I don’t think Doug DeMuro really knows what he’s talking about, at least when it comes to the mechanical side of things.

Last summer my girlfriend sent me his XJ video when she was trying to convince me that we should get one (spoiler: she got her way). I recently rewatched his review out of curiosity and noticed a number of mistakes / oversights in the video. He says the engine is bulletproof (true enough) but makes no mention about everything else on the car breaks constantly. He talks about the ride quality as if the condition of the vehicle he’s in is applicable to any other XJ. How could that be true, when a vast majority of XJs have had their suspension replaced, if not upgraded (even if not lifted)? He claims you can take the XJ apart with a screwdriver and a wrench, when the reality is that the exposed screws and bolts are more for aesthetics than practicality. Sure, XJs are easy to work on, but that’s more of a function of the simplicity of the vehicle than the fact that the you don’t have to unsnap some trim before you can access the screws.

I don’t care so much that he demoted the 1st Gen – if you prioritize comfort, like most drivers do, he’s hoenstly right. The ridiculous thing is that he put the 2nd Gen in 2nd place. The 3.0 is the worst engine ever put in a 4Runner.

DeMuro’s videos are entertaining (especially his take down of the H2) but if you’re talking about cars and ignoring the mechanics you’re missing half the picture (if not more).