Jeep rubicon unlimited or Toyota 4runner Trail

Clutch

<---Pass
In the U.S., though, I guess I don't get it... but I guess to some extent this is the trade-off.
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The OP is on on the West Coast of Canada, plenty of opportunities to take advantage of the Jeep. You can do Africa in a 2WD car! Certainly a chopped up bobbed Tacoma is overkill, ha ha! Here in the American South West we have a plethora of trails where having a Jeep is very handy, not to mention you can have the top off nearly year round, heck there are still dirt roads in the middle of the city I live in. I am darn near in the city center, and I can be on a difficult dirt road in 5-10 minutes, the paved roads are getting so bad it should be required everyone own a high clearance vehicle...:p


Speaking of the FJCruiser, Toyota really dropped the ball on that awful thing, it could of been so much more. They even went to Mr Ward at TLC for prototype ideas, and they still screwed it up. They already have the LC70 chassis they could of used, both short and long wheel base, then toss on a retro 40 series body, to compete against the Jeep offerings...I weep a little every time I see a FJ Cruiser, and think what "could of been"...


AEV Unlimited, Hell Yeah!!!


[video=youtube;HbKniB2gkl8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HbKniB2gkl8#![/video]
 
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hornytoad

Desert Geologist
Jeep VS Toyota

My $0.02 is for the toyota, I rented a jeep wrangle unlimited for my fieldwork (6 weeks of traveling on highways and oilfield roads). By the end of the job I hated it. It's a bad *** vehicle and If I needed an 80-20 offroad/onroad SUV this would be at the top of my list. However for a daily driver the body of the jeep will drive you bonkers. Wind noise, solid axle steering geometry, no damn space in the cab at all, ect...

I was surprised by how good the gas mileage was and of course it's a jeep I never got stuck or had to engage 4 low for anything. The jeep is a razer's older brother.

However when I had the $$$ to buy a new rig I chose a Toyota 4 door tacoma for road manners and daily driver duty. Shop around and see if you can hammer a dealer on a lower price for the 4runner.
 

GHR

Observer
Thanks to all for the input. TACODOC: I found your review on the Toyota 4Runner Trail on this site very useful.
 

Plannerman

Wandering Explorer
I just went through this very process with a close friend of mine and test drove the two within the same hour. While I lust for the jeep, the 4runner was very impressive and very comfortable. Like so many above, I would pick the 4runner if it were to be my daily driver because it is so much more comfortable than the Jeep.

Now, when my Tacoma is paid off, we're buying an unlimited as a third vehicle.


Sent via fat thumb
 

Containerized

Adventurer
hornytoad - I think you're right on, it comes down to how much you use the off-road capability (which then dictates how much of its on-road behavior you can put up with).
 

Area52

Adventurer
I sold my 2010 JK and replaced it with a 2012 Tacoma double cab, which will be lightly modded for expedition use. (Mild lift, winch/winch bumper and rear bumper w/swing away tire carrier)

Clearly, the JK was the more capable rig out of the box, but it was killing me as a daily driver.

It had no wear or reliability issues, but the ergonomics were poor.

The Toyota build quality is far superior.

I also bought a 81 Toyota for rock crawling, but it could have easily been an older beater Jeep. I still like Jeeps, I just don't like driving them every day.

My trip up to Moab from El Paso last year in the JK just about killed me.

Jim

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JCMatthews

Tour Guide
This should reach any trailhead, and do some crawling along the way.
 

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The Swiss

Expedition Leader
Back in 2008 I was in between a JKU and the (previous generation) 4 Runner. I had a 4 Runner as a rental car and really enjoyed driving it, a lot more than the Jeep Commander I had at the time. After much back and forth and test drives, I decided in favor of the Jeep. Just to be safe, and after hating the Commander, I just leased the JKU; in the worst case, I would drive it for 3 years and then get rid of it. Well I have not regretted my decision to get a JKU a second and enjoyed every of the 72,000 miles I drove with my '08. Last year, the lease came to an end and I replaced it with a '12 JKU, which I'm not leasing anymore but buying and planning on keeping for a loooong time. The new engine and new auto tranny added a lot to highway drivability and increased my fuel mileage. Love my Wrangler Unlimited!!!

I am a little bit surprised reading the comments regarding comfort. My JKU is my daily driver and company vehicle. I drive about 24kmls a year and IMHO the JKU is very comfortable. My wife, who is a kind of spoilt when it comes to comfort - her daily driver is a Nissan Maxima - actually prefers taking the JKU for longer drives; we also have a '95 Grand Cherokee and ride comfort wise, the JKU and the ZJ are very comparable. Compaared to our XJ, and the JKU definitely rides better. Yes, wind noise is a little higher than in either of the others, especially at speeds of 80+ mph, but hey, it's still a tru Wrangler after all, even though a very comfortable one.

The absolute only complaint I have with the JK is that with the black hardtop lacking any insulation, in hot sunny days, your head is getting baked!!! The inside of the top is getting too hot to touch.

For me, the JKU was absolutely the right choice, but I don't think a 4 Runner would be a bad choice either.
 

JIMBO

Expedition Leader
:sombrero: Now that surprises me-that in over three years, you haven't read about JK/JKU hardtop insulation kits-


Back in 2008 I was in between a JKU and the (previous generation) 4 Runner. I had a 4 Runner as a rental car and really enjoyed driving it, a lot more than the Jeep Commander I had at the time. After much back and forth and test drives, I decided in favor of the Jeep. Just to be safe, and after hating the Commander, I just leased the JKU; in the worst case, I would drive it for 3 years and then get rid of it. Well I have not regretted my decision to get a JKU a second and enjoyed every of the 72,000 miles I drove with my '08. Last year, the lease came to an end and I replaced it with a '12 JKU, which I'm not leasing anymore but buying and planning on keeping for a loooong time. The new engine and new auto tranny added a lot to highway drivability and increased my fuel mileage. Love my Wrangler Unlimited!!!

I am a little bit surprised reading the comments regarding comfort. My JKU is my daily driver and company vehicle. I drive about 24kmls a year and IMHO the JKU is very comfortable. My wife, who is a kind of spoilt when it comes to comfort - her daily driver is a Nissan Maxima - actually prefers taking the JKU for longer drives; we also have a '95 Grand Cherokee and ride comfort wise, the JKU and the ZJ are very comparable. Compaared to our XJ, and the JKU definitely rides better. Yes, wind noise is a little higher than in either of the others, especially at speeds of 80+ mph, but hey, it's still a tru Wrangler after all, even though a very comfortable one.

The absolute only complaint I have with the JK is that with the black hardtop lacking any insulation, in hot sunny days, your head is getting baked!!! The inside of the top is getting too hot to touch.

For me, the JKU was absolutely the right choice, but I don't think a 4 Runner would be a bad choice either.

I've had mine in for over 3 years and the inside of my JKUR handles the NorNv Desert, with ease and almost no A/C use-

Pretty common for JK/JKU hardtops--you shouildn't have any complaints !

:costumed-smiley-007:wings: JIMBO
 
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m(a)ce

Adventurer
seems like a win win. I don't have 4 Runner experience so I can't speak to that but it is on my short list if I don't get another JKU (or want a 2nd, different vehicle).

I will say my 2008 JKU Rubi just hit 80k. It's my built DD and it's had it's fair share of rocks along with Pine Barrens water & sand. Reliability has been spectacular so far. GFs 2007 JK with 160k+ has been great too. Only thing has been recent development of airbag lighting up which seems related to the clock spring. Things I love about the JK is ability to take doors off, go soft or hard door & aftermarket support. Almost too many options.

Maybe I'm lucky but my TJ had solid reliability too. I think the ghost of the YJ, CJ, etc still haunts the Jeep brand. Trolling around on some of the Toyota sites it seems like they have their own idiosyncrasies & issues, no? Seems like one big part to reliability is manufacturers build but what about the owners use, abuse & lack of maintenance?

Anyway back to the topic, is the OP going to leave the rig stock? Because that introduces a whole other level of discussion :p
 

hornytoad

Desert Geologist
Rent both!

Good idea on the Jeep forum. It will be YOUR truck so make sure if fits your lifestyle/driving habits. The rental that I tooled around in drove me bonkers but it might be what you fall in love with. If you can rent the vehicles in your area do so. Live a week in the wrangler unlimited and in the 4runner so that you can make a informed decision.
 

jeepn0811

New member
My suggestion. Ive had a 2007 4 door Sahara on 37's. Now I have a 2007 Tacoma Trd sport Dc 4x4. The build quality of the toyota is not even comparable to the crappy material of the jeep. Granted the new jeep is much nicer. I dont think id spend the money on the Rubicon unless you rock crawl a lot. Id get a sport put a 3.5 " aev suspension on it with 35" tires and regear it. That would be way cheaper than either the toyota or Rubi and still get everywhere you want to go. With the brake lock differential in low transfer I was amazed the obsticals it was able to get over. But the 4 runner is very nice.

This being said. I'm a jeep guy. When funds allow I will find clean used 2006 Rubicon unlimited for a weekend build vehicle.

Cant go wrong with either one.
 

Qrex

New member
I found myself in the exact same position as you not long ago. I got the best of both worlds and went with aan '11 Jeep Grand Cherokee. We absolutely love it and have driven it all over WA, OR, ID & CA in all kinds of weather with out ever experiencing an issue. Build quality is top-notch and love the fuel economy of the new V6 engine. :sombrero:
 

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