Good question, I'm not sure :^o
I always thought (from conversation's I've had) that the Range Rover is not equipped with low and diff locks. To get that stuff one would have to step over to the Land Rover!? I guess I'm wrong.
Thanks for correcting me on that. If Range Rover has the same off-road computer system that Land Rover has then I'm game
This is a funny thread. Range Rover and Land Rover are all pretty much the same thing in terms of the internals regarding 4x4 since 2005. You cannot get either with-out low range and a locking center differential. You could always choose the option for a locking rear differential on any Rover (full size, sport or lr3/4) On the Supercharged versions, the locking rear diff was standard on all years. On lr3's it was included in any car under the "Heavy Duty" option which included the rear diff and a full size spare rather than a doughnut.
On all of them the locking center or rear was not user definable but rather automatically selected by the computers based on when it sensed it necessary in certain "terrain response" modes.
One of the posts above lists the RRSport as a street car, well, most of these silly cars, ALL Touaregs included, when in stock form from the dealer, are "street" cars simply by nature of the ridiculous wheels and tires. This is however an easy thing to change on all models.
No offense meant, but the Rovers, all of them, are without doubt
more "capable" in the worst off road situations simply by nature of having longer wheel travel/articulation made quite capable by way of cross valved air suspension and terrain response computer nannies. Now, how much more may often be slight but when you need it, I suppose then it's a big deal. You may have to work hard to find those situations though.
I wouldn't doubt the engines in the Touareg are better though.
If the question is not about which are more fun to drive at speed (Touareg with air and RRS supercharged), which are more comfortable, etc. (full size RR / Touareg), or which has more cargo space (LR3 then full size RR, then RRS & Touareg), or which are built with better materials (Touareg, full size RR, RRS/lr4, lr3 last)...then you really have to allow non stock tires and wheels and the rovers all surpass the Touareg, sadly, because the Touareg is really cool, especially now with the economical V6 tdi and the amazingly fun V10 tdi.
I know nothing at all about the 4 Runner but I would bet, it allows for bigger tires than any of the VW/Rover options due to a different suspension design. The Touareg is really limited to a 31.5" tire +/- due to body and suspension arm design, all of the rovers have the same basic dimensional limitations in the wheel wells and the most you can get without never rubbing, is the same 31.5" bfg at ko, but no rubbing at all, whereas the Touareg rubs a little at full turns and would rub more at full articulation, but it's articulation being so limited, keeps this from happening.
The lr3 with equal rubbing can use a 32.5" tire. With a cheap swap to fool the air suspension height controllers, the lr3 can run 32.5" tires with no rubbing but then sits higher after the mod which is not entirely safe. There is no reason to try that mod on a Touareg because the driver can already maximize the suspension height using the dial up to certain speeds whereas the lr's all require slower speeds and other intervention before max height is induced.
Now, regardless of whether the 4 Runner comes with a rear locker or not, ARB has been making bomber lockers for the Toyotas for many years and that should be considered too. Just because a vehicle does or does not come stock with this or that feature, doesn't mean it should be ruled out if the aftermarket makes it equally as viable. For such hard core things, neither the Rovers nor the VW allow for that level of modification. However, the VW has nearly zero aftermarket options while the rovers have quite a lot though still limited when compared to older Land Cruisers, rovers, Jeeps, etc.
So, there you go. The 4x4 capabilities of the vw are however, enough for most people in most situations. So, which one is better may be irrelevant in real life. Get a v6 tdi and bring less crap.
