Clash of the Icons: Part 2
By Kits Aragon • Apr 21st, 2009 • Category: Features, Humor •
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This is virtual off road duel between 2 legends in the history of 4 wheeling. After a closely contested match against the Defender 110, the victorious Wrangler Unlimited faces off with it’s rival from the east – The Toyota Land Cruiser 70 series Wagon.
This is a design comparo of the 2 vehicle makes’ most current and capable 4×4 models. Since the 70 series is not available in the local market we will be using the Australian/New Zealand factory specs. against the Philippine Jeep factory specs.
Once again our 4-wheeling icons will be battling it out in 8 different stages to determine which 4×4 is the more serious off road performer.
Jeep vs. Toyota: Stage 1
| JEEP Wrangler Ultd. Rubicon |
EXTERIOR Off-road Dynamics |
TOYOTA 70 Series Wagon |
|---|---|---|
| 253 mm | Ground Clearance Lowest Point |
230 mm |
| 44.4 | Approach Angle | 38 |
| 20.8 | Break-Over Angle | 26 |
| 40.5 | Departure Angle | 25 |
The Jeep clears the trail with minimal body damage. The Toyota scrapes paint, chrome and polymer in almost every obstacle.
Stage 1 Winner:
Jeep vs. Toyota: Stage 2
| JEEP Wrangler Ultd. Rubicon |
Maneuverability | TOYOTA 70 Series Wagon |
|---|---|---|
| Recirculating ball w/ damper | Steering Type | Recirculating ball w/ damper |
| 12.25 m | Turning Diameter | 12.6 m |
| 2,945 mm | Wheelbase | 2,730 mm |
Once again the Rubie dominates this stage despite having the longer wheelbase among the 2.
Stage 2 Winner:
Jeep vs. Toyota: Stage 3
| JEEP Wrangler Ultd. Rubicon |
Engine Performance | TOYOTA 70 Series Wagon |
|---|---|---|
| 3.7 liter | Engine Displacement | 4.5 liter |
| 146 kW @ 5000 | Horsepower | 151 kW @ 3400 |
| 315 Nm @ 4000 | Torque | 430 Nm @ 1200 |
The Cruiser’s V8 Turbo Diesel is the far more superior power plant.
Stage 3 Winner:
Jeep vs. Toyota: Stage 4
| JEEP Wrangler Ultd. Rubicon |
Fuel Efficiency | TOYOTA 70 Series Wagon |
|---|---|---|
| 84 liters | Fuel Tank Capacity | 90 liters |
| 6.8 km/l | Fuel Economy Combined |
10 km/l |
Wrangler rhymes with “guzzler” while LC rhymes with “thrifty”!
Stage 4 Winner:
Jeep vs. Toyota: Stage 5
| JEEP Wrangler Ultd. Rubicon |
EXTERIOR Creeping Capability |
TOYOTA 70 Series Wagon |
|---|---|---|
| 4.46 | 1st Gear Ratio | 4.529 |
| 4.1 | Differential Ratio | 3.909 |
| 4.1 | Transfer Case Low Range |
2.488 |
| 75 | Crawl Ratio | 44 |
Nothing creeps and crawls like the Rubie! It ain’t called the Rubicon for nothing. Crawl ratio is the determined by the combined performance of 1st, differential, and low-range gears.
Stage 5 Winner:
Jeep vs. Toyota: Stage 6
| JEEP Wrangler Ultd. Rubicon |
EXTERIOR Water Crossing |
TOYOTA 70 Series Wagon |
|---|---|---|
| 482 mm | Fording Depth | 700 mm |
The Cruiser is one of the most adept water crossers. This stage is truly the Wrangler’s waterloo (pun intended)!
Stage 6 Winner:
Jeep vs. Toyota: Stage 7
| JEEP Wrangler Ultd. Rubicon |
EXTERIOR Traction |
TOYOTA 70 Series Wagon |
|---|---|---|
| A/T | Tire Tread Type | H/T M+S |
| Tru- Lock F&R Locking Diff |
Traction Aiding Device |
Ft & Rear Diff Lock |
On-demand lockers are standard on the Jeep and optional on the Toyota. Both traction aiding devices make quick work of slippery surfaces and loose earth.
Stage 7 Winners:
Jeep vs. Toyota: Stage 8
| JEEP Wrangler Ultd. Rubicon |
EXTERIOR Suspension |
TOYOTA 70 Series Wagon |
|---|---|---|
| Live Axle Multi Link Coil | Front | Live Axle Multi Link Coil |
| Live Axle Multi Link Coil | Rear | Live Axle Multi Link Coil |
| ASBS Active Sway Bar System | Pluses / Features | N/A |
Jeep’s ASBS is brilliant. It disconnects the front sway bar allowing more suspension stroke and articulation. All it takes is a push of a button.
Stage 8 Winner:
Jeep vs. Toyota: Final Tally
| JEEP Wrangler Ultd. Rubicon |
EXTERIOR STAGE |
TOYOTA 70 Series Wagon |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exterior Dynamics | 0 |
| 1 | Manueverability | 0 |
| 0 | Engine Performance | 1 |
| 0 | Fuel Efficiency | 1 |
| 1 | Creeping Capability | 0 |
| 0 | Water Crossing | 1 |
| 0.5 | Traction | 0.5 |
| 1 | Suspension | 0 |
| 4.5 | TOTAL | 3.5 |
THE JEEP WRANGLER RUBICON RULES!
Researched, written, and rendered by Kits Aragon.
Comments? Violent reactions? Please email freeman[at]4x4ph[dot]com
Sources:
Toyota Australia & New Zealand brochures
Jeep USA and Australia catalogs and brochures
www.autoworld.co.za
www.caradvice.co.au
Kits Aragon is also a contributing writer for Top Gear and C! He has been involved in the off-road scene since 1988, marketing aftermarket 4x4 products and conducting product orientation. He was the very first Filipino representative of the International Rainforest Challenge of Malaysia and formed the very first Filipino team to participate in it (RFC 2000). He is also known in the local automotive industry as a 4WD/off-road consultant, tuner, and trainer. Currently, he trains technicians for a North American automotive company.
Email this author | All posts by Kits Aragon
2 clashes in a row!!! Jeep rules!!!….great comparo Kits! More power!
what about reliability ????? the landcruiser will dominate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what about towing capacity ????? again the cruiser will dominate !!!!!!! you silly american’s just wish you could get the 70 series but you cant so you just pretend your crapy unreliable shit box yank tank is better because your jelious.
And the rubicon looks like shit on wheels ! the only job its better for is rock crawling If you wont to go into the bush get a rubicon if you wont to come back get the landcruiser !
Theres no doubt, JEEP rules hands down. Its perfect for our conditions.
cheers
Dave
you also have to consider the price of the two. you pay more for the rubicon than for the LC. LC is the best value for money. We cannot just look at these two vehicles theoretically and reach a hypothesis and that would be the final verdict, we must see which actually performs best. The honda civic of the 4×4 world the suzuki samurai just beat the jeep record for highest 4×4 vehicle climb at ojos de salado. i dot hate the jeep but i am just being realistic. the rubicon doesnt stand a chance against the LC
[...] In his reply he mentioned how he liked both sites. It was a semi-normal thing for people to say, but was still surprising as a lot of people ignore signature URL’s. He even complimented on Kits Aragon’s humor article about his hosted a (vitrual) face-off 1 2. [...]
Hey Fergus, you dickhead…did you notice you’re reading a review from the Phillipines…not the U.S. Climb your faggot ass back into your landcruiser and blow your boyfriend.
no offense to jeep but i own one last year give me trouble with trans. went to dealer 4x different problem . now i own fj cruiser works good.
NO WAY! Toyota Land Cruiser is a 70 series compared to the jeep which is just a new model.
LC are for the real men.
Does he drive a Jeep Rubicon, perhaps?
Jeep : Body good. Maneuver good. LC: Engine good. Swimming good. Without engine a vehicle is nothing. But when talking about off road, need good body and maneuver. But LC can swim too. So, Jeep=LC, LC=Jeep….whatever. Why don't make a perfect one by combining both?