First off, after much back and forth between the wrangler unlimited and the 4Runner, I was able to take extended test drives in both vehicles. Jeep first, seemed to meet my needs but I still had reservations. Seats were not that comfortable after about an hour of driving, and the overall driving experience was, well, still very Jeep like. Still, the 4 door is a much improved vehicle. I left the Jeep dealer thinking I would end up in a Jeep, since I've had jeep in my blood for over 25 years (yet I HATED driving them on the road).
Next stop, Toyota dealer, to drive a SR5 Premium. Same deal, the dealer gave me the keys and said take it as long as you want. Obviously, the 4Runner is the more refined vehicle, I knew that going in. That being said, the 2 vehicles match up pretty close in size and purpose, with the Jeep being more off road oriented and the 4Runner more on road.
I was planning another 1 1/2 hour test drive, to really get the feel of the vehicle. I left the dealer lot, drove 1/4 mile and merged onto the freeway. At that point the contest was over. There is no comparison between these 2 vehicles. 4Runner is superior in every respect of on road driving. It clearly showed me the Jeep is still a Jeep, and I would hate driving it daily in very short order, even with it's refinements. The 4Runner is smoother, quieter, handles better, more power, better seats, stereo, etc etc etc. The Jeep did not excel in any area over the 4Runner. Even the top off thing, Jeep is noisy with the freedom panels removed. Open the huge sunroof on the 4Runner, windows and back window and you have a similar experience, minus the noise.
Now I know the Jeep will excel in severe off road situations, but at what cost? Furthermore, what about the drive to and from your off road destination? I am sold on the 4Runner, and now have to decide on which model, which will be questioned in another thread.
I posted this, because in my search, I found very little real info I could rely on. I hope this helps somebody in my shoes decide. For history, I currently own an 83 CJ7, had an 80 CJ5, 99Sahara, 04 Rubicon auto(worst transmission EVER put in a vehicle), and an 05 Unlimited Rubicon (best off road vehicle ever built, IMHO, but horrible on road with lift tires etc). I also owned an 83 toyota SR5 pickup (mountain goat) and a 91 SR5 Toyota pickup, as well as several full size rigs, both gas and diesel.
Next stop, Toyota dealer, to drive a SR5 Premium. Same deal, the dealer gave me the keys and said take it as long as you want. Obviously, the 4Runner is the more refined vehicle, I knew that going in. That being said, the 2 vehicles match up pretty close in size and purpose, with the Jeep being more off road oriented and the 4Runner more on road.
I was planning another 1 1/2 hour test drive, to really get the feel of the vehicle. I left the dealer lot, drove 1/4 mile and merged onto the freeway. At that point the contest was over. There is no comparison between these 2 vehicles. 4Runner is superior in every respect of on road driving. It clearly showed me the Jeep is still a Jeep, and I would hate driving it daily in very short order, even with it's refinements. The 4Runner is smoother, quieter, handles better, more power, better seats, stereo, etc etc etc. The Jeep did not excel in any area over the 4Runner. Even the top off thing, Jeep is noisy with the freedom panels removed. Open the huge sunroof on the 4Runner, windows and back window and you have a similar experience, minus the noise.
Now I know the Jeep will excel in severe off road situations, but at what cost? Furthermore, what about the drive to and from your off road destination? I am sold on the 4Runner, and now have to decide on which model, which will be questioned in another thread.
I posted this, because in my search, I found very little real info I could rely on. I hope this helps somebody in my shoes decide. For history, I currently own an 83 CJ7, had an 80 CJ5, 99Sahara, 04 Rubicon auto(worst transmission EVER put in a vehicle), and an 05 Unlimited Rubicon (best off road vehicle ever built, IMHO, but horrible on road with lift tires etc). I also owned an 83 toyota SR5 pickup (mountain goat) and a 91 SR5 Toyota pickup, as well as several full size rigs, both gas and diesel.
