What is the most capable offroad 4WD you can walk into
- Thread starter Gavin S.
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
steezemcqueen
Moderator
:iagree:
Clemsonfan15
New member
Easy. Rubicon.
SkylineGTRracer
New member
I would go with a Ford 6.2 Raptor or the new Dodge Powerwagon. To be honest give me a Ford superduty 4x4 and I'd be very happy but there not as capable as the two listed above also they are much bigger.
dsandman87
New member
I agree with (most) everyone else: a Wrangler Rubicon is the best stock vehicle I've ever had the pleasure of driving off-road. It's the on-road experience that kept me from buying one :roadkill:
Ruffian
New member
x2. Went to trade in my little college car for my first very own 4x4. I knew that I needed a Jeep to do trails. But on the road, the darn thing drove me nuts! Rattling and loud....but not from the engine. You could hear every bit of road noise. Went back to the dealership and hopped into a used Tacoma. Huge difference, better clearance, and daily driver comfort. I miss that truck.
Right now, same thing. If I couldn't have a 4Runner, I'd get a Tacoma. If I was to go buy a new for the trails only rig, Jeep Rubicon. But if I had $6,000 right now to spend on a trail rig, I'd buy something already set up to wheel. And it would be whatever was the best ready to hit the hard core trails for whatever amount I had saved up.
LINY4Runner
New member
Yeahh....as much as it kills me to say it, it'd be a Rubi.
The Raptor is crap. So it's big and powerful. So what. It's too big for any kind of REAL wheeling, other than desert baja running.
The Raptor is crap. So it's big and powerful. So what. It's too big for any kind of REAL wheeling, other than desert baja running.
techno
New member
The most extreme conditions?? There is NOTHING in a dealership that will take on the most extreme conditions out there and live to tell the tale. Even a Rubicon needs bigger tires and more ground clearance, not to mention a winch. And a Raptor? An impressive and capable vehicle but far from being a practical off-roader.
Thai
Elite Member
Well, technically, MOPAR does offer winch and steel bumpers at your local dealership. So, the limitation will be tires and lift. But, with proper driving, i think that you can make up pretty tough obstacles with stock BFG MT.
One thing that people often forget about the Rubicon is the 4:1 transfer case and the tremendous RTI (wheel travel) of the Rubicon.
Mr. Leary
New member
Not so sure about that... ever been to a Mog dealer? You can buy one of those trucks off the lot that could run the road of bones.
Now... as far as vehicles that are in the realm of reasonably affordable for a workin' stiff...
Rubicons are kewl, as they come with locking diffs. They are not well protected, however, and have some goofy stuff, like a low hanging alternator that does not like to get wet, a front pumpkin that likes to hit rocks, and no protection for the steering components. This combined with the low clearance in its stock configuration says... jack it up first!
The most capable vehicle that you COULD buy... and by that I mean one that will not only get you out there, but get you back as well... out of the box that I know of would be a toss up between the factory locked 1st gen Tacomas and the 3rd gen 4runners. The long wheelbase of the Tacos exudes incredible climbing ability and stability. The more compact 4runners are better on the twisty, bumpy stuff. Available on both models were oversize tire options (31.5-ish). The lack of diff lockers in the front is the only drawback, but I would trade this for the additional protection any day of the week.
Raptors are also kewl, but suffer from Ford's age old problems... power steering sucks and the alternators fry themselves regularly.
All in all... I say the most capable vehicle is the one that doesn't break when abused... so my vote is for Toyota's bullet proof reliability.
I'm rambling... go get yourself a 2010 4runner trail edition, and complete the Rubicon Trail bone stock. BTW, have you ever driven one of the new land cruisers?... the traction control system on the 200 series will soon be legendary.
Last edited:
techno
New member
Actually I have driven a Unimog and I ran it into a tree! The tree was pronounced dead at the scene.
And no, I haven't been to a Mog dealer, and won't in the US because there aren't any. Daimler AG (as Freightliner) withdrew from North America a few years ago.
In my opinion a list of capable off road vehicles straight from the dealers showroom (regardless of terrain, because that varies too much) include (in no order)
4Runner
Xterra
H3
Wrangler
FJ Cruiser
F150
Tacoma
Frontier
Grand Cherokee
Ram
LR3
Prius
Mr. Leary
New member
The SUVs and trucks we can buy today are but a shadow of the capable vehicles in the past... now trucks without their nutz cut go for a premium.
SkylineGTRracer
New member
I know this isn't even in production (yet) but it looks like a new Unimog with more testosterone.Hexawheel design study picks-up where Mercedes-Benz leaves off — Autoblog
Gavin S.
New member
That is cool, but I was thinking of something that could be a daily driver and the Mog and Hexawheel probably don't fit that criteria. Looks like the Rubicon wins.
Similar threads
