Jeep Wrangler VS Toyota Fortuner
Jeep Wrangler
Likes
- Fun to drive
- Very capable off-road
- New engine well suited to Rubicon
Dislikes
- Cramped interior
- Noisy when pressured
- Driving it can be tiring
Toyota Fortuner
Likes
- Safety features
- Good size for everyday use
- Powerful engine
Dislikes
- Retro tech
- Lack of child seat options
- Third row stowage
Summary
Jeep Wrangler
The two-door Jeep Wrangler Rubicon exists for a very specific reason: to have a lot of fun off-roading on terrain few other standard 4WDs are able to tackle.
Along with vehicles such as Suzuki’s Jimny and Toyota’s LandCruiser 70 Series, the short-wheelbase Rubicon exists within a thin market niche within a niche. This is a purpose-built hard-core body-on-frame 4WD with very few, if any, concessions to comfort, safety or even common sense.
But there big news is that it’s been updated: less power, more torque with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine replacing the beloved V6 petrol, a damage- and scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass windscreen, a 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system, Nappa leather seats and a forward-facing Trailcam.
So, is this new-engined shorty Rubicon in updated form your ticket to dirty fun?
Read on.
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Safety rating | |
---|---|
Engine Type | 2.0L |
Fuel Type | — |
Fuel Efficiency | 9.9L/100km |
Seating | 4 seats |
Toyota Fortuner
The Toyota Fortuner Crusade is a strange beast. It’s a four-wheel drive that feels like a HiLux hybrid but it lacks the fun of its ute sibling, despite being able to seat seven.
The four-wheel drive capabilities, seat configuration and high-ride should be a winning combo but it sits awkwardly in Toyota’s SUV line-up.
It’s not as family-oriented as the Kluger and not as refined as the Prado. It’s like that cousin that you only see once a year and don’t know well – you’re not quite sure what to do with them.
Read more about the Toyota Fortuner
I've been driving the top of the range Crusade for a week to get to know it for you. And my family of three has put it through its paces! Let’s see how it fared.
Safety rating | |
---|---|
Engine Type | 2.8L turbo |
Fuel Type | Diesel |
Fuel Efficiency | 7.6L/100km |
Seating | 7 seats |
Verdict
Jeep Wrangler/10
The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon is a hardcore purpose-built 4WD with very few concessions to comfort, safety and common sense.
And that’s a good thing, especially in an increasingly cosseted world.
The two-door short-wheelbase Rubicon is a near-perfect off-road machine: short low-range gearing, mud terrain tyres, front and rear diff locks, and swaybar-disconnect, all combine to make the Rubicon a ready-to-go 4WD weapon.
If you’re shaking your head in disappointment at the Rubicon’s unpredictable on-road manners, lack of refinement and three-star ANCAP safety rating, then you’re missing the point entirely: it’s truckloads of fun.
But the reasons it’s so much fun are also the reasons some people might not like to live with the short-wheelbase Rubicon day to day: it’s a dialled-in driving experience that’s equal parts engaging and exhausting.
It mightn’t make much sense – if any at all – as a daily driver, but if you’re after pure real-world 4WD capability and truckloads of fun then you can’t ignore the two-door version of the Rubicon.
Toyota Fortuner 7/10
So, after a week of driving the Toyota Fortuner Crusade, did it have a podium finish for my family?
I was hopeful, but no. The driving performance was mixed and only being able to fit two car seats will limit flexibility for younger growing families. I don't like the way the third row is stowed as it makes the boot a bit awkward to use. Combined with the retro-feeling tech and short servicing intervals, there can be some improvement here, especially in a market that is surging forward with all of those elements. I did enjoy the high driving position, safety features and the forgiving suspension, though.Â
My son liked the 'Feverish Red' colour and that he didn’t need my help to climb in and out of it.
Design
Jeep Wrangler
The two-door Rubicon is 4334mm long (with a 2459mm wheelbase), 1894mm wide and 1879mm high.
The classic look has, for better or worse, remained essentially the same as it has for decades – blocky, straight up and down with big wheel arches … distinctive – but some minor tweaks have been introduced into the design mix this time.
The brand’s seven-slot grille now has metallic-look trim around each slot and bigger mesh inserts, marginally softer lines about the exterior here and there, and the cabin has a more modern feel to it than previous examples did.
Speaking of the cabin, the Wrangler Rubicon has low-key stylish trim boosted by Nappa leather and red stitching and its distinctive roll-over cage and removable roof.
The Rubicon has a striking appearance – like it or loathe it – and while few other new standard 4WDs grab the attention of everyone, this Jeep does just that.
Toyota Fortuner
Nothing discernible to me has been changed since the last model but let me paint the picture for you. Imagine a dual-cab HiLux with a boot and you’ll come up with something similar to the Fortuner.
It sits proudly at 1835mm tall. The sides are almost slab-like and it's squared off at the rear, which the chunky C-pillar and dark windows do nothing to detract from. It’s definitely prettier up front with a nicely tapered bonnet.
City-dwellers need not beware, at 4795mm long and 1855mm wide, it’s accommodating in a tight car park.
The interior is classically Toyota. Everything is where you expect to find it but it’s lacking some wow factor. There are a lot of hard plastics throughout that highlight this.
With tech, trims and ambience all getting upgraded in the market, the interior is a bit of a let down.
However, there’s a certain comfort in seeing a traditional gear shifter, handbrake and manual clock in an off-roader. In my mind, it lends a certain weight to the vehicle's capability.
Practicality
Jeep Wrangler
The Rubicon interior has always received well-deserved praise for its durability and suitability for adventure and the outdoors life.
But while it is designed to cop dirt, mud, sand and the general messiness of an action-packed life, the two-door four-seat Rubicon’s interior remains a snug – almost too snug – space. The bulkiness of the roll cage and pillars encroaches on headroom and elsewhere the short-wheelbase Rubicon’s limited physical dimensions impact shoulder, leg, knee and foot room but not to a diabolical degree, especially if you’re a Hobbit like me.
On the plus side though, everything that should feel solid does (like the grab handles), and all dials, knobs and switches are easy to quickly locate and operate while traversing all types of terrain.
Jeep has always applied to the Rubicon quietly clever ideas, such as tensioned net pockets on the doors and in the seat-backs, and deep small-storage spaces with textured, grippy bases.
Upfront there are USB ports – a USB-A and a USB-C upfront, and two USB-A and two USB-C ports in the second row ports – as well as a 230V outlet upfront and in the rear, directional air vents, and cup holders in the centre console.
In terms of packability, this short-wheelbase Rubicon comes up, well, short. There’s not a lot of room inside for people, as mentioned earlier, so throwing extra gear into this Jeep’s cabin is a big ask.
When all four seats are in use, rear cargo space – listed as 365L – is really limited to only copping a few bags for an overnight trip.
Access to the rear is via a side-hinged tailgate, which opens from left to right, and it has a full-sized spare mounted to it.
Toyota Fortuner
The interior isn’t terribly practical for a seven-seater, so there’s room for improvement. And that seems to be the running theme for the Fortuner.
First and second-row occupants will enjoy the most room but it’s best to think of the third row as 'sometimes seats'.
It was easy for my six-year old to get in and out with the side steps, and he had a great view from the wide rear window.
Individual storage is good with a double glove box, cooled middle console, two cupholders and drink bottle holders in the first and second rows plus an extra two retractable cupholders in the dash (hurrah!). Third row occupants miss out on them completely, though.
However, I think the storage bins and map pockets are a tad too shallow to be that useful.
The boot space is on the smaller side and the way the third row stows on the side encroaches on the space and creates a large blind spot on an already chunky C-pillar.
With all three rows in action, there is 200L of cargo capacity available, but you can stow the third row to get 716L. If you want maximum cargo capacity, the middle seats can also be folded and that figure jumps up to 1080L.
The tech feels retro and not in a good way. The 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system is plain on the graphics and laggy, plus on the smaller side for the market now.
It also only has wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto but it's fairly easy to connect.
Also, there is only one USB-A port in the whole car and no wireless charging pad. You do have a couple of 12-volt ports and a handy 220-volt plug for when you’re camping or something but that’s it for charging, which is surprising for a family SUV nowadays.
Price and features
Jeep Wrangler
The two-door four-seat Jeep Wrangler is only available in top-spec Rubicon guise. It has a list price of $82,950, excluding on-road costs. This Jeep has no real direct competitor and while its price-tag seems high for a vehicle with such a limited focus, this is a specialised and well-equipped off-roader with a legion of fans who believe it's worth it.
Standard features now include, as per the update, a 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system, Nappa leather seats, a forward-facing Trailcam, Gorilla Glass windscreen, 17-inch alloy wheels, and more.
Exterior paint choices include Bright White (standard) or Black, Granite Crystal, Sarge, Firecracker Red, Hydro Blue, Silver Zynith, High Velocity, Earl, Anvil, Tuscadero – all options. Premium paint is $1490.
Toyota Fortuner
There are three models for the Fortuner and the Crusade sits at the top.
As with everything, there’s been a minor price hike since the last model but you can pick this up for $62,945, before on-road costs.
There are some nice standard features, like electric heated front leather seats, a powered tailgate, three-zone climate control, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, seven seats (2/3/2 config), 18-inch alloy wheels and side steps.
Our model is fitted with an optional tow bar kit, which adds a tow bar, tow ball and trailer wiring for an extra $1350.
It’s a little annoying that each item has to be individually purchased, so make sure if the model you’re looking at has a tow ball, that the wiring is connected, too.
Compared to the market, you get a decent array of accessories and features for the price tag.Â
Under the bonnet
Jeep Wrangler
As mentioned earlier, the V6 Pentastar petrol engine has been dropped and replaced by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine – producing 200kW (9kW less than the V6) at 3000-4500rpm and 400Nm (53Nm more than the V6) at 3000-4500rpm – and an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The new combination is a quietly effective teaming; smooth, lively, and punchy, with plenty of torque on tap.
Befitting its rock-crawling status, the Rubicon has a full complement of off-roading mechanicals and driver-assist tech, including on-demand four-wheel drive (with high- and low-range gearing), live axles front and rear, as well as front and rear locking differentials, and a swaybar disconnect.
Toyota Fortuner
All Fortuner models share the same 2.8-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-diesel engine but it’s the main star that perfectly complements the 4WD system.
With a maximum output of 150kW and a massive 500Nm of torque, most weekend adventures can be pursued. It also doesn’t feel like you’re digging deep for that power, which is great.
The six-speed auto transmission is fairly smooth but occasionally the pick up is slow, so I wouldn’t be zipping across traffic in this.Â
Efficiency
Jeep Wrangler
The Wrangler Rubicon has listed fuel consumption of 9.9L/100km on a combined cycle.
On this test I recorded 10.8L/100km between fills, but I did a chunk of low-range 4WDing and the new 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine was never working hard.
The two-door Rubicon has a 66-litre fuel tank so, going by my on-test fuel figures, you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 610km from a full tank.
Toyota Fortuner
The official combined cycle fuel number is 7.6L/100km. Real world testing saw my figure at 9.1L and I covered a good mix of urban and open road driving this week.
Considering its size and that it’s a turbo, I thought it was fairly efficient for how I drove it, but it could be better given it’s a diesel.
The Fortuner has an 80L fuel tank with an approximate range of 880km, using our on-test average fuel economy figure.
Driving
Jeep Wrangler
The two-door Rubicon is rather ordinary to drive on sealed surfaces, but it isn’t anywhere near as diabolical as some people would have you believe.
This is a purpose-built off-roader with a wide wheel track and low centre of gravity, so it feels solid on bitumen and dirt in equal measure.
However, you do have to drive it with full focus and give yourself time to get used to some if its more quirky aspects if you aren’t already familiar with them. There is plenty of play in the steering, lots of on-road floatiness and body roll, and this Rubicon – tipping the scales at 1977kg tare weight (listed) and measuring 4334mm long (with a 2459mm wheelbase), 1894mm wide and 1879mm high – can be an unpredictable unit.
You need to micro-manage this shorty 4WD at all times. It’s like driving a go-kart, but more fun and – bonus – it’s street legal.
If you’re steering it, this short-wheelbase Rubicon demands your constant attention – but that’s a fun characteristic I appreciate and that it shares with only a few other vehicles such as the Suzuki Jimny and Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series.
However, as fun as it is, this kind of fully engaged driving experience – requiring laser-focus concentration to keep a vehicle on target – asks a lot of the driver and does become tiring (nay, exhausting) after long stints on the road or off of it.
Beyond that though, this Rubicon, with a track-tight turning circle of 10m, is a nicely manoeuvrable vehicle around town (for swift turnarounds and easy parking) in the suburbs and even along overgrown bush tracks – but more about that soon.
Wrangler fans who have bemoaned the loss of the Pentastar V6 needn’t have worried. The new four-cylinder engine delivers a gutsy punch of acceleration when needed and is nicely matched to the eight-speed auto. It’s also smoother, more refined and less noisy than before.
The solid-axle Rubicon has a suspension set-up – including coil springs at every corner – that soaks up most bumps in the road, and that makes for impressive levels of driver and passenger comfort.
This little purpose-built rock-crawler is solidly built and it can get noisy when you’re inside of it as it rumbles along a road or track – no surprise because it does have a boxy body, big wing mirrors and chunky mud-terrain tyres. Part of the experience, part of the fun, I reckon.
So, how does it go off-road? Bloody well, as usual.
The Rubicon is a genuine 4WD with a dual-range transfer case, a ladder chassis, solid axles, well-established 4WD heritage and its boosted by driver-assist tech. It’s immediately more at home taking on low-speed 4WDing than it is negotiating suburban traffic, shopping centre car parks or city streets.
I’ve driven Rubicons in pretty much every kind of challenging off-road situation – sand, steep rain-slick rocky hills, deep mud holes, swollen water crossings – and they’ve never disappointed.Â
These Jeeps are some of the few modern-day 4WDs engineered with an off-road focus that offers few concessions to anything other than dirt-track fun – the only vehicles in the same realm are the aforementioned Jimny, 70 Series, and even the likes of the Ford Ranger Raptor and Ineos Grenadier.
Steering in the chopped Rubicon retains a nice weight and feel to it during 4WDing, staying precise as needed, offering the driver a great sense of sustained control through even severe terrain.
Its planted stance gives the Rubicon a distinct composure and its suspension – with a coil spring at each corner – helped it to take the sting out of every dirt-road corrugation on the way to my unofficial 4WD testing and proving ground.
As mentioned earlier, anyone worried about the V6 being dropped should calm down. The new engine is a lively and punchy unit – even livelier than the V6 – and offers up ample smoothly-delivered torque across a wide spread of revs, ideal for high- and low-range 4WDing.
When you switch to 4L and drop the revs, it’s easy to squeeze the most out of this new engine. Considered driving is necessary as is slow and steady throttle, but that's easily achieved in this Rubicon and it was never overworked even when the terrain became very challenging.
This Jeep has a well-calibrated off-road traction control system but if you need even more terrain-grabbing magic, it has front and rear diff locks, and a front sway-bar disconnect system, which helps to unlock even more articulation, and let those tyres stretch to the ground for all-important traction.
The Rubicon also has Selec-Speed Control (an adjustable low-speed cruise control for 4WDing that can be set between 1.0-8.0km/h), and Off-Road+, which adjusts throttle and traction control, among other systems, to best suit the terrain.
What’s also handy about the Rubicon is that, via the off-road pages on the multimedia screen, you can monitor your 4x4 system, as well as vehicle steering angle, pitch and roll, and the status of the diff locks and the swaybar disconnect system.
The two-door Rubicon has a listed 257mm of ground clearance and 760mm wading depth. While I didn’t experience any water crossings that deep this time, I did do plenty of driving on coastal sand, just inland from a beach, and there were deep rutted sections, so I saw clear evidence of its running clearance.
When it comes to approach, departure and ramp-over angles, the higher the number the better and the short-wheelbase Rubicon checks out with listed measurements of 44, 37, 27.8 degrees respectively, and this small 4WD climbs up and over even steep rocky hills with sharp crests, without ever being in danger of scraping the earth with its front, under-carriage or its back end.Â
The Rubicon rides on BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain KM2 (255/75R17) tyres – real muddies – and those are strapped to 17-inch alloys. These are good tyres and the 17-inch set-up is good for off-roading.
The shorty Rubicon is not a big vehicle and so its Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM, 2404kg) and Gross Combined Mass (GCM, 3751kg) are not massive figures.
It’s not renowned as a towing platform of note but it pays to know that its tongue download is 150kg, towing capacity is 750kg (unbraked) and 1497kg (braked).
Toyota Fortuner
Mostly okay but there are points to consider for long-term use.
We’ve already covered that the engine has enough grunt for off-road pursuits but I enjoyed the torque because it means it's fairly easy to maintain a consistent speed on hills, which isn’t always the case for large SUVs.
However, the steering feels heavy at lower speeds. It makes the car feel older than it is and cumbersome to turn in car parks.
I'm not a fan of the steering wheel, either. The leather is hard/rough and the wood panel insert at the top is slippery, which is an odd combo for an off-roader where you want to stay very much in control.
The taller centre of gravity does give some roll in corners but it’s also not the sort of car you go hard in on bends, anyway. So, that's not surprising.
However, the Aussie suspension tuning gets an A+ because the ride comfort is good and you won’t really notice potholes or bumps.
This has a 360-degree view camera set-up with guidelines but the image is disappointingly blurry for a top-spec model.Â
Safety
Jeep Wrangler
The Jeep Wrangler range has a three-star ANCAP safety rating from testing in 2019.
The rating is not up to scratch in this day and age, but the Rubicon does have onboard a full suite of safety gear including six airbags (two dual-front, two side, two side curtain), as well as auto emergency braking (city and inter-urban) blind spot warning, adaptive cruise control and front and rear parking sensors.
Toyota Fortuner
The safety list earns some cred back for the Crusade with the following being standard features: LED daytime running lights, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane departure alert, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert (always good to have), 360-degree view camera, front and rear parking sensors and trailer sway control.
A couple of cool features to highlight are the 'SOS Emergency Call' button and 'Automatic Collision Notification' system.
The former is for if you’re ever in a sticky situation but don’t have access to your phone but need emergency services.
The latter, will alert the Toyota Emergency Assistance call centre if an airbag is deployed or a collision is detected by the impact sensors. I think these are good features for an off-roader.
It has seven airbags, which include a driver's knee airbag and curtain airbags covering the third row but it is missing the newer front centre airbags that we’re seeing on newer cars.
The Fortuner has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating but it was tested a little while ago in 2019.
There are ISOFIX child seat mounts on the outboard seats in the middle row and two top tether anchor points, so you’ll only be fitting two child seats in (unusual for a seven seater). There is enough room in the front with a 0-4 rearward facing child seat installed.
Ownership
Jeep Wrangler
The Wrangler is covered by Jeep's five-year/100,000km warranty – that’s sub-standard compared to the baseline five year/unlimited km warranty.
Service intervals are recommended every 12 months and 12,000km with capped-price servicing set at $399 a pop.Â
If you have your Rubicon serviced at a Jeep outlet then lifetime roadside assistance is on the cards.
Toyota Fortuner
Ongoing costs are always something to consider and the Fortuner comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty, which is standard for the market.
Unfortunately, it only comes with a three-year capped-priced servicing plan, which is unusual for this class.
The services are affordable at $290 per service but the intervals are painful at every six months or 10,000km, whichever comes first.Â