Jeep Wrangler vs. LR4

[vivaldi1]

Hey Folks,

I'm going to head to Rausch Creek Park in PA (link at end).

I have a stock LR4 and my buddy has a stock Jeep Wrangler (base).

We are both relative off-road newbs.

I have a feeling I'm going to be the one with trouble on trails.

I just don't want to get stuck and lose face.

I suppose despite all costs, the Wrangler is the most legitimate consumer 4x4 vehicle on the market?

I just want some support. I want to make sure on the trails, I don't get stuck.

My dream will be to 'recover' the Wrangler

Anyways, what makes the Wrangler better than the LR4? Bigger tires, lower weight, what else? What advantages does the LR4 have over the Wrangler?

I'm not so serious about this post. I just want to rib my friend when we go out 4x4'ing on why my LR4 is the ultimate vehicle.

I don't want to resort to talking about things like 'Heated Seats, Xenon Lamps, XM Radio, Auto Wipers, Jaguar V-8, Terrain Modes, etc....'

Help! Vanity Requires your response!

http://www.rauschcreekoffroadpark.org/

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[Disco Mike]

You haven't been around Rovers much, I see.
A stock jeep is no match for a LR4. As long as you know how to drive off road, know how to pick the right line on a trail, and use some common since, you will hurt his feelings.
Just remember you have stock tire and no armor.

 

[crewcabrob]

I copied the below text out of a post on the Land Rover National Rally thread I started here on the LR4 forum. nwoods is the poster:

"A Note About Modern Rovers
Modern Rover is an IFS suspension version, such as the LR3, Range Rover Sport, or MkIII Range Rover. I do not include Freelanders or LR2's because they do not have Low Range transfer cases nor adjustable suspension (off road height).

I call them Modern Rovers because their origin is with BMW and Ford, unlike the drivetrain from the Disco II and Disco 1, which are directly carried over from the Classic, and before that, the precursor to the Classic, which I can't recall the name of...starts with a V? (Velar?)

I single out Modern Rovers because their electrowizardry turns ordinary trail rating system into mush. Traditional trail ratings are all about lockers and tire size. An LR3 for example, can out climb just about any locked vehicle on the planet through it's phenomenal traction control, amazing 13" long travel suspension, and incredibly tight turning radius. However, it has very limited clearance. Which means obstacles that challenge even the stoutest of traditional solid axle rigs are a piece of cake for a Modern Rover, but if the rocks get too big, the Modern Rover will never have a chance due to limited clearance.

It makes picking trails that you are not familiar with very difficult when you own a Modern Rover. You really need to know why a trail has earned a given rating. If it's big rocks, bad news and don't bother. If it's anything else beside big rocks, pretty much no problem for a Modern Rover.

My point is not that the Modern Rover is "better", it's that their capabilities are very different, making the trail rating system almost useless. The nature of the obstacle is the deciding factor, not the difficulty level. In the past few years, the LR3's have mastered trails that "old school" participants thought the LR3 would never ever make it through.

However, I think there are dozens of trails you will never see an LR3 on, because of the size of rocks and ledges. Pritchard Canyon is one good example. An LR3 will fail big time there."

 

[Stomachdoc]

I own both a 2009 Wrangler Unlimited Sahara and a 2010 LR4 Lux. Here's why the Wrangler is a "better" off road car: it costs about half the price and thus I'm less likely to burst an aneurysm when I scratch it on a rock!

There's no doubt that the ability to modify the drive system in the 'Rover is a technical tour de force. If you're doing serious rock crawling, then it's about clearance and approach and departure angles where I think the Wrangler may have an edge.

However, if I could have only one car on a desert island......the LR4 would clearly win!

 

[vivaldi1]

Thanks for the input all!

Disco Mike --> Nope, I haven't been around rovers much at all. Except the last 6 months. But it's been a blast.

Rob --> You always find amazing information. That really helps understand things. I've been out at the beach here for 2 weeks. I've seen probably 100 Jeeps and only 2 rovers.

Stomach Doc --> If cost were an issue, I wouldn't have an LR4

I'm getting the jest though. The Wrangler is a great vehicle in a rock farm. The LR4, not so much.

We don't have those on the East Coast so much. We have mud, snow, water and sand.

I will declare myself the winner in theory. Let's see if I can declare it on the field now.