The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon versus the Land Rover Defender

[SilicaRich]

In all honesty I love both Wranglers and Defenders, but to me they are entirely different beasts. My only controversial thoughts are that LRs have always been maintenance kings, not necessarily meaning stuck in the shop with a failed part. My dad had an old Disco 2 that was practically fully loaded and it never has a problem, then again he's a man that is meticulous with maintenance and we also only had the Disco for a year and half. Truthfully, there are days I wish he had kept it to pass along to me.

To me, a Wrangler is built from factory to handle weekend trails, not quite be the full size the Defender has always been. Not to disclose other Jeeps, but wrangler didn't come out with a large scale version til 07, the LJs are a debatable topic. Personally, the Defender comes stock ready to please the overland crowd and that's how I believe LR has always and will continue to do so. Wranglers to me just still haven't reached that crowd, not to mention the Jeep people here, but the Wrangler platform still seems to be biased to the guys that want to bounce around on the rocks with 40" tires.

As far as capability, I'm sure they can out do each other in certain obstacles but all I know is that is with enough money you can make one as capable as the other.

Just my biased opinion

 

[Omar Brannstrom]

Intresting read

The movie they made http://www.lostinhdr.com/Video/i-6cJQ42M/A and offcourse this trip http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...n-of-Africa-in-my-2007-JKUR-The-Road-Chose-Me

From the Lithuanian couple with the movie above

"We took Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 2.8 CRD automatic transmission.
I just put on BF Goodrich tires - that's it, no more modification had been made.
Unlimited (means 4 doors) and you can make 200 cm bed in back of Jeep, so, no tents have been used.

I took additional 40l Diesel, and 27l water. But we did not used it, there was plenty of diesel to buy all over route (even in Mauritania, or Nigeria Boko Haram area).

We made 24000 km across Africa and did not have any problems, no punctures, no technical problems or border crossings. All people very kind and happy to see overlanders, no bribes (even in Nigeria or Congo DRC) no asking for gifts. We very surprised that it feel very safe. Even more safe than in Lithuania.

Everybody was so exited about our car, they never saw Jeep's… only some Japanese or UK cars…

I'm still working on pictures, everyday put some of them. As you may know, picture can say 1000 words, thats why I decide to make Photoblog instead of wordpress or something"

 

[Victorian]

Thank you for sharing the video Omar! Please tell me that you didn't hit congo in the rainy season... that must have been crazy!

 

[OCD Overland]

Here's the video from the OP, posted a few days back on youtube...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsY5umMfUxg

tl;dr - Defender has more storage and weight carrying capacity; Rubicon is better off road and more comfortable. So nothing unexpected, except that he decided to never lock the Rubicon's diffs in an effort to compare apples to apples. I don't think he used the sway bar disconnect, either. It's an older Rubicon that still has the honking subwoofer in the back.

 

[mtbxj87]

Here's the video from the OP, posted a few days back on youtube...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsY5umMfUxg

haha, I thought that guy was going to burst into tears of joy over the defender..

 

[Dan Grec]

Here's the video from the OP, posted a few days back on youtube...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsY5umMfUxg

tl;dr - Defender has more storage and weight carrying capacity; Rubicon is better off road and more comfortable. So nothing unexpected, except that he decided to never lock the Rubicon's diffs in an effort to compare apples to apples. I don't think he used the sway bar disconnect, either. It's an older Rubicon that still has the honking subwoofer in the back.

That was an interesting comparison. A few things:

* I learned the JK has a wider track than the D110 - I always assumed it was the other way around.
* He's right that the steering on the JK is too light/vague. It's one of my biggest complaints about mine.
* Choosing not to use the lockers on the Rubicon was a strange thing to do, and I think it made the two vehicles quite unequal. If I understand what he said while on the rollers, while climbing the hill the D110 traction control was using the brakes to force each wheel on each axle to spin (center diff lock on). In contrast, without the lockers, the Rubicon could only spin one tire on each axle. Interesting it still beat it up the hill easily.
* The Rubicon had way more articulation than the D110 - I'd be interested to compare a stock Wrangler without lift.
* He's 100% correct the payload of the D110 eats the Rubicon for breakfast, as does the sheer interior capacity.
* Saying the absolute minimum range for an overland vehicle is 1000km (600mi) is really subjective. It totally depends where in the world you're going.

Overall, I thought it was a good comparison, and I learned some things I didn't know before.

-Dan

 

[OCD Overland]

I think he's always used that 1000km figure. The thing is, he's not going to get that stock with many vehicles in the US since diesels aren't offered for most models; nor are extended range fuel tanks. Either the MPGs will be too low, or the gas tanks too small - or both, more likely. And even if the sticker says it will do it, once you load it up with gear, roof rack, RTT, winch, big bumpers, etc., you'll never get close to that range unless you can get an aftermarket 35+ gallon tank.

Would be nice if Jeep were decide to offer a LWB version with the ecodeisel engine. That would solve most all of its shortcomings.

 

[Dan Grec]

Would be nice if Jeep were decide to offer a LWB version with the ecodeisel engine. That would solve most all of its shortcomings.

That, and they need to up the payload of the Unlimited, a lot.

-Dan

 

[Omar Brannstrom]

Some say that the Wrangler have insufficient payload for overlanding, I just hade to count. My 2013 Rubicon unlimited have a payload of 545kg, 1201.52 pounds.

We say for two people for 20 days without gasstations, shops, water etc, a rather extreme situation.
1 passenger = 75 kg
2 Helinox chairs =2kg
1 Helinox table = 1kg
2 madrasses Exped 1kg
2 sleeping bags 4 kg
1 Fridge 40 liter 16kg
Water 100 liter. 2.5 liter a day for one person. 5x25 =125kg
Tools = 20kg
Personal items = 20kg
Medical bag = 1kg
Tent = 4 kg
Food = 30kg
Kitchen stuff = 10kg
Petrol 100 liters 5x25 = 125kg
Extra battery = 20kg
Solar panel = 5kg
Total for 20 days for 2 people= 459kg (1011.92 pounds).
My payload 545 kg-459kg= 86kg
As I am 86kg (about 189.6 pounds) under the payload I can bring a lot more with me.
You can increase the payload if you take out the rear seat.
I dont know if I have forgotten som vital heavy stuff here but I dont think so.
So the payload is more than sufficient for overlanding with 2 persons in a Jeep Wrangler unlimited for 20 days without any possibility to get supplies.

In the payload at 545kg, its with the driver and full tank of petrol or diesel. We are only 2 in my calculation, one driver and one passenger. So there is no second passenger. So I only add 75kg for one passenger.

My curbweight is 1995kg and it is the totalweight and that is included the driver (75kg) all standard equipment, full tank of fuel.

I come from Sweden (Europe) so we include a driver at 75kg, can read more here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curb_weight and probably they count differently in US.

My gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) is 2540kg and - minus the curbweight at 1995kg gives me a payload of 545kg

 

[Silvanus]

I love all the CJ Class trucks ( M88, FJ 40, etc ) again marketing plays a role with these to beauties!

Jeep was/is marketed towards " Family " camping, fishing, errand running, so it need to fit a certain engineering parameters.
Landy was/is marketed towards exploring, tooling around the Estate, and errand running ( Gentlemanly of coarse ), it to had to reflect the Green Oval's idioligy.

I wish Jeep had kept to the earlier utilitarian approach to it's CJ class trucks!

Jeep & Landies are like family members, we must embrace their idiosyncrasies!

Enter the Jeep cross pollinated JK Africa concept, bending of a Troopy/Landy on a JK platform, a boy can only dream........, wait what? I love my TJ-L ( LJ )

 

[zelatore]

His findings were in line with what I would expect anybody familiar with both platforms would find. The Jeep is the better technical terrain vehicle while the Rover is the more practical overlander. As demonstrated, the Jeep out-climbed the Rover even without using the lockers - and I have to admit I don't think it was fair to not use them since they are standard on a Rubi. Of course the Jeep he used had a number of other goodies as well like bumpers, sliders, fenders, etc. He didn't take it anywhere that stuff mattered, but those I would have discounted in the comprarison before I'd have discounted the stock lockers.

Both reflect the country of origin. In the US we don't do the long distance unsupported travel thing like the rest of the world. Here you're more likely to find weekend challenges than month long journeys. And each vehicle is geared toward it's expected usage. You can modify either do fulfill either roll, that's the beauty of both - they have huge aftermarket and are easily modified by their owners.

Not really relevant given that the current Defender hasn't been in the US in years, but the JK platform is only a few years old while the Defender is ancient by comparison. The new Defender will be appearing soon - let's hope it retains the good stuff and brings some more of the technical skill of the Rubi. I'd love to see a bare-bones Defender in the US around the $50-60K mark. Priced a little over the Jeep and marketed correctly I think Rover could have a sales success given the rise in popularity of the overlanding image in the US. Jeep's own Africa concept is a good indicator that the market is there. But that's just day-dreaming.

 

[Comanche Scott]

That, and they need to up the payload of the Unlimited, a lot.

-Dan

Extending the wheel base, and upping the payload would no longer be a Wrangler. Better to buy a Commander or some other large SUV.
Keep the Wrangler as is. Convertible, compact 2 door & 4 door short overhang, exceptionally capable trail rig.
There is only one truly capable trail rig left. Lets not ruin it.

For people who want bigger, higher payload vehicles, there are a plethora of choices which include diesel engines.

 

[vasily]

I have a NAS d90 that is a beast off road. Compared to a new rubicon, it takes a different driving style. No traction control and open front and rear diffs means you have to be more surgical in the lines you take.

I have wheeled with land rovers and jeeps. Both platforms are good and the limiting factors are usually the drivers, not the cars.

I'll never sell the defender but I do hope to own a Rubican one day... Would be nice to be able to leave the doors and roof at home.






- One life. Live it.

 

[IndyRubicon]

Just drove my Jeep 290 miles today on one tank of gas while pulling my trailer. While that's not quite the range of some other vehicles, it's more than enough for me, especially once I pick up two fuel cans. This was after I spent the day yesterday driving on trails, through mud, over rocks, and through water. It's my firm belief there's not a more capable vehicle for the money that will meet my needs.

 

[Dan Grec]

Extending the wheel base, and upping the payload would no longer be a Wrangler.

I didn't say anything about extending the wheel base.

We know the D44's have a higher load rating than the Rubicon Unlimited allows, so they need to upgrade the brakes, shocks and maybe reinforce the frame a little and we'll have a higher payload with exactly the same size vehicle we have today.

-Dan