What am I missing UTV vs. Jeep

[jpc01101]

I used to own a Wrangler and now own a Tundra 4x4 (which I love). I also have a Honda Pioneer 700-4 to use around our property. I have been thinking of getting a new UTV with windows/air/heat, etc. but when I look at the price I'm thinking I could get an older jeep for cheaper, have heat and roll down windows and go pretty much the same places (assuming good, aired down tires, etc). Anyone that has the tricked out Defenders or Expeditions, what am I missing, is it worth $30k plus for a rig you can't even get into and drive to the next state? Just looking for real-world experiences.

 

[belshawelk]

If you talking about just driving around a flat or a property with roads then Jeep makes sense. UTV goes places a jeep cant especially of there are roads. I owned a jeep and its was fine but I would never trade my UTV for one with what I need it for and where I go. Honesty for western hunting I would need to trailer the jeep or UTV the same. I have to have my truck to load all the gear in. Couldn't get it all in a jeep.

My 2 cents. Worth about 1 cent.

 

[jpc01101]

Thanks! Do you have a RZR or similar? Something performance related? Maybe I'm not realizing how much difference there is because I have a pretty tame Pioneer.

 

[Straight Arrow]

We own a Jeep Wrangler that drives nicely on paved highways as well as backcountry established roads. However, the Polaris RZR with chains on rear wheels gets me to places from where I hike to hunt elk and sometimes gets me close enough to haul the elk out. The UTV has a roof and net doors, but no heat, no AC, no music, only front and rear windows. I would never attempt to drive the Jeep to places the UTV drives to easily.

If you need luxury in the outback, then the UTV with all the bells and whistles ... and the hefty price tag ... is the ride for you. But likely you won't go where more basic UTVs travel.

 

[D4570]

Weight, tires, and suspension are all better on a UTV. The wheels are on the very ends of the UTV; a Jeep has way more body overhang.

 

[marksjeep]

I hunt out of my jeep quite a bit. Room to haul gear sucks, even with the back seat removed. Stock-ish jeep vs UTV, I'd look at UTVs first. My jeep is built for rocks, so it goes where I need it to. But I can still drive on the highway to get to wherever I am hunting. It's a nice balance of convenience and capability. I would weigh the reliability factor in here too. Comparing an old jeep to a new sxs is not apples to apples. Food for thought.

 

[Dan-06]

I’m a jeep guy. I like the fact that they can be built to do anything. We built a yj wrangler for 15k. The repair costs on jeep are a third the cost. My daughter is trying to sell her jeep now for fuel consumption reasons. Her car gets 35mpg. She needs 5300 for it. 4 inch lift . 2 sets of tires. New heater, radiator, oil pump, coil packs, spark plugs, cam position sensor.

 

[Gr8bawana]

A UTV is ready to be used as intended from the get go. Sadly a Jeep needs to be built or greatly upgraded to do something it should already be able to do.

 

[MTGomer]

I have a 2023 Rubicon extreme recon.

I am just finishing up driving it back from Arizona right now. in fact, I am currently using talk to text as I steer it with my knee, with my cruise control set at 83 mph. Can’t do that with a side by side. It goes a lot of places. I did put aftermarket shocks on it. I did not change the height, it’s just that the OEM ride quality leaves a lot to be desired. I put ADS Mesa 2.5 on it and it has been a game changer in smoothness. Aside from that the only addition is a winch

35 inch tires down to about 18 pounds off road rides very well

The guys that I guide with have Polaris generals. They are awesome too, but they’re always dragging a trailer around. They can zip around in the desert faster than I can, but by the time they unload and all that it’s probably a wash in time.

 

[mtmuley]

I work with a guy that sold a decked out UTV. Added a bit and bought a Chevy Colorado. He's happy. mtmuley

 

[Straight Arrow]

as I steer it with my knee

cruise control set at 83 mph

One of those guys?! Not something to boast about. 'Hope your luck holds out ... and hope I don't have to share the same road with you.
Full disclosure: yep, I'm one of those old grouches who yells at clouds and vehicles exceeding 80 mph.

 

[MTGomer]

I'm one of those old grouches who yells at clouds and vehicles exceeding 80 mph.

Drove through Bozeman today. It appears everybody shares your sentiment. Driving the speed limit in town is so much faster than the pace of traffic it feels illegal.

Don’t worry, the Reed Point stretch of i-90 is pretty desolate and I used my hand once the wind kicked up.

There’s a con of a jeep. Even the new ones are like driving a sheet of plywood down the highway when it gets windy. Similar to them old ford econoline vans.

 

[Art Vandeley]

I work with a guy that sold a decked out UTV. Added a bit and bought a Chevy Colorado. He's happy. mtmuley

I’ve been considering doing this, adding a lift, tires, winch to an older Nissan frontier or Colorado, would trailer it to where I use it. Looking at the prices of the SxS’s I want and knowing you can only get 5-10k miles out of them is a head scratcher..

 

[jimh406]

SxS have better suspensions, but UTVs don't by much if you air the tires down on both. I'd buy a Jeep. I have a 2017 Polaris Ranger 570 Midsize. It's smaller than a Jeep, but won't do everything a Jeep can. My UTV top speed is about 50. When you add the full hard top on a UTV, the center of gravity goes up, of course.

A guy on another site just priced out a loaded UTV as $60K. He did find a better deal but it was still over $50K.

 

[brymoore]

Jeep or UTV?

 

[MTLabrador]

I’ve been considering doing this, adding a lift, tires, winch to an older Nissan frontier or Colorado, would trailer it to where I use it. Looking at the prices of the SxS’s I want and knowing you can only get 5-10k miles out of them is a head scratcher..

I’ve been wishing I kept my old 90s Ranger. Piece it together with suspension, super aggressive tires, and lockers as a beater SxS over the years.

 

[buckbull]

I’ve been wishing I kept my old 90s Ranger. Piece it together with suspension, super aggressive tires, and lockers as a beater SxS over the years.

Those old rangers would be perfect. Smaller than alot of the SxS these days.

 

[Art Vandeley]

Jeep or UTV?

I’ve always thought I don’t need anything more than a pickup. But after hunting with someone who had a SxS this year, I’m having second thoughts..they cover a lot of rough road quick

 

[MTLabrador]

I’ve always thought I don’t need anything more than a pickup. But after hunting with someone who had a SxS this year, I’m having second thoughts..they cover a lot of rough road quick

Ideally I’d like to find an older Honda rancher in decent enough shape. They’re simple and reliable. The side by sides are nice, but there’s a lot to be said for an ATV that can fit in the back of a pickup.

 

[jpc01101]

I’ve always thought I don’t need anything more than a pickup. But after hunting with someone who had a SxS this year, I’m having second thoughts..they cover a lot of rough road quick

Think that’s because we are all too lazy to air down? When I used to jeep a bit I’d air down and things got WAY smoother.