True or false? A RAV 4 with AWD is a more capable off road/all terrain vehicle than a 2WD Tacoma.

I have a 4x4 off-road and a RAV4. In the snow Rav all day long. Off-road I am taking my Tacoma.

 

Focus people! OP stated a 2WD Taco / Rav4 AWD off roading capabability comparison . Both bring positives to the party; so a toss up IMO.

 

Having both. Tacoma. Unless the RAV4 gets a lift and 18's with better tires.

 

When I was young and unaware of consequences, I took my Cadillac Fleetwood down some goat trails. You'd be surprised how capable any vehicle can be if you don't give a shit about keeping it.


The Rav gets great traction. Would I go hard with it? That depends on whether I was financing or renting it.

 

Rav 4 honestly even if it was just front wheel drive without AWD. A rear wheel drive light weight pickup with no weight in the back is about the worst possible vehicle for low traction conditions.

 

it reads 10” of snow “,not off road capabilities

 

I'm going by the title of this thread but okay. Snow is a no brainer

 

Fleetwood? Nice. I had a ‘72 sedan. Pics of Fleetwood?

 

I had an 85 that I picked up from a little old lady for a song. Fun car.

I don't have many digitals of it though.

 

Youre right
I was going by the op
Mixed message

 

Answering just this question alone, I would pick the Rav4 all day long.

But I have had some fun with 5.0L Mustangs in deep snow. I would throw on some winter tires on it and some cable style 'chains'. They snow plowed every street I drove on but never got stuck. The LSD in the rear helped too. So a 2wd Tacoma in the right hands and right set up could be capable too.

 

Feels kind of bad that most of you fellas picked the RAV 4. Driving a neutered 2WD is already emasculating, but knowing that a RAV 4 can out work it in harsher conditions makes me want to buy a TRD Pro haha.

 

Not all off road driving is the same. A 2wd truck with good tires and decent ground clearance does OK in dry rocky desert terrain. But would be useless in sand, mud or deep snow. I've owned one 2wd truck in my 50 years of driving and set it up with aggressive tires. It was all but useless for where I drive. I hated that truck for the 2 years I owned it until I could afford to trade back into a 4X4. I'd choose the RAV-4 10 times out of 10.

 

Snow - rav4; any other kind of dry off-roading, Tacoma 2WD has superior geometry / clearance

 

My comparison might be similar to what this post is inquiring about in regards to performance in snow.
Same driveway, fairly steep, 4 to 6 inches and over 100 yards long
Ranger 2 wheel drive with tire chains on rear wheels vs Subaru Legacy all wheel drive, studded tires.
The Ranger made it about 25 ft before one rear wheel, with chains, was spinning ending all forward progress. The Subaru could make it all of the way.
With a 2 wd truck only one wheel is actually capable of putting power to the ground and when it loses traction, it's over. It would have better results with Posi Traction of course but still can't compare to what an all wheel drive can do.

 

Due to recent events, I now have both. A 2020 Tacoma 4x4 and a 2022 RAV4 Limited.
Guess I can answer this question after this next winter....

 

You have the fancy torque vectoring, be warned it takes LSD fluid but it performs very well when pushed.

I have no idea why the limited got it, not many customers ask a lot from a vehicle that has luxury trim.

 

My old AWD CRV with winter tires was a beast.

I know it would have out done a 2wd pickup truck. The rear of a pickup is too light without the aid of 4wd, or weight in the back. You see them sliding around in the snow.

 

Now that I own both a 2020 Tacoma and a 2024 Rav4 (4WD Taco but do drive it in 2WD) I'd definitely say it fully depends on drivers experience, tires and conditions, but all else being equal, Id almost assuredly say the Rav4.