[TJTJ]

Having experience with and/or actually have some of these at the moment, the Jeep 4 door doesn't have the room inside for gear the other two have. (But the 4 door JK does have a lot more room than the 2dr...and than the TJ's, etc.

The Toy is the largest of the 3...so if just to haul gear around, possibly a great choice, but, on trails, its a bit long, so it can't make tight turns meant for jeeps, and its break over angle means you get hung up cresting things, get high centered at ruts, etc.

IE: Good soccer van, a bit large for trail work.

The X splits the difference, in that it has room for your gear, plus on the roof, and towing, that the JKU can't handle...and will outclimb the jeep on hills, and out plow it in the mud, but the jeep has a slight edge in rocks as it has a front live axle vs the X's IFS, and its approach angle is better in stock form.

The shorter the wheelbase, the worse for towing, as load limits for the trailer are based partially on the wheel base of the tow rig.

The JK's are WAY better on the road than the older wranglers...so while consumer reports might describe them as having a "buck board ride", I'd call it being in communication with and actively transmitting the road's texture...

But the X rides like a limo compared to it. (But its no limo either...)


The X and Toy's rides are very similar...with the longer wheelbase of the toy being about the only difference.

All three can fit 33" tires w/o a lift, etc.

The Jeep Sahara comes with very mild AT's. The Rubicon version comes with decent MT's.

The X and Toy come with mild AT's.

The AT tires for all 3 that you mentioned would be OK in packed snow that wasn't iced, and progressively worse as the snow got softer and deeper. If you got the Rubicon instead of the Sahara you get twin lockers...and MT's, and a lower range t-case...but the MT's are terrible in all but the deeper and softer snow, and like ice skates on harder packed stuff.

I'd be looking at upgrading to the BFG AT ko2 for example.

All three come with factory skid plates that I'd call factory splash guards.


The Jeeps are durable but not really reliable...I thanked GOD for the life time warranty on mine....because it was in need of repair work, mostly for electrical gremlins, on a regular basis...from when it was brand new.

The X's and Toys are reliable and durable, a better combination.

The roof comes off the Jeep....without needing a sawzall.

The X is the top in roof crush strength...people have crashed and rolled in all of these, and the X continually amazes us with how freakin strong it is.

The toy is only average in that regard, and worse in overall crash tests.

The jeep's roof, well, it comes off...and that "safety bar" is mostly, but not ENTIRELY cosmetic...but the coverage is a bit skimpy, so heads do get whacked about, etc.

So, for what you describe, the X is a good choice.

If it matters, there may not be a 2016 model, so your 2015 might be one of the last body on frame based SUV in that class left in the US.

Being a Pro with the rear locker would put you into rarefied company.


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[TJTJ]

I think it was a bad decision on Toyota's part to put so much fanciness into the 4-runner it elevated it to Land Cruiser status and nobody but soccer moms and pencil pushers can afford it..

The Xs real genius is in its no-frills, low-cost, and simply functional design. There's almost nothing on it that's not solely functional.. Something unheard of in 2015 cars and suvs..

Toyota yanked the 4-runner right out of the hands of its original market and demographic.. And placed in the lap of the suburban upper-Middle class..

You almost look like a wanker just for driving it..

I'm sure whatever Nissan comes out with next will be 50,000 and look like something those guys in black suits in the Matrix would drive..

No matter what upgrades you put on a new 4-runner, you'll still look like a panty stretcher.. Even a solid bumper is going to look lame on it.. And big tires will really look like a psycho suburban housewife on too many antidepressants..

And the Jeep looks like you live in the jungle and were raised there by a pack of monkeys and have a hard time adjusting to life around people and civilization.. Almost as if you still feel you're in the jungle wherever you go.. I half expect the drivers to jump out onto their hoods and hurl fecal matter at annoying people around them..

LOL

As a Jeep owner with a Wrangler, I take offense to your characterization of me...and now I feel I must fling poo in your general direction to punish you for it....


:boese-big: