joshik

dont know if this has been posted before

http://www.caranddriver.com/comparis...uiser-4wd.html

jethro

We got beat by a Jeep and a Nissan. :pat: Hey, at least we beat the H3.

And yeah it's been posted before. Basically Car and Driver should not rate off road trucks. They are more based on cars, and they like the Xterra and Jeep because they feel more like a car than the H3 or FJ.

Corey

iTrader: (1)

It has been posted on other forums.
Do not pay attention to what a car mag says, Car & Driver does not know anything about trucks.
I heard them say they gave the Wrangler low score on acount of no room in it.
Well duh, it is not suppose to be roomy, it is made small for trails.

Pick up the April issue of Motor Trend, it shows the FJC coming in first place over:
Xterra
Jeep Wrangler
Jeep SUV
Hummer 3

lllateralus

Car and Driver.... for tests like this, they suck.

This was an OFF ROAD test. Yet the two best off road were the FJ and the H3.
(approach and departure, ground clearance ect)

Yet they came in 3rd and 4th because they "had to drive 200 miles to and from the trails on the street". How lame is this.

I think my FJ drives GREAT on the street/highway.

joshik

my thoughts exactly! the article didnt sway my decision on getting a FJ

X-AWDriver

Read the artice;from the off road standpoint the H3 and the FJ were praised but as a daily hauler the Jeep and Nissan had them beat due to their highway handling which was sacrificed to the long travel shocks on the off roaders. The JGC did the trail like the rest with a little underbody coating sacrificed but it did do the trail. There's still no way you get me to drive the Jeep tho'.

Remember,these reviews aren't for the enthusiast as much as they are for the average car buyer who really won't even see off road let alone a gravel road and it's just an opinion even if they do stink.

Diesel_Freak

How exactly does the Motor Trend result change anything. If they rated it(the New but ass ugly FJ) better than a Wrangler then THEY don't know anything about trucks either. I'm a big time Toyota fan, but come-on, the Wrangler is ten times the rig the new "fj" is in terms of stock off-road ability. Reliability may be another issue, but I'll take a Ruby Unlimited anyday.

lllateralus

Diesel Freak... I beg to differ....

My 05 Rubicon owning buddy has driven my FJC and admits that he would have chosen it over his rubi.

"the Wrangler is ten times the rig the new "fj" is in terms of stock off-road ability.

This is ignorance at its best.

PS. My black FJC is hardly ass ugly, although it may not be as rad looking as your 1989 4Runner........

Diesel_Freak

What??? OK, then your friend and you are blinded by brand loyalty... Cause wanting an IFS rig with only one locker over a Dual AAM axle'd, F/R Locked 4.0:1 T-case LWB Jeep is absurd. If were talking drive to the store then the FJ might be a contender as I bet it rides better on teh road, but sorry, the Rubby and all TJ's are hands down the most cpapble off the floor wheelers made in the US. I'll adm,it they shot themselves int eh foot slightly by droping the 4.0L, but considering there's been ALOT of talk about the CRD diesel being offered in the Jeep, I'd say yhey're even further ahead of the FJ now. The Color's fine, it's the stupid cabin hump and the general asthetics of the damn thing that I don't like, plus you can't even take the top off the thing.

lllateralus

Oh my, you cant take the top off!!! Well, I guess that translates into the most stable, rock solid vehicle Ive ever sat in. (let alone OWNED)

I have plenty to say about jeeps... I'd be here all day.

I used to wheel with a buddy with an old square headlight jeep with leafs at all ends, and well... articulation was a problem to say the least. My 91 yota 4X4, bro's 92 4X4, and buddies 98 Wrangler (4 coils) were always helping him out.

I have wheeled with a good friends 03 Wrangler, (with my same 91 4X4) and he could go NO WHERE I couldnt go. Matter of fact, we were stopped and forced to turn around on a rocky, snowy trail due to his jeeps inability to negotiate this snowy trail, and find traction.

Sure, his new Rubi will do much better with full lockers.

Now, about the FJ... Toyota left out the front locker.
Toyota has a system called A-Trac. My Rubi owning bud, (same jeep owner as the previous 03, and 98) says the A-Trac is better than his full lockers.
His reasoning? His jeep cannot turn with both diffs locked. The FJC has both diffs open, until wheel slippage occurs, then sends power to the wheel that ISNT slipping.
It can turn, and in our experience thus far, is JUST as effective as having both diff's locked in terms of keeping the vehicle moving. I dont even bother to lock the rear diff. The A-Trac is more effective.

Another thing:
With my previous 97 4Runner, (just sold) I had to pull my buds new Rubi back due to him getting high centered on a burm that my 4R cleared.

Dont get me wrong... I like and appreciate jeeps. But the new FJC is everything Ive ever wanted in a jeep, plus toyota solidity, and reliability.
(and way more power than Jeeps 4 litre)

ps. The new 05 Rubi is the Unlimited, extended wheelbase. (if that helps, or hurts)