[munkeebinis]

I'm curious how the Titan stacks up with other vehicles when it comes to offroad ability. If you guys are familiar with the capabilities of the Titan and of other such vehicles then how about rating them, "1" being the best, most capable offroader and going down the list from there. Here are some vehicles to rate:

-Nissan Titan
-Hummer H2
-Land Rover Discovery
-Nissan XTerra
-Toyota 4Runner

Rate them from best to worst if you could, and if you have other vehicles to throw in please do.

 

[tikigod]

Are you asking the question assuming they are all stock?

 

[Optimist]

Its also dependant on conditions.
For example the Hummer II would not do well in the Everglades since its not light and has a long wheelbase, whereas the 4Runner would do better. Rock crawling type conditions also benefit by short wheelbase along with articulation. Backcountry where trails are narrow & wet then again you want short wheelbase & narrow width with articulation, “Stock” then the Land Rover would be my choice but its expensive & the reliability is questionable. Hard desert type high speed the Titan would be kind of cool with all the power. 4Runners modified are very stout and reliable and since aftermarket is supportive it can be modified to suite your needs.

One of the best all around outback stock products was the Nissan Patrol so they do know how to do it but this is a narrow short wheelbase platform. G-Wagon, FJ40, CJ5&7, early Bronco, Patrol, Pejero, etc… the shorty versions were all designed for various trails.

Define what type of 4wheeling & perhaps others could help you, but keep in mind that the Titan is big & that is less than ideal in some situations.

 

[munkeebinis]

I don't really have a specific situation for it. Just assuming that you were to get one of each vehicle right now, and have it be a stock, top-of-the-line model from the factory. Then let's say you took all those vehicles and started in Alaska and drove them down to Arizona and then east to Florida, traversing a wide variety of trails and terrain. Which would finish the competition with the best, most reliable and satisfying offroad performance?

 

[bestatchess]

I don't really have a specific situation for it. Just assuming that you were to get one of each vehicle right now, and have it be a stock, top-of-the-line model from the factory. Then let's say you took all those vehicles and started in Alaska and drove them down to Arizona and then east to Florida, traversing a wide variety of trails and terrain. Which would finish the competition with the best, most reliable and satisfying offroad performance?

If we are talking factory, stock, with only factory options, I think you can get a factory 9,000 lb winch on the H2, which would be the deciding factor in many extreme situations.

 

[tortuga]

hmmm, offroading today, i think i'll take...... hands down the new 2004 toyota 4runner. with it's new vvti v8 and all of its technological advances and toyotas reliability HOW can you go wrong. plus in stock mode its still in a higher league. doesn't weigh as much as the H2 and you're not going to want to go offroading and run out of gas, being the H2 eats gas like a pig eats feed. the list of 4runner advantages goes on and on. i would take my titan with off-road tires in the open dessert though, but come to think of it if i had budgeted more of my money towards a vehicle i probably would have gone with the 4runner. it was out of my budget. but i LOVE my titan, so why am i complaining. aranoid:

 

[ChuhBaca]

I think right now, it is tough to rate the Titan against some of the others. Once they get the locking differential, it should be one hell of an off-roader. I remember reading a review in one of the off-road magazines that actually tested a pre-production Titan that actually had the locker and said, something to the effect that the other manufacturers can keep their fancy traction control systems, they prefer the locker. That being said, I would guess that the Titan would be the best off-roader of the full-size trucks.

I admit that I know nothing about the X-Terra. Out of the others you mentioned, I would probably pick the 4-runner for the most versatile off-roader. It has a locking center differential, all the fancy assist gadgets, it has a relatively short wheel base, isn't too wide (like the H2), comes with a v-8 with adequate hp and torque, is based on a truck frame, and is extremely reliable. I was watching a show on the Discovery channel about these researchers that were crossing the arctic. All of their vehicles were 4-Runners with big, wide tires and these really extended guards in the front and rear to prevent them from sinking their tires into crevaces.

Since I don't intend to cross the arctic, the best off-roader for me is the Titan with my KTM in the bed! The truck will get me and the bike as far as I need to go, and the bike will get me over the reeeeeeeeeeeaaaally nasty stuff.

 

[speed]

Tough to compare full size to mid or small size. H-1s are more capable than H-2, and as far as full size pickups, Titan is hard to beat, even without the e-locker.

Although the 4-runners are hard to beat, XTerras are built on truck frames, very reliable, but would benefit greatly from aftermarket lockers and suspension upgrades. In stock form 4-Runners are better.

Include a Wrangler Rubicon and there is no choice as far as PURE off-road. Lockers, tons of articulation and a great engine for crawling add up to the best "stock" off-road unit on the market.

 

[jeeptug]

As someone who has been a trail leader for off-road events for years I have had many, many different kinds of stock vehicles in my groups. I would have to say any Jeep TJ Wrangler (97 and up) You really cant beat them. Throw in the Rubicon with its Dana 44 front and rear with E-lockers front and rear, their really is no competition. The H1 is good off-road but it just beats the trail into submission, and its size limits where it can go.
The problem with the New Toyotas is with the stability control. You cant shut it off. Lets say you are going up a steep slick incline and the tires start to slip. The computer says whooaaa, lets reduce power and apply brakes to the wheel that is slipping. Before you know it you are stopped half way up. Kind of Sucks!!!!
The toyota's now, are great road vehicles with the occasional mud puddle but that is about it.
The H2 is kind of a joke. All it is, is a Tahoe with slightly beefed drive line (I mean very lightly) and a Tonka Truck body.

Just my $.02US :cheers:

 

[Gofish]

The Titan 4x4 would be a lot better off road if you added lockers front and rear, raised it 4-5 '', added some 36" tires and bobbed the bed 8 or 10 inches. Of course your wife just might kill you.
Actually, I was very impressed with my 2x's off road performance in some very nasty conditions: a mixture of snow, ice and gooey wet clay. It wasn't until I started sliding sideways off the road that I figured I was pressing my luck and eased up.

 

[SarkaZm]

Although I've never driven one, from what I here the new VW toureg is a very capable off roader as well. Other than that, from your list I would say the Toyota 4Runner/ Land Rover would be the most capable overall.

I'm not sure any of the full size stock pickups are "perfect" for hard core off-road use. Your comparison seems to be apples to oranges. Almost like me asking which one would be the better tow vehicle and including a Titan, 4Runner, and a CRV. :huh: