Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
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Re: Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
Buy a used Toyota Landcruiser...I live on the beach and have pulled stuck Jeeps out with mine....off road is their jam...bulletproof and reliable as you can ever get...get a used one with 125-150K on it...spend 3K to have it all gone over and boom...you are good for another 100-125K easy with only oil changes and a set of tires...thats why they sell like hotcakes in the middle east...and if you want to sell it they take about 15 minutes to sell....
Re: Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
If smiles per gallon are more important than miles per gallon, and finances permitting, my recommendation would be a 392 Rubicon with a synthetic line, proper recovery gear, and potentially a winch anchor if you frequently go alone. Sand is one of the few places where you occasionally just need hp. Don't use the winch unless you know the risks.MrsO wrote: ↑Sun Apr 11, 2021 8:55 pm ...
Honestly I don’t know a thing about rock crawling! I think I once saw a video of a Land Rover demonstration, which was fascinating and so amazing to see what was possible. But I’m a super cautious person and would probably be petrified, if it’s what I imagine. Heck, even being a passenger on windy roads in Sedona and Kauai put me seriously on edge. But absolutely yes to your question #3 that I never, ever want to be in a position where I need to call for an extraction
Some of the other vehicles mentioned are worthy competitors, but Jeep's been doing this for decades. You won't regret it if you value off road performance. If OP lives in the northeast, feel free to DM me.
Re: Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
"There's a lot of love for 4 Runners, but like the poster above, I couldn't get over how outdated and cheap the interiors are. They also have an extremely underpowered V6 (good luck towing anything) that gets less than 15 MPG in real world driving, which is inexcusable in 2021."
Not at all my experience. I bought a new Trail Premium in 2016 for surf fishing the Outer Banks and I also own a freshwater fishing boat that I tow regularly. And I have an 8 x 10 1-ton trash trailer for hauling stuff. I have never gotten anywhere near 15 mpg even in the city. On the Interstate at 75 it gets 22-23. It will get up and go, although I admit it's not as quick as my wife's '16 Avalon Touring.
The interior is functional and I like the red thread on edges of the black upholstery and the seats are waterproof and easy to wipe down. The only things I changed were the dash and door speakers to Focals and had sound mat added to the doors. I've considered having the carpet pulled out to make it easier to get the sand out.
Fwiw, I'm very happy paid the extra $1750 for the KDSS suspension option. It really firms up the steering and keeps it flat in corners, but loose at low speeds with lots of wheel travel. I don't think I've ever needed to use the rear locker or most of the 4WD options, including low range.
The stock tires at 18 psi will go anywhere in even the deepest, softest sand.
I was tempted to buy us 2 Land Cruisers in 2016, but my wife didn't want a big boat of a car and I really didn't want to write a check for $180k.
Not at all my experience. I bought a new Trail Premium in 2016 for surf fishing the Outer Banks and I also own a freshwater fishing boat that I tow regularly. And I have an 8 x 10 1-ton trash trailer for hauling stuff. I have never gotten anywhere near 15 mpg even in the city. On the Interstate at 75 it gets 22-23. It will get up and go, although I admit it's not as quick as my wife's '16 Avalon Touring.
The interior is functional and I like the red thread on edges of the black upholstery and the seats are waterproof and easy to wipe down. The only things I changed were the dash and door speakers to Focals and had sound mat added to the doors. I've considered having the carpet pulled out to make it easier to get the sand out.
Fwiw, I'm very happy paid the extra $1750 for the KDSS suspension option. It really firms up the steering and keeps it flat in corners, but loose at low speeds with lots of wheel travel. I don't think I've ever needed to use the rear locker or most of the 4WD options, including low range.
The stock tires at 18 psi will go anywhere in even the deepest, softest sand.
I was tempted to buy us 2 Land Cruisers in 2016, but my wife didn't want a big boat of a car and I really didn't want to write a check for $180k.
Re: Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
That sounds exciting. It looks like Land Cruisers are the same curb weight as Sequoias. I thought that they were just fancy 4Runners; it turns out that they weigh 1000 lbs. more.OldBallCoach wrote: ↑Mon Apr 12, 2021 6:10 pm Buy a used Toyota Landcruiser...I live on the beach and have pulled stuck Jeeps out with mine....off road is their jam...bulletproof and reliable as you can ever get...get a used one with 125-150K on it...spend 3K to have it all gone over and boom...you are good for another 100-125K easy with only oil changes and a set of tires...thats why they sell like hotcakes in the middle east...and if you want to sell it they take about 15 minutes to sell....
Online, I found a 2013 with 200K miles for $30K.
But, if you drove a Land Cruiser, how could you operate below the radar?
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Re: Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
That's actually a reasonable suggestion. The 2" lift increases ground clearance to 10.7" (more than a Wrangler stock) and adding larger tires adds even more. I assume the wheel wells will accommodate tires that add 1 more inch, bringing ground clearance to 11.7". Deflating the tires for offroad will bring it back down an inch, so 10.7". So long as there's no chance of body damage from squeezing through boulders or stumps, this is a great solution that will give you everyday vehicle tasks and much better gas mileage than any of the trucks mentioned. We have a 17 Legacy (close to an outback) and get somewhere near 30 mpg. My Wrangler....half that.
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Re: Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
4runner gets my vote. Handles us + 3 kids (2 in car seats) plus dog in rear with enough cargo space for the weekend bags.
If we extended past a weekend, the Yakima roof box carries everything else.
If we extended past a weekend, the Yakima roof box carries everything else.
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Re: Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
An LC has one of the best if not the best 4 wheel drive system in the world. Locking axles, multi speed transfer cases and built like a brick you know what. About the only thing a LC and 4 runner share in common is the need for a very good gas credit card. And as for the radar...well...who cares...LOLhudson wrote: ↑Tue Apr 13, 2021 5:55 amThat sounds exciting. It looks like Land Cruisers are the same curb weight as Sequoias. I thought that they were just fancy 4Runners; it turns out that they weigh 1000 lbs. more.OldBallCoach wrote: ↑Mon Apr 12, 2021 6:10 pm Buy a used Toyota Landcruiser...I live on the beach and have pulled stuck Jeeps out with mine....off road is their jam...bulletproof and reliable as you can ever get...get a used one with 125-150K on it...spend 3K to have it all gone over and boom...you are good for another 100-125K easy with only oil changes and a set of tires...thats why they sell like hotcakes in the middle east...and if you want to sell it they take about 15 minutes to sell....
Online, I found a 2013 with 200K miles for $30K.
But, if you drove a Land Cruiser, how could you operate below the radar?
Re: Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
What do you mean by multispeed transfercase?OldBallCoach wrote: ↑Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:13 amAn LC has one of the best if not the best 4 wheel drive system in the world. Locking axles, multi speed transfer cases and built like a brick you know what. About the only thing a LC and 4 runner share in common is the need for a very good gas credit card. And as for the radar...well...who cares...LOLhudson wrote: ↑Tue Apr 13, 2021 5:55 amThat sounds exciting. It looks like Land Cruisers are the same curb weight as Sequoias. I thought that they were just fancy 4Runners; it turns out that they weigh 1000 lbs. more.OldBallCoach wrote: ↑Mon Apr 12, 2021 6:10 pm Buy a used Toyota Landcruiser...I live on the beach and have pulled stuck Jeeps out with mine....off road is their jam...bulletproof and reliable as you can ever get...get a used one with 125-150K on it...spend 3K to have it all gone over and boom...you are good for another 100-125K easy with only oil changes and a set of tires...thats why they sell like hotcakes in the middle east...and if you want to sell it they take about 15 minutes to sell....
Online, I found a 2013 with 200K miles for $30K.
But, if you drove a Land Cruiser, how could you operate below the radar?
Re: Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
What is your budget?MrsO wrote: ↑Sun Apr 11, 2021 10:45 am First I’ll start by saying that this is not a very boglehead purchase
We’re thinking of getting a 4x4 vehicle, primarily so we can drive off-road on sand for surf casting and exploring. (In other words, 4 wheel drive is a must and AWD will not cut it).
We’re a family of 4, with kids in car seats a for little while longer. Most of our driving is either very short distances in town or 2+ hour road trips. I could see a pickup truck being useful for throwing bikes/kayaks in the back, or the occasional need to transport large items, but it’s not necessary. I was thinking of some sort of Jeep, mainly because it seems like the obvious choice. In general I have zero interest in vehicles beyond reliability and fuel efficiency.
Option 1: get an older, higher mileage vehicle as a 3rd vehicle to only use when needed
Option 2: get something that could be a daily driver
What vehicles should we consider? Thanks in advance!
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Re: Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
Meaning it has a loackable center differencal and locking hubs...older models had 2 speed transfer cases as well...bottom line is if you need the best off road in a fulltime AWD you cant beat it.B4Xt3r wrote: ↑Tue Apr 13, 2021 6:32 pmWhat do you mean by multispeed transfercase?OldBallCoach wrote: ↑Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:13 amAn LC has one of the best if not the best 4 wheel drive system in the world. Locking axles, multi speed transfer cases and built like a brick you know what. About the only thing a LC and 4 runner share in common is the need for a very good gas credit card. And as for the radar...well...who cares...LOLhudson wrote: ↑Tue Apr 13, 2021 5:55 amThat sounds exciting. It looks like Land Cruisers are the same curb weight as Sequoias. I thought that they were just fancy 4Runners; it turns out that they weigh 1000 lbs. more.OldBallCoach wrote: ↑Mon Apr 12, 2021 6:10 pm Buy a used Toyota Landcruiser...I live on the beach and have pulled stuck Jeeps out with mine....off road is their jam...bulletproof and reliable as you can ever get...get a used one with 125-150K on it...spend 3K to have it all gone over and boom...you are good for another 100-125K easy with only oil changes and a set of tires...thats why they sell like hotcakes in the middle east...and if you want to sell it they take about 15 minutes to sell....
Online, I found a 2013 with 200K miles for $30K.
But, if you drove a Land Cruiser, how could you operate below the radar?
Re: Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
FYI, Jeep rubicon has a two speed 4:1 transfer case, and locking differentials. Locking hubs aren’t that advantageous, but are an advantage for MPG and if you break off-road.OldBallCoach wrote: ↑Tue Apr 13, 2021 7:13 pmMeaning it has a loackable center differencal and locking hubs...older models had 2 speed transfer cases as well...bottom line is if you need the best off road in a fulltime AWD you cant beat it.B4Xt3r wrote: ↑Tue Apr 13, 2021 6:32 pmWhat do you mean by multispeed transfercase?OldBallCoach wrote: ↑Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:13 amAn LC has one of the best if not the best 4 wheel drive system in the world. Locking axles, multi speed transfer cases and built like a brick you know what. About the only thing a LC and 4 runner share in common is the need for a very good gas credit card. And as for the radar...well...who cares...LOLhudson wrote: ↑Tue Apr 13, 2021 5:55 amThat sounds exciting. It looks like Land Cruisers are the same curb weight as Sequoias. I thought that they were just fancy 4Runners; it turns out that they weigh 1000 lbs. more.OldBallCoach wrote: ↑Mon Apr 12, 2021 6:10 pm Buy a used Toyota Landcruiser...I live on the beach and have pulled stuck Jeeps out with mine....off road is their jam...bulletproof and reliable as you can ever get...get a used one with 125-150K on it...spend 3K to have it all gone over and boom...you are good for another 100-125K easy with only oil changes and a set of tires...thats why they sell like hotcakes in the middle east...and if you want to sell it they take about 15 minutes to sell....
Online, I found a 2013 with 200K miles for $30K.
But, if you drove a Land Cruiser, how could you operate below the radar?
Ide be curious to know the angles of LC, ground clearance, low engine rpm torque, and electronic sway at disconnect between the two.
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Re: Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
As they say, A Range Rover or Jeep will take you out in the bush (desert, mountains, etc.),
The Land Cruiser will bring you back...
The Land Cruiser will bring you back...
Re: Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
This is getting crazy with some of these suggestions.
Budget is important, what do you plan to spend?
You don't need a jeep or any other specialized off road vehicle for managing beach fishing, any decent AWD or 4WD will work.
Jeeps are expensive and live on the reputation and the romanticized illusion of looking cool while driving one. Yes many models do well off road, and they can be highly modified, it all costs $$$. The better the off road manners the less you will like driving it the 99.9% of the time you're on a paved road.
If you want something that you may enjoy driving, and fits the needs of a family, buy an older used Yukon/Tahoe or something similar, even Escilades will do this very well. Escilades come very well equipped and are great on the road.
A good friends wife just had to have a jeep, her Camry wasn't cool enough. They bought the new jeep, then tires and wheels, plus some other stuff. When going anywhere they don't drive it, they use the much older Escilade, it's smoother quieter, more options, nicer to drive, and has a good AWD system.
There are many other good vehicle for this type of use, so unless you're really into off roading, get something cheaper, more reliable, and more enjoyable to ride in.
Budget is important, what do you plan to spend?
You don't need a jeep or any other specialized off road vehicle for managing beach fishing, any decent AWD or 4WD will work.
Jeeps are expensive and live on the reputation and the romanticized illusion of looking cool while driving one. Yes many models do well off road, and they can be highly modified, it all costs $$$. The better the off road manners the less you will like driving it the 99.9% of the time you're on a paved road.
If you want something that you may enjoy driving, and fits the needs of a family, buy an older used Yukon/Tahoe or something similar, even Escilades will do this very well. Escilades come very well equipped and are great on the road.
A good friends wife just had to have a jeep, her Camry wasn't cool enough. They bought the new jeep, then tires and wheels, plus some other stuff. When going anywhere they don't drive it, they use the much older Escilade, it's smoother quieter, more options, nicer to drive, and has a good AWD system.
There are many other good vehicle for this type of use, so unless you're really into off roading, get something cheaper, more reliable, and more enjoyable to ride in.
Last edited by ondarvr on Tue Apr 13, 2021 11:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
A used second gen frontier or xterra.MrsO wrote: ↑Sun Apr 11, 2021 10:45 am First I’ll start by saying that this is not a very boglehead purchase
We’re thinking of getting a 4x4 vehicle, primarily so we can drive off-road on sand for surf casting and exploring. (In other words, 4 wheel drive is a must and AWD will not cut it).
We’re a family of 4, with kids in car seats a for little while longer. Most of our driving is either very short distances in town or 2+ hour road trips. I could see a pickup truck being useful for throwing bikes/kayaks in the back, or the occasional need to transport large items, but it’s not necessary. I was thinking of some sort of Jeep, mainly because it seems like the obvious choice. In general I have zero interest in vehicles beyond reliability and fuel efficiency.
Option 1: get an older, higher mileage vehicle as a 3rd vehicle to only use when needed
Option 2: get something that could be a daily driver
What vehicles should we consider? Thanks in advance!
1 fund
Re: Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
I own a Dodge Ram truck loaded.....love it. My wife just got the newest Telluride SX nightfall edition. Very sweet vehicle at a lower price than what you would expect. Not exactly an offroader but great all around.MrsO wrote: ↑Sun Apr 11, 2021 10:45 am First I’ll start by saying that this is not a very boglehead purchase
We’re thinking of getting a 4x4 vehicle, primarily so we can drive off-road on sand for surf casting and exploring. (In other words, 4 wheel drive is a must and AWD will not cut it).
We’re a family of 4, with kids in car seats a for little while longer. Most of our driving is either very short distances in town or 2+ hour road trips. I could see a pickup truck being useful for throwing bikes/kayaks in the back, or the occasional need to transport large items, but it’s not necessary. I was thinking of some sort of Jeep, mainly because it seems like the obvious choice. In general I have zero interest in vehicles beyond reliability and fuel efficiency.
Option 1: get an older, higher mileage vehicle as a 3rd vehicle to only use when needed
Option 2: get something that could be a daily driver
What vehicles should we consider? Thanks in advance!
Re: Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
finite_difference wrote: ↑Mon Apr 12, 2021 12:30 pmLand Cruiser has an angle of approach of 30 degrees, and breakover angle of 21 degrees, and 20 degree angle of departure.2tall4economy wrote: ↑Sun Apr 11, 2021 12:03 pmLand cruiser approach and departure angles in the 20 degree range vs 30-40 degrees...Random Poster wrote: ↑Sun Apr 11, 2021 11:56 amI think that the list is a bit longer than you suggest.2tall4economy wrote: ↑Sun Apr 11, 2021 11:20 am The short answer is for true off-roading there are really only a handful of choices.
Jeep wenagler/gladiator
Mercedes g wagen (but I wouldn’t take it off-road for fear of damage)
Ford bronco (designed for it but untested in the wild)
If the size of the trail isn’t a problem you can probably add the Ford raptor, dodge trx, dodge power wagen to that list.
That’s about it. Everything else is just marketing not real off-road capability.
Toyota Land Cruiser. New or used.
Land Rover Defender 110. Used and a bit hard to find.
Nissan Patrol. Have to import.
And so on.
I’d even include the Lexus alternative to the Land Cruiser, the Toyota 4Runner, and perhaps a few others.
But the list isn’t just Jeep, a Mercedes, and a Ford.
The Wrangler Rubicon has an approach angle of 42.2 degrees, and breakover angle of 25.8 degrees, and a 32.3 departure angle.
The Toyota Land Cruiser has a ground clearance of 8.9 inches while the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon has a ground clearance of 10 inches.
For true off road (or sand), don’t forget to deflate your tires and be skillful. You can also get a suspension lift if you can afford a Land Cruiser.
Interesting stuff finite_difference!
I'm not an off-road expert; I know little about driving in the sand. I'll never be more than a novice. I just want to survive USDA Forest Service roads. I have a 4Runner.
I like this discussion, because I'm learning.
It sounds like the OP will only be driving in the sand. I don't know if ground clearance, approach, or departure matter, but I had to look up a few vehicles: Ground Clearance, Approach Angle, Departure Angle
2018 4Runner SR5 9.6, 33, 26
Land Cruiser 9.1, 32, 24
Jeep 2 Door 9.7, 41.4, 35.9
Tundra Crew 4WD 10.4, 29, 24
Highlander 8, 18, 23
2020 Subaru Outback 8.7, 18.6, 21.7
Kia Telluride 8, 17, 20.9
2020 Toyota Corolla 5.1, ?, ?
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Re: Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
Yep...this is 100% spot on...I dont know about angles and all that fancy stuff...I just know its fun to go pull out Jeeps that get stuck on the beach...is it wrong?jello_nailer wrote: ↑Tue Apr 13, 2021 9:50 pm As they say, A Range Rover or Jeep will take you out in the bush (desert, mountains, etc.),
The Land Cruiser will bring you back...
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Re: Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
I am presently looking to buy a Subaru. I see they were finally mentioned in this thread.
OP might want to look up some Subaru off road videos on youtube. Including Subaru in sand.
OP might want to look up some Subaru off road videos on youtube. Including Subaru in sand.
Re: Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
You're going to want a truck for surf fishing. Unless you want the inside of a 100k vehicle to smell like dead fish and shrimp and be full of sand. Tacoma if you want a small one or tundra, f150, Silverado for full size.
Re: Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
I'll throw in another option - you can still find Hummer H3s with under 100,000 miles for a decent price ($15,000-ish and less).
I bought a new 2007 model and sold it with 180,000 mostly trouble-free miles. Full time AWD with locking hi/low range center differential. Very comfortable leather interior, solid and quiet for what it is. Overall build is simple and clean - surprisingly nicely done for a GM product.
You won't fit 4 passengers and have room for a lot of gear.
Stock ground clearance 9.1 inches, approach angle 40 degrees, departure angle 36.5 degrees. Turning radius is insanely small. You can get into some serious off road hijinks while your co-pilot stands up through the super large sunroof playing WW2 German tank commander.
I bought a new 2007 model and sold it with 180,000 mostly trouble-free miles. Full time AWD with locking hi/low range center differential. Very comfortable leather interior, solid and quiet for what it is. Overall build is simple and clean - surprisingly nicely done for a GM product.
You won't fit 4 passengers and have room for a lot of gear.
Stock ground clearance 9.1 inches, approach angle 40 degrees, departure angle 36.5 degrees. Turning radius is insanely small. You can get into some serious off road hijinks while your co-pilot stands up through the super large sunroof playing WW2 German tank commander.
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Re: Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
Going to buy a new one to get crab walk mode?Atilla wrote: ↑Wed Apr 14, 2021 9:12 am I'll throw in another option - you can still find Hummer H3s with under 100,000 miles for a decent price ($15,000-ish and less).
I bought a new 2007 model and sold it with 180,000 mostly trouble-free miles. Full time AWD with locking hi/low range center differential. Very comfortable leather interior, solid and quiet for what it is. Overall build is simple and clean - surprisingly nicely done for a GM product.
You won't fit 4 passengers and have room for a lot of gear.
Stock ground clearance 9.1 inches, approach angle 40 degrees, departure angle 36.5 degrees. Turning radius is insanely small. You can get into some serious off road hijinks while your co-pilot stands up through the super large sunroof playing WW2 German tank commander.
Earned 43 (and counting) credit hours of financial planning related education from a regionally accredited university, but I am not your advisor.
Re: Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
Just as a heads up, breakover angle is quite often the limiting angle in my decade of experience. It's why one of the highest value offroad additions is a thick (i.e. 3/16''+) steel skid plate that goes over the transmission/transfercase.hudson wrote: ↑Wed Apr 14, 2021 5:50 amfinite_difference wrote: ↑Mon Apr 12, 2021 12:30 pmLand Cruiser has an angle of approach of 30 degrees, and breakover angle of 21 degrees, and 20 degree angle of departure.2tall4economy wrote: ↑Sun Apr 11, 2021 12:03 pmLand cruiser approach and departure angles in the 20 degree range vs 30-40 degrees...Random Poster wrote: ↑Sun Apr 11, 2021 11:56 amI think that the list is a bit longer than you suggest.2tall4economy wrote: ↑Sun Apr 11, 2021 11:20 am The short answer is for true off-roading there are really only a handful of choices.
Jeep wenagler/gladiator
Mercedes g wagen (but I wouldn’t take it off-road for fear of damage)
Ford bronco (designed for it but untested in the wild)
If the size of the trail isn’t a problem you can probably add the Ford raptor, dodge trx, dodge power wagen to that list.
That’s about it. Everything else is just marketing not real off-road capability.
Toyota Land Cruiser. New or used.
Land Rover Defender 110. Used and a bit hard to find.
Nissan Patrol. Have to import.
And so on.
I’d even include the Lexus alternative to the Land Cruiser, the Toyota 4Runner, and perhaps a few others.
But the list isn’t just Jeep, a Mercedes, and a Ford.
The Wrangler Rubicon has an approach angle of 42.2 degrees, and breakover angle of 25.8 degrees, and a 32.3 departure angle.
The Toyota Land Cruiser has a ground clearance of 8.9 inches while the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon has a ground clearance of 10 inches.
For true off road (or sand), don’t forget to deflate your tires and be skillful. You can also get a suspension lift if you can afford a Land Cruiser.
Interesting stuff finite_difference!
I'm not an off-road expert; I know little about driving in the sand. I'll never be more than a novice. I just want to survive USDA Forest Service roads. I have a 4Runner.
I like this discussion, because I'm learning.
It sounds like the OP will only be driving in the sand. I don't know if ground clearance, approach, or departure matter, but I had to look up a few vehicles: Ground Clearance, Approach Angle, Departure Angle
2018 4Runner SR5 9.6, 33, 26
Land Cruiser 9.1, 32, 24
Jeep 2 Door 9.7, 41.4, 35.9
Tundra Crew 4WD 10.4, 29, 24
Highlander 8, 18, 23
2020 Subaru Outback 8.7, 18.6, 21.7
Kia Telluride 8, 17, 20.9
2020 Toyota Corolla 5.1, ?, ?
Re: Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
Useful posts! thanks!
Does the Rubicon 392 have the steel skid plate? I took a quick look at the Wrangler Brochure and didn't see a pic. https://mydigimag.rrd.com/publication/? ... -web-21-MI
I will likely never go rock crawling or drive on the beach. I do go on unmaintained fire roads to get to trailheads...all seasons.
What kind of recovery equipment would you throw in the back. I'm usually in a basic 4WD 4Runner....sometimes in a 2WD pickup.
What about ground clearance? When I crawl under my vehicle with a tape measure and measure from the rear differential to the ground, it's always less than what is published.
Re: Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
All Wranglers come with the same (pretty thin) skid plates covering the entire gas tank, and part of the transfer case. All Rubicons come with rock rails standard. Here's a picture of the V6, V8 should be roughly the same:
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Re: Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
Another note for "beach sand". . .
Getting stuck is inevitable depending on how far onto the beach you go.
No matter the rig, when the axle hits the sand and the tires are sunk deep, that's it!
So, bring a long thick web tow strap so someone with another rig can give you an assist and pull you out.
I was once in a far deserted beach and parked with DW for a picnic. This was a full size 4wd lifted pickup truck with all the goodies. I guess I parked on a soft patch of sand because there was zero traction when it came time to go.
We waited.
Eventually, a local fisherman drove by in a beat up 4wd Toyota pickup truck. I threw him a line and he gave me an assist. Once I got a few feet out of the soft patch of sand, things were fine.
So, lesson, you never know.
And, when you have a very capable 4wd vehicle, you will get stuck in places that only equally or more capable rigs can get you out.
j
Getting stuck is inevitable depending on how far onto the beach you go.
No matter the rig, when the axle hits the sand and the tires are sunk deep, that's it!
So, bring a long thick web tow strap so someone with another rig can give you an assist and pull you out.
I was once in a far deserted beach and parked with DW for a picnic. This was a full size 4wd lifted pickup truck with all the goodies. I guess I parked on a soft patch of sand because there was zero traction when it came time to go.
We waited.
Eventually, a local fisherman drove by in a beat up 4wd Toyota pickup truck. I threw him a line and he gave me an assist. Once I got a few feet out of the soft patch of sand, things were fine.
So, lesson, you never know.
And, when you have a very capable 4wd vehicle, you will get stuck in places that only equally or more capable rigs can get you out.
j
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Re: Best 4 wheel drive vehicle
There's plenty of 4WD vehicle options, the OP just needs to narrow down based on things like cost, size, comfort, power, trailering, etc.
Yes, a Jeep Wrangler is an obvious choice in the small-to-mid sized category for stock offroad ability. Downsides are usually ride, comfort, power and cost.
On the larger and more expensive/comfortable side of things, my recommendation would more along the lines of a 4WD Yukon or Tahoe. But if you're thinking of taking the vehicle down tight 2-tracks in the woods or other technical trails, a large SUV may be too big and too expensive.
Pickups are another option, but this comes down to whether you'd prefer your cargo space to be interior or exterior, as both have advantages and disadvantages.
Yes, a Jeep Wrangler is an obvious choice in the small-to-mid sized category for stock offroad ability. Downsides are usually ride, comfort, power and cost.
On the larger and more expensive/comfortable side of things, my recommendation would more along the lines of a 4WD Yukon or Tahoe. But if you're thinking of taking the vehicle down tight 2-tracks in the woods or other technical trails, a large SUV may be too big and too expensive.
Pickups are another option, but this comes down to whether you'd prefer your cargo space to be interior or exterior, as both have advantages and disadvantages.