Go here and find which one has more issues.

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I just traded in my 2018 Sahara for a 2021 4Runner. If you go with the Jeep option i would strongly consider going for the extended warranty. I have had 4 check engine lights (first one at 300 miles on the odometer), and countless other electronic issues that resulted in 9 trips to the dealer. Not to mention the death wobble that keeps coming back. My sister has a 2018 Sahara also but she has never had any issues. The wranglers are a blast with the doors and the top being removable and very capable vehicles. I was just tired of being in a rental so much.

My mother in law and a lot of my neighbors have JL’s. They absolutely love them and have had zero issues. I think I’d get one, but strictly as an offroad toy. Ideallyif they offered a base with crank windows and rubicon offroad bits, I’d grab one.

same i want to get a 4runner or an XJ to build but dont know yet

Feels sluggish? Isn't:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=teCnz1CucE0

That's also a JK, so not suprised they are similar speed with similar HP and 5spd transmissions. The JL is considerably faster with the new 8 speed.

I also do not feel the 4runner is that bad, FWIW. Slow, sure. But, it's not bad. ~7.5s to 60 isn't unreasonable.

I’m in the 4Runner club just do to comfort of the two. What happened to your Tacoma to cause all the trouble? Engine , transmission?

The question is whether you want another lemon or not

an 08 JK with 6speed manual, front sway bar completely removed, 4.88 gears, detroit lockers front and rear... and 32 inch mud tires.

Loved the jeep, love the 4runner. I had no problems with my 2door JK and had plenty of storage for me and a girlfriend at the time (of course the back seat and all carpet were pulled out after the first week).

I loved having no back seat, no carpet and just the front pieces of the hard top installed, looked like a mini scrambler. (Side note, in 08 you could still get vinyl seats on a JK, which mine were so there was no worry about driving in the rain with no back hard top installed as the vinyl kept the rain from soaking through the seats).

The jeep was by far superior offroad, not even close. I would say an average built 4runner on 33mts can wheel maybe 65% of what a mostly stocked mud tired wrangler can do.

That being said needs change and at my age I am no longer searching for the hardest obstacles like I once did and a dirty secret is once that JK had lockers mud tires and 4.88 gears there was hardly anything I could find to challenge it without going to a dedicated offroad park which actually kind of took away from the fun. Doors and top off were awesome though...

Don't worry about wrangler reliability as long as you stay away from a lot of the electronic add ons. (The Toyota will still last longer). Also save yourself close to 3500 and get a manual wrangler.

Killer features of a wrangler to me vs a 4runner are solid front axle and manual transmission.

In the end they both have some of the highest resale value so its hard to go wrong. Bought the 08 brand new for 19k, sold it three years later after a LOT of offroad with 85k, completely scratched fenders, wheels, and skids, and still got 15 on trade. Miss those prices now days...

1.) What is the lemon issue?

2.) I've owned both and currently have both.

Personally I'd take the 4R all day for my needs (family adventure wagon). IF I lived in Colorado or similar where I had a TON of trails next to the house I'd still take the 4R and get a TJ/LJ for trail runs.

That said the JL series on 35's/37's is easier and cheaper to accomplish.

What do you want to accomplish with it? The Rubicon is a better off road option but that comes with daily trade offs.

Are you going to wheel it?

My answer is both!



LJ waiting on Savvy/Currie suspension to ship (trail queen!)

I was on the fence too and ended up going with a 4Runner TRD Pro. So far I am loving it. Engine is OK. Not exciting but perfectly up to the task. New electronics with CarPlay are a must and nice. I just did a highway 780 mile trip yesterday and the Pro was fine. Zero issues with it so far. I went over some mountain passes and it did fine. My one gripe was using cruise control with the 5 speed transmission had it hunting and shifting a lot on climbs. Not hurting anything but old school issue. The Pro suspension is surprisingly comfy on the highway. I don't think all 4Runners are built in Japan but the Pro is. So I am a happy owner and glad I went with the Pro. I also installed a Pedal Commander which helps a ton for throttle response of the engine. No more power but remaps the throttle opening compared to how much you push the gas pedal. Must do IMO. Only mod I have planned it a winch and front bumper. I went with a Southern Style Offroad that does not interfere with the radar.

All trims of the 4runner are built in Japan and the PRO trim items are mostly added at port.

I just came from a 2018 JL Rubicon to a 2021 4Runner ORP. The JL had been pretty bad, from the 2nd day of ownership to when I sold it there were problems and recalls, when the last recall came out which was to "detune" the engine because of possible clutch problems, I decided I was done. Really liking the 4Runner so far and hoping for the same reliability as my Tundra which has been terrific.

I looked at Rubicons before I bought my 4Runner in 2019.
Test drove 2 of them.

Researching them on the various forums and finding out about the Sand Casting Engine Failures, I eliminated them from my search.

That and the whole starting on fire thing.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afpnkCOsMFU

I was coming from a Nissan Frontier which had a warranty that was worthless. I had to pay out of pocket for Nissan design failures (radiator, transmission, timing chain tensioners).

I'd still love to have Wrangler to park outside far away from my house and cruise around / wheel on weekends. It's the ultimate convertible.

Short and sweet. Buddy was in the market for a new rig about 6 months before we were. He bought a new Wrangler. Wife and I drove it, not impressed. We went '21 TRD Pro. Now have driven both in the nasty winter roads....4runner big winner, hands down. Bud agrees and has buyers remorse.

Going to Bad Lands offroad park in a couple weeks with the bud w/ the Wrangler. I think I'm looking forward to it more than he is.