FJ Cruiser vs Pajero vs Wrangler vs Xterra - which one is better for my use?

[samamara]

On 7/20/2021 at 9:05 AM, Frederic said:

My favorites:

1) Toyota FJ Cruiser

2) Mitsubishi Pajero SWB 3.8

3) Jeep Wrangler JK Rubicon

4) Nissan Xterra

5) Toyota Fortuner (older model) 4.0 TRD. 

6) Toyota LC Prado 4.0

7) Montero Sport

 

Hi @Frederic and all - I'm jumping in on this thread because I have recently started thinking about upgrading my vehicle, not because I want to do anything extreme exactly but because I'd like to go deeper into the desert to support my hobbies of camping and photography ❤️. I have a 2011 3.5 5-door Pajero right now, which I love, but I feel that I want to change it up - not just for off-roading though, which is why it's a bit tricky to make a decision. 

My heart was originally set on getting a Wrangler, though a few have advised me against this for several reasons, such as inflated price, not being great on-road in terms of fuel efficiency and comfort, noise in the cabin while driving on the highway (this I find one of the most unsettling...don't want to have to shout a conversation to my passengers 😂💔), weak ACs and a few other issues. There were the obvious pros to weigh against these cons, but the cons are still important considerations. 

I'm wondering if any experienced Wrangler drivers can weigh in on any of these issues? I know you all love your Wranglers but please try to be objective 😂🙏🏼!

Two of the people who advised me not to go for the Wrangler instead suggested that I go for another Pajero, but a 3.8 (both said I could still with the 5-door though they'd advise a 3-door for the weight in the sand). Their arguments were that I could get it for less, invest some of that saved money into some mods and upgrades, that it would then be pretty much unstoppable in the desert and that it would still be a great on-road vehicle. In fact, the only con they both had (in separate conversations so they weren't tag-teaming me 😂) was the limited modification options compared to a Wrangler. @Fredericthe reason I quoted your list here is because I see you've also put the Pajero 3.8 ahead of a Wrangler and I'd like to ask you why. 

And while I'm here, I don't necessarily love the look of the FJ Cruiser but have been advised that it's amazing both off-road and on-road. Just a question or two: how many doors does it have...just two, or like two and a half or what? Do the back windows roll down? Is it roomy and comfortable for passengers, front and back? Those are silly questions, maybe, but all the off-road type questions seem answered by "Yes, it's amazing" 😂. 

Thanks all!

Edited August 8, 2021 by samamara
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[Frederic]

2 minutes ago, samamara said:

Hi @Frederic and all - I'm jumping in on this thread because I have recently started thinking about upgrading my vehicle, not because I want to do anything extreme exactly but because I'd like to go deeper into the desert to support my hobbies of camping and photography ❤️. I have a 2011 3.5 5-door Pajero right now, which I love, but I feel that I want to change it up - not just for off-roading though, which is why it's a bit tricky to make a decision. 

My heart was originally set on getting a Wrangler, though a few have advised me against this for several reasons (inflated price, not being great on-road in terms of fuel efficiency and comfort, noise in the cabin while driving on the highway (this I find one of the most unsettling...don't want to have to shout a conversation to my passengers 😂💔), weak ACs and a few other issues. There were the obvious pros to weigh against these cons, but the cons are still important considerations. 

I'm wondering if any experienced Wrangler drivers can weigh in on any of these issues? I know you all love your Wranglers but please try to be objective 😂🙏🏼!

Two of the people who advised me not to go for the Wrangler instead suggested that I go for another Pajero 3.8 (both said I could still with the 5-door though they'd advise a 3-door for the weight in the sand). Their arguments were that I could get it for less, invest some of that saved money into some mods and upgrades, that it would then be pretty much unstoppable in the desert and that it would still be a great on-road vehicle. In fact, the only con they both had (in separate conversations so they weren't tag-teaming me 😂) was the limited modification options compared to a Wrangler. @Fredericthe reason I quoted your list here is because I see you've also put the Pajero 3.8 ahead of a Wrangler and I'd like to ask you why. 

And while I'm here, I don't necessarily love the look of the FJ Cruiser but have been advised that it's amazing both off-road and on-road. Just a question or two: how many doors does it have...just two, or like two and a half or what? Do the back windows roll down? Is it roomy and comfortable for passengers, front and back? Those are silly questions, maybe, but all the off-road type questions seem answered by "Yes, it's amazing" 😂. 

Thanks all!

Hi @samamara there are a few reasons why i am more a fan of the 3.8 Pajero, but the biggest one is "bang for the buck". Let me explain:

- A Jeep Wrangler TJ 4.0 is a fantastic beast in the desert. Plenty of power, but does not have much comfort and is not made for long trips. You might find a clean one for around 25kAED.

- A Jeep Wrangler JK with the first series on 3.8 engines is not bad, but this was not a refined engine and many issue were being reported. These models can be found cheaper, and unfortunately many were being abused in the desert and will come with a list of issues.

- A Jeep Wrangler JK with the 3.6 Pentastar is an amazing offroader. No doubt about that.

 

If you try to find a clean SWB 3.8 Pajero, most of them will have limited to no off-roading history. That's already a good point. The 3.8 MIVEC engine with 240hp is plenty powerful for a short wheel base 4x4 and they are super reliable and cheap to fix.  Pricewise you will find one from 25kAED onwards (2010 model). Having a SWB Pajero now, and also having a LWB Pajero as our family vehicle, i have come to know their strong and weak points, and fell in love with their simplicity yet sophisticated and capable 4x4 system. (4WD Select). 

So am i biased ? Yes definitely i am, and if i had the budget for a nice 3.6 SWB Rubicon i would definitely go for it. But after having had an FJ Cruiser in the past that still remains my top choice.

The back doors are called suicide doors and swing open differently. If you take adult passengers regularly they wont like the claustrophobic feeling due to the small windows. But then you better opt for a Prado which has the same 4.0 Engine, and much more space in the back. 

 

 

[samamara]

3 minutes ago, Frederic said:

Hi @samamara there are a few reasons why i am more a fan of the 3.8 Pajero, but the biggest one is "bang for the buck". Let me explain:

- A Jeep Wrangler TJ 4.0 is a fantastic beast in the desert. Plenty of power, but does not have much comfort and is not made for long trips. You might find a clean one for around 25kAED.

- A Jeep Wrangler JK with the first series on 3.8 engines is not bad, but this was not a refined engine and many issue were being reported. These models can be found cheaper, and unfortunately many were being abused in the desert and will come with a list of issues.

- A Jeep Wrangler JK with the 3.6 Pentastar is an amazing offroader. No doubt about that.

 

If you try to find a clean SWB 3.8 Pajero, most of them will have limited to no off-roading history. That's already a good point. The 3.8 MIVEC engine with 240hp is plenty powerful for a short wheel base 4x4 and they are super reliable and cheap to fix.  Pricewise you will find one from 25kAED onwards (2010 model). Having a SWB Pajero now, and also having a LWB Pajero as our family vehicle, i have come to know their strong and weak points, and fell in love with their simplicity yet sophisticated and capable 4x4 system. (4WD Select). 

So am i biased ? Yes definitely i am, and if i had the budget for a nice 3.6 SWB Rubicon i would definitely go for it. But after having had an FJ Cruiser in the past that still remains my top choice.

The back doors are called suicide doors and swing open differently. If you take adult passengers regularly they wont like the claustrophobic feeling due to the small windows. But then you better opt for a Prado which has the same 4.0 Engine, and much more space in the back. 

 

 

Thank you @Fredericfor that...I appreciate it! I'm glad to hear that you would go for a Rubicon if you had the budget; I'm still really hoping for a Wrangler but if it's not going to be comfortable as an on-road car as well, I would really have to think long and hard about it. I will be keeping my beloved Pajero as a family car anyway, but I'd still want to use the Wrangler full-time for myself. Someone said to me if it's only going to be for the desert that's great...but I don't want to spend so much money on a car I'll only use in the desert first of all and, as you know, I live in RAK so sometimes I drive hours to get to the desert I want to be in 😂🤷🏻‍♀️! 

That said, I'm glad to hear too that you are a big fan of the Pajero 3.8. I do love the Pajero I have, though there's a small part of me that says if I'm going to change my car I should chaaaaange it and not get another Pajero 😂. I do like the idea of an inexpensive fix and being able to save money to do a few modifications. Sigh...it's a hard decision to make, to get a new (to-me) car. 

I knew about the suicide back doors in the FJ cruiser but I thought only one of them opens...or is it both? Yes, that's kind of the issue; I don't think the people that come with me on offroading/photography trips will be super comfortable in what seems like a tiny back.

Don't throw a Prado in the mix - I can barely choose as it is with the options I've thought about 😂💔!

[Gaurav]

How about Xterra? (non-pajero, non-wrangler, and non-FJC).

It has plenty of power for your needs, plus 4 doors with good seating except the squeaking leaf spring suspension (that you will get used to in no time).

[Niki]

Hey @samamara as a FJC owner I would not recommend it if you plan to carry adults  comfortably in the back for long distances. 

That said it’s far more roomier than any SWB car so if you go the Jeep/Pajero SWB route - know who ever you put in the back seat will feel you don’t like them much!  

Can you not keep your LWB 3.5 Pajero as your group tourer and then buy a SWB for yourself or yourself +1?  or if you had Jeep money, you could just buy 2 Pajero’s 🤣 3.8 LWB and a 3.8 SWB. 

I know that’s not very helpful .. hopeful the unbiased FJ commentary does help a little to confirm your original thoughts (both side suicide doors open, rear windows do not open, there are no AC vents on the back as they receive cooling from the front and underseat only, AC is okay and not Nissan level cooling) 
 

 

[Rizwanm2]

as a Xterra owner i would rate it next to FJC due to its performance, reliability and bang for bucks. 

You get proper 4 doors and its much roomier than FJC. but due to rear leaf springs its bit bumpy for rear passenger. 

Btw im talking about 2nd gen Xterra as in my profile pic not the latest 2020 model. 

@samamara i know its now more confusing. 😆 😂 

good luck with your search. 

 

Edited August 8, 2021 by Rizwanm2

[Ilya]

3 hours ago, samamara said:

I'm wondering if any experienced Wrangler drivers can weigh in on any of these issues? I know you all love your Wranglers but please try to be objective 😂🙏🏼

Speaking for JL/JLU, I would only leave fuel efficiency in the list of Wrangler's drawbacks.
And it has 2 big advantages: 1) it is a new car with a modern and stylish (hello toyotas and mitsu) cabin. You enjoy when driving to sand and driving to opera; 2) you can remove the top and enjoy life differently

[samamara]

4 hours ago, Gaurav said:

How about Xterra? (non-pajero, non-wrangler, and non-FJC).

It has plenty of power for your needs, plus 4 doors with good seating except the squeaking leaf spring suspension (that you will get used to in no time).

@Gaurav - thanks for that! I hadn't really thought of that, actually 🤔. I'll look into it as an option but as I hinted in a response to @FredericI'm not sure I'll ever make a decision if I add more to the possible mix. Any Xterra owners out there can weigh in with pros and cons (though I don't love the idea of a permanent squeak!). 

[samamara]

3 hours ago, Niki said:

Hey @samamara as a FJC owner I would not recommend it if you plan to carry adults  comfortably in the back for long distances. 

That said it’s far more roomier than any SWB car so if you go the Jeep/Pajero SWB route - know who ever you put in the back seat will feel you don’t like them much!  

Can you not keep your LWB 3.5 Pajero as your group tourer and then buy a SWB for yourself or yourself +1?  or if you had Jeep money, you could just buy 2 Pajero’s 🤣 3.8 LWB and a 3.8 SWB. 

I know that’s not very helpful .. hopeful the unbiased FJ commentary does help a little to confirm your original thoughts (both side suicide doors open, rear windows do not open, there are no AC vents on the back as they receive cooling from the front and underseat only, AC is okay and not Nissan level cooling) 
 

 

@Niki- thanks for that info. Honestly the fact that the back windows don't open is a huge game changer. I often have other photographers with me in the car and no back windows means no shooting for them. I didn't know that 💔. No AC in the back is also a negative. 

For sure I'll keep my LWB 3.5 Pajero - it's an old dependable friend I'd not part with till the end ❤️ - so I'm looking for something for me. I'd still prefer something with a functioning and comfortable back seat, so if I got another Pajero I don't know how a 3-door would work out. I don't have Jeep money - the bank does 😂 - but I'm happy to borrow it from them for a few years. Even with a Wrangler, though, I'd probably go for a 5-door. 

It actually is very helpful ❤️ thank you!

3 hours ago, Rizwanm2 said:

as a Xterra owner i would rate it next to FJC due to its performance, reliability and bang for bucks. 

You get proper 4 doors and its much roomier than FJC. but due to rear leaf springs its bit bumpy for rear passenger. 

Btw im talking about 2nd gen Xterra as in my profile pic not the latest 2020 model. 

@samamara i know its now more confusing. 😆 😂 

good luck with your search. 

 

Thanks @Rizwanm2! That does make things more confusing as you're the second one to bring up Xterra 😂. I'll add it to the list but it seems I'll have more research to do!

[samamara]

1 hour ago, Ilya said:

Speaking for JL/JLU, I would only leave fuel efficiency in the list of Wrangler's drawbacks.
And it has 2 big advantages: 1) it is a new car with a modern and stylish (hello toyotas and mitsu) cabin. You enjoy when driving to sand and driving to opera; 2) you can remove the top and enjoy life differently

Thanks for that @Ilya - how bad would you say the fuel efficiency is? I don't know how you'd express it 🤔 maybe like how far can you go on a tank maybe 😂?

Also, can you comment on the noise in the cabin when you're driving it on the highway for example? I've heard some real horror stories 💔🤔. 

Thanks!