Since this topic seems to rear its ugly head so often, it was suggested that someone make a thread and address the issue.

The question is: in your opinion, what is the MOST capable off-road vehicle?

Of course there will be some subjectivity involved, as peoples' definition of the word 'capable' is not necessarily the same, but then again, that is the point.

I figure that I would set up a few 'ground rules' so that we are all choosing from the same population of 4x4s. Here goes . . .

1. We are talking about new vehicles, not a specific fj that was built in '73, but something that you could still by brand new, today.

2. This comparison is for stock vehicles, that means no mods.

3. Please limit your selection to vehicles that are sold in the U.S. and Canada. I apologize to others across the globe but, in the interest of leveling the playing field, this seems to make sense. There are many models that are specific to regions around the world that are unavailable here and, therefore, people are unaware of them. Nominating a specific land cruiser that is available in the United Arab Emirates means nothing to people who are not familiar with it.

4. Price is not a factor, nor is dependability, we are simply talking about the most capable vehicle. Obviously a lot of us here are partial to 4runners for a variety of reasons. I ask you to put aside your bias and try to be as objective as possible. Think about rock crawling, dune blazing, rain forest trails, granite cliffs, deep rivers and, yes, even mud pits.

As to the format, I suggest you state the vehicle that you nominate and provide a brief reason why you think that your selection stands out from the competition. I did not do this in poll format so as not to limit then number of nominees.

While there are a lot of vehicles to choose from, I suspect that this thread will focus on a select few. Feel free to lend your support to a vehicle that has already been nominated, just nominate it again!

Hope this is fun . . .

Easy: Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. It has Dana 44 front & rear axles, gear-based lockers in front & rear axles with Torsen LSD, tremendous low-range (and crawl ratio, esp. with the new 6-speed manual in '05), small enough to squeeze into any place, and affordable enough to not mind trail damage.

I can't think of ANY vehicle in the world that would match the Rubicon in off-roading. The Defender does not come with lockers from the factory...and reliability might be even worst than Jeep!

Hummer H1 does have lockers as option but it is simply too big for American off-roading. However, if you're talking about desert or deep mud driving, then H1 is superior to anything else on the planet. (Rubicon is more for slow-pace rock crawling or narrow rough trails.)

So, it depends on terrain...Rubicon or H1. That would be my two pick.

What about the MB G-Wagon? It's one of the last fully locked (at 3 points). This vehicle has not changed much in the years because it's still one of the best

I thought Thai would be the first to say that?

The rubicon which has a nice array of cool stuff might be nice but I've read that alot of owners are having problems w/ the lockers breaking on them (inferior parts) or something like that. But for the price compared to the g-wagon it's a steal. Personally speaking, I'll say the rubicon is way overpriced though (hehe).

IMHO

this is the best


1. G-Wagon

2. Landcruiser my preference FZJ80 with lockers

3. 4runner Fully locked

4. Rubicon (least realiable)

i think thai didn't mention g wagon because it is too expensive to risk damage on a tough trail

Lets not forget #4, where it says $ is no object

hahaha....i can't believe i missed that! that's what i get for skimming!

Thanks guys for the nomination of the G-wagen. I didn't pick the G-wagen because of weight (about 5500 lbs) and cost.

Actually, there's another nomination to consider: Dodge Power Wagon. Check it out here:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showth...&threadid=5309

However, like Jeep Rubicon, the Power Wagon may not be very reliable. It has similar mechanicals as Rubi.

I saw that power wagon on 4x4 mag. Was wondering where the locks were coming from.

H1, G, and Rubicon are my 3 nominees - but picking which one is "most capable off road vehicle" would require extensive testing on my part - Thai can I borrow the keys to your G

I really don't know much at all on this subject (hence why I am not nominating but asking )but where do the Land Rover's stand against this list?

The wrangler’s wheel-base and other dimensions make it a favorite for off-roaders. I have never driven the Mercedes Benz Unimog, but I would probably fall in love with the 8-speed, 6cyl turbo diesel with P315/80R22.5 wheels. And it has Differential lock, rear (standard), front (optional).

www.unimogtrucks.com/default.asp

I'd have to say something from the Land Rover factory will be right up there at the top of the list, along with the ranks of the Rubicon and the G-Wagon.

H1 and Rubicon takes my vote, for US market availibility. SOrt of first tier.

Second tier would be G, Range ROver, Land ROver (Discovery and new LR3), LC100.

Then 3rd tier would probably be 4R, Grand Cherokee, can't think of anything else maybe VW and Posrche.

ANything else would be a strech off road. The grand cherokee might make tier2 for having solid axles, supposedly good traction system, but honestly I have yet to see one on a trail. The H2 might make tier2 if they fix some stuff on it, until then for me they fall in mall cruising group.

Agreed. I would debate the H1 however, it has many drawbacks due to it's size and while it can go over everything, it just can't fit on many trails. I would say they're in the second tier just because of that. Other than that I'd say that's pretty much spot on to what I was thinking. From what I hear the VW & Porsche are very capable, though I've never seen one in action. Might belong in the second tier if what I hear is true, but again haven't really witnessed one to say.