I'm a biker, but thinking about getting a 4wd one of these days so my better half can come with.

The one thing I miss on my bike, is some of the trails are too hard for me, on my fully loaded bike, to handle.

What CLASS of 4WD is most off road capable (water crossings / big rocks / steep inclines)? eg. jeep vs large unimog style vehicle.

Probably a noob question, but like i said, im usually in the biker section of the forum.

thanks
NY-lon

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WineAndWater. RTW - Raising money for Wine to Water, supporting clean water projects in 15 countries.

you'll probably get as many opinions on this as people who respond.

Basically, the question you ask is too open. it covers everything from a landrover 90 to a 19ton truck. A Ural truck will have greater ground clearance and wading ability than a landrover, but do you really need all it's shortcomings such as fuel consumption and physical size?

What suits one persons situation won't suit anothers. It depends on what type of tracks you intend driving, how many people, for how long and carrying how much gear. Do you want to sleep in the vehicle or on the vehicle etc etc etc.

You will also probably get a lot of conflicting arguments depending on the brand loyalty of the respondents (usually Toyota vs Landrover)

In broad terms, short of a tractor, a unimog is probably the most competent off roader out there. There are a variety of models to choose from but size, mechanical complexity, parts availability and fuel consumption are downsides.

Of the smaller class of more standard 4x4s most arguments come down to Toyota vs Landrover vs jeep. of those I would say the landrover 90 is the most capable off roader straight out of the box. However, it lacks carrying capacity and short wheelbase vehicles like that (and the jeep) can be 'entertaining' at speed on corrugations. Do you really need that level of off road ability on the type of tracks you will be driving? Certainly in the UK Landrover also have the best supply of aftermarket bits and bobs (same probably for jeep in America, although Toyota have a good following there)and, certainly pre td5 are also easier to work on. Offset against that are concerns about reliability and build quality where Toyota leave landrover a long way behind. As the saying goes, 'if you want to go on an expedition, take a landrover, if you want to come back again take a Toyota!'.

There are a range of larger off road trucks from Ford etc which would potentially give a compromise between the two extremes. where you are based there are a multitude of good options.

My advice would be to read a bit more around the subject and decide the general type of vehicle you would need. For example, if your going rock crawling that demands a very different type of vehicle to if you want to go on an expedition through the Americas. Then ask more specific questions. Otherwise it's a bit like me saying 'I'd like a motorbike, which one is best?'!

Or a helicopter

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I once ruled the world, till mum told me it was only the garden!

Here you find some stuff for thinking about:

Trans-Africa: Welches Fahrzeug?


Look at first at your budget and the space you need. Sleeping in normal tents can save you many bucks, compared to rooftents or sleeping inside.

You can equip near any "good" 4x4 with bigger mud terrain tyres, snorkel, breathers.

Also consider a 4x4 Van, more space inside - with the trade off - of a less capable offroad vehicle.

The brands depends on your travel destinations. With an exotic car you may get trouble to get spare parts.. Mercedes or Toyota you find near everywhere..

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About Overlanding, Travelogues, Equipment
Trans-Africa over the west coast

Before you start thinking vehicle , think where do I want to go (type of road/track how extreme) Then think how many are we , and what degree of comfort/security do I want . The permutations are considerable . If you can answer these three questions , this will really narrow the search , and you will be able to get much more specific advise . eg remote narrow tracks , two people , camping level of comfort , eg washing in a bucket , low security risk . Then for example you could have a LR 90 , Jeep Wrangler , with a roof tent . HTSH

Do you want to do extreme off road in what is essentially your home. If you are in the back of beyond then probabily not

I've traded offroad ability for a bigger vehicle (Iveco daily) and am happy with the trade but my old 101 went where defenders feared to tread - it had the muscle to push through snow whereas the defenders were grounding.

Much of overland travel is actually on poor or graded roads so strength of vehicle is important out outright off road ability not so much. If you are used to travelling light and using a ground tent then a LR90 or swb cruiser might suit you fine and have alot of offroad ability too

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Rich

Iveco Turbo Daily 4x4 40-10
Ex Owner LR101 300Tdi Ambi 'Tiggurr'

I understand cars & bikes are very much a personal choice. I've seen all manner of vehicles in some very rough and extremely remote country, most all were having a ball.

IMHO the 61 series Toyota Landcruiser with the 12HT Turbo Diesel engine has one if not the best 6 cylinder turbo diesel engine ever built. It is not uncommon to hear these motors doing a million kilometers. Google 12HT and see for yourself. Ok it may well not be the easiest beastie to find however well worth the effort.

The Toyota 80 series turbo diesel is also a well proven vehicle and well worth the effort of finding a good one. I might add at this point, a popular modification over here is free wheeling hubs, constant 4WD chews tyres and adds to fuel consumption. Again IMHO well worth the effort.

In my experience nothing goes off-road like a hire car

Just make sure the insurance is fully comp and you're good to go. We once dropped off a Volvo Estate to Hertz that had been tumbled. One of the doors and the bonnet were in the back and the driver had to recline the seat right back to see out of the non existent windscreen.

Happy Days !!

Anyway, to the point of the post

It is as others have said, very subjective; picking your way over rough stuff in tight terrain you'd struggle to beat a little Suzuki Jimny with some decent tyres but hooning along on piste all day I'd want something big, comfy and stable like TLC.

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For Africa there is only one choice, and that is Land Cruiser.

Now, the harder question, is "WHICH" Land Cruiser.

With around 6 quite capable Land cruiser models, you should decide just how much hard core off road, and how much tarmac you plan on taking in.

vette

Perhaps have a look at the Hilux D4D 2.5 diesel pickup. The newer 3L is even better but more money
All the real power, load carrying and off road capability you'll ever need.
LC's are nice but way to expensive, thirsty,heavy, complicated etc.
The Hilux- let's face it- thousands upon thousands of freedom fighters worldwide can't all be wrong!!!

Most off-road capable:



Marginally more practical for overlanding:

The larger the vehicle the harder to repair should the unthinkable happen. In Central Asia I quickly dropped using Land Cruisers, for work, in favour of Lada Nivas.

Bridges were few and far between and tracks were steep and muddy. We didnt generally try to deal with deep ruts, or particularly deep river crossing, or with any ridiculous boulder strewn streams. So a lighter more nimble vehicle was useful, what bridges there were, were in various states of repair. I.e. your front wheel might drop through the bridge, that's a big job to recover in a Land Cruiser, in a Niva it's a one man fix, at a push.

Ok, never mind the D-11.

IMHO The D4D is totally unsuitable for expedition work. It is not the model of hilux used by freedom fighters worldwide. They use the more basic model.

I drive a 2012 Hilux 3.0. I would never take it on an expedition. I have an HJ60 landcruiser for that.

The hilux is too complex, has too much electronics, requires low sulphur diesel, isn't tough enough (they aren't built anywhere near as well as they used to be) etc etc

I would say, 80 or 70 series landcruiser for the win