Jeep or CRV - the search for a toad continues

[Effy]

Narrowing down the search for a new toad that we can tow 4 down. DW's current Civic requires a dolly and it's a pain. So we drove the CRV and frankly she's not crazy about it. It's a great toad based on everything I have read but she just wasn't feeling it. She loves her civic BTW but she's committed to getting a 4 downer. We are also looking at the Jeep Wrangler unlimited. Again this appears to be a great toad. However it's about 1k heavier than the CRV and has a worse crash rating. Not horrible just not as good. Based on my numbers I can pull either although the Jeep gets me close to the max I can tow. I know I am opening this up to a perference thing but let me ask a few technical questions. Is one easier than the other to set up? Baseplates, brakes etc? Is one easier to hook up (riser vs drop reciever, the transmission prep for tow)She will require an automatic trans. Are the baseplates the same price? Does one tow better? You get the idea. The Jeep sure does have the fun factor for vacations but whatever we choose it will also be a daily driver. Not a commute per se as my wife works PT and very close to the house but it will be used as a standard vehicle. We are also considering relocating south - SC, Fla etc where the Jeep would be better suited but that's a bit down the road - pardon the pun. Ok, I digress, but back to basics. Is one technically easier, more suited for towing? Is one better as far as an overall vehicle ie; as maintenance and repairs and reliability? Thanks

[Effy]

OP here, I think we have decided on the CRV. The Jeep is a fine vehicle and we rented one on our last trip to FL. I was surprised at the road manners, It really felt more like an SUV. But a few things bothered me. Side impact ratings are not as good. To be expected when you can take the doors off - I get it. But with a child this is a concern for me. Secondly, it had 2 leaks. This was a brand new jeep mind you with only 1500 miles. Top was secure but at each side near the front at the top of the door, it leaked during a hard rain. Then there is the price. This is apples and oranges when comparing the Unlimited to a CRV. I can get a 2012 CRV for $16-18k but a comparably priced Unlimited will likley be a 2007 with 60k - 100k miles. Jeeps are just too expensive for what you get. I understand it's a "jeep" thing. They hold their value this is true. But I have to be frugal and responsable especially when this will act as a daily driver too. And lastly there is no way my Mother in Law can get into it. We care for my Wife's mother who has had a stroke and that often means taking her to appoinments etc. She simply would not be able to get into it short of lifting her up. Not doing that. I actually found the Unlimited cumbersome to get into myself. The running boards are too high and close to the door sill. It really made no sense. I mean why have them at all? They just got in the way. I hit my shins twice, and when I didn't, standing on the running boards puts you too high and then it feels like I am dropping down into a corvette. I am sure there is a reason for it, I didn't like it. Anyway, I liked the Jeep overall, I really did. I envisioned top down trips with the wind in my hair etc etc. But I have to be practical. If I could afford both I would. The CRV is a far more practical vehicle, especially as a daily driver. it may not be an offroad vehicle but we don't camp anywhere where we need or want to go off-road. The CRV's cost of ownership is much less than the Jeep. It may not be as fun but the CRV is the clear winner for our needs and budget. Thanks to all your input.

[mowermech]

If a Jeep Grand Cherokee can go across Elephant Hill near Moab, Utah, it will do anything any reasonable person could want it to do.
I known the Grand will go over elephant hill, I was there in a Wrangler Rubicon and watched it!
As for the ride in a Wrangler, I made several trips of 1500 miles and more (one way) in my Rubicon when I had it, and was quite comfortable. Turn on the A/C, get the right tunes on the stereo, set the cruise control for 75 MPH, and sit back and relax. I had an '05 Grand Cherokee for a while (the same one seen at Moab), but liked the Rubicon better.
I am Jeepless at the present time, and will probably remain that way. It is an economic decision, and a medical decision, that's all.
There will never be a Honda in my garage, unless it is a motorcycle or ATV.

[dubdub07]

Nothing like combining quotes! et2 is correct, the Cherokee is much nicer, rides great, and has a capability that far exceeds both the CRV and Pilot. The Pilot is an Odyssey mini-van with the CRV's rear clutch drive AWD. All wheel drive is different than 4wd. Honda does not have a locking transfer case but does try with a "locking" differential system that the minivan does not have.

RayChez, the Pilot is not a Wrangler, and never will be. It is an AWD variant of a minivan. The Cherokee shares nothing with any other vehicle and was specifically designed to be a capable off-roader AND comfy/fuel efficient highway driver. There is no reason NOT to look hard at a Cherokee.

dub

[et2]

RayChez wrote:

dubdub07 wrote:
et2 and others....

Food for thought; when the newest version of the Wrangler came out, many said it was no where NEAR as good as the older TJs (they are wrong). When the YJs came out they said the same about them and that the CJs were the best and why the change. Now the same about the new Cherokee, nay-sayers. The fact is that the new Cherokee is a lot more a 4X4 than the CRV, but will be just as comfy in most comparable equipped models. The BIG difference in the Wrangler vs the Cherokee is that the Wrangler is still solid axle/frame vs unibody front wheel drive with rear wheel drive when needed. The latter not ideal for the Rockies toughest, but not bad. It is what it is and I think people will always balk at change. I would buy 10 Cherokees before I bought one CRV.

Obviously you like Jeep. I had a Jeep Wrangler and it was not a good tow vehicle, but I carried it on a trailer specially made for the Jeep. I used it mostly for hunting in Utah and Colorado. But I would not want to take a long trip on it. It was very stiff suspension.

I also had a Honda Pilot 2005 four wheel drive and it was great for hunting also, but it also road like a Cadillac on the freeway.
And I do not know why the CRV would not be just as good out on rough terrain. You can get them in four wheel drive, and they have a very powerful engine. Put the proper tires on that baby and I believe you would be surprised at what it will do.

I really like the look of the Cherokee 2013 and I even took one for a test drive. I liked it, but when I asked the sales person if it was towable, he told me NO. So that is when I walked away and bought the CRV exl which I really like. Eighty miles per hour is nothing for that engine. And it tows really good. It is a very good vehicle getting up to 36 mpg on the road.

Not taking anything away from Jeep, but since Crysler bought them out they have really come up with some nice looking vehicles.

dub

I think he was comparing the new 2014 jeep cherokee to the CRV as a direct comparison. But I do see many people towing wranglers that seem to do so fine. If you did your research on the Cherokee as much as some do on the CRV you would find out that the 2014 Cherokee gives you 3 different drive trains to pick from. The active II is he one needed for flat towing.

The interior is superior to the CRV ( as noted by many reviews online) and the crash ratings are one of the best. The CRV is not available in a 6 cylinder as a option. The tow rating (if needed) is much less on the CRV which should tell you something about its structural integrity.

As far as the CRV being off road capable, it wasn't designed to be. The jeep is designed to be, and has options making it capable of doing what jeeps do to a point. It would leave the guys in the CRV wishing they made a better choice if off road travels was part of the reason they purchased the CRV.

If you looked at the Jeep with the 4 cylinder with a active II drive train it would have been comparable to the CRV in fuel mileage and every other category. But you would have purchased with the Jeep a superior drivetrain and way easier towing setup. Even many of the online reviews say the seats in the CRV are least to be desired. The seats in the Jeep are like lounge chairs.

[RayChez]

dubdub07 wrote:
et2 and others....

Food for thought; when the newest version of the Wrangler came out, many said it was no where NEAR as good as the older TJs (they are wrong). When the YJs came out they said the same about them and that the CJs were the best and why the change. Now the same about the new Cherokee, nay-sayers. The fact is that the new Cherokee is a lot more a 4X4 than the CRV, but will be just as comfy in most comparable equipped models. The BIG difference in the Wrangler vs the Cherokee is that the Wrangler is still solid axle/frame vs unibody front wheel drive with rear wheel drive when needed. The latter not ideal for the Rockies toughest, but not bad. It is what it is and I think people will always balk at change. I would buy 10 Cherokees before I bought one CRV.

Obviously you like Jeep. I had a Jeep Wrangler and it was not a good tow vehicle, but I carried it on a trailer specially made for the Jeep. I used it mostly for hunting in Utah and Colorado. But I would not want to take a long trip on it. It was very stiff suspension.

I also had a Honda Pilot 2005 four wheel drive and it was great for hunting also, but it also road like a Cadillac on the freeway.
And I do not know why the CRV would not be just as good out on rough terrain. You can get them in four wheel drive, and they have a very powerful engine. Put the proper tires on that baby and I believe you would be surprised at what it will do.

I really like the look of the Cherokee 2013 and I even took one for a test drive. I liked it, but when I asked the sales person if it was towable, he told me NO. So that is when I walked away and bought the CRV exl which I really like. Eighty miles per hour is nothing for that engine. And it tows really good. It is a very good vehicle getting up to 36 mpg on the road.

Not taking anything away from Jeep, but since Crysler bought them out they have really come up with some nice looking vehicles.

dub

[dubdub07]

et2 and others....

Food for thought; when the newest version of the Wrangler came out, many said it was no where NEAR as good as the older TJs (they are wrong). When the YJs came out they said the same about them and that the CJs were the best and why the change. Now the same about the new Cherokee, nay-sayers. The fact is that the new Cherokee is a lot more a 4X4 than the CRV, but will be just as comfy in most comparable equipped models. The BIG difference in the Wrangler vs the Cherokee is that the Wrangler is still solid axle/frame vs unibody front wheel drive with rear wheel drive when needed. The latter not ideal for the Rockies toughest, but not bad. It is what it is and I think people will always balk at change. I would buy 10 Cherokees before I bought one CRV.

dub

[et2]

RayChez wrote:

Ernest wrote:
My wife and I were definitely headed towards the CRV last fall. WE didn't need it till spring of this year so we were waiting. Along came the new Jeep Cherokee Limited and we fell in love with it. In the end it was a net $3k difference between a fully loaded Limited and a fully loaded CRV. It was easy to justify the difference between the two for us. I personally like the hard neutral in the Jeep for towing vs. CRV process. Nothing moves in the drive line of the Jeep. It clearly has good beach and gravel capability where the CRV has none.

The thing is Jeep has changed a lot with the exception of the (I believe it is called Wrangler), that is the all terrain Jeep. The others all look like most suv's in the market today. I was on the freeway yesterday and this suv passed me and my wife made a comment that there was so many versions of Jeep now and are really not designed for rugged out door driving, like the Wrangler. I would have to say the Jeep Cherokee falls into that category. They are not the Jeep we were all accustom to. So my point is for towing purposes, it really does not matter whether it is a Jeep or a CRV. They both will serve the purpose of transporting rvers back and forth.

I will say one thing about the CRV. The comfort of the seats is not as good as my Honda Pilot EXL. But again I did not pay 15K more for the CRV.:W

It's no Wrangler, but if you haven't done any research on the new Cherokee I can understand your thought. It's trail rated and some neat videos of its capabilities are available on you tube if you so inclined to watch them. Vehicles are being designed to be appealing- "crossovers". That doesn't necessarily mean they're not functional in the ways of the Jeep.

For most people who want to get off road and get in some decently rough terrain the properly equip Cherokee is very capable of doing it.

If you like a car the. The CRV is the better choice. If you want, and have the need for something more rugged with some added benefits, the jeep is everything the CRV is and some. There aren't to many vehicles in its class that come with a rear end lock if desired. It's also probably one of if not the easiest to flat tow if the correct trans is ordered. Just put in neutral and press the button and your done.

[tropical36]

Ernest wrote:
My wife and I were definitely headed towards the CRV last fall. WE didn't need it till spring of this year so we were waiting. Along came the new Jeep Cherokee Limited and we fell in love with it. In the end it was a net $3k difference between a fully loaded Limited and a fully loaded CRV. It was easy to justify the difference between the two for us. I personally like the hard neutral in the Jeep for towing vs. CRV process. Nothing moves in the drive line of the Jeep. It clearly has good beach and gravel capability where the CRV has none.

I think you'll find that the Cherokee will do a lot more than beach and gravel and if anything like my old Comanche pickup, will really surprise you as well.

[RayChez]

Ernest wrote:
My wife and I were definitely headed towards the CRV last fall. WE didn't need it till spring of this year so we were waiting. Along came the new Jeep Cherokee Limited and we fell in love with it. In the end it was a net $3k difference between a fully loaded Limited and a fully loaded CRV. It was easy to justify the difference between the two for us. I personally like the hard neutral in the Jeep for towing vs. CRV process. Nothing moves in the drive line of the Jeep. It clearly has good beach and gravel capability where the CRV has none.

The thing is Jeep has changed a lot with the exception of the (I believe it is called Wrangler), that is the all terrain Jeep. The others all look like most suv's in the market today. I was on the freeway yesterday and this suv passed me and my wife made a comment that there was so many versions of Jeep now and are really not designed for rugged out door driving, like the Wrangler. I would have to say the Jeep Cherokee falls into that category. They are not the Jeep we were all accustom to. So my point is for towing purposes, it really does not matter whether it is a Jeep or a CRV. They both will serve the purpose of transporting rvers back and forth.

I will say one thing about the CRV. The comfort of the seats is not as good as my Honda Pilot EXL. But again I did not pay 15K more for the CRV.:W

[Ernest]

My wife and I were definitely headed towards the CRV last fall. WE didn't need it till spring of this year so we were waiting. Along came the new Jeep Cherokee Limited and we fell in love with it. In the end it was a net $3k difference between a fully loaded Limited and a fully loaded CRV. It was easy to justify the difference between the two for us. I personally like the hard neutral in the Jeep for towing vs. CRV process. Nothing moves in the drive line of the Jeep. It clearly has good beach and gravel capability where the CRV has none.

[scarpi]

You need to buy what suits your needs. What is your definition of "off roading". If indeed it means truly hard core trails then probably a lifted wrangler is best. But If you want a vehicle that has a lot of comfort and convenience plus the latest tech features and will take you on typical forest trails other than something like the Rubicon trail then the Cherokee will fit the bill.

[dubdub07]

scarpi wrote:
If you got a Cherokee, you would need the Active Drive Two option to tow it flat. That option is available on the Latitude and Limited. It comes with the other items I mentioned previously in this thread. The Trailhawk comes with the Active Drive Lock 4x4 drive system which gives you a locking rear end for a little more 4x4 capability than Active Drive Two which does not have the locking rear end. If you're into really rock crawling and rougher off roading then the Active Drive Lock system is what you want. If your off roading consists of dirt, gravel, or pot hole forest roads, then Active Drive Two will probably be all you need.

If crawling and rougher is where you are headed I would read the reviews and think again. The new Cherokee is not meant to be a crawler or even a "rough" wheeler. If that is what you want for the same money you can get a Wrangler. A stock entry level 4x4 Wrangler will do more than a loaded Trailhawk.

This is just a biased opinion from a guy that really likes Jeeps and the new Cherokee but a realist. In the end the new Cherokee is just a front wheel drive SUV that has some off road capability.

And to flat tow, Jeep's website states that the Active Drive 2 with neutral is designed for flat tow capability and it is standard on Trailhawk and available on others as an option.

dub

[scarpi]

If you got a Cherokee, you would need the Active Drive Two option to tow it flat. That option is available on the Latitude and Limited. It comes with the other items I mentioned previously in this thread. The Trailhawk comes with the Active Drive Lock 4x4 drive system which gives you a locking rear end for a little more 4x4 capability than Active Drive Two which does not have the locking rear end. If you're into really rock crawling and rougher off roading then the Active Drive Lock system is what you want. If your off roading consists of dirt, gravel, or pot hole forest roads, then Active Drive Two will probably be all you need.

[et2]

RayChez wrote:
I agree that the Jeep Cherokee is like driving a station wagon very comfy, but they told me at the dealership that some of those are not towable.

It needs to be the active II drive train, an option but standard on the trailhawk (and limited I think). If you buy just front wheel drive it can be dolly towed. It's the active 1 drive train that can't be towed either way. A trailer would be needed for the active 1