2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Rubicon vs Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro - Which is the Better Daily Driver? PT.1

We take a look at the 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4Xe plug-in hybrid and compare it with the updated 2021 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro.

#4Runner #Jeep #Wrangler

[steve]

Had a 2021 4XE. It was broken for 5 out of the 7 months I had it. Dealer bought it back.
Now have a 4 Runner ORP, flawless.

[pattda]

Lease a Jeep hybrid, but buy a Toyota 4Runner.

[joewe]

Reliability aside, Jeeps are just way cooler, 4 runners look like basically every other vehicle on the road, I’ve had a CJ a Jk and now currently a ‘22 JL and love it, they do extremely well holding their value and like most vehicles proper maintenance and upkeep is key, unfortunately people beat the sh#T out of them and do stupid aftermarket swaps without considering how other parts of the vehicle will be negatively affected, thus reliability issues arise and so forth reputation for non-reliability. Enjoy and take care of what you have and don’t be haters .

[peterscott]

4Runner is one of the most reliable vehicles on the market. It's bullet proof. Real world fuel economy is not that different than other body on Frame 4X4s. I'd buy it over most of the competition.

[mikefly]

I own a 2022 Wrangler Rubicon 4xe and I also spend extensive time in the 4Runner (TRD offroad and Limited versions0. Both great vehicle and I've been happy with my Jeep so far, but the 4Runner's reliability and cargo space is most likely better than the Jeep. Ride quality in both vehicles is great in my opinion.

[stevenm]

I would never, ever daily drive a wrangler. You know how people are always like "4R people refuse to accept that its slow and outdated and blah blah..." You'll never get a wrangler owner to admit how uncomfortable the every day ride is.

[dbarton]

Absolutely love my 4runners! always have, always will! It's motor and tranny date back to 2003...im ready for the 6th gen!!

[FunGoingFast]

Great channel and I appreciate your content. And the work you did with TFL was excellent as well. Also its awesome you and your dad get to team up.. I've noticed over several videos that Steve (and clearly your dad) are not 4Runner fans. I keep hearing adjectives like "tired" a lot. I have owned 4 Wranglers (2 TJs, a JK and a JLU Rubicon). I considered a 4xe but couldn't find a dealer with out mark up, so I bought the JLU Rubicon instead, with the 4 cylinder turbo mild hybrid.  That powertrain is amazing and I could get 22 mpg all day long.

But I made it about 7 months with the and finally couldn't take how uncomfortable the seating position was, combined with the thin seats. I did a ton of research and this seems to be a very common issue. The lack of adjustability, poor padding, and odd seating position due to the wider transmission tunnel for the 8 speed all work together in a bad way. At least for me and many others. I even tried the Desert Does It seat jackers. I'm 5 11 and 150 pounds so not a large person and usually have an easy time getting comfortable with vehicles.

I decided instead of having a $45k vehicle I can't drive for more than 30 minutes, I researched options. I ended up going with a 2020 4Runner TRD Pro. It is hands down a better built vehicle. No one can argue the 4Runner is the vehicle to buy for the latest technology. Or that the mpgs aren't lagging. But the quality of the build combined with the smoothness of the ride, the way the "ancient" transmission and engine work together, and the off-road Fox shocks make it feel like a luxury vehicle. And ask BMW or Mercedes, being the most innovative is a great way to impress a journalist, but doesn't correspond to real world reliability or resale value.

No question a Rubicon is the most offwoard worthy vehicle made. And if you can have a 2nd vehicle that you can take the top off, and have that off-road capability that is great. But with that wide transmission tunnel and poor quality seats, along with the wondering steering, and super bumpy ride (even with the longer travel) after more than 30 minutes it can be impressively uncomfortable. Very disappointing. So I'll trade in not having the lastet and greatest tech for quality, comfort, 300k mile reliability and a ridiculous resale value.

These are both special vehicles and I would encourage anyone to test drive both. As an everyday vehicle that stil has off-road cred and looks, the 4runenr is tough to beat. This coming from a guy that went JK, Frontier Pro 4x, Titan Pro 4x, 1st Gen Raptor, 2nd Gen Raptor, Rublicon JiU, to 2020 TRD Pro 4runner.



Keep up the great work.

[jackle]

you guys deserve many more subscribers! keep up the hard work.

[nostrilnick]

We've had our '21 4R Off-Road for about a year and a half. The two things I dislike most aboot it is 1) only 5 gears, and 2) fuel economy. You are right about it always dropping a gear, especially on the highway. Doesn't help the fuel economy for sure. The good thing about the trans is, as mentioned by others, it has a bulletproof reputation for reliability. I love Jeeps, but reliability and the overall on-road experience are priorities for me. I would lean toward the Jeep only if I spent a lot more time off road. As it is, the 4R is plenty capable and can be readily modded, all for a good bit less $$ than a Rubicon.

[jasenwm]

The EV jeep is cute but the 4 runner will last 10x longer and is far more reliable then a cheap jeep product

[ktmxcw]

People don't buy SUV's for their payload...and spent a lot of time talking about incorrect payload # for 4R....???

[Rincon]

So many great review points that I would never have thought about! Great vid!

[ramiroescamilla]

Screw the fuel economy. I own a farm in Mexico and use a 2004 4 Runner.mostly driven on dirt reads.450 k miles never had a single problem. Something Jeep can only dream.

[Offshore]

Love Wrangler videos. Love 4Runner videos. Makes a great video.

[lou]

Crazy thing about payload capacity is I know people with 4Runners who have almost 800lbs of just armor (steel bumpers on both ends, full steel skids and sliders, etc. Granted, they have now had to put stiffer springs in etc. And for those saying its in KG and it should be something closer to 1500lbs, its not. I own the 2021 pro, the actual payload listed on the sticker is 880 lbs and there is a second sticker saying that because of the setup its reduced by up to 80 lbs. There are some discrepancies between the listed payload and the GVVW and such, which is where you get the 1550lb difference, but the listed payload is indeed that low.

[joseperezpaz]

Driven both vehicles, if you want a comfortable, reliable and capable ride get the Runner! Jeeps are cool but made by Chrysler and aren’t the most reliable

[jakebaker]

I love the videos. Good, honest, reviews. Can’t wait to see the off-road videos. Your property looks like a fun time for anyone with a 4x4

[NRTH]

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Absolutely love my 2020 4R Pro dinosaur!

[brentloftis]

We have had our 4xe for about a month now. With short local trips, we have used only 1/8th of a tank of fuel - in 500+ miles. As far as driving, it has really exceeded our expectations. We have a road tripped planned next month - so anxious to see it on an interstate trip using the engine much more. The $7500 rebate in the US for hybrid vehicles makes it a much better buy.