Dethroning the Montero as Best riding 4x4 SUV

[ManfromSnowyRiver]

Finally had a chance to get the 2015 TRD Pro 4 Runner out, and in my opinion to date the Montero was the best riding 4x4 SUV in history...But not any more. Wash outs, ditches, rocks....no need to slow down, stunning upset to the Montero.

How about the worst riding 4x4s of all time? Whats your picks? Here's my 6 I have experience with.

6. Older Ford trucks
5. Early Jeeps, just Bad
4. Nissan Xterra Redefining what it means to bottom out
3. Any Chevy 4x4, any year.(bottom out non-stop)
2. Early Toyota Solid Front Axles BRUTAL
1. Suzuki Samari IMPOSSIBLE even driving on mattresses

 

[Toasty]

I'm in disagreement, I own a LC120 which the 4th and 5th generation 4 Runners are based on. Mine also has the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System that the Trail Edition Runner has and while it is pretty awesome and in many ways superior to the Gen 2 in terms of offroad ride (Stock for Stock). The Gen 2 is a 25 year old design that held current into the mid 2000's, other manufacturers ALL had to largely copy Mitsubishi in order to keep up in the 4WD world. The Gen 3 though is still far superior in this category, I will say that even though i'm not a big Gen 3 Montero fan the Gen 3 (almost a 16 year old platform) has toyota and basically anyone else ever beat by a good margin. I can imagine even though the Gen 4 looks very similar i'm willing to bet it has even further improvements and makes all other offroad capable 4x4's seem archaic in comparison.

The LC120/FJCruiser/4th&5th Gen 4runner are only at the level of the Second Generation Montero Sport (8 years old now) in terms of suspension technology. It's interesting to see how these designs evolved over the years and how certain designs became standards while others fell off. I will agree with you though that these trucks are really easy to like offroad and on. I'm still waiting on a new Montero because i know it will be just that much better, maybe i'm waiting for something that'll never happen but until then there are plenty of these Toyotas coming into the US and still being sold today.



My worst offroad driving rigs are;

1. AMC CJ-5
2. Toyota Hilux 5th Generation, My 1982 SAS Mighty Max
3. Jeep JK

Really all i have experience with, i gained a whole new level of respect for my non SAS'd Montero recently when i took the new Mighty Max offroad. Riding on Leafs/Leafs i can barely get out of 2nd gear in 4.7:1 low range offroad before it starts just wrecking my back. Now i know why Jeep, solid axle Toyota and Nissan guys are SOOOO slow out on the trail. I know if it were on links and coilovers it would be better but that's a lot of money to make something only nearly as good as IFS at going fast offroad. SAS does give me a decent amount of rock capability even if it is slow as $%*@, i just no longer need one under my Montero and i'm glad i learned this on the Mighty Max and not my beloved Montero.

 

[As Scooter]

I have to disagree with the JK. Mine drives well, even with a lift, and larger tires. It will not set land speed records across rough roads, and it isn't designed to do so. It does ride well on maintained roads, though. I am happy with it.
I also have a Raptor, and even though it is not an SUV, the ride is far beyond any vehicle I have ever had off road, and most I have had on road.

But then, this is all about opinions, anyways.

 

[plh]

I have to disagree with the JK. Mine drives well, even with a lift, and larger tires. It will not set land speed records across rough roads, and it isn't designed to do so. It does ride well on maintained roads, though. I am happy with it.
I also have a Raptor, and even though it is not an SUV, the ride is far beyond any vehicle I have ever had off road, and most I have had on road.

But then, this is all about opinions, anyways.

have you every driven / owned a Montero? If not .... Why are you commenting?

 

[ManfromSnowyRiver]

We have the TRD Pro, which has more of a Raptor type set up, different then the basic KDss. Never ridden in a Gen 3 but dont think it could plow through the same stuff at those speeds. JK, is definitely better then the old Jeeps, thats why I put older Jeeps. Raptor is great, and my next Pick Up, but I am focusing on trail machines/ SUVs, Raptor is not a practical trail rig.

So now your telling me I am going to regret the SAS? :Wow1:

 

[ryandavenport]

Finally had a chance to get the 2015 TRD Pro 4 Runner out, and in my opinion to date the Montero was the best riding 4x4 SUV in history...But not any more. Wash outs, ditches, rocks....no need to slow down, stunning upset to the Montero.

How about the worst riding 4x4s of all time? Whats your picks? Here's my 6 I have experience with.

6. Older Ford trucks
5. Early Jeeps, just Bad
4. Nissan Xterra Redefining what it means to bottom out
3. Any Chevy 4x4, any year.(bottom out non-stop)
2. Early Toyota Solid Front Axles BRUTAL
1. Suzuki Samari IMPOSSIBLE even driving on mattresses

We have a 2012 Xterra and a 2008 LR3. The Xterra was terrible before the suspension replacement and now is great after a 3.5" lift and lots of money.

That being said, it still doesn't ride as great as our LR3. I would have to vote on that as being the best riding 4x4 ever.


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[ManfromSnowyRiver]

I had an early lift, Calimini and they based it off the stock suspension, so it imploded as well. I broke everything due to the bottoming. Funny they deny it until this day, still producing the same rediculous suspension.

 

[ryandavenport]

I had an early lift, Calimini and they based it off the stock suspension, so it imploded as well. I broke everything due to the bottoming. Funny they deny it until this day, still producing the same rediculous suspension.

Yeah that's a terrible kit. I run TJM front and OME rear. Not quite as controlled as the LR3 in the faster stuff but certainly much better than stock, and enough to move it from the bottom of the list to closer to the top.


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[KyleT]

Range Rover. Nothing compares. Literally the best suv for comfort you can buy. 2nd would be maybe the qx80 or lx570. NOT the same as the 4Runner/gx platform.


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[jeep-N-montero]

Bang for the buck it is about impossible to beat the Montero, gets even better with the OME suspension. Sure, a modern $40k+ rig might be a bit better, but certainly not $30-35k better with a hefty monthly payment that usually comes with it.

 

[nwoods]

My LR3 was the best I've owned. My Nissan Armada the worst (off road), Just too heavy. Monty is fun, a bit bouncy, but very controlled off road. I can haul serious butt on the trail, bombing down the desert tracks like a baja trophy truck, UNTIL I get into the whoops, and then forget it. But washboard and uneven non-perpendicular washouts and ruts are noproblemo in the Monty.

My buddy's 4th Gen 4Runner with an Icon Stage 4 suspension was about the best I've ever driving fast in. A bit under dampened in the rear, but it would absorb the whoops, landings, washouts, pits, and bumps without ever fading. Love that thing!

 

[PirateMcGee]

Bang for the buck it is about impossible to beat the Montero, gets even better with the OME suspension. Sure, a modern $40k+ rig might be a bit better, but certainly not $30-35k better with a hefty monthly payment that usually comes with it.

Shhh if they don't buy new we won't have a ready supply of vehicles that are perfectly good for tens of thousands of dollars less....

 

[ManfromSnowyRiver]

Nissan Armada gets negative marks constantly across the board, and Nissan does not change it either. They are changing the Titan for 2016, which I think looks nice, but is not very advanced compared to other trucks, is so focused on the Diesel no regular duty truck details have been released, and get this, they went backwards to a column shifter :Wow1: Still like my Titan, but the F150 and particularly Raptor are just so far ahead of it.

 

[Toasty]

Shhh if they don't buy new we won't have a ready supply of vehicles that are perfectly good for tens of thousands of dollars less....

YUP!

 

[Toasty]

So now your telling me I am going to regret the SAS? :Wow1:

No i think you'll like it especially in terms of strength, Shovel said it's also a matter of tuning it to ride how you want. He went through 3 sets of shocks until he found a setup he liked offroad. I just don't think you or i would need two SAS'd rigs.