4runner Sr5 or Jeep Unlimited Wrangler
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4runner.
http://www.history.com/shows/alaska-off-road-warriors
2 4runners in this show. one is a 4cyl the other a 6cyl.
If not the 4runner buy a War Wagon.
http://www.history.com/shows/alaska-off-road-warriors
2 4runners in this show. one is a 4cyl the other a 6cyl.
If not the 4runner buy a War Wagon.
If you want the longest lasting, best built option, pick the Toyota...I've got 25 years of first hand experience with a 4 Runner to support that position....
+1. My first 4runner had 255k miles on it, when I sold it....Still perking along happily. My second one has 248k miles on it........And I do not plan on passing it along.
In that time, it has been through a starter, brakes, plugs and wires, and a pinion bearing in the rear diff.
It has yet to use any oil, and nothing leaks.
In that time, it has been through a starter, brakes, plugs and wires, and a pinion bearing in the rear diff.
It has yet to use any oil, and nothing leaks.
You can't be serious? For reliability and long term ownership I'd take the Toyota, every time. I currently own a 4Runner, purchased new in 03. The first time I touched it for anything besides fluids was at 100K for spark plugs, a timing belt and water pump. It runs and drives like brand new and everything works, typical of 4Runners.
Keep in mind they're not really in the same class- the Toyota's more direct competition would be a Grand Cherokee Limited or Laredo, although you can certainly option-out a JGC to a level that would compete more with a Lexus SUV than the 4-Runner.
Go Wrangler if real offroad capability is a must. Not so much if its mostly on-highway with casual offroading. The Wrangler doesn't get the ZF8 automatic yet- if it did it would be the hands-down winner. As it is, the Toyota will probably be the better choice for mostly on-road use. The Wrangler is (by design) a lot less civilized- removable top panels are not as well insulated and tend to get a little rattly over time compared to a permanent top structure. Its still pretty impressive how tight the cabin is, given how much of that structure is removable. And the solid front axle is... well... a solid front axle. Great offroad. Fine on perfect pavement. A handful on washboard pavement.
I don't buy into any inherent Toyota reliability advantage- those days have been gone since 1995. They'll be pretty comparable. Most vehicles are, these days.
Go Wrangler if real offroad capability is a must. Not so much if its mostly on-highway with casual offroading. The Wrangler doesn't get the ZF8 automatic yet- if it did it would be the hands-down winner. As it is, the Toyota will probably be the better choice for mostly on-road use. The Wrangler is (by design) a lot less civilized- removable top panels are not as well insulated and tend to get a little rattly over time compared to a permanent top structure. Its still pretty impressive how tight the cabin is, given how much of that structure is removable. And the solid front axle is... well... a solid front axle. Great offroad. Fine on perfect pavement. A handful on washboard pavement.
I don't buy into any inherent Toyota reliability advantage- those days have been gone since 1995. They'll be pretty comparable. Most vehicles are, these days.
I have a 2015 4runner. It's been great for my intended use thus far. It's comfortable with a quite ride. I got the SR5 since I'm not going to be off roading very often at all. It just depends on what you want. I went to the dealership to look at Tacoma's. I found the 4runner fit my needs allot better.
I'd go with the 4runner hands down if this is a daily driver. My wife drives a GX460 which is basically an overpriced 4Runner with a V8 and it's been great for the first 16,000 miles and I expect it to be so for 250k more.
JHZR2
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My wife had a 4Runner, and my FIL a t100. Neither stood up as well to the USVI driving conditions as the fords that replaced them have.
That said, I'm not a fan of the 4dr wrangler style. Though the 4Runner has uglied out over time (less handsome than the past few generations), I think it looks better, and with that basis, if probably go with it.
That said, I'm not a fan of the 4dr wrangler style. Though the 4Runner has uglied out over time (less handsome than the past few generations), I think it looks better, and with that basis, if probably go with it.
You want to do serious off road driving get the Jeep, otherwise go with the 4 Runner.
We briefly considered the Unlimited Wrangler as a family hauler because you can still get it with a manual, and we might do some more serious off roading, but it has less cargo space than the Focus... The 4 runner has 50% more cargo space, nearly double the payload, and 4400lbs towing vs. 3500lbs. They get the same mileage too, so it would be 4runner for us.
I test drove a xterra and frontier before I bought mine. Each had things I liked and things I didn't like so much. Like the small rear doors on the xterra. For young children I think the wider rear doors on the 4runner will work out better. Easier to get in and out of and less damage to the vehicle from the kids.
Those are two pretty different vehicles. What are your reasons for wanting each one? The 4Runner will be better on road and for comfort, and the Jeep will be a little rougher around the edges. With that said, Jeep Wranglers are extremely simple without much to go wrong, and you can't beat driving to the beach with no top or doors.
Just remember that if you go off-road in a Jeep always make sure you don't try it without a backup plan, never try it alone. Jeep reliability is not up to a Toyota.
Jeep owners are very loyal. They put up with problems a Toyota owner would never tolerate. Their ultimate off-road performance may be better for some models but most owners never press it that much especially with such an expensive vehicle. The real Jeep owners are the ones that modify their Jeeps and really thrash them. They are in reality the vast minority of owners. Their Jeeps go places that would give the average driver a heart attack and they don't mind some dings and scrapes. I used to have such a jeep, a CJ-5 with a small block and a T-10. If I was not scraping the sides and dinging the skid plates I wasn't having fun. I purposely drove into places where it would scrape and bottom out just to give it a try. My winch was never lonely. I would never do that kind of driving with one of these new electronic wonders they offer today.
Jeep owners are very loyal. They put up with problems a Toyota owner would never tolerate. Their ultimate off-road performance may be better for some models but most owners never press it that much especially with such an expensive vehicle. The real Jeep owners are the ones that modify their Jeeps and really thrash them. They are in reality the vast minority of owners. Their Jeeps go places that would give the average driver a heart attack and they don't mind some dings and scrapes. I used to have such a jeep, a CJ-5 with a small block and a T-10. If I was not scraping the sides and dinging the skid plates I wasn't having fun. I purposely drove into places where it would scrape and bottom out just to give it a try. My winch was never lonely. I would never do that kind of driving with one of these new electronic wonders they offer today.
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