Toyota may bring back small FJ Cruiser to Challenge Wrangler

[FactoryRide]

Tires and sliders. And how much damage did it suffer (cosmetically)?

A Jeep Rubicon comes STANDARD with tires and sliders, 4:1 transfer case, and lockers front & rear. And add in there close to 11” of clearance and superb approach and departure angles. I am pretty sure that the Rubicon will outperform any equivalent 4runner over the Rubicon trail.

I am not shitting on the 4runner but you cannot deny physics and traction properties. 4runner is a far better all-arounder (on-road and off-road) while Jeep is purely off-road minded.

You didn't mention damage suffered. Your original statement was a stock 4runner cannot run the Rubicon. Toyota did it with a trail edition. I would not think a set of tires and rock sliders would disqualify a truck from being stock.

I wish Toyota would make a model similarly equipped, but that is just for hopes and dreams.

I'm not saying the 4runner will out perform a Wrangler either. I am also not denying anything. Just purely stating Toyota did the Rubicon stock with a 4runner.

 

[Thai]

You didn't mention damage suffered. Your original statement was a stock 4runner cannot run the Rubicon. Toyota did it with a trail edition. I would not think a set of tires and rock sliders would disqualify a truck from being stock.

I wish Toyota would make a model similarly equipped, but that is just for hopes and dreams.

I'm not saying the 4runner will out perform a Wrangler either. I am also not denying anything. Just purely stating Toyota did the Rubicon stock with a 4runner.

Fair enough. Can you get those sliders from any Toyota Parts Department? Those tires?

By stock, i mean coming from factory with those items. I thought that everyone knew what that meant. I stand corrected.

I can say that my minivan can go up the side of a mountain.......if it was equipped with a steel bumper and a winch. Is that still a stock Sienna?

 

[TacoRunn0517]

Do it!

Haha if I ever did, it would be a TJ or YJ and kept as a second vehicle. For me, the 4Runner works better for what I do. I try to be as practical when it comes to making capital purchases. The 4Runner checks every box for ME. Everyone is different hence the reason why the JKU(L) is a good choice if the 4Runner doesn't cut it.

 

[Jetboy]

You must not be familiar with the FJ Cruiser fender frame bend/crack that was prevalent even without jumping.....

You must not be familiar with 4runner’s own motor mount frame failure.....

And no, a stock 4runner canNOT do the Rubicon trail.

You must not be familiar with Toyota doing that exact thing. I've run the Rubicon in my 4runner. A stock trail could do it. Without sliders it would probably have some body damage.

A two door jlr would be better on the trail. But so will a $3k Tacoma.

Which one would you want to drive 1000 miles each way to get there and back and count on to make it home? That's really what you're trading. The 4runner does that too. It's a generalist.

 

[Thai]

You must not be familiar with Toyota doing that exact thing. I've run the Rubicon in my 4runner. A stock trail could do it. Without sliders it would probably have some body damage.

A two door jlr would be better on the trail. But so will a $3k Tacoma.

Which one would you want to drive 1000 miles each way to get there and back and count on to make it home? That's really what you're trading. The 4runner does that too. It's a generalist.

Stock 4runner trail with stock tires? And like you said, plenty of carnage along the way.

I would bet that a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon can be driven 2000 miles without breaking down. I am sure that the 4runner is more comfy and quieter, but Jeep Wrangler will be OK too.

I get it...4runner is a better all-arounder. But offroad, it is nowhere as capable as a Wrangler Rubicon...stock vs. stock. There is no debate on this dude.

 

[Jetboy]

Stock 4runner trail with stock tires? And like you said, plenty of carnage along the way.

I would bet that a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon can be driven 2000 miles without breaking down. I am sure that the 4runner is more comfy and quieter, but Jeep Wrangler will be OK too.

I get it...4runner is a better all-arounder. But offroad, it is nowhere as capable as a Wrangler Rubicon...stock vs. stock. There is no debate on this dude.

I would put better ones on, but stock tires would work. It's really the rear bumper and breakover angles that would be the biggest problem. Approach angle is never really an issue if you're a good driver.

In the rocks the wrangler is hard to beat out of the box. Hopefully the new front axle is better. Wrangler axles are garbage except the Rubicon. And the new Rubicon front axle differential is smaller than the current one. It may be stronger. Hopefully they built in some more room in the knuckles. The old ones were really limited in strength by having tiny outer axle joints and no physical room for upgrades. It looks like the did upgrade to ball joints and stronger "c" castings.

 

[Brandon966]

God that would be awesome

 

[pnwtrdpro18]

I’m thinking two door, shorter wheelbase 4Runner trail with a manual transmission. Sign me up.

 

[WallyT4R]

I’m thinking two door, shorter wheelbase 4Runner trail with a manual transmission. Sign me up.

That would be cool but I think those days are over for Toyota. They haven't produced the FJ40 for a long time. They should have never stopped making it.

 

[Torchsport]

I’m thinking two door, shorter wheelbase 4Runner trail with a manual transmission. Sign me up.

Would you use it off road a lot?
I love manuals just as much as anyone (have it in both of my cars) but would it be a benefit off road? Maybe certain circumstances.

 

[swva]

I like Wranglers but there is no way I would have one over my 4Runner Trail. My wife has owned 3 wranglers, all with manual transmissions. She didn't rack up many miles on them so I can't really speak for reliability.

The Rubicon will beat any other vehicle on rocky trails, off the lot, I believe. But to me that is where the Wrangler Rubicon wins its only battle against the 4Runner. In every other aspect I believe the 4Runner is better. Reliability, dependability, safety, cargo space, comfort, handling, road noise and to top it off the 4Runner is an excellent off road vehicle in a lot of different conditions.

Just imagine if Toyota started making an updated version of the Land Cruiser FJ40 to compete with the Wrangler. It would really cut into the Wrangler sales. This could possibly be what was hinted at in the article.

 

[onin2]

This would be interesting....

 

[albertschmitz]

Nope. Neither does Ford. The raptor is not a desert race truck. It's a paper tiger dressed up like a desert race truck. Checking boxes on paper does not a race truck make. Only one of them has won the Baja 1000. The Tacoma raced in the same Mint 400 last year - only one finished. It wasn't the Raptor... The fact is that if you put both a Raptor and a Tundra on the start line of a desert race, the results show that the Tundra is more likely to finish, and more likely to win. So will the Tacoma. Incidentally - the 4runner even has a better desert race pedigree than the Raptor.

Sorry for beating the Dead horse here a bit, but the Raptor has much more capability than any of the other trucks built today.

Dodge keeps yucking it up about their off road truck. Rebel TRX has Supercharged 6.2-Liter HEMI V8 Engine :shocked: Using a link coil rear suspension system only shared with the fastest off-road trucks in desert racing, the available 4X4 Performance Control System will allow you to gain traction over five terrain modes. Will see how the "adjustable" suspension lasts so far not so good in the rest of the lineup.

Chevrolet builds mall crawlers with 20-22" wheels and most put on lifts, tires and still mall crawl. and for 2019 Custom Trail Boss adds off-road equipment to the Custom, including a 2-inch suspension lift :yawn: and the Z71 Off Road Package with a locking rear differential, skid plates, Rancho shocks :yawn:, 18-inch wheels and Goodyear Duratrac off-road tires.

The Nissan - Crew Cab Pro4x ***** please call me when they try to do a better job at it. All-terrain off-road tires, Electronic locking rear differential & Hill descent control

Last but not least the Tundra, great rig real truck like the Ford. But not at all ready for off road straight off the showroom floor. They need to TRD Pro it and maybe pull the rabbit out of the hat.

The raptor is more off road capable than any of it's competition. Right now.

 

[WallyT4R]

Sorry for beating the Dead horse here a bit, but the Raptor has much more capability than any of the other trucks built today.

Dodge keeps yucking it up about their off road truck. Rebel TRX has Supercharged 6.2-Liter HEMI V8 Engine :shocked: Using a link coil rear suspension system only shared with the fastest off-road trucks in desert racing, the available 4X4 Performance Control System will allow you to gain traction over five terrain modes. Will see how the "adjustable" suspension lasts so far not so good in the rest of the lineup.

Chevrolet builds mall crawlers with 20-22" wheels and most put on lifts, tires and still mall crawl. and for 2019 Custom Trail Boss adds off-road equipment to the Custom, including a 2-inch suspension lift :yawn: and the Z71 Off Road Package with a locking rear differential, skid plates, Rancho shocks :yawn:, 18-inch wheels and Goodyear Duratrac off-road tires.

The Nissan - Crew Cab Pro4x ***** please call me when they try to do a better job at it. All-terrain off-road tires, Electronic locking rear differential & Hill descent control

Last but not least the Tundra, great rig real truck like the Ford. But not at all ready for off road straight off the showroom floor. They need to TRD Pro it and maybe pull the rabbit out of the hat.

The raptor is more off road capable than any of it's competition. Right now.

I'm sorry but the Raptor is not even a truck. It looks like a truck but if you put 5 adults in it you are probably over the GVWR. The payload suks in a Raptor. And until they get rid of the ecocrap motor and put the 7.0 in it this winter, I wouldn't even bother with it. It sounds like a VW Beetle with a hole in its exhaust with that ecocrap motor. I laugh everytime I hear one at the mall.

As far as the Raptor being the most capable of any "truck"...I again beg to differ. There is no way the raptor is more capable than the ZR2 or the Ram PowerWagon, both with front and rear lockers. Going fast over rough terrain is not capability. And hopefully Ford fixed the frame bending issues on the Raptor. No you can keep your Raptor, it's not for me.

 

[TacoRunn0517]

Stock 4runner trail with stock tires? And like you said, plenty of carnage along the way.

I would bet that a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon can be driven 2000 miles without breaking down. I am sure that the 4runner is more comfy and quieter, but Jeep Wrangler will be OK too.

I get it...4runner is a better all-arounder. But offroad, it is nowhere as capable as a Wrangler Rubicon...stock vs. stock. There is no debate on this dude.

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/lol-jl-breaks-down-during-review.8339/

Just make sure you're not driving this one hahaha.

 

[bane]

The Toyota Fortuner that is based on the Hilux frame might be the starting point for this. It's a BOF suv that's a little smaller than the 4Runner and a little bigger than a RAV4.

 

[Jetboy]

Sorry for beating the Dead horse here a bit, but the Raptor has much more capability than any of the other trucks built today.

Dodge keeps yucking it up about their off road truck. Rebel TRX has Supercharged 6.2-Liter HEMI V8 Engine :shocked: Using a link coil rear suspension system only shared with the fastest off-road trucks in desert racing, the available 4X4 Performance Control System will allow you to gain traction over five terrain modes. Will see how the "adjustable" suspension lasts so far not so good in the rest of the lineup.

Chevrolet builds mall crawlers with 20-22" wheels and most put on lifts, tires and still mall crawl. and for 2019 Custom Trail Boss adds off-road equipment to the Custom, including a 2-inch suspension lift :yawn: and the Z71 Off Road Package with a locking rear differential, skid plates, Rancho shocks :yawn:, 18-inch wheels and Goodyear Duratrac off-road tires.

The Nissan - Crew Cab Pro4x ***** please call me when they try to do a better job at it. All-terrain off-road tires, Electronic locking rear differential & Hill descent control

Last but not least the Tundra, great rig real truck like the Ford. But not at all ready for off road straight off the showroom floor. They need to TRD Pro it and maybe pull the rabbit out of the hat.

The raptor is more off road capable than any of it's competition. Right now.

Like I've said before - it looks GREAT on paper. Then you take 14 out on a desert run and something like 10 of 14 come back with bent frames. - Yes that did actually happen.

Push a raptor hard - it looks like this - and this is not uncommon.

It's not a desert race truck. It's a street truck with some nice upgrades for moderate offroad use. It sold because it looks great on paper. They all are. And if you treat it like a race truck - you'll find out it's a sheep in wolf's clothing. TRD Pro model tundra is faster in the dirt - as proven in actual race results. Tacoma is faster in the desert - as proven in actual race results. 4Runner is faster in the desert - as proven in actual race results. AND the 4runner can also run the Rubicon. Does that make them better off road? I think it depends on what your measurement is.

So the question is what do you mean by "more off road capable" ? It'll win a drag race on a gravel road for sure. Will it survive rock crawling? Will it survive water crossings? Will it survive desert racing? Will it last 200k miles of washboard road?

 

[philsey]

Will it survive rock crawling?
Will it survive water crossings?
Will it survive desert racing?
Will it last 200k miles of washboard road?

Good questions, but srsly, Who cares?
Raptor Smaptor.
:deadhorse:
eep:

 

[a99miata]

fj40

rather have a fj40....but that's me.