Vehicle Size and Off-roading in Greece
Navigating local roads and off-road trails in Greece is possible with a wide range of vehicles.
Having an All Wheel Drive vehicle is not an absolute necessity though may help on sandy, muddy or steep sections.
Vehicle Size & Type may be more limiting than the configuration of the driveline.(4x2 - 4x4 - 6x6)
Experience counts for a lot - locals know their dirt road trails quite well, in the early days this was all there was.
Off-Road capabilities
A few vehicle characteristics that determine Off-Road capabilities;
- Ground Clearance - the distance between the lowest point of the body and the road
- Wheelbase - the distance between the front and rear axle
- Exit Angle - the angle between the rear of the vehicle and point where the rear wheel touches. (Overhang)
- Break Over Angle - Combining Ground Clearance and Wheelbase.
- Height
- Width
- Wheel and / or Axle load
- Items that stick out on the roof and sides (hatches, awnings, boxes etc)
A bit of ground clearance and a wheel base less than 3.60 meter may get you really far.
Rear overhang less than 1 - 1.5 meter may help as well.
Vehicle categories
A few examples of various sized vehicles.
Do note that this categorisation is purely informational and does not suggest your vehicle may fit on an off-road track or not. Off-road tracks may be different the time you decide to drive a certain track mentioned on this website.
| Category | Type | Picture | Access to dirt / farmer Roads | Classification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Passenger car |  |
Good Access - with some ground clearance |
Landcruiser |
| 2 | Van - Mini Bus |  |
Volvo 6x6 Steyr Pinzagauer Volkswagen Syncro Mitsubishi L300 upto 5.500 Kg |
|
| 3 | Light Bus or Compact Truck |
 |
Access depends on Wheelbase and Exit Angle |
Mercedes Vario MAN 8.136 Unimog 1300 upto 7.500 Kg |
| 4 | Light Truck |  |
Unimog 2150 Iveco Eurocargo Mercedes 917 upto 9.500 Kg |
|
| 5 | Medium sized Truck |
 |
Access also depends on Height, Width & Weight | MAN TGS Mercedes Axor upto 12.000 Kg |
| 6 | Large sized Truck / Bus |  |
MAN KAT 6x6 upto 20.000 Kg |
|
| Picture courtesy to Expedition Truck Brokers | ||||
Rules of thumb navigating local trails
Previewing a track with Google Earth may find buildings, narrow, steep sections along the way.
Finding a building on a track usually means locals have gone there with a small to medium sized truck.
A quarry along the track usually means heavy large sized trucks may have been there as well.
A few rules of thumb for judging if your vehicle may fit a local dirt / farmer track.
Most of the roads in Greece are built with 4x2 trucks upto 8 - 10 meters in length.
Construction Trucks with Cab height height ranges from 2 meters upto 3 meters.
Wheels base ranges from 3 to 4+ meters.
Houses are usually built by a crew transported up the track with a Van or Light Truck;
Average height ranges upto 2.5 meters
Wheelbase goes upto approximate. 3.5 meter
Dirt / Farmer Trails are serviced by Backhoe's, Excavators or Tractors
.