Sport or Off Road

So this thread basically tells us, "gadget guys/gals vs. glamour gals/guys"?

 

I should stop posting in this thread, but I do think this conversation is a good hint that Toyota has failed to really differentiate the OR/Sport trims well in the 3rd gen.
(Especially with giving TRAC in 4Lo to all the SR/Sport trims and giving the Sport hardly anything except the scoop and color fenders, sunglass holder etc.)

 

Yes. The sport got shafted. It could use a rear sway bar and dual exhaust from the factory at the least. And the trims. Minus a few cool gadgets, there’s no incentive to buy a premium trim if you plan on building/modding. I could see the value of a TRD package is there was enhanced frame engineering (boxed, braced, gussets, etc) or something that isn’t component-interchangeable (minus atrac modules), where as back in the first gen days a TRD and an SR 5 lug had different suspension set ups/frames. But that’s Toyota’s business, not mine.

 

4x4 Off Road owner here.

If price is the same, definitely Off Road. You may not do much Off Roading now, but if you decide you want to in the future, you will have a truck that is ready for it.

I have never driven a sport but have no complaints whatsoever about the ride comfort of my Off Road on the road, I see no reason whatsoever to go to All Season tires, ESPECIALLY when the Goodyear Wranglers the OR comes with are already closer to being considered All Seasons over All Terrain.

Also, 4x4 or nothing! LOL

 

No one has mentioned the airdam on the Sport...

MPG

 

Unless it is a factory option and that is only on some 4x4s, not all.

4WD is basically one wheel in the rear and one in front working to move you.
This often is enough... but is only 50% of the potential traction possible
4WD + Rear Locker is three wheels working for you... 75%
4WD + A-TRAC (or similar traction system) or front and rear lockers is four wheels working to move you... 100%!

 

My third Subaru 4WD Wagon was a 1986 or '87 and it had a two speed transfer case. My '77 and '80 wagons did not... just single speed... hard on the clutch sometimes! The low range was so sweet and worked so well. When Subaru ended the part time 4WD system for an AWD without low range, that was the end for me. I also needed a real pick up and the Baja or BRAT before just wasn't big enough.

 

In case you are unfamiliar with other posts of the past on A-TRAC or MTS/Crawl... you do not need the locker because A-TRAC turns the truck into a tank with all 4 tires rotating together (like front and rear lockers). The locker is still on it because it is a huge selling tool and many are not yet familiar or comfortable off roading without a locker. It is there only for emergency. I have yet to find where A-TRAC failed me but the locker worked. My 2010 A-TRAC is better than my 2005 and 2001 Tacomas with the locker... because A-TRAC is on all 4 tires not just the rear two with one of the front tires spinning.

 

so then it would be moot to go aftermarket if you already have the locker in the OR? Also, if a aftermarket air locker is already made for the OR, wouldn’t they take the software into consideration and bypass/tweak it to work?

 

Why in the world would you want to add an Air Locker when the Truck already has an Electronic Locker?

 

Purely hypothetical. Thought an aftermarket one is better as it’s available in all modes. It’s gotta be possible as ABR probably assumed OR people might want to upgrade too?

 

I would not lose any sleep over hypothetical stuff, the A-TRAC is plenty capable as it is, then add in the Factory E-Locker and you are going to get wherever you need to go.

 

Coming from someone who bought a sport, the off-road is definitely a better value. That being said if I were to do it all over again I would still buy the sport because it fits my needs and I personally think it's prettier!

My needs seem to be fairly similar to yours, my truck spends 90% of its time on paved roads serving daily driver/general light duty pickup duties. Yes it would be nice to have a locker and yes I have pushed it far enough a couple of times where the lack of one became apparent but it still didn't keep me from where I was going, I just had to be smarter about my line, speed, etc. These are still very capable trucks even without the extra off-road package goodies. At this point a locker would probably just encourage me to take it farther than I should be taking a new, shiny daily driver anyway, I've got older rigs to really beat the brush if I chose to.

For me the crawl control was not a factor because I wanted a manual so it wasn't going to have that regardless, and the suspension difference didn't matter because I lifted it and went aftermarket the day I brought it home anyway. The only thing that made a difference to me was the locker and A-TRAC (the sport still has traction control and it works pretty decent, just not quite as advanced as the off-road). In the end I decided I valued the better looks (in my opinion) on my daily driver over the locker, at least for now. Down the road when the truck isn't so fresh and new and I don't feel so bad about running it a little harder off road I will likely add an air locker, it's really not that big of a deal, and then I'll have the best of both worlds.

 

Put the right tires on it and it will climb a tree.

 

You’re completely right, was just wondering if at some day down the road you want to make it into an aftermarket beast, could you go aftermarket locker without issues?

 

A-TRAC works so well it's ridiculous. I almost consider it a cheat mode.

 

Anything can be turned into a beast with the right amount of money.

 

For me, it more of what comes on the truck, from Toyota, covered by warranty, and built into the financing. The Off Road has all the traction I have ever needed for all the desert and Baja four wheeling I like to do. To spend the same amount of money to have a "pretty" truck then need to add thousands more for aftermarket locker, etc. makes zero sense to me. One truck payment is enough, but a truck and huge credit card payment would be dumb.

 

Good thing is you could always trade up for a sports hood with a little cash. I mean, if you wanted the ladies

 

Oh sure, the scoop has them scratching at the widows to get in!