- 2008 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 4 door
- 2008 Toyota FJ-Cruiser
- 2008 Toyota 4 door short bed Tacoma
- 2008 Toyota 4Runner
2008 seems to be a milestone year when updates were made to both brands. Engine changes, safety updates, etc.
Price has squeezed me out of my preferred truck, the Land-cruiser.
Jeep: Good Visibility, great off road readiness out of the box. Adequate leg room for the kids, and roomy front seats. The seat material is very rugged feeling, and like all Wrangler's, the carpet comes out so you can hose the Cherrios out of the cracks. The drawbacks are the crash test ratings and some key safety features. Firstly, the videos of the NTSC Side Impact Crash test. It is very dramatic to watch the glass spray all over and the rear passenger's head hit the side wall. In looking at the Jeep up close, the head hits the rear jam of the door. Secondly, no side impact air bags.
FJ-Cruiser: Great looking truck, good off road readiness. Very ergonomic interior, and the front and rear seats have plenty of room. There is a headrest for the middle rear seat also. However, the visibility is terrible. The windows are short and feel like the roof is being compressed on your head. The rear seats can only look forward at a 70 degree angle, and I'm not sure the middle person can see out at all. The driver's visibility is limited too. Overall, this truck is taken out of the running because of visibility.
Tacoma - Love the looks of the short bed 4 door. Off-road readiness is a big minus. This truck needs a lot of upgrades to bring it inline with the some of the other trucks. Particularly lacking the solid axle's and locking hubs. The interior is very nice, which ironically is a negative attribute. It's fuzzy and warm feeling. Which translates to "easily stained and matted." Safety rating is superb, and what initially made me glance at it was the extra room it would afford in the bed. The Tacoma is removed from the list too. Too urban.
4Runner - We had not considered this truck until a lot salesman asked us about it. It turned out to be a great compromise. It had more rugged upholstery, a good history of 4x4 abilities, and more leg room than any truck so far. Visibility is great, a lot of creature comforts, and the a 5 star safety rating.
So. It comes down to the Jeep and the 4Runner, and here's the deal. I can see myself owning the Jeep for a lot of years. I don't particularly like the 4Runner for any rational reason. Done.
