Jeep rubicon unlimited or Toyota 4runner Trail

penberth

New member
Went with the 4Runner

I bought a used 2011 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon. It was fully loaded with leather, nav, etc. I bought it with 14K miles on it in November of 2011. By February of 2012, I was looking to unload it. It was under-powered, which I kind of knew going in. Like others have said, the rear seat is terrible. My 4 year old could barely fit in it when in his car seat. There is not much storage room.

I had never looked outside of the Jeep brand having owned Jeeps since 1998.

I happened to see a newer 4Runner Trail and loved the looks of it. I took an SR5 for a couple of test drives and couple of days later, and shortly after that, I was at the dealer working on a deal.

They are night and day. I realized that I really didn't need a rock crawler, and that the 4Runner SR5 would work just fine for my casual off roading, etc.

I made the switch and it is great. The fit and finish is perfect, the power is great.

Definitely look at both vehicles, but after owning both, I found the 4Runner fit my needs much better.
 

stioc

Expedition Leader
I own neither a Jeep nor a Toyota (so rest assured I'm unbiased :coffeedrink:). If it were me and I knew that 80-90% of my usage will be normal driving with the family where reliability, comfort and room are key to an enjoyable trip and a happy life I'd go with the 4Runner and happily give up some of the offroad ruggedness of the Jeep. On the other hand if this is going to be a 2nd or 3rd car that will serve as an offroad toy then by all means Jeep is a great platform for that. I've seen many LCs and 4Runners go places I wouldn't want to go due to the lack of my own skills...as you said they took one to Rubicon with the right driver and good tires.

Also, the $2-3k difference is really not much when you're talking about a $30k+ rig, besides, with the 4Runners and LCs you hardly lose money when it comes time to sell as they command one of the highest used car values.
 

fifthcircle

Adventurer
I have been in many a jeep. They are cool, and great off highway.

Around town, jeep is fun.
On highway, jeep is not comfortable for very long.
Off road, jeep is unbeatable stock.

Why I own a 4runner Trail?
I drive on road most of the time (everyone does). Its quiet. Has plenty of power. Toyota reliability. Has 90% of the off highway capabilities as a jeep rubi.

I also plan on handing this down to my son when he turns 16. He's 1. ;)

Sent from my fat thumbs on a small touch screen.
 

JMcD

New member
I am also in the 4Runner camp. I have had both and in fact my teen insisted on a JK. I have driven it 2 hours on highway and it felt like 14 hours. Total beating....my T4R is well outfitted with fridge, RTT, skids, sliders, bumper, etc., all set up for expedition. I would definitely recommend the T4R considering your use.
 

Robert B

Adventurer
Also Went with the 4runner

I took a really hard look at a new Unlimited Rubicon, Grand Cherokee Overland with Off Road Package and 4Runner Trail. Emotionally, I wanted the Rubicon. But, I take a couple 500 mile trips per year from San Diego to Tahoe and cannot imagine my kids surviving in the back seat that long. I thought the GC would be a good compromise. However, the GC's cargo area is tiny. And, what made me walk away from the Jeep options was that on the test drive, the Quadra Lift Air Suspension on the GC failed -- it would not go up or down -- playing directly into my concerns about Jeep reliability.

The 4Runner Trail will meet my realistic needs to bump around the local trails, city commuting and Tahoe trips. The back seat and overall comfort eclipses the Rubicon, although the GC wins easily in that department. The build quality appears good -- but, I have only owned it for 1 day so far -- but some of the materials seem a little cheap -- some hard plastic surface and seems in the plastic where there should be none. (I have previously owned Landcruisers -- an 80 and a 100 -- the 4Runner not surprisingly falls short of Landcruiser quality.) Nevertheless, I am excited about modding the new truck and seeing what it can do.
 

DanKunz

Adventurer
Save 20k and get a used GX470, especially if you have kids.

My brother and I both did and fell in love with it. I use mine for more offroad, he uses his for more of what you have in mind.
 

just eric

Adventurer
I have a 2012 Rubicon that I picked up last December. I am thinking about trading it in for a TE. The wife and I took the Rubi on a 2000 mile roadtrip from Washington to California and back when she was 6 months pregnant. We were both impressed with the comfort level and drivability on the highway and didn't have any major complaints. That all changed when the baby arrived... All of the previous complaints about the back seat are spot on. It sucks. You can barely get an infant car seat in there even without the base. And forget about riding in the back with the baby to calm her crying eyes. Even my wife at 5'6" and 110 lbs is cramped and uncomfortable. Oh and the freedom top isn't the greatest thing here in the NW, it leaks...
 

ebg18t

Adventurer
I just looked at both to replace my totaled LR Disco. I ended up with the 4Runner since it just right inside. After you drive them you will know which one is right for you.
 

4x4v8

Observer
I know this is an old thread but I thought I would chime in.

I have a 4th and 5th gen 4Runner (considerably different, if you ask me). My brother-in-law has a JK Unlimited.

4th gen 4runner: 2.5" lift, 32" tires, rest stock
5th gen 4runner Limited: Stock
JK Sahara: 3" lift, 35" tires, bumper, winch

On road: If you ask me, if you DD it, 4Runner. It is so much more quiet and smooth. The JK is noisy and feels sloppy to me. Mind you, our 2010 4Runner is a limited so it has a bells and whistles and it is not even in the same price range as the JK. My 2005 is all beat up now but I still prefer it to the 2011 JK. I really dislike the interior of the JK, it is too plasticy, noisy, and the back seats are too small for my liking. The 4Runner have a bigger back seat and it is much more "luxurious" (for the lack of a a better word) on the roads.

Offroad:The 5th gen hasn't seen dirt because it is our baby hauler. The 4th gen and JK gets us to our camp and our favorite fishing spots. For what we do and what I think you'll be doing, they both do fine. I'm sure the 5th gen could get into the spots with some tires, but we haven't tried.

If you're just driving to get to trailheads to go hiking, I'm sure the 4Runner and JK will both get it done. I do enjoy when we drop the top in the JK though. When I get the urge in the 4Runners we just roll down the back window. Not as enjoyable as a drop top, but it gets some wind in the face. hahaha..
 

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