned nameplates in the midsize SUV segment. The Mitsubishi Montero Sport flaunts its cutting-edge looks that are infused with tech and performance. This midsize SUV can wade up to 700mm.

The Mitsubishi Strada shares the same platform and engine with the Montero Sport. Aside from 220mm ground clearance on GLS variants and up, it can wade up to 600mm which should be enough to allow the midsize pickup to traverse the occasional flood.

The newest version of the Nissan Terra has officially made its way into the Philippine market featuring new styling and updated technology. While the SUV has also gotten some interior upgrades as well, it has retained the features that make it a capable city driver and a capable off-roader as well. It has retained its 800mm wading depth and its 225mm worth of ground clearance. 

Like its SUV sibling, the Nissan Navara is also known to be one of the most comfortable pickups in its segment. In March 2021, Nissan Philippines launched the refreshed Navara, aside from the additional creature comforts and high-tech features, the midsize pickup also gets a new range-topping variant known as the PRO-4X. Notably, the Nissan Navara can also wade up to 800mm of water.

The Nissan Patrol Royale is the pinnacle of the brand’s Philippine SUV lineup. It happens to be one of the few in its segment to run in a smooth gasoline engine. Like the Terra and Navara, the Patrol Royale is also one capable steed all thanks to its 700mm water wading capacity.

It may be small but you will surely be surprised at how capable this miniature off-roader is. All variants of the Suzuki Jimny come standard with the ALLGRIP drivetrain making it a suitable vehicle for your extraordinary adventures. The Jimny can also wade up to 600mm of water.

The Subaru Forester, like most of its stablemates, this compact crossover gives you the ‘Confidence in Motion’. Aside from the standard Symmetrical all-wheel-drive (AWD), the Forester is also provided with a 220mm ground clearance along with a 500mm water wading depth.

The Toyota Hilux is the Japanese automaker’s contender in the midsize pickup segment. Many Filipinos buy it given its strong reputation for durability and reliability. It’s also one capable steed, with the Hilux being able to wade up to 700mm of water.

Also based on the Hilux is the Toyota Fortuner. Like its pickup sibling, this midsize SUV is also receiving a lot of love from Filipinos given its strong approach in practicality, performance, and capability. Moreover, the Fortuner also has a water wading capacity of 700mm.

Last 2020, the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado ditched its 3.0-liter powerplant for the Fortuner’s 2.8-liter turbo-diesel engine while still retaining the 4.0-liter V6 gasoline engine. Whichever variant you opt for, the Prado sure is capable, with it being able to wade 700mm of water.

The Toyota Land Cruiser strongly embodies the off-road heritage of the Japanese automaker. While an all-new model recently made its debut, the local market still gets the outgoing Land Cruiser. Like the rest of its SUV siblings, the Land Cruiser can also wade through water as deep as 700mm.

So are you considering any of the following vehicles we’ve mentioned above? If yes, then, don’t hesitate to click on the ‘Get Quote’ button—it’s absolutely free. You could even request to test drive the cars so you would know what you’ll like about them, first hand.