Mine goes to https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-gear/cars-trucks/how-t..., with a summary on the Google search results itself.

It's probably location dependent, but I wonder if there's a bit of randomness in there as well to give websites with equivalent information similar exposure.

Me too. I think often the complaints against Google expect a bit much from it. I mean use uBlock Origin to block some of the ad nonsense and if the first search term doesn't get it try something a bit different. Also set it to 30 results not 10 and scroll a bit.

I feel it is everyones duty as a citizen of the internet to spend as much money as possible on the >2nd page of google.