4Runner VS Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

[ngurney]

Hey Everyone! I am really excited to be a part of this community. I joined in preparation to buying my rig on purpose, I want your input! These are the two up in the running. Ideally I would love to hear from people who have owned both, and can give me pros and cons of each. I am looking for around a '14-'16 model year on whatever I go with.

This will technically be my or my wife's daily driver so that is probably important to keep in mind.

Let me know if you have any questions!

 

[Steve]

Where do you plan to use the vehicle? What sort of trails, towing, future modifications etc. are you planning? That might help folks answer better.

Moving to Rig Q&A forum.

 

[ngurney]

Where do you plan to use the vehicle? What sort of trails, towing, future modifications etc. are you planning? That might help folks answer better.

Moving to Rig Q&A forum.

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the help. I live in Utah so I love the idea of being Moab ready, but I don't want a rock crawler by any means. I mostly plan to use it as weekend camper, but I want to be able to really participate in long trips such as the TAT. I want to keep the interior open (room for kids in the future) and I want to eventually do a rooftop tent or small trailer (something like a Turtleback) but that is a little further down the road.

Let me know if you have any other clarifications questions!

Nick

 

[codesertrat]

Do you plan on having just you and the wife in the vehicle or will there be kids or pets you need to have comfortable room for?

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[ngurney]

Do you plan on having just you and the wife in the vehicle or will there be kids or pets you need to have comfortable room for?

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Pets right now, kids down the road :) so I would like to keep the interior nearly stock.

 

[codesertrat]

I personally have not owned a newer jeep but a couple of the guys I used to go out with had space issues with larger dogs and older kids while keeping a stock interior on the 4 door jeep and a long wheel base tj.

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[ngurney]

I personally have not owned a newer jeep but a couple of the guys I used to go out with had space issues with larger dogs and older kids while keeping a stock interior on the 4 door jeep and a long wheel base tj.

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Okay good to know. Our dog is smaller, and kids are still a few years away so it might not be too big of a concern right now.

 

[ngurney]

One important piece of information I failed to mention: my wife really wants a wrangler, so her vote might trump all of this anyway haha.

 

[Arizona Overland]

Well, T4Rs are pretty awesome vehicles, lotsa room, dependable, and they are great for overlanding. I would own one if I didn't want a P/U. IMO the T4R is a better vehicle than the Taco, its just not a P/U. As far as the Jeep goes, I dunno. I like Jeeps, but Italians don't have a very good track record for building dependable vehicles, so,sadly, I don't trust that brand anymore.
Go and check out both, drive both really spend some time looking around at both. I think your decision will be pretty obvious to you.

 

[ngurney]

Well, T4Rs are pretty awesome vehicles, lotsa room, dependable, and they are great for overlanding. I would own one if I didn't want a P/U. IMO the T4R is a better vehicle than the Taco, its just not a P/U. As far as the Jeep goes, I dunno. I like Jeeps, but Italians don't have a very good track record for building dependable vehicles, so,sadly, I don't trust that brand anymore.
Go and check out both, drive both really spend some time looking around at both. I think your decision will be pretty obvious to you.

I really had all the same thoughts even last week, but my wife can be convincing haha so I have decided to give the Jeep a real thought. The more research I have done, the more I am thinking that the unreliability of Jeeps are mostly rumors, but maybe that is just wishful thinking.

TLDR; I feel ya, so I have come to the experts for advice :)

 

[codesertrat]

I really had all the same thoughts even last week, but my wife can be convincing haha so I have decided to give the Jeep a real thought. The more research I have done, the more I am thinking that the unreliability of Jeeps are mostly rumors, but maybe that is just wishful thinking.

TLDR; I feel ya, so I have come to the experts for advice :)

Take the wife and drive both but we all know if the wife wants a wrangler you're going to own a wrangler haha

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[Arizona Overland]

I really had all the same thoughts even last week, but my wife can be convincing haha so I have decided to give the Jeep a real thought. The more research I have done, the more I am thinking that the unreliability of Jeeps are mostly rumors, but maybe that is just wishful thinking.

TLDR; I feel ya, so I have come to the experts for advice :)

A friend of mine went from a Rubicon to a Tacoma just a month ago. Better feel mileage and ............ reliability............
but I agree with codesertrat. Take the wife and check out both. But he's right, if she wants a wrangler, your getting a wrangler.
Although.
My wife wanted a Rubi and we wound up with a Taco. BUT, she always wanted a Toyota P/U from before the days they were called Tacos, so she's good with it. BUT, she still wants a Rubi.

 

[ngurney]

A friend of mine went from a Rubicon to a Tacoma just a month ago. Better feel mileage and ............ reliability............
but I agree with codesertrat. Take the wife and check out both. But he's right, if she wants a wrangler, your getting a wrangler.
Although.
My wife wanted a Rubi and we wound up with a Taco. BUT, she always wanted a Toyota P/U from before the days they were called Tacos, so she's good with it. BUT, she still wants a Rubi.

Yeah I am feeling that more and more I will end up with a Rubicon. I just hope it doesn't give me tons of problems...

 

[Daniel Etter]

I agree with @codesertrat at test driving both. I was in the same position and it came down to looking at the wrangler and 4Runner. The wrangler will have more of an aftermarket selection and be more capable offroad, but it has disadvantages. You sacrifice comfort and increase in road noise compared to the 4Runner. The 4Runner is still pretty capable and offers a lot of interior room. Our 2 German shepherds have a ton of room in the back and enjoy the sliding rear window. I have ridden in one of the new rubicon's long distance and they can wear you down with the stiffer suspension and louder noise. But being able to remove the top and doors is nice! We ended up with the 4Runner because we wanted the better safety features for when we have kids, the reliability, it's comfort and space, and its modest offroad capabilities. Also toyotas hold their value better.

 

[Jeepney]

I think deciding between the two boils down on whether you or your wife cares about what makes a Jeep -- read -- it is not a practical buy but more of an emotional buy. If you don't care for all that then I'd go for a 4Runner (or Taco). Anyways, a lot of folks buy jeeps with the thought that they like it but end up regretting it after they realize it isn't your typical SUV (especially after you realize what you are getting for the money!). As long as you and your wife are aware of what you are getting into then you will love the Jeep.

As far as reliability is concerned, it's a pretty solid platform but there is always quality issues with subpar paint (not forgivable!), roof leaks especially soft top, rear seats are afterthought etc.. 4Runners definitely if that is something that bothers you.

 

[Jorge]

I've owned both a 2014 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and a 2015 Toyota 4Runner Trail. Hands down the 4Runner as an overland platform. I was SO excited to be in a Wrangler, but it was short lived. Taking the Freedom tops off and doors off was only fun for the first couple of times. Off-road, it was amazing and how you feel connected to the trail is amazing. But, living with it everyday was a whole other story. My girlfriend and I do long road trips on 3 and 4 day weekends...and in the Jeep we felt pretty fatigued from the road trip while in the Wrangler. In the 4Runner it felt like we could drive for much longer periods. The 4Runner is much easier to live with everyday and can still handle it's own on the trail. Later, I did trade my 4Runner in for a 2016 Tacoma TRD Off Road because the truck bed was excellent for a drawer system/sleeping platform that we fabricated for our trips.

 

[ngurney]

I've owned both a 2014 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and a 2015 Toyota 4Runner Trail. Hands down the 4Runner as an overland platform. I was SO excited to be in a Wrangler, but it was short lived. Taking the Freedom tops off and doors off was only fun for the first couple of times. Off-road, it was amazing and how you feel connected to the trail is amazing. But, living with it everyday was a whole other story. My girlfriend and I do long road trips on 3 and 4 day weekends...and in the Jeep we felt pretty fatigued from the road trip while in the Wrangler. In the 4Runner it felt like we could drive for much longer periods. The 4Runner is much easier to live with everyday and can still handle it's own on the trail. Later, I did trade my 4Runner in for a 2016 Tacoma TRD Off Road because the truck bed was excellent for a drawer system/sleeping platform that we fabricated for our trips.

Great info! I really appreciate it. We might just have to do something similar as you and jump around a bit. Maybe I will appease the wife and get a Rubi, then in a couple years when we start having kids I will switch to a 4runner.

Thanks to everyone for all the great input you are really helping a ton!

 

[Jeepney]

Great info! I really appreciate it. We might just have to do something similar as you and jump around a bit. Maybe I will appease the wife and get a Rubi, then in a couple years when we start having kids I will switch to a 4runner.

Thanks to everyone for all the great input you are really helping a ton!

But then you will have to deal with your kids demanding you to get a Wrangler :D

I should say i didn't vote, just not apples to apples for me.

 

[Jorge]

Great info! I really appreciate it. We might just have to do something similar as you and jump around a bit. Maybe I will appease the wife and get a Rubi, then in a couple years when we start having kids I will switch to a 4runner.

Thanks to everyone for all the great input you are really helping a ton!

Get a Wrangler to appease your wife and enjoy it as long as it fits your lifestyle. Both the Wrangler and 4Runner hold some of the highest resale value of any vehicle. I made $500 on the 4Runner when I traded it in a year later with 21K miles. CRAZY!

 

[XL.Overland]

I think deciding between the two boils down on whether you or your wife cares about what makes a Jeep -- read -- it is not a practical buy but more of an emotional buy.

This^ I agree whole heartedly. I've always wanted a Wrangler, but for this reason only. Yes it's more modifiable as far as lift is concerned, and yes it can be turned into a rock crawler, however... after having ridden in one and owning a 4Runner, I will never own one. If you're not going for an exclusive trail rig (i.e. King of the Hammers, or extreme rock crawling), I would go for the 4Runner or a Tacoma. Both are extremely capable trail rigs and can handle Moab, the Rubicon Trail, etc. my complaints with Jeep are this (I've owned two patriots and a Willys Overland Wagon so I do have a little insight into that world): unreliability, lack of cargo space, road noise (think about driving a steel box down the road that rattles at every bump from stiff suspension (even more so if lifted) and two solid axles), cheap interior components, and uncomfortable seats. I've seen others say that wranglers have a comparably high resale value compared to Toyota, but I have to disagree to an extent. Yes you can get back what you've paid for it, but usually only because most Jeep owners have highly modified rigs. Which means that you've dumped a ton of money modifying it. So you're still losing money. Again, it's an emotional buy, not a practical one. Hope this is some good insight, and I'm really not trying to bash on the wrangler, because I do really love them. Just trying to point out some of their flaws for a daily driver and an overland rig. And as our motto goes, it doesn't matter what you drive, as long as you get out there and explore.


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