3rd gen 4Runner vs Jeep Cherokee XJ.

[Marcoc]

Looking at selling my 99 Cobra for a trail/expo/weekend toy rig. As far as trails I wont be doing crazy rock crawling but I will "use" it on Ne trails with rock and mud. It wont be daily driven, I may even tow it to further trails, looking to run 33" tires, light armor such as winch bumper, sliders, rear tire carrier, and 3-4" of lift. I have a budget of $10,000 including purchasing vehicle, building it, and any maintenance required. I will be doing 95% of the work on the truck myself. I need 4 doors. Also I'm not new to Jeep I had a TJ Rubicon and my 2010 Tacoma TRD which I sold for a new fullsize truck due to the toyota's limited cargo capacity. Looking for a reliable vehicle and pros and cons for both. Thanks. I posted the other day but some how the post was deleted by accident, lol.

 

[aero]

I've owned an 02 4runner, two 98 cherokees and one 97 cherokee. The 97 Cherokee and 02 4runner were not used off road at all.

The 4runner is going to be more luxurious, you wont have all the jeep rattles and squeaks. On the highway in the XJs, it was very difficult to hear anyone on the phone with tire noise, wind noise, roof rack noise.. I would say dependability is about the same overall. Both will run for a long while if maintained. Both engines arent overly powerful but they get the job done (v6 in 4runner and I6 in XJ). I havent driven the 4cylinders in either, but they are only going to have less power, which is not a good thing. They make kits to drop an LSx in the XJ, which I have always wanted to do to fix the power issue.

The XJ you're going to find more stuff off the shelf for cheaper where it'll be slightly harder with the 4runner. XJ has solid front axle which is more rugged for off roading. The XJ is quite capable with a few mods. I personally like the look of a 4runner, but dollar for dollar, I'd get in another XJ since it'd be cheaper in the end.

 

[bighoff]

So I drive a 2000 4runner and my brother has a 2001 XJ.
Both the 4.0 and 3.4 engines are solid and feel to have equal power. Both are regarded for being long lasting and trouble free.
The offroading we do is pretty mellow(fireroads, mud, etc..) so both are stock. The 4runner fits bigger tires stock so it's probably more capable, but the Jeep does surprisingly well.
A 4runner with a factory rear locker has 4.30 gears so you could probably run 33's without regearing while the jeep needs a bigger lift and might need regearing.
The Jeep interior is smaller and the seats are uncomfortable IMO. The rear seats in the Jeep are very cramped while the 4runner comfortably fits 2 adults.
Both interiors are mainly plastic but the 4runner has a better feel to it and seems more modern.
The 4runner feels secure on the highway while the Jeep is loud and a bit shaky when going over 60mph.

I had to pay quite a bit more for my truck but I'm very happy with it.
My brother has had the Jeep for a few years and is now looking to sell it so he can buy a Toyota.
If you have any more questions i'm happy to help.

 

[mbrewer]

Sounds like what you want is a wheeling rig.

I haven't had either as I'm not 4-door SUV person. I have had a JK and a couple of Tacomas though. For your use-case comfort, reliability, everything else doesn't matter... and a solid axle does. So get the XJ and beat the crap out of it.
I'd claim that the 4runner is absolutely a superior expo rig. I trust it to start in 20 below temps. I trust the thing to hold together bouncing over washboard roads. It's easier to find parts for worldwide, far better constructed, better highway handling, stock drivetrain is like a rock, etc.. But... XJ is clearly a better 4-wheel rig. Solid axle, easy to find parts, you can probably find tons of stuff for it used.

For your use-case, If I was you I wouldn't build the XJ at all... I'd find one already built. They can be had for a song because no-one wants one already built, for fear someone did it wrong and beat it up. I'd do my research and understand how the mods would be done right, then understand specifically what's installed on the rig and where the previous owner screwed up (because they did)... Expect to spend the purchase price again... or even twice that on repairs, and you'll get yourself a great wheeling rig for cheap. When you break it, tow it home.

Basically... I'd say that if you're even considering trailering, it's wheeling not expo, and you'll be happier in the XJ in the end. I'm currently selling my JK because I don't wheel, I go deep into the woods for weeks on end solo and what I need most is reliability, and the taco (or 4-runner) is a far better fit for that.

 

[Kayak Taco]

Consider a v8 zj as well. Interior is much nicer than the XJ, 4 linked coil rear, and they're often cheaper than the xjs because they're somewhat more common. Plus you can do a cheap lift via the front to rear spring swap and new shocks.

 

[Marcoc]

Thanks for all the great responses. I may tow the rig but that's just an option for extremely long drives like Raush Creek offroad park, about 5 hours from me. I enjoy camping out the truck and wheeling but nothing extreme. I enjoyed my ownership with a Toyota and I'm leaning that way, only issue is the XJ's are a good $2-3 grand cheaper

 

[Elbee]

Go for 4Runner. Less maintenance cost in the long run. Way easier to work on (well thought out engineering), its nicer ride with what seems to be more room and slightly better fuel economy.
I put on 13,000 miles on my truck (which has 200k miles) this summer in some of the most remote places in the states with no issues at all.
If you are adding all that kit on your rig Gross Vehicle weight may be a concern.

GVW of 2000 XJ is 4900lbs & 2000 4runner is 5250lbs

 

[Marcoc]

Go for 4Runner. Less maintenance cost in the long run. Way easier to work on (well thought out engineering), its nicer ride with what seems to be more room and slightly better fuel economy.
I put on 13,000 miles on my truck (which has 200k miles) this summer in some of the most remote places in the states with no issues at all.
If you are adding all that kit on your rig Gross Vehicle weight may be a concern.

GVW of 2000 XJ is 4900lbs & 2000 4runner is 5250lbs

View attachment 325537 View attachment 325538 View attachment 325539

Love your 4Runner. I want the ARB front as well. I think the tall skinny tires compliment a 4runner well

 

[mbrewer]

That changes things

Thanks for all the great responses. I may tow the rig but that's just an option for extremely long drives like Raush Creek offroad park, about 5 hours from me. I enjoy camping out the truck and wheeling but nothing extreme. I enjoyed my ownership with a Toyota and I'm leaning that way, only issue is the XJ's are a good $2-3 grand cheaper

Ah, that does change things.

If you're doing lighter wheeling and camping, you can't really go wrong. Both are great choices and adored by their fans for a reason. But, I agree I'd go with the 4-runner. It'll be a bit quieter. Easier maintenance, more reliable and thus cheaper to keep on the road. Even for heavier use the body-on-frame construction is a bit tougher. The suspension is easier to keep highway safe and less prone to problems given only light to moderate wheeling. Note that if you go over 33" (255/85R16 to be precise) the 4-runner becomes a very poor option and the XJ wins hands-down.

4Runner for a moderate build with highway driving and reliability. XJ for an aggressive build with 35" tires or larger.

It sounds like I got the wrong impression from your initial post. For the use described above go 4-runner, and find it as stock as you can get. The 6 cyl is a bit nicer, but the 4 will do you just fine. Lift it 2" or less, and you're good to go.... And who needs the trailer? To me "moderate wheeling and camping" and "trailer" just don't go together. In my mind trailers are for when you run a rig too built or too ****ty for the highway. The runner will be great on highway as long as you don't get super swampers or something.

 

[MCObray]

I have owned both for many years; 3 XJs, and 2 3rd Gen 4Runners.

The XJ is cheaper upon initial purchase, relatively low maintenance (from my experience), and classic exterior body lines. There are a ton of aftermarket accessories for this vehicle which makes modifications that much more fun. I didn't mind having the solid axles (HP D30 and C8.25), NP-231 transfer case, and 4.0L Inline 6 power plant. Overall, it was one of my favorite vehicle.
'99 Jeep XJ by Mason Obray, on Flickr

With that said, it simply does not compare to a 3rd Gen 4Runner. Yes, you might end up paying more upon initial purchase but boy is it worth it. I had the same year of XJ, that I did in the 4Runner as well (1999), and the 4Runner felt 10 years newer than the XJ. Comfort, performance, and build quality is far superior in the 4Runner. I really appreciated the fact that I could run 265/76/16s stock comfortable, as opposed to having to run 3" lift in the XJ to accomplish the same thing... as well as you would have to add a SYE to the transfer case, and possible re-gear on the XJ.
'00 Toyota 4Runner Highlander. by Mason Obray, on Flickr

I would definitely pay the premium in the 4Runner, as opposed to purchasing an XJ. Both vehicles are awesome and serve their purpose, but if you are more into travel/overland/camping the 4Runner is the way to go. If you want to rock crawl/mud, the XJ may be better suited with solid axles.

 

[Elbee]

Love your 4Runner. I want the ARB front as well. I think the tall skinny tires compliment a 4runner well

Thanks! It is a prado ARB that is a tad wider to cover the fender flares and the tires are 255/85/16

 

[deadbeat son]

I haven't owned a 3rd gen 4Runner, but I have had both an XJ and a 4th Gen. I would also go with the Toyota. Although it's considered to be less capable by many due to the IFS vs the Jeep's SFA, for the uses you're asking about I think it would be the better choice. My reasoning, which includes some things others have already mentioned, is below.

• Build Quality - All of the Toyotas I have owned have been more "solid" than the XJ I had. The XJ with 20k miles had more squeaks and rattles than my FJ60 with 200k, my 4R with 80k, or my Tacoma with 80k.
• Body on frame construction - As has been mentioned, although the Toyota has IFS, there's a ruggedness to the construction lended by the body-on-frame design.
• Comfort - For me, the XJ seats were not comfortable for longer drives. The Toyota seats (with the exception of my antiquated FJ60) have all been more supportive and more comfortable for longer drives.
• Tire Clearance - I would stick with a stock height Toyota with 32" tires for simplicity sake. Stepping up to a 33" tire only offers slight advantages over the 32", but it requires quite a bit more work to compensate. Also, you would have to do about as much work to the XJ to fit a 31" as you would to the Toyota to fit a 33".

 

[Simons]

lol! I just replied in your other thread. I like that you have this posted in both the Toyota and Jeep forums. Weeding through the biased and brand loyal posts you can (surprisingly) actually get a pretty good picture of what's what.
Cheers and good luck!
Go 3rd gen T4r!!

 

[Marcoc]

OK I will be putting a 3" OME lift it I go the 4 Runner route with 33" tires. If I go XJ I will go 4.5” to clear same size, 33's. Funny but it's what I expected, Toyota guys obviously say Toyota and Jeep guys say Jeep. I do like the fact that my Tacoma was damn reliable and great off road. Also not liking the fact that I need a driveshaft and possibly a regear on the XJ. Only gripe is an the Runners seem to have more miles and are kinda beat up

 

[98WhiteT4R]

OME is pretty damn stiff FYI