Hello from the PNW!

[dericky94]

Hi Everyone!

I'm looking to get into overlanding and have some questions on overland rigs.
After driving some 4runners, and coming from small vehicles, they seem just a little too big for me at the moment. I've pivoted my search to a few different options instead and was wondering if anyone has had significant personal experience to recommend or not recommend any specifics. I've been trying to do some research on the various models but there's so many that I'm having a little difficulty focusing on specific ones and which might fit my use-cases best.

I don't plan on doing extreme off roading or hardcore overlanding (yet), so what I've been looking for is something with a good balance of daily driveability, ability to take on longer roadtrips to get to more remote locations, and the occasional rocky trail (this image would probably be the most intense I'd like to be able to go https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/PM636m3AVW5v6Ak0DSiR-q92yHAOMEqZ65CA-zFlYILGEbWlLJ1BlsPVTMbxw3T8eUkyg_LxjAw_Booip4kFKoq_ItebhUb_O8F-HxkuOd-qi6Z65fW-0KY3ipGMBbQ) . I've done some overlanding growing up in the midwest, so not entirely vanilla, but most of my experiences have been with Wranglers.

1. Crosstrek (any gen). Definitely on the smaller side, seems like a little more sparse on the interior, but surprisingly capable on trails. AWD, but no 4WD (I think?). Seems a little low but can get to ~10inch with lift. Worried it might be a little too small on space for overlanding, but would be better for grocery duty / daily driving. Looks like lots of aftermarket support to make it more overland friendly.
2. Grand Cherokee trailhawk. 4WD, lifted from factory, skid plates. Larger side of cars, and a little pricier from what I've been seeing. Seems like it's got a much nicer interior though for longer drives and daily driving. Aftermarket support doesn't seem great though.
3. Cherokee trailhawk. 4WD, smaller, nicer interior than the crosstrek, but similar cons to the grand cherokee. Possibly limited on interior space as well. Compass was also a thought but at that point seems more like car than suv. Small gas tank, may need to carry external fuel.
4. CR-V 1997-2007 (or similar era RAV4). AWD, not 4WD, lower and smaller, low on power as well. aftermarket support on the smaller side.
5. Wrangler. 4WD, larger and more room for stuff, great aftermarket, not as great on-road manners
6. 4Runner 1997-2000 gen. Larger, great aftermarket. huge. 3.4 V6, plan on doing the recommended mods for longevity, i.e. the strawberry milkshake stuff, etc. Old & Toyota tax. Was looking at 4Runner instead of tacomas since I feel like I would have less need for a bed vs a cabin.

Tacoma? Land Rover? Forester? XJ? Am I overestimating the capability I need for my use case? Also, I see that rooftop tents are super popular. What do people with dogs do? I imagine carrying a 60 pound dog up there would not be fun... lol

 

[Silver Bullet]

I drive a 5th generation 4runner. I've had it about 2 years. I bought it with the intention of sleeping in the back. I'm not a fan of roof top tents. So far, it has worked out great. It's not small, but it's smaller than a lot of other similar overlanding vehicles... ie. Landcruiser, most pickup trucks... etc. Compared to a Jeep jl Wrangler Unlimited, the exterior dimensions are very similar, but with a shorter wheelbase and tighter turning circle. The Jeep is certainly the most capable off road in the toughest terrain, but with the possible exception of the new Bronco, no other currently built SUV I know of, is as capable as the 4runner.

In addition, the aftermarket support for the 4runner is very strong. It is very valuable to be able to choose from upwards of a half dozen of high quality manufacturers for roof racks, winch bumpers, rock sliders, skid armor, etc.

When you're out in the middle of nowhere, it gives a little peace of mind to know that you're able to rely on Toyota reliability.

My 4runner is very comfortable as a daily driver. I have a mild lift and 33 inch tires. It drives great on road and off.

If you're looking for something smaller, a two door Wrangler is shorter. If you're thinking about something like Subaru, I don't see many on the trails I've been on. Ground clearance and CVTs seem to be limiting factors for them, but I confess that I really don't know enough about them.

I'd stay away from anything that limits you to smaller low profile tires. Having some sidewall left after airing down helps protect your rims and helps to keep from pinching a hole in your sidewall

Just some things to think about.

 

[Kent R]

Hi Everyone!

I'm looking to get into overlanding and have some questions on overland rigs.
After driving some 4runners, and coming from small vehicles, they seem just a little too big for me at the moment. I've pivoted my search to a few different options instead and was wondering if anyone has had significant personal experience to recommend or not recommend any specifics. I've been trying to do some research on the various models but there's so many that I'm having a little difficulty focusing on specific ones and which might fit my use-cases best.

I don't plan on doing extreme off roading or hardcore overlanding (yet), so what I've been looking for is something with a good balance of daily driveability, ability to take on longer roadtrips to get to more remote locations, and the occasional rocky trail (this image would probably be the most intense I'd like to be able to go https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/PM636m3AVW5v6Ak0DSiR-q92yHAOMEqZ65CA-zFlYILGEbWlLJ1BlsPVTMbxw3T8eUkyg_LxjAw_Booip4kFKoq_ItebhUb_O8F-HxkuOd-qi6Z65fW-0KY3ipGMBbQ) . I've done some overlanding growing up in the midwest, so not entirely vanilla, but most of my experiences have been with Wranglers.

1. Crosstrek (any gen). Definitely on the smaller side, seems like a little more sparse on the interior, but surprisingly capable on trails. AWD, but no 4WD (I think?). Seems a little low but can get to ~10inch with lift. Worried it might be a little too small on space for overlanding, but would be better for grocery duty / daily driving. Looks like lots of aftermarket support to make it more overland friendly.
2. Grand Cherokee trailhawk. 4WD, lifted from factory, skid plates. Larger side of cars, and a little pricier from what I've been seeing. Seems like it's got a much nicer interior though for longer drives and daily driving. Aftermarket support doesn't seem great though.
3. Cherokee trailhawk. 4WD, smaller, nicer interior than the crosstrek, but similar cons to the grand cherokee. Possibly limited on interior space as well. Compass was also a thought but at that point seems more like car than suv. Small gas tank, may need to carry external fuel.
4. CR-V 1997-2007 (or similar era RAV4). AWD, not 4WD, lower and smaller, low on power as well. aftermarket support on the smaller side.
5. Wrangler. 4WD, larger and more room for stuff, great aftermarket, not as great on-road manners
6. 4Runner 1997-2000 gen. Larger, great aftermarket. huge. 3.4 V6, plan on doing the recommended mods for longevity, i.e. the strawberry milkshake stuff, etc. Old & Toyota tax. Was looking at 4Runner instead of tacomas since I feel like I would have less need for a bed vs a cabin.

Tacoma? Land Rover? Forester? XJ? Am I overestimating the capability I need for my use case? Also, I see that rooftop tents are super popular. What do people with dogs do? I imagine carrying a 60 pound dog up there would not be fun... lol



View attachment 209279

Welcome to Overland Bound
You might ask these questions on a specific part of the forum that is focused on the topic you are looking into. You will get way more traction.
Check the forum calendar and Meet-Up page for events, and the Trip Planning page for trips being planned by members. These pages can be filtered by region.
Overland Bound Meetups
Overland Trip Planning
“Overland Bound by Region”
OVERLAND BOUND COMMUNITY
The Regional Director in your area is @M Rose
Quick adult & youth Tread Lightly online awareness course.
Online Courses - Tread Lightly
Tread Lightly! Youth Online Course
Check out the Overland Expo https://www.OverlandExpo.com

 

[M Rose]

Hello @dericky94 , Welcome to Overland Bound.
I am the Northwest Director. @Ubiety is your closest member representative.
To help navigate through the forums, here are some links that can be filtered by “Region” prefix. We are in the Overland Bound North America US Northwest Region (US Northwest for short).
Overland Bound Meetups- is where all member generated rally points are posted in forum format for discussion of Rally Point and other types of Meetups. A meetup can be as simple as a group getting together for coffee, a trail ride, or a full in expedition with other Overland Bound Members.
Overland Bound Trip Planning- is a great place to talk about planning a trip wether by your self or as a group.
Overland Bound Routs: Downloadable- is exactly what it sounds like. Search, or share your GPX files here with a description of the route and POIs.
Share your Overland Routes- is similar time the downloadable posted above, but doesn’t require you to share the actual GPX file.
Overland Bound By Region < North America < US Northwest- is where you can find regional members discussing local events, Overland News, and general topics. It’s a great recourse to mete others in the regions.
Member Maps- a great trip planning tool. It can also be used to send out messages to members near your location, or a location you plan to visit.
Rally Point- a tool used to creat Meetups or send out an SOS.
Any questions, don’t hesitate to ask myself or your member representative team. Again welcome and hope to see you on the trails.
Mike Rose
Northwest Director
Overland Bound

 

[roots66]

Hello Derick, welcome to the OB family.

 

[Michael Golden]

Hi Everyone!

I'm looking to get into overlanding and have some questions on overland rigs.
After driving some 4runners, and coming from small vehicles, they seem just a little too big for me at the moment. I've pivoted my search to a few different options instead and was wondering if anyone has had significant personal experience to recommend or not recommend any specifics. I've been trying to do some research on the various models but there's so many that I'm having a little difficulty focusing on specific ones and which might fit my use-cases best.

I don't plan on doing extreme off roading or hardcore overlanding (yet), so what I've been looking for is something with a good balance of daily driveability, ability to take on longer roadtrips to get to more remote locations, and the occasional rocky trail (this image would probably be the most intense I'd like to be able to go https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/PM636m3AVW5v6Ak0DSiR-q92yHAOMEqZ65CA-zFlYILGEbWlLJ1BlsPVTMbxw3T8eUkyg_LxjAw_Booip4kFKoq_ItebhUb_O8F-HxkuOd-qi6Z65fW-0KY3ipGMBbQ) . I've done some overlanding growing up in the midwest, so not entirely vanilla, but most of my experiences have been with Wranglers.

1. Crosstrek (any gen). Definitely on the smaller side, seems like a little more sparse on the interior, but surprisingly capable on trails. AWD, but no 4WD (I think?). Seems a little low but can get to ~10inch with lift. Worried it might be a little too small on space for overlanding, but would be better for grocery duty / daily driving. Looks like lots of aftermarket support to make it more overland friendly.
2. Grand Cherokee trailhawk. 4WD, lifted from factory, skid plates. Larger side of cars, and a little pricier from what I've been seeing. Seems like it's got a much nicer interior though for longer drives and daily driving. Aftermarket support doesn't seem great though.
3. Cherokee trailhawk. 4WD, smaller, nicer interior than the crosstrek, but similar cons to the grand cherokee. Possibly limited on interior space as well. Compass was also a thought but at that point seems more like car than suv. Small gas tank, may need to carry external fuel.
4. CR-V 1997-2007 (or similar era RAV4). AWD, not 4WD, lower and smaller, low on power as well. aftermarket support on the smaller side.
5. Wrangler. 4WD, larger and more room for stuff, great aftermarket, not as great on-road manners
6. 4Runner 1997-2000 gen. Larger, great aftermarket. huge. 3.4 V6, plan on doing the recommended mods for longevity, i.e. the strawberry milkshake stuff, etc. Old & Toyota tax. Was looking at 4Runner instead of tacomas since I feel like I would have less need for a bed vs a cabin.

Tacoma? Land Rover? Forester? XJ? Am I overestimating the capability I need for my use case? Also, I see that rooftop tents are super popular. What do people with dogs do? I imagine carrying a 60 pound dog up there would not be fun... lol



View attachment 209279

Welcome to the Overland Bound Community Derick. Glad to have you join us.

 

[Ahoward2k]

The Xterra is about a foot shorter than the 4runner of I'm remembering correctly. I went from a chevy avalanche land yacht to my 2nd gen xterra and its tiny and nimble to me. Went on a trail ride and at one turn everyone else was having to 3 point it and I just went right through the first time. I drive a pro4x manual and it's a riot.

 

[North40overland]

I don't have any experience with the crossover type rigs but I did purchase a CrossTrek for my son. He has gone with us on a few soft-road adventures and that thing did surprisingly well. Take it with a grain of salt but I would go Subaru. Besides, they probably have the best aftermarket support in this class.

 

[dericky94]

Thanks for the input everyone! Been a little while but I ended up finding a 4th gen 4Runner that was the perfect price and had the space I think I’ll need. Since then, I’ve added a few mods, including:
- apex overland front recovery points
- cbi ditch light brackets and Amazon ditch lights
- apex overland electrical mounting plate and custom fuse box setup
- Kansei KNP wheels

 

[Armyx]

Welcome to the group!! lots of knowledge here, just ask and search.

 

[Smileyshaun]

It’s amazing how big 4Runner have gotten , they are the same size as a first gen sequoia. Great rig choice , you will never run out of places to explore in the pnw

 

[er waddell]

Welcome, and I look forward to seeing your build out.