@@ruk2023-- i would hope a brand new car would be able to drive 7,000 miles. the difference is, when a toyota is at 250,000 miles, it will still keep going. not sure the LR can match that.
I live in South Africa, both cars are good for exploring Africa. Toyota for it's reliability and the best thing about Land rovers is that when you do break down you don't need to worry about parts just walk up the road and find the next broken Land Rover to scavenge parts.
FJ owner here: 270,000 miles on my ‘07, it’s been hilariously reliable. I’m selling it this spring only to buy ANOTHER FJ, one with less miles so I can drive one for another 10 years
My old 200 tdi defender had 300,000 on the clock when I sold it. No major problems, just general maintenance. Current Puma Defender only has 40,000 on the clock, Ive had it since new - 2014 and again no problems at all, other than general maintenance. I think if you look after your car and maintain it it wont let you down, but if you just hammer it it will.
Always looked more like my Element, to me, especially in that blue. I have an FJ60 so the dealer called me in when the FJ Cruiser came out. It was nice but the visibility out was just horrible.
@MysteriousOklahoma antiquated yes, rust buckets, often, but not in my case. My Dad bought it in 1987 and had it rustproofed. I told him it was a scam but I was wrong. 34 years on I can still get more than what he paid for it, even adjusted for inflation. Not many people drive them but everybody wants them, judging from the comments I get Every week when I drive it to the store.
Haha I sometimes get compliment when I am driving FJ (That does not happen if I drive even expensive SUVs), looks like people likes the funky style of FJ...lol. Video in my channel.
@@ruk2023-- this is the only channel that ever has problems. 3 broken defenders? 3 broken Teslas? Even charging issues with the Mach e? what are the odds, come on
I own an 18 year old Freelander 1 diesel (BMW 2.0 engine). It has 200k miles (320k km) on the clock and it has been abused. Parts are so cheap for it now and it's quite easy for it to go on forever. I also have a 16 year old Disco 3 (LR3) with 125k miles (200k km) - parts are expensive, but I still plan on making it go forever :)
I owned 3 .. yes 3.. Freelancers... including the BMW engined unit. They felt and drove well especially the latter unit. Trouble is they were stupidly unreliable. That put me off LR for ever. I will not touch another LR product. Now its Toyota all the way and I have not looked back since
@@hueyvan2007 My Freelander was a workhorse for 8 yeara, until I bought the Disco 3 to replace it, and the Freely retired to city life, being used by the Mrs. It was generelally dependable, but it did leave me stranded twice and needed a flatbed. The Disco 3 is not necessarily more reliable, but in the 90k km I've driven it, it has never let me stranded. Expensive to keep (again, it works really hard), but worth every single penny imho. Cheers!
The problem is that the US got a super terrible v6 engine as the only option. Also the fact that the 4wd-lite viscous coupling unit would fail was so stupid considering the fact that it’s a damn Land Rover. Love the look of the first gen freelander though.
@@ReviewedByAndy Yeh, we've had very few V6s here. A friend of mine owns one and is happy with it. I don't think he had any engine trouble. Yeh, the viscous coupling would seize especially in the early ones, but then it's not that expensive an item, and it could be changed preventevely. The later ones (>2003) are the ones to go for. I managed to kill the manual gearbox, front propshaft and one front driveshaft in mine. I've also reconditioned my IRD in 2014. But the VCU is still original and hasn't seized, at almost 18 years and 200k miles.
@@AlexStrugariu 90K km is new in Toyota speak. My prado 90 has 384k km with no problems ever. Only ever serviced replaced shocks and brake pads. My Prado 120 has 214 I km. Only the water pump and brake pads ever replaced.
Very boring, but at least it will get you out of your driveway to do fun stuff. You will be bored with the less boring LR because you will e stuck at home while it's in the shop.
@@richfarfugnuven6308 But except for one spot Slaughterhouse isn't that technically challenging. I did Chinaman in February 2012 and for as hard as it is normally, add two inches of snow. But I wouldn't subject a vehicle I liked to that again.
I bought an FJ cruiser 2021 brand new, it is still sold here in the GCC and has a very strong market and demand. I have been with an FJ off-road group for the past 5 years, the FJ is a legendary off road vehicle with basic but good off road capabilities and unbeatable reliability. I’m happy with my decision.
It has great off road abilities, just wrapped with no frills coating....As Toyota said, the FJ is the most capable off roader they have ever built (again, not best overlander, that SQUARELY belongs to Land Cruiser)!
Greetings from South Africa. I have put 130k on an FJ in harsh African conditions and it is unflappable. My 2013 model has the variable speed rock crawl mode, which doubles as downhill assist control. It is VERY effective and adds another whole dimension to the FJ. Curiously, it also does a fantastic job of extricate the FJ from thick sand. Brilliant vehicle, I would buy another one and cannot imagine what I am going to replace it with.
To be fair, the Jeep Quadra Trac or Quadra Drive system (don't know which that one had) works better than what we saw in this video so it was either not in 4 low (if I remember correct from when I had a WJ, it needed to be in 4 low to get the full functionality) or his Jeep was broken. I'm not saying the trail is easy, but the Jeep should not have struggled that much.
@@EthosAtheos I'm not sure what you mean. Are you saying that jeep in particular has a known problem they wont fix, or is that a jab at chrysler reliability? If it's the latter, you get no argument from me.
Tommy, you are a marketing genius by injecting random comments (e.g. checking for oil leaks) in every Land Rover related video. You deserve a raise!!! Cheers mate..
I live in Abu Dhabi and have an FJ. Lots of desert dune driving - varies from really technical star dunes to steep slip faces. I love the manual handbrake to allow rear wheel braking down a slip face whilst having the ability to gently throttle up in low gear to stop the front wheels tramlining or being pulled R or L when I want them straight. It’s by far the best off-roader for this type of driving and is just fine in the city and on the highway.
Did they improve the blind spot and mpg? Would you happen to know if it's possible and affordable to ship one here in the States? I've been looking for a vehicle for four years compatible to my lifestyle. They mostly make vehicles available here for soccer mom's. 😕
@@earthkarma7420 Hi Michelle I'm pretty sure the FJs have good availability in the States - these guys at TFL Offroad have confirmed that. As regards blind spot - still there but we drove around Abu Dhabi city with no problem. Also the underground parking at the apartment complex where we lived necessitated reverse parking into the designated space which was between 2 others (usually occupied by even bigger SUVs). The rear camera (which displays in the rea view mirror) was great and we had no problem - but the cameria lens needed to be cleaned regularly. mpg - I reckon we were on 16mpg in the city and maybe 20mpg on long trips as long as we didn't go too fast. All-in-all we absolutely loved the car - especially my 5ft 3inch wife! It's not practical in the UK with its narrow streets and sky-high fuel prices otherwise she'd have persuaded me to get one over here. Best of luck Michelle. Steve
I was thinking the same thing. Looked like a Laredo, most likely open diffs. I was never a big fan of the WK, I used to have a ZJ Grand Cherokee and I like those more. But like you said, the WK with the QD2 system is pretty capable.
@@jstitan2972 how do you like it? I have a 5th gen 4Runner, but I hate the V6 in it. A Hemi WK is on my list of possible replacements. Engine and transmission been reliable for you?
I love it!! The Hemi and front and rear lockers are crazy amazing. I used to run toyota's. After my WK walked through some bad trails that evey toyota there struggled on i was definitely impressed
It probably didn’t have a low range. I had a WK Rocky Mtn edition (Laredo with a different badge). Basically an all wheel drive w/o low range. It was my least favorite Jeep that I owned.
Tommy understands the Defender is about to break at any moment, Roman wants to be diplomatic and give it a few miles of glory before the inevitable happens...am I right?😅🤔
Always thought it was interesting how FJs performed better offroad than both the 4runner and GX, given how closely related they are. I'm also glad to see that the Defender kept up to the FJ throughout the test.
They just have better angles and wheelbase because of the body design. The newer GXs have the low bumper and body cladding, they have terrible angles, and both GX and the 4Runner have a longer wheelbase than the FJ. And both of them have lousy departure angles compared to the short rear end on the FJ. FJ also looks like it has bigger wheel wells, so maybe less of a PITA to fit a larger tire on it.
It’s just the longer wheel bases and overhangs of the other two. Tech is basically the same. FJ’s from an ergonomics perspective really isn’t that great. Just a cult following, similar to folks who like the old Defenders.
There's a reason the FJ has held it's value shockingly well and LRs do not. Like many people I'd prefer to not get a sunburn from the Check Engine Light.
Yeah. Can't wait till they get a maintained 3-locker 80 series Land Cruiser. I get why they are avoiding it - so capable it'd be boring for the kind of things they do off road. Their Gladiator is peer to the 80 and they have to really emphasize drama when they take it out. They don't need two wringers. The Jeep you can buy new, it is the offroad market leader, and its aftermarket is 'donk', as they say.
I really enjoyed my '07 FJC. It was pretty impractical and so much overlap with the more practical 4runner. I'd like to see Toyota bring it back but as more of a Wrangler fighter and REAL spiritual successor to the original FJs. But let's be real, Toyota isn't going to do that. :(
Who knows. Suzuki with their Jimny is doing good. I am not aware with nowadays situation, but right at the start they had a year long queue for the vehicle. Factories just could not follow the request.
I couldnt agree more. I daily and wheel a 1994 land cruiser. Toyota needs to go back to basics w/ some upgrades for the 21st cen. My rig = thirsty af @ 11.5 mpg.
A real successor to the original FJ has always existed. It is the 70 series Landcruiser sold outside of the US. Its also sold in Canada as an off road only vehicle for the mining industry. It is designed as a industrial/offroad vehicle with Pickup, Wagon, and Troop carrier versions. These trucks are not |Life style vehicles" like the Jeep Wranglers/FJ Cruiser and are much less comfortable.
@@Gabriel-nd3fo .... Correct it was the 40 series.... Then the 70 series..... Then the FJ Cruiser..... With a bunch of specialty vehicles mixed all in throughout the years....
Should have kept the LR3, 150k miles and still more reliable than a brand new one. I know I did this dance, was driving my old LR3 which in all honesty I neglected when it was over a decade old, while the new sat in the shop waiting for parts on a slow boat from england. The LR3 is awesome, yes it has expensive suspension parts that wear out but it always turns right over. Land rovers are awesome cars but from a reliability perspective Tata has been a nightmare, these cars haven't been this bad since before BMW bought them.
LRs have some advantages. They're built with off road in mind, whereas the LCs were really designed for agriculture and mining and overlanding. That's why they're tough. Problem is LRs are not reliable
Hi guys, really enjoying your Defender Diaries, keep up the great work. As a massive fan and previous owner of several 90s, as I became a Dad it was unconscionable for me to even consider driving my precious family around in a fundamentally unsafe LR Defender, especially here in Costa Rica where we live. The new Defender has changed this game completely for me, and is now a very worthy replacement for my Disco 4 with industry leading safety credentials. However the safety performance of your new Defender is almost entirely absent from your videos, and while this may seem dull to a hardened off-road fan, for many of your viewers like myself, driving long distances, fully loaded with precious family cargo on board, on both highway and dirt roads, safety is key to me embracing a new car. For example, off-road capable the Jeep may be, but they have generally woeful safety performance. I may well have missed mentions to vehicle safety performances in your shows, if so, maybe turn up the volume on this subject a little so it is not as easy to miss. Looking forward to your future productions, cheers, Andrew.
Defender on this vlog wasnt even shows any big diffrent to that cherrokee. I believe merican event like 'Truck meet' on several great county (at semaCalif n , houston , orlandoFl, forthworth , lousiana) will tell u that merican know everything about lifted truck , airsuspension , great interior entertaiment , tire manufactural tech and mudTruck machinery experience. I believe defender offroad's gadget should be compared to spaceX transport facilities.
I bought the defender exactly a month ago. I’ve owned many cars in my day and I’ve often been ask which is my favorite of them all. Well I have a new favorite and it’s not even close . This vehicle is simply amazing off road and on road . Put it on the highway and move that shifter to the left ( sport mode) and you have a completely different animal. You really are buying two cars in one . And to say that this is just another Land Rover is ridiculous. This is THE LAND ROVER! Love it ! Also absolutely love your channel .
Kind of getting sick of the stupid snarck from Tommy. Defender is completely different from rrsport, discovery, and Range Rover. Just a ridiculous thing to say. Would never have bought any of those models, but here I am a Defender owner, and a thrilled and amazed one at that. And by god that FJ interior has got to be the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen. The fact that the Defender can outshine many other dedicated off roaders while delivering an on road experience that rivals any luxury suv is an amazing feat and is the Defender’s unique value proposition in the market.
Well aren’t you a lucky bunch! Must admit I am a bit jealous 😉 Congrats on your new Defenders / Really hope to be able to afford a 90 next time around ...
The new defender looks like any run of the mill luxury SUV. They put so much effort into making it good offroad, while most of its customer base wont event take it on a gravel road. The FJ cruiser is amazing. It looks cute while staying true to its original looks and spirit.
Regarding depreciation - I wonder if the ‘21 Land Cruiser Heritage Edition will go up in value after Toyota stops importing 200-series LC’s? I’m betting they drop a bit, then hold their values for a while...then are declared a classic.
I know GC's have 2 types of 4wd systems. We've got a WK with Quadra Drive 2 and it just flies up hills with zero wheel spin. If he QD then he was probably in high range the front and rear LSD's only work on low range
Probably just an open diff Laredo. I know they offered a single speed transfer case on some of them, not sure if it was all WK Laredos. I know on the WK2 it is. My sister has a WK2 Laredo, it's just basically all-wheel drive, it has no 4-low. If it was a ZJ or WJ, it wouldn't even have lifted that front wheel.
The FJ cruiser in 2014 had an Off road package that put crawl control knob on the headliner with artrac button. You could set your speed from 0.5 up to 2.5mph in 0.5 increments. Makes all sorts of abs noise when used. Its fun.
Thanks for the comparison guys! Question though. Why are you testing the pre 2014 version of the FJ against the brand new 2020 defender? The FJ got a 4x4 tech update mid 2013 that added a very effective crawl control system to it. The crawl control system make the Atrac system much more effective as it know how to keep on the gas correctly when a wheel starts spinning. Other changes were a standard long range tank, and a back suspension upgrade.
Just bought a 2007 Fj. Standard with 190, 000 km. Replaced one axle, a handbrake cable and upgraded the throughout bearing and new clutch. $10500 Canadian spent on vehicle and repairs. It has new brakes( Brembo) tires and shocks/struts I can’t believe how well it handles.
Have owned a 2007 black FJ cruiser since about 5 years ago, Recently went ahead and purchased a white 2008 white FJ cruiser... Besides regular oil and maintenance It's safe to say these are appreciating assets!
Tommi: "Unlike in the FJ, you'll never be surprised when something doesn't work in the Land Rover ." Truer words have never been said. Except maybe, "Evil prevails when good men do nothing."
The thing with old Defenders is that here in the UK parts are cheap and there's such a massive supply of aftermarket parts, chassis bulkheads and just about every part is available, they're also (like the old mini) pretty classless, you can be a contractor or a Lord. Toyota on the other hand isn't as well catered for and parts and upgrades tend to be more expensive, old Defenders are also easy to fix for the average bloke. Nice to see your blue Freelander doing well ......
Yes, at normal ride height the Defender is likely to perform much better in the rough than when using high ride height. Normal should be used at all times unless there is an obvious risk of grounding.
The defender looks like it was designed by an art school graduate who is completely out of touch with what off-roaders want in their vehicle. It's designed to get Starbucks in the morning
Learned to offroad with a 2007 FJ with 6MT. Fun stuff. Destroyed it on the trails. Broke the third member but it was replaced under warranty. Power steering and throw out bearing were issues but not horrible. Now I've grown up and picked up a Defender X. Unsure if I can go all out on the trails like before. Too bad they don't have the rear locker on theirs.
Impressive offroad dial up on the defender and looks like this 'luxury weekend warrior set up' is what the industry is moving towards like the Ford Bronco and the newer Jeeps. I'll stick to reliability and tried traction of my FJ for now.
I took both for a test drive 2020... brand new(South Africa)....loved the interior of the Defender...but passing a number of brand new broken down Landrovers being put on lowbed trucks... I settled on the FJ...not a single regret...looooooove my car!
Proud FJ owner here. You can keep the Defender. 😂 My FJ has 210,000 miles and doesnt have a single squeak or any "scratchy plastic" loose or breaking. It has never let me down or left me stranded. I've never even had a flat tire. Keep in mind that I travel full-time and tow a 22-foot trailer. Ive taken this thing offroad on trails worse than Dare with H/T tires in Mexico, and I towed the trailer up a hill like Truth in Nevada, no problems. I love my baby!! ❤
Land Rover got the name wrong. It should be Discovery 4 or 5 which is basically what the new Defender is. Just curious, in the time you’ve owned the FJ, has the check engine light illuminated?
Hey, just a tip, have a look at the righthand side of the engine there is a aluminium tube coming from the firewall where a hose coverd in heatshrink connects up to the intercooler. Have a look if it isn't notched , during assemblu the tube gets pushed away sometimes.
Most off road enthusiasts will say to engage your rear locker if you expect tire slippage. While you may not need it, it will help save you limited slip clutches ( A trac) from wearing out.
absolute fact because I purchased the 2014 with 70,000 miles just before Christmas 2020 and paid thirty-three thousand when the original sticker price was $28900.....
You can still buy a new FJ Cruiser in the UAE. Color selection is not great but it largely unchanged except you have a 7” infotainment center and you can order leather seats. Not sure if the roof rack is available.
My father and I go off roading as well. But my dad is convinced that his coleus is reliable enough.... even though he drove my FJ multiple times, yet he's still not convinced.... hoping I can afford a defender one day, and gift it to him
Thanks guys, that was a great comparison. It's often difficult to show how severe the terrain is when the camera's looking down onto the trail. While it's trickier to set up, a low-slung camera will highlight the dips and mounds more faithfully. It was kinda lucky the Jeep came along for some added perspective. PS. If a young fella has trouble finding the right option in the Defender's menu, what hope has an old fart like me got? (Declaration: FJ Cruiser owner here)
The FJ40 wasn't the first gen, it was the 3rd gen after the BJ-T/R and the FJ20/30 series. I have a rusty '72 and a project '78 FJ40 plus a 1955 Series I 107 Land Rover and a 2017 TD6 Discovery.
@@shitloveaduck the 2005 - 2010 wk grand Cherokee never had the 4.0 straight six, it used the 3.7 v6, 4.7 v8 and 5.7 hemi v8, 6.1 srt hemi or the 3.0 diesel
Along the years I've bought two FJcruiser and trust me that 4.0 was a gas guzzling device. Exact same gas mileage as my F250 with 6.2 and 3.73 rear differential. Fun as hell to drive and very solid machine but, way too much plastic on the outside. Could have done without the cheap looking tupperware bumpers too. Oh yeah, a big miss was the fact that the rear lockers only engaged in 4 low.
I love the father/son videos. They always make laugh!!!!
I love the fact its a father and son well done
U don’t know that about the new defender
@@Harry._.Thompson why would anyone buy that trash defender ?
@@USA4thewin it’s not trash and why not
@@Harry._.Thompson it's garbage
Defender will take you anywhere, but FJ will take you anywhere and back home.
Tell that to Doug DeMuro - he just did a 7,000 mile road trip in his new Defender.
@@ruk2023-- i would hope a brand new car would be able to drive 7,000 miles. the difference is, when a toyota is at 250,000 miles, it will still keep going. not sure the LR can match that.
@@yt-ll5mu I was playing with you. I doubt you're going to get one much over 150k.
I want to go to USA in defender and don't want to come back. 😂😂😂
Totally true everyone i know that buys a budget Land rover/Range rover gets a transmission issue 9/10x
I live in South Africa, both cars are good for exploring Africa. Toyota for it's reliability and the best thing about Land rovers is that when you do break down you don't need to worry about parts just walk up the road and find the next broken Land Rover to scavenge parts.
Oh! Ouch!
😂😂
what if the land rover was nowhere to be found
@Bei Zhang, then your Land Rover is the one to be used for scavenging 😅
... yeah, that pretty much sums it up!
FJ owner here: 270,000 miles on my ‘07, it’s been hilariously reliable. I’m selling it this spring only to buy ANOTHER FJ, one with less miles so I can drive one for another 10 years
Or you could keep it till one million miles and sell it to Toyota.
same here, except it s not for sale until Toyota remakes it new.
I never thought I d love it as much, it s the beast!
144k miles on my '08 LR3 and havent had a single problem to date 😁 does that make us "old school"?
@@colins5142 see my logo? I put it on my fj already, it s the Adventure Team logo, GI Joe of the 50-70s, old school you bet man! have a nice day bro!
My old 200 tdi defender had 300,000 on the clock when I sold it. No major problems, just general maintenance. Current Puma Defender only has 40,000 on the clock, Ive had it since new - 2014 and again no problems at all, other than general maintenance. I think if you look after your car and maintain it it wont let you down, but if you just hammer it it will.
"inflated kia soul" lmao
Tommy is "checking for leaks" under the defender!
Funny
@@charchar8 I have to admit,I got a kick out of that myself.
Always looked more like my Element, to me, especially in that blue. I have an FJ60 so the dealer called me in when the FJ Cruiser came out. It was nice but the visibility out was just horrible.
@MysteriousOklahoma antiquated yes, rust buckets, often, but not in my case. My Dad bought it in 1987 and had it rustproofed. I told him it was a scam but I was wrong. 34 years on I can still get more than what he paid for it, even adjusted for inflation. Not many people drive them but everybody wants them, judging from the comments I get Every week when I drive it to the store.
Lots of FJ love here. Toyota are you listening?
Haha I sometimes get compliment when I am driving FJ (That does not happen if I drive even expensive SUVs), looks like people likes the funky style of FJ...lol. Video in my channel.
I wonder how a FJ would look with 4 full doors
My friend has one and I love it and all but I'm sure they stopped selling cause nobody bought it.
@@baronvonjo1929 gas crunch killed it. Four dollar a gallon didn’t work at 16mpg.
@@fritty9927 Then why did they keep the 4runner with the same engine? Also I'm pretty sure my friend said his uses premium gas.
The Defender didn't break, it's a new record.
That's for next week's show
Jokes aside, I must have watched a dozen Defender videos from owners now and this is the only channel that has had so many problems.
@@ruk2023-- this is the only channel that ever has problems. 3 broken defenders? 3 broken Teslas? Even charging issues with the Mach e? what are the odds, come on
@@bgarza18 pretty good, people say most modern guns just work and I got 6 in a row that had to be sent in
@@ruk2023-- 👍 True. You'd swear they were out to sabotage the LR brand.
I’m really glad that Jeep when up the hill so all the people who say it’s easy can see lol.
I own an 18 year old Freelander 1 diesel (BMW 2.0 engine). It has 200k miles (320k km) on the clock and it has been abused. Parts are so cheap for it now and it's quite easy for it to go on forever. I also have a 16 year old Disco 3 (LR3) with 125k miles (200k km) - parts are expensive, but I still plan on making it go forever :)
I owned 3 .. yes 3.. Freelancers... including the BMW engined unit.
They felt and drove well especially the latter unit.
Trouble is they were stupidly unreliable. That put me off LR for ever. I will not touch another LR product.
Now its Toyota all the way and I have not looked back since
@@hueyvan2007 My Freelander was a workhorse for 8 yeara, until I bought the Disco 3 to replace it, and the Freely retired to city life, being used by the Mrs. It was generelally dependable, but it did leave me stranded twice and needed a flatbed. The Disco 3 is not necessarily more reliable, but in the 90k km I've driven it, it has never let me stranded. Expensive to keep (again, it works really hard), but worth every single penny imho. Cheers!
The problem is that the US got a super terrible v6 engine as the only option. Also the fact that the 4wd-lite viscous coupling unit would fail was so stupid considering the fact that it’s a damn Land Rover.
Love the look of the first gen freelander though.
@@ReviewedByAndy Yeh, we've had very few V6s here. A friend of mine owns one and is happy with it. I don't think he had any engine trouble. Yeh, the viscous coupling would seize especially in the early ones, but then it's not that expensive an item, and it could be changed preventevely. The later ones (>2003) are the ones to go for. I managed to kill the manual gearbox, front propshaft and one front driveshaft in mine. I've also reconditioned my IRD in 2014. But the VCU is still original and hasn't seized, at almost 18 years and 200k miles.
@@AlexStrugariu 90K km is new in Toyota speak.
My prado 90 has 384k km with no problems ever.
Only ever serviced replaced shocks and brake pads.
My Prado 120 has 214 I km.
Only the water pump and brake pads ever replaced.
I'll go with the FJ
Toyota is a much better product.
Boring! 😴
Very boring, but at least it will get you out of your driveway to do fun stuff. You will be bored with the less boring LR because you will e stuck at home while it's in the shop.
@@aaronb7996 mine hasn't left me stranded even a single day. In fact it's getting better and better everyday. We love it already!
Range Rover over the rust bucket.
We need a harder challenge for these two.
It's January in Colorado, there isn't much in the way of hard offroading that isn't covered in snow. July-September is peak season here.
Slaughter House Gulch is pretty snow free right now.
They should have put the Defender in “I’m on my period “ mode.
Only thing confirmed from this video is that Jeeps are trash.
@@richfarfugnuven6308 But except for one spot Slaughterhouse isn't that technically challenging. I did Chinaman in February 2012 and for as hard as it is normally, add two inches of snow. But I wouldn't subject a vehicle I liked to that again.
I'll take the FJ Cruiser any day.
Excellent video guys! Fun to watch with plenty of great info.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,, 2 Esdras 2: 31 -100 '''''''''''''''''''''' ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
I bought an FJ cruiser 2021 brand new, it is still sold here in the GCC and has a very strong market and demand.
I have been with an FJ off-road group for the past 5 years, the FJ is a legendary off road vehicle with basic but good off road capabilities and unbeatable reliability.
I’m happy with my decision.
Basic off road capabilities? 😄
It has great off road abilities, just wrapped with no frills coating....As Toyota said, the FJ is the most capable off roader they have ever built (again, not best overlander, that SQUARELY belongs to Land Cruiser)!
Tommy's characterizations, feelings, and insights on both vehicles are absolutely correct.
Tommy's the best
Greetings from South Africa. I have put 130k on an FJ in harsh African conditions and it is unflappable. My 2013 model has the variable speed rock crawl mode, which doubles as downhill assist control. It is VERY effective and adds another whole dimension to the FJ. Curiously, it also does a fantastic job of extricate the FJ from thick sand. Brilliant vehicle, I would buy another one and cannot imagine what I am going to replace it with.
People luv them (FJ) in the Middle East.. Toyota, bring us back an updated FJ !
No updates needed. Don’t fix what wasn’t broken. Just start making it again. Please
I have a 4 runner, i might buy a used FJ if i can find one is not beat to hell, a new one would be great, both would have a high price
@@ttggreen1White MNTS NH,USA
I want no update, remove stuff! it has too much assistance and electronics.
Toyota replaced the fj cruiser into the tj cruiser
Without that Cherokee in the video, everyone will think going up that hill is easy :))
@Liberty because it lost traction, the others didn't
To be fair, the Jeep Quadra Trac or Quadra Drive system (don't know which that one had) works better than what we saw in this video so it was either not in 4 low (if I remember correct from when I had a WJ, it needed to be in 4 low to get the full functionality) or his Jeep was broken. I'm not saying the trail is easy, but the Jeep should not have struggled that much.
@@WASTED__POTENTIAL To be fair the Toyota wasn't broken and the Jeep will always be broken.
@@EthosAtheos I'm not sure what you mean. Are you saying that jeep in particular has a known problem they wont fix, or is that a jab at chrysler reliability? If it's the latter, you get no argument from me.
@@WASTED__POTENTIAL It was the latter. Jeep has legendary reliability, just not in a good way.
Thanks for the elaborate comparison and contrast.
I own an fj cruiser here in Australia and can vouch for their off road capabilities but I do like the new defender.
Tommy, you are a marketing genius by injecting random comments (e.g. checking for oil leaks) in every Land Rover related video. You deserve a raise!!! Cheers mate..
Yep!👍 He’s really giving the JLR haters what they came for. Keep up the good work TFL!
Uk vs Japan on car industry
You must be kidding me
Technically speaking it is India+China+British reliability vs Japan reliability.
@@Deathwalker666666 Land rover Jaguar are Purely Indian companies
Yes, I agree with Roman, please bring back the FJ.
I would like to see more of these off-road comparison videos. They are enjoyable to watch. Better than your studio presentations.
I live in Abu Dhabi and have an FJ. Lots of desert dune driving - varies from really technical star dunes to steep slip faces. I love the manual handbrake to allow rear wheel braking down a slip face whilst having the ability to gently throttle up in low gear to stop the front wheels tramlining or being pulled R or L when I want them straight. It’s by far the best off-roader for this type of driving and is just fine in the city and on the highway.
Do you ever worry about sand getting in the bearings? I've been to abu dhabi and some some desert driving... The sand there is unreal!
Did they improve the blind spot and mpg?
Would you happen to know if it's possible and affordable to ship one here in the States?
I've been looking for a vehicle for four years compatible to my lifestyle. They mostly make vehicles available here for soccer mom's. 😕
@@earthkarma7420 Hi Michelle
I'm pretty sure the FJs have good availability in the States - these guys at TFL Offroad have confirmed that.
As regards blind spot - still there but we drove around Abu Dhabi city with no problem. Also the underground parking at the apartment complex where we lived necessitated reverse parking into the designated space which was between 2 others (usually occupied by even bigger SUVs). The rear camera (which displays in the rea view mirror) was great and we had no problem - but the cameria lens needed to be cleaned regularly. mpg - I reckon we were on 16mpg in the city and maybe 20mpg on long trips as long as we didn't go too fast. All-in-all we absolutely loved the car - especially my 5ft 3inch wife! It's not practical in the UK with its narrow streets and sky-high fuel prices otherwise she'd have persuaded me to get one over here. Best of luck Michelle. Steve
That was a v6 non locker WK. The V8 has QD2 and e-locks the front and rear diff with just the slightest spin.
I was thinking the same thing. Looked like a Laredo, most likely open diffs. I was never a big fan of the WK, I used to have a ZJ Grand Cherokee and I like those more. But like you said, the WK with the QD2 system is pretty capable.
Yeah i have a WK Hemi with front and rear e-lockers and it puts tires in the air and it still doesn't spin them haha. Goes every where
@@jstitan2972 how do you like it? I have a 5th gen 4Runner, but I hate the V6 in it. A Hemi WK is on my list of possible replacements. Engine and transmission been reliable for you?
I love it!! The Hemi and front and rear lockers are crazy amazing. I used to run toyota's. After my WK walked through some bad trails that evey toyota there struggled on i was definitely impressed
It probably didn’t have a low range. I had a WK Rocky Mtn edition (Laredo with a different badge). Basically an all wheel drive w/o low range. It was my least favorite Jeep that I owned.
Tommy understands the Defender is about to break at any moment, Roman wants to be diplomatic and give it a few miles of glory before the inevitable happens...am I right?😅🤔
Always thought it was interesting how FJs performed better offroad than both the 4runner and GX, given how closely related they are. I'm also glad to see that the Defender kept up to the FJ throughout the test.
Smaller platform with a locking rear diff. Also, very few are kept stock.
They need a much more difficult test which I am sure will happen in the summer (from an FJ owner)
They just have better angles and wheelbase because of the body design. The newer GXs have the low bumper and body cladding, they have terrible angles, and both GX and the 4Runner have a longer wheelbase than the FJ. And both of them have lousy departure angles compared to the short rear end on the FJ.
FJ also looks like it has bigger wheel wells, so maybe less of a PITA to fit a larger tire on it.
@@trailrunnah8886 They come with 265's and easily fit 285's depending on rim
It’s just the longer wheel bases and overhangs of the other two. Tech is basically the same. FJ’s from an ergonomics perspective really isn’t that great. Just a cult following, similar to folks who like the old Defenders.
There's a reason the FJ has held it's value shockingly well and LRs do not. Like many people I'd prefer to not get a sunburn from the Check Engine Light.
"You'll never be surprised if something doesn't work in the Defender." - Say no more!
Funny👍🤣
Everyone hate the three window wipers but three small ones are more sturdy on mud when off road then one or two longer ones
And if one breaks move it to driver equals two spares
Tommy is hilarious! Checking for leaks LOL!
I mean its true you should always check for leaks in the land rover
@@theunfamousyoutuber1521 I hear they come standard with oil leaks and a check-engine light straight from factory.
@@FJDH11 yep my cousin had one but he changed the car rught away now he has a jeep cherokee
FINALLY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS THE FJ VIDEOS LOL
Yeah. Can't wait till they get a maintained 3-locker 80 series Land Cruiser. I get why they are avoiding it - so capable it'd be boring for the kind of things they do off road. Their Gladiator is peer to the 80 and they have to really emphasize drama when they take it out. They don't need two wringers. The Jeep you can buy new, it is the offroad market leader, and its aftermarket is 'donk', as they say.
FJ is just too good for all these British or American wannabe off-roaders.
I like the fact you showed the ground. This is lacking in other channels and allows us to relate to the terrain. Love the vids keep it up.
Thank you for the FJ video. You guys rock.
The FJ’s based on the Prado , great off-road 👌🏻
Jeep owner here, but I'd take the fj any day before the defender
THANK YOU for putting the specs in the screen ! Love not having to leave video for specs and then coming back. Please keep that up .
Love to see an off-road test of the defender with max height airbags AND fully loaded with heavy gear
I really enjoyed my '07 FJC. It was pretty impractical and so much overlap with the more practical 4runner. I'd like to see Toyota bring it back but as more of a Wrangler fighter and REAL spiritual successor to the original FJs. But let's be real, Toyota isn't going to do that. :(
Who knows. Suzuki with their Jimny is doing good. I am not aware with nowadays situation, but right at the start they had a year long queue for the vehicle. Factories just could not follow the request.
I couldnt agree more. I daily and wheel a 1994 land cruiser. Toyota needs to go back to basics w/ some upgrades for the 21st cen. My rig = thirsty af @ 11.5 mpg.
I'm not sure exactly what you're getting at because the FJ has out performed every Wrangler ever made, in every aspect....
A real successor to the original FJ has always existed. It is the 70 series Landcruiser sold outside of the US. Its also sold in Canada as an off road only vehicle for the mining industry. It is designed as a industrial/offroad vehicle with Pickup, Wagon, and Troop carrier versions. These trucks are not |Life style vehicles" like the Jeep Wranglers/FJ Cruiser and are much less comfortable.
@@Gabriel-nd3fo .... Correct it was the 40 series.... Then the 70 series..... Then the FJ Cruiser..... With a bunch of specialty vehicles mixed all in throughout the years....
If you regularly service a land rover they are very reliable
Lol😂😆
I love how even though Tommy is an admitted fan of Land Rover, he still rips on their vehicles constantly. It always makes me laugh.
I view it as a love hate relationship... like a pair of siblings who supports each other, but also smacks each other upside the head.
Should have kept the LR3, 150k miles and still more reliable than a brand new one. I know I did this dance, was driving my old LR3 which in all honesty I neglected when it was over a decade old, while the new sat in the shop waiting for parts on a slow boat from england. The LR3 is awesome, yes it has expensive suspension parts that wear out but it always turns right over. Land rovers are awesome cars but from a reliability perspective Tata has been a nightmare, these cars haven't been this bad since before BMW bought them.
LRs have some advantages. They're built with off road in mind, whereas the LCs were really designed for agriculture and mining and overlanding. That's why they're tough. Problem is LRs are not reliable
I have 3 land rovers and I hate all of them
Hi guys, really enjoying your Defender Diaries, keep up the great work. As a massive fan and previous owner of several 90s, as I became a Dad it was unconscionable for me to even consider driving my precious family around in a fundamentally unsafe LR Defender, especially here in Costa Rica where we live. The new Defender has changed this game completely for me, and is now a very worthy replacement for my Disco 4 with industry leading safety credentials. However the safety performance of your new Defender is almost entirely absent from your videos, and while this may seem dull to a hardened off-road fan, for many of your viewers like myself, driving long distances, fully loaded with precious family cargo on board, on both highway and dirt roads, safety is key to me embracing a new car. For example, off-road capable the Jeep may be, but they have generally woeful safety performance. I may well have missed mentions to vehicle safety performances in your shows, if so, maybe turn up the volume on this subject a little so it is not as easy to miss. Looking forward to your future productions, cheers, Andrew.
It's called tfl off road, mentioning the cars safety is I think irrelevant here.
Defender on this vlog wasnt even shows any big diffrent to that cherrokee. I believe merican event like 'Truck meet' on several great county (at semaCalif n , houston , orlandoFl, forthworth , lousiana) will tell u that merican know everything about lifted truck , airsuspension , great interior entertaiment , tire manufactural tech and mudTruck machinery experience. I believe defender offroad's gadget should be compared to spaceX transport facilities.
They both kick butt off-road it appears😃
Hardly offroad.
Had to scale the difficulty down for that disgrace of a defender.
LOL'd and liked as soon as I hear "checking for leaks on the Defender."
The new Defender doesn’t leak, it doesn’t work very often, but it doesn’t leak.
I bought the defender exactly a month ago. I’ve owned many cars in my day and I’ve often been ask which is my favorite of them all. Well I have a new favorite and it’s not even close . This vehicle is simply amazing off road and on road . Put it on the highway and move that shifter to the left ( sport mode) and you have a completely different animal. You really are buying two cars in one . And to say that this is just another Land Rover is ridiculous. This is THE LAND ROVER! Love it ! Also absolutely love your channel .
Yep. They should put them to a real test. Wouldn't be surprised it the Defender comes out top.
Same with mine. Had it nearly a year and no problems, apart from a Sat Nav issue that was fixed with an OTA Update.
Kind of getting sick of the stupid snarck from Tommy. Defender is completely different from rrsport, discovery, and Range Rover. Just a ridiculous thing to say. Would never have bought any of those models, but here I am a Defender owner, and a thrilled and amazed one at that. And by god that FJ interior has got to be the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen. The fact that the Defender can outshine many other dedicated off roaders while delivering an on road experience that rivals any luxury suv is an amazing feat and is the Defender’s unique value proposition in the market.
Well aren’t you a lucky bunch! Must admit I am a bit jealous 😉 Congrats on your new Defenders / Really hope to be able to afford a 90 next time around ...
@@scandinavia6271 Well thanks very much. Yes I feel very fortunate. And yessss get that 90 !! It looks amazing !!
Damn, I love that _FJ Cruiser._ ❤️😎👌
TFL studios making Wednesday morning a great thing.
The new defender looks like any run of the mill luxury SUV. They put so much effort into making it good offroad, while most of its customer base wont event take it on a gravel road.
The FJ cruiser is amazing. It looks cute while staying true to its original looks and spirit.
Regarding depreciation - I wonder if the ‘21 Land Cruiser Heritage Edition will go up in value after Toyota stops importing 200-series LC’s? I’m betting they drop a bit, then hold their values for a while...then are declared a classic.
You got me to watch the whole video when you checked the new Defender for leaks. Such a shame the FJ isn't being sold in the USA still.
Defender to Toyota: I'm not leaking oil. I'm marking my territory.
🤣🤣🤣
Did you happen to notice of that Jeep WK had a "Trail Rated" badge on the driver side?
(i.e. equipped with Quadra-Drive II with rear LSD)
if it had QD2, it would not have that front wheel spin i think. (btw QD2 on WK1 also did have front lsd didn't it?)
@@CHMernerner You're right! I just looked it up on Wikipedia...
WK QD2: front & rear ELSD
WK2 QD2: rear ELSD
Thanks :)
I know GC's have 2 types of 4wd systems. We've got a WK with Quadra Drive 2 and it just flies up hills with zero wheel spin. If he QD then he was probably in high range the front and rear LSD's only work on low range
Probably just an open diff Laredo. I know they offered a single speed transfer case on some of them, not sure if it was all WK Laredos. I know on the WK2 it is. My sister has a WK2 Laredo, it's just basically all-wheel drive, it has no 4-low.
If it was a ZJ or WJ, it wouldn't even have lifted that front wheel.
Dad is old now! 😢💔 But i still hope someday we'll have such a beautiful dad/son relationship, i ask God to keep you both safe and happy ❤️
Tommy went from liking his jeep to loving toyotas
owners of 2 2013 FJ Cruisers. one is the cement tte 6spd 4x4, the other is the magma 4wd auto 4x4 w/o crawl control. love our FJs
Did you see 'the smoking tire' send the new defender up his 4WD test track! He was blown away.
The FJ cruiser is also helped by the smaller wheelbase at 106" vs 119" for the Defender and 110" for the also-mentioned 4Runner.
Unless l'm proved wrong l was under the impression the new Defender 110 had a 110" wheelbase!!!!!!
@@clooperman3745 I think those model numbers correspond to historical wheelbases of the 2 door and 4 door models.
Did this last weekend in my stock gx460 w bfg ko2 no problem
Came here just to say...a gx460 would have been a better comparison.
Did this no sweat in my Prius right after you. Love the gx460 though
The FJ cruiser in 2014 had an Off road package that put crawl control knob on the headliner with artrac button. You could set your speed from 0.5 up to 2.5mph in 0.5 increments. Makes all sorts of abs noise when used. Its fun.
Is there ever going to be an episode were Tommy doesn’t just shit on the defender for one thing or another?
Agree. This channel is getting boring now. Poor comparison, of what these can do too.
Totally agree; TFL keeps riding the fake news on the “3 broken Defenders” really hard to drive clicks. NOT OK! 👎
India vs Japan not UK vs Japan. Rover was taken over by Indian company long time ago.
When are you going to change the tires on both to something more off roadie?
After all the problems they might not be so keen on taking it off road
Don't think they got much choice with the disco!! Opps i meant defender.
An FJ Cruiser with a 2UZ-FE would be a great combo. The new Defender is really a Disco which is really a lawn ornament with a drip pan.
Thanks for the comparison guys! Question though. Why are you testing the pre 2014 version of the FJ against the brand new 2020 defender?
The FJ got a 4x4 tech update mid 2013 that added a very effective crawl control system to it.
The crawl control system make the Atrac system much more effective as it know how to keep on the gas correctly when a wheel starts spinning.
Other changes were a standard long range tank, and a back suspension upgrade.
They want u to recognize any hypocrissy behind the defender ads (czech right ?)
Just bought a 2007 Fj. Standard with 190, 000 km. Replaced one axle, a handbrake cable and upgraded the throughout bearing and new clutch. $10500 Canadian spent on vehicle and repairs. It has new brakes( Brembo) tires and shocks/struts
I can’t believe how well it handles.
I don't think this was a hard test for these 4wds i would like to see go head to head in the mud
Have owned a 2007 black FJ cruiser since about 5 years ago, Recently went ahead and purchased a white 2008 white FJ cruiser... Besides regular oil and maintenance It's safe to say these are appreciating assets!
Tommi: "Unlike in the FJ, you'll never be surprised when something doesn't work in the Land Rover ."
Truer words have never been said.
Except maybe, "Evil prevails when good men do nothing."
Please do the off road tests with Defender and Lexus 460, I would love to see that.
I can’t imagine owning that Land Rover. All that tech just seems like it would be a constant nightmare having to fix AND having to use!
.... Believe me it is a complete nightmare and disaster as I have worked on hundreds of these pieces of junk
The thing with old Defenders is that here in the UK parts are cheap and there's such a massive supply of aftermarket parts, chassis bulkheads and just about every part is available, they're also (like the old mini) pretty classless, you can be a contractor or a Lord. Toyota on the other hand isn't as well catered for and parts and upgrades tend to be more expensive, old Defenders are also easy to fix for the average bloke. Nice to see your blue Freelander doing well ......
"get a landrover if you want to go offroading, get a toyota if you want to get back again"
Yes, at normal ride height the Defender is likely to perform much better in the rough than when using high ride height. Normal should be used at all times unless there is an obvious risk of grounding.
Good to see you guys “in the field” again.
Tommy: "You're never going to be surprised if something doesn't work in the Land Rover"
Except when the Land Rover decides to be a Land Rover
The irony is that if Toyota imported them again then the value of all these old FJs would plummet.
No they won’t
the car reviews are all good and all. But the music and shots were really cool in the intro. Good Job guys !
The defender looks like it was designed by an art school graduate who is completely out of touch with what off-roaders want in their vehicle. It's designed to get Starbucks in the morning
Still looks better than every suv out there except a g wag
Learned to offroad with a 2007 FJ with 6MT. Fun stuff. Destroyed it on the trails. Broke the third member but it was replaced under warranty. Power steering and throw out bearing were issues but not horrible.
Now I've grown up and picked up a Defender X. Unsure if I can go all out on the trails like before.
Too bad they don't have the rear locker on theirs.
Impressive offroad dial up on the defender and looks like this 'luxury weekend warrior set up' is what the industry is moving towards like the Ford Bronco and the newer Jeeps. I'll stick to reliability and tried traction of my FJ for now.
I took both for a test drive 2020... brand new(South Africa)....loved the interior of the Defender...but passing a number of brand new broken down Landrovers being put on lowbed trucks... I settled on the FJ...not a single regret...looooooove my car!
TFLoffroad Saludos desde Chile amigos, éxito!.
Chuuuchaaa, vos tai viendo este canal en Inglés po weon ? Saludos hasta Chile compadre !
@@olchat2012 Hola compadre al fin un compatriota con buen gusto en autos, saludos...
Saludos a mis amigos Chilenos.!!!
Especialmente a Don Francisco!!!
Proud FJ owner here. You can keep the Defender. 😂 My FJ has 210,000 miles and doesnt have a single squeak or any "scratchy plastic" loose or breaking. It has never let me down or left me stranded. I've never even had a flat tire. Keep in mind that I travel full-time and tow a 22-foot trailer. Ive taken this thing offroad on trails worse than Dare with H/T tires in Mexico, and I towed the trailer up a hill like Truth in Nevada, no problems. I love my baby!! ❤
Americans, check put the 70 or the 150 series Land Cruiser (GX460 Lexus).
Ssshhhhh quiet!!!🤫 Some of us do know about them and prefer they stay a secret.
Land Rover got the name wrong. It should be Discovery 4 or 5 which is basically what the new Defender is. Just curious, in the time you’ve owned the FJ, has the check engine light illuminated?
We have a 2012 Fj its a beast i have taken it through areas I wouldn't take my Tundra or tacoma!
Hmm interesting
Me too, Red TT 2012 , lovely n pwrfull
Hey, just a tip, have a look at the righthand side of the engine there is a aluminium tube coming from the firewall where a hose coverd in heatshrink connects up to the intercooler. Have a look if it isn't notched , during assemblu the tube gets pushed away sometimes.
i used to love the defender but now i can only see it as a kia soul.....thanks tommy
Most off road enthusiasts will say to engage your rear locker if you expect tire slippage. While you may not need it, it will help save you limited slip clutches ( A trac) from wearing out.
Fj Value is only going up!
Yep, if you can get your hands on a good one buy it. Good investment
absolute fact because I purchased the 2014 with 70,000 miles just before Christmas 2020 and paid thirty-three thousand when the original sticker price was $28900.....
You can still buy a new FJ Cruiser in the UAE. Color selection is not great but it largely unchanged except you have a 7” infotainment center and you can order leather seats. Not sure if the roof rack is available.
What good is a technology if you cant use it because its unreliable? I'd take reliabilty all day.
My father and I go off roading as well. But my dad is convinced that his coleus is reliable enough.... even though he drove my FJ multiple times, yet he's still not convinced.... hoping I can afford a defender one day, and gift it to him
Thanks guys, that was a great comparison. It's often difficult to show how severe the terrain is when the camera's looking down onto the trail. While it's trickier to set up, a low-slung camera will highlight the dips and mounds more faithfully. It was kinda lucky the Jeep came along for some added perspective.
PS. If a young fella has trouble finding the right option in the Defender's menu, what hope has an old fart like me got? (Declaration: FJ Cruiser owner here)
well said my brother
The FJ40 wasn't the first gen, it was the 3rd gen after the BJ-T/R and the FJ20/30 series.
I have a rusty '72 and a project '78 FJ40 plus a 1955 Series I 107 Land Rover and a 2017 TD6 Discovery.
That Grand Cherokee's engine sounded clapped out.
It wasn't the engine that was the problem, it was the 50psi in the tyres that was the problem.
@@shitloveaduck did you see the smoke coming out of the exhaust? It had a blown head gasket at a minimum...
@@shitloveaduck no need to apologize, I just think that guy is driving around with a probable blown engine...
@@shitloveaduck the 2005 - 2010 wk grand Cherokee never had the 4.0 straight six, it used the 3.7 v6, 4.7 v8 and 5.7 hemi v8, 6.1 srt hemi or the 3.0 diesel
Along the years I've bought two FJcruiser and trust me that 4.0 was a gas guzzling device. Exact same gas mileage as my F250 with 6.2 and 3.73 rear differential. Fun as hell to drive and very solid machine but, way too much plastic on the outside. Could have done without the cheap looking tupperware bumpers too. Oh yeah, a big miss was the fact that the rear lockers only engaged in 4 low.
“Tommy meet me at 155lbs” for that Kia Soul comment.
He might have to gain some weight to meet you at 155. As tall as he is he almost looks starved.
Damn. The defender is on auto mode going up Dare. Makes it look SO easy. 😮