Toyota Off-Road: Are we really better?

So I got to thinking: if other truck companies have similar discussion boards for their brand of truck as we do for Tacoma, what other things could be similar? Here's my question:

Are Toyota Tacomas (small lightweight trucks), are our trucks actually *better* at off-roading as other trucks we see and share the road with? Are we better than, say... a Nissan truck? A small Ford truck? A Jeep? Or... are we measuredly different and in what respect? Clever engineers work for a variety of different countries and don't come from a specific ethnicity: in my experience, excellent designers and engineers don't all work for just Toyota. So my question is, to what extent are our Tacomas any better or worse at doing the usual run-of-the-mill things that people put their trucks through???

...or are our trucks actually better than the comparable Nissans, Fords, Dodge's and the like?

 

we carry a higher price tag

 

id rather be in my truck any day over any of the new jeeps.. now, an older cj, sure, but back then toyota pick ups had solid front axles too so.... idk, i think i might still pick the yota.

 

Come on, you and I both know you cannot compare a stock solid axle heep to a stock IFS taco. If you are doing straight crawling kind of wheeling then the heep will have the advantage.

However if we are comparing all pick ups across the board, then I believe yes. The Tacoma/Hilux is the top dog when it comes to the off road category. The Tacos have the most clearance, a perfect compact maneuverable size, best options, great suspension set up, amazing 4wd system, and proven and famous reliability and ruggedness. I could care less how much "better" a Cherokee off roads than my taco, I wouldn't touch it with a 10 ft pole. I'll take my taco any day. Now swap out that IFS with a similar solid axle and the taco will spank that Cherokee.

 

Yes Toyotaoff-road.com is better

 

not sure you fully grasped the idea of this thread bud

 

Really connor, really? Are we pulling this shit out? " I don't quite think you understand the way suspension works either...and the differences between IFS and SFA and what their uses of where they shine are"

I'm also not trying to turn this into a pissing one upping match where you tell us all how much better your stupid jeep is than my truck.

I just said you can't compare a solid axle jeep to an IFS taco...meaning they are not on the same level. Like i said the jeep has the advantage. I'm not quite sure where that shows that I don't know how suspension works or how it is necessary for you to reaffirm that in the last month and a half you have owned the thing you taken your heep places my truck has never DREAMED of.

I'm also sorry you don't know how to park a mini truck, I have fit into compact car spaces in parking garages and usually make it in and out of parking spaces with one turn. I find no issue with the turning except when flipping a bitch in a neighborhood.

 

really yes, i would like a rebuttal while I am still here

 

For once, in a god dam blue moon, can we have a thread with a conversation without stupid shit like this popping up in it? No i'm not mad at all, and you posting that stupid picture adds nothing of value to this thread other than to give you a little smirk and give you the illusion that lets you think that you are clever and have just done something really funny.

 

yes. clearly I am a mad fan boy. Go ahead and call me whatever you please. But believe me I have no unwarranted notions on the ability of my truck.

 

Christ it's like arguing with a child. Whatever. I'll take my pie and be along my way.

 

And this shit ^^^^^^ is why Toyotaoff-road.com is 1000x better.

Y'all would all be banned in a heartbeat. Little whiney babies don't get very far.

 

If that gets you banned there then fuck that place, i'd rather not be on a forum full of a bunch of stick up their ass nazis. You should probably make your way back there, i'll give you a piece of my pie for your journey. I have an extra.

 

I agree with this.. for an all-round vehicle you cant beat a tacoma. But if I wanted to build a bad ass "go-anywhere-I-can-point" offroad rig I would probably start with a Jeep.

 

lol whippersnapper knows how to party. i think this whole thing blew up, and you cant compare a jeep to a truck.

 

Best offroad vehicle on the market today. Jeep Wrangler. Hands down. Only vehicle that has the turning radius of a shopping cart, solid front and rear axel from the factory, stick shift with a manual tcase... the list goes on. It shouldn't be an arguement. If Toyota still had the sense to build and sell the FJ40, but did what Jeep did to the CJ and modrenize it, I think it would be a fair right and honestly a tough choice between the 2. But Toyota built the FJ Cruiser instead. A truck will never be able to compete with a short wheelbase purpose built offroading vehicle. It can come close, but never beat it.

As for the XJ, the unibody makes it a little less capable then the solid framed Wrangler. However if it came down to a stock matchup between a 01 XJ and a 01 Taco the XJ would beat out the Tacoma in most places other then a full out desert race.

As for offroad truck. Toyota Tacoma hands down. The Ranger isn't being sold anymore, the GM small truck has sucked since they migrated from the square body style, the Frontier is a truck built more for the road by car guys then the Tacoma, and I don't know of anyone else still selling a compact truck in NA.

Though if I had my choice it would be between a TJ with the old 4.0L 6 in it, or an 85 HiLux with a 7MGE swapped into it. Either vehicle is a more then competent offroader.

 

How about leaving it at the Tacoma is the best choice for those who choose it?? The only other way to really settle the discussion is .... Get someone to do a test with all vehicles set up the way they could be from the factory IE what ever options could be put on there or the dealer but that’s it. Then get some professional drivers to take them on a route chosen to test the vehicles swap vehicles to different drivers every so many miles and see what happens. Now since I am not independently wealthy I am not sponsoring it lol but perhaps someone might be able to write well enough to have top gear or someone do it. Other then that it is a circular logic argument each vehicle will shine in things and not so much in other things accept it and move on.

Cypher

 

this...

If I didn't have a taco I would probably have a jeep...but they are just not practical for everyday use.

A tacoma is more versatile when it comes to the average person who needs a vehicle, and wants something to play around with offroad.

A jeep will always be more versatile offroad just because of the nature of their design...

BUT...I will always choose the overall dependability and reliability of a toyota...hands down

 

What everyone else said. Taco is in the top 2 for sure. But nothing beats a jeep for stock off roading. Until you've experienced Quadra-Drive or Quadra Trac you don't know what you're missing. It's like A-Trac but with mechanical parts. It uses a viscous coupling to sense slip like a LSD and the Quadra Drive will send power the wheel with the most traction. Just like A-Trac. However they've had this tech on their jeeps since the early 2000's. Add full leather, full power seats a diesel for their 2006-09ish models powered by a Bluetec Mercedes Benz 3.0L and you've got it made.