Reliable cheap on fuel 4x4 that is woman friendly?

[W921]

New or used newer trucks look plastic and older ones look like they have a lot to go wrong with them. Everything looks over priced.
If you were putting 20,000 km on a vehicle a year. Most on dirt roads. Wanted 4x4. What is best bang for your Buck?

[JohnB]

Tacoma

[Smoky buck]

If she doesn’t need a truck look at a rav4

[pikergolf]

Wait for the Toyota Stout.

[creeky]

Originally Posted by JohnB

Tacoma

X2. last gen tho (would suck to be a beta on the all new 2024s).


Creeky....


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[Geraldsh]

Get a basic ford or chev, which ever has the best service in your area, it’s the aftermarket service that counts.

[Sundog57]

If you want to go new f-150 with a 2.7
yah everybody dumps on them but they work

[IL Bar]

Neighbor just got a new Chev 1500 with the turbo 4cyl for a company truck. He thinks it’s awesome. His previous company truck was a Tundra.

[58thecat]

Not sure I am following you on woman friendly since they come in all makes and models.

[Penner]

Originally Posted by JohnB

Tacoma

Hell no. My full size 1/2 ton is better on fuel then my neighbours taco.

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by Penner

Hell no. My full size 1/2 ton is better on fuel then my neighbours taco.

Never understood the allure of a tacoma. Horribly uncomfortable things to sit in unless you're short and poor fuel mileage considering the lack of power

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by MountainTi

Never understood the allure of a tacoma. Horribly uncomfortable things to sit in unless you're short and poor fuel mileage considering the lack of power

Toyota’s suck for tall people vision wise I am looking out of the top of the windshield of my wife’s Tundra with the seat completely lowered and I am only 6”2

Definitely not the best on fuel but they definitely are reliable

[coyotecaller]

Tacoma is absolute garbage on fuel efficiency

That F150 with the 2.7 is wicked. Excellent fuel mileage, good clearance, good all around vision. Very nice to drive.

[W921]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

Not sure I am following you on woman friendly since they come in all makes and models.

Yes you are right. I forgot. Everything they make now a days is woman friendly.

[gordfishing]

Originally Posted by coyotecaller

Tacoma is absolute garbage on fuel efficiency

That F150 with the 2.7 is wicked. Excellent fuel mileage, good clearance, good all around vision. Very nice to drive.

My F150 - 3.5 Turbo Boost is very good on fuel especially highway driving but the truck it self has been a real lemon

5 -drive train replacement things at 1800 k
2 - cam phaser replacements
1 heated seat replacement
1 seat adjustor replacement
2 door handle sensor replacement
1 tranny replacement

I bought the extended 200K warranty and so glad I did, this was all covered under warranty. Think extended warranty on whatever you buy

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by gordfishing

My F150 - 3.5 Turbo Boost is very good on fuel especially highway driving but the truck it self has been a real lemon

5 -drive train replacement things at 1800 k
2 - cam phaser replacements
1 heated seat replacement
1 seat adjustor replacement
2 door handle sensor replacement
1 tranny replacement

I bought the extended 200K warranty and so glad I did, this was all covered under warranty. Think extended warranty on whatever you buy

Heated tailgate still working?

[Dean2]

Honda CRV, Toyota Rav. Both reliable, both way better on fuel than a pickup, both tolerate gravel roads pretty well. The Lexus RX is also a good option and used ones can be found at a very reasonable price.

[Pekan]

Originally Posted by Penner

Hell no. My full size 1/2 ton is better on fuel then my neighbours taco.

X2! People seem to think the Taco's are good on fuel. We have a Taco and a Yukon. They get the same fuel economy, only Yukon has power AND is way better in winter.

[Pekan]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

Wait for the Toyota Stout.

Taliban approved!

Somehow I think they'll still cost $30K in Canada....

[Grizzly Adams1]

I settled on a Ford Escape as the best compromise, I have to be able to get to town, so all wheel drive is a must. Imagine my surprise when I ordered the repair manual , as I always do, to find it was a joint Ford. Mazda project. Love it.

[Ackleyman]

Honda CRV if having truck box is not needed, they scoot around pretty good and when 4x4 is needed they will do their job. Easy to drive / park for wifey and fuel economy is great. Good little grocery getter.

[elkhunter11]

Tacomas are terrible on fuel, my F-150 does better than my Tacoma did. If you don't need a truck, get a CRV or Rav4.

[Big Sky]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

Not sure I am following you on woman friendly since they come in all makes and models.

Ditto. About the only feature that would be 'woman friendly' would be the ability to adjust the seating for smaller height persons.

Though she be but little, she is fierce!

Anyhow, interested in this thread as we are looking at replacing my wife's current vehicle. She wants a small truck. We're looking at Colorado/Canyon and Ranger with some of the 'not real trucks' like Maverick and Ridgeline having a small chance.

Hoping that people chime in with honest real world experiences. I find that most forums are full of fan-boys.

[MR.K]

Just my two cents worth
The most expensive thing about vehicle ownership is MAINTENANCE
My first Tacoma I had for 9.5 years and went 340,000km. I did the front brakes at 225,000km and still had 25% left. Sold it and bought Toyota again twice since.

[MK2750]

I was determined to buy one of the smaller mid sized trucks. Canyon, Colorado, Tacoma and Ranger were all in the running. I ended up with a full sized 1500 GMC with the V8. 100 times more comfortable, safer and pretty much the same fuel economy. We have several of the Rangers at work for company vehicles and several guys driving Tacoma so they actually had the inside track. I would probably buy the Canyon with a different drive train.

[Dean2]

One option not mentioned is the Jeep Wrangler, comes is 2 and 4 door. If you get the base model without all the options that tend to give issues and the 6 cylinder, automatic, they are very reliable, great on gravel, on really rough roads it will stand up better than a Rav, and get about 25 mpg all round on average for fuel economy. It actually did much better than the 6 cylinder 4Runner we had for both power and gas mileage. Other big advantage is parts are a whole bunch cheaper. 220,000 Klms with just normal maintenance, plugs, brakes, oil and tires, which the Toyota did too but it only had about 150,000 klms when we sold it.

[elkhunter11]

If you must have a cargo box, and ground clearance and towing aren't an issue, the Ridgeline and Maverick get far better fuel mileage than the mid sized trucks. A hunting partner has a Ridgeline, and the GF has a Maverick, and if they do quite well as economical commuters with a cargo box. And they are both low and easy to get into, for a short person, if that is an issue.

[W921]

Originally Posted by Dean2

One option not mentioned is the Jeep Wrangler, comes is 2 and 4 door. If you get the base model without all the options that tend to give issues and the 6 cylinder, automatic, they are very reliable, great on gravel, on really rough roads it will stand up better than a Rav, and get about 25 mpg all round on average for fuel economy. It actually did much better than the 6 cylinder 4Runner we had for both power and gas mileage. Other big advantage is parts are a whole bunch cheaper. 220,000 Klms with just normal maintenance, plugs, brakes, oil and tires, which the Toyota did too but it only had about 150,000 klms when we sold it.

Jeep was first thing I thought of. Im very familiar with old jeeps. I went to a dealer and I couldn't believe what I was looking at. First thing was price. You can spend 80,000 for one. This new jeep was just jeep in name only. Even grill was plastic. Nothing rugged or simply about these new jeeps. I started asking the salesman drivetrains questions and he had no clue except it was a gasoline engine. He could go on and on about features and stuff i had no interest in.
With Toyota and Honda there are no dealers anywhere halfway close to us but I guess with a new or newer vehicle hopefully nothing breaks anytime soon. Been looking at used Toyota trucks on line and they really seem to hold there value so I'm thinking a lot of people seem to think they are a good truck.

[W921]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

If you must have a cargo box, and ground clearance and towing aren't an issue, the Ridgeline and Maverick get far better fuel mileage than the mid sized trucks. A hunting partner has a Ridgeline, and the GF has a Maverick, and if they do quite well as economical commuters with a cargo box. And they are both low and easy to get into, for a short person, if that is an issue.

Ground clearance very important because roads dont really get plowed or graded much so deep snow drifts and mud,frozen ruts,etc.
She doesn't need a truck bed.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by W921

Ground clearance very important because roads dont really get plowed or graded much so deep snow drifts and mud,frozen ruts,etc.
She doesn't need a truck bed.

The Ridgeline and Maverick aren't really low, they just don't have the ground clearance of a typical truck.