Welcome to another Shitbox Showdown! In this second-to-last installment of our Route 66 journey, we’re stopping in Flagstaff, Arizona to look at a couple of vehicles that look all off-roady but aren’t really. But first we have to see if the Toyota name is worth twice the price:
Heh. Well, I guess that settles that. Can’t ask Bring A Trailer money for a Bob’s Auto Ranch-quality truck, even if it does say Toyota on the back. Best of luck to the seller, but most of us are more than happy to Dodge that high price.
When you think of SUVs and crossovers, certain characteristics come to mind: four doors, a two-box layout with a rear hatch, and, typically, four- or all-wheel-drive. In some parts of the country, the idea of buying an SUV without 4WD is frankly ridiculous; you want the extra traction for snow, or for off-roading. But for the majority of use that most SUVs see, two-wheel-drive would do just fine, and most of them were available that way at one time or another. My wife and I have had three 2WD SUVs – a Toyota 4Runner, a Nissan Pathfinder, and an Infiniti QX4 – and all were perfectly useful, practical, tough vehicles, just not suitable for use in a snowstorm. The biggest problem with them, frankly, is resale value.
Today’s contenders were both available with 4WD or AWD, but the original buyers of these two opted not to check that box on the options form. Are they still worth a look? Absolutely. Which one pulls off 2WD better? You tell me.
1994 Jeep Cherokee Sport – $2,800
Engine/drivetrain: 4.0 liter overhead valve inline 6, four-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Odometer reading: 168,000 miles
Runs/drives? Yep!
At first glance, you’d think this Jeep Cherokee had it all: it’s green, it’s rust-free, and it’s equipped with that stuff-of-legends four-liter inline six. It’s an automatic, but at least it’s a good automatic in these, so we’ll let that slide. But one look at the interior would tell you something was a bit off: the customary transfer case lever alongside the center console is missing. Peek under the front end, and your suspicions would be confirmed: Yes, someone back in 1994 actually ordered a Cherokee Sport without 4WD.
This Jeep could be prettier, but we’ve all gotten so used to seeing scruffy beat-up Cherokees that it doesn’t matter much. The lack of rust is the key; anything else it might need bolts on, and shiny paint on an old SUV is overrated. The driver’s seat is pretty nasty, but a replacement should be easy to find.
The seller doesn’t give us much to go on regarding its mechanical condition; all we get is “runs decent” and “good tires.” But any mechanical foibles these have are well-documented, so it shouldn’t be hard to keep it on the road. You should even be able to convert it to 4WD, with a few junkyard parts.
Is it worth the trouble to add in a driven front axle? I wouldn’t have thought so a few years ago, but XJ Cherokees aren’t getting any newer, and demand for them isn’t going away. Cheap 4WD ones are usually pretty rough these days, so this 2WD Cherokee might make a better starting point for a build. Or just keep driving it as it is, and save a couple miles per gallon.
2003 Pontiac Aztek – $3,600
Engine/drivetrain: 3.4 liter overhead valve V6, four-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Odometer reading: 146,000 miles
Runs/drives? Indeed!
The Pontiac Aztek is possibly unique in the automotive world, having become infamous for no other reason than its controversial styling. Mechanically, it’s identical to Buick’s Rendezvous, and not too different from a whole lot of other GM vehicles over the past few decades: a transverse V6 with an automatic, front-wheel-drive, mediocre handling, reasonable comfort, all that jazz. But wrap all that in a package that most buyers found absolutely hideous, and suddenly you have a legend for all the wrong reasons.
This Aztek claims to be a “Trail Boss” model, and has badges on the back fenders to back it up, but I can’t find any record of there ever having been an Aztek Trail Boss. And you would think with a name like that, such a trim level would include all-wheel-drive, but this car is only 2WD. I get the feeling somebody just stuck the decals on. What it does include, however, is one of the Aztek’s more clever options – a “camping package” that includes a pop-up tent that fits over the hatch, and an air mattress that fits inside.
Of course, they couldn’t have bothered to erect the rear tent for a photo, but here’s what it looks like in place:
Generally, this Aztek is in good shape, and the seller says it has new tires and the air conditioning works. Yeah, the styling isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but personally I like it. And the interior materials are typical cheap-shit GM plastic. But if you can look past that, you’ve got a reasonably comfortable, reasonably reliable vehicle that can do a lot, including camp.
Buying an SUV or crossover without four wheel drive might sound foolish, but unless you really need the added traction, it kind of makes sense. You save a little on fuel, and greatly simplify maintenance. Of course, if you do need 4WD, these two are non-starters. But let’s assume you don’t. Which one of these fits your lifestyle?
(Image credits unless noted: Craigslist sellers)
If I actually pulled the trigger on this Aztek, would DT send me the console cooler he has to complete the package?
Wife had an 01 Aztek and we freaking loved that thing. We had the tent and used it many times. Had to sell it for a minivan with 3rd row seats. Miss that Aztek, would love to find a nice one again some day.
XJ all day. Really reliable and you can probably get parts at the dollar store. been daily driving a 2wd for nearly 15 years and it gets the job done. Prices are getting crazy for even the 2wd. as long if its not rusty. That seat gotta go tho!
Aaaaaaaaaah that one is reeeeeally hard ! I like both of them and they seem in relatively good shape… The tent is a cool bonus but I guess I will stick to the XJ, that should be easier to fix and cheaper to run in the long term.
Dare I say that I’ve had my fill of XJ content. (My apologies to DT) it seems like 2-3 times a week there is some content that invovles the XJ.
Needless to say, I voted for the Aztek.
I’ve driven plenty of vehicles in my life, but the only one I ever really hated driving…and I mean HATED driving…was an old Cherokee XJ I had as a loaner for six weeks or so. Part of it could be blamed on its worn-out status (it was probably 20 years old at the time), but part of it I could tell were just the poor vehicle dynamics. Plus it was much smaller on the inside that it appeared on the outside, so it felt very cramped for my 6’1″ frame. Love the Autopian, but I’m an XJ hater. Based upon that experience, no amount of XJ love on this site will ever convert me. I’ll take the Aztek every time.
You would think this site would be called the XJtopian with all of the XJ content posted here! ＼(´ ε｀ )／
I have to agree with you on the interior size, it was like a reverse TARDIS where it’s somehow smaller on the inside. My friends mom had one when I was a kid and even as kids the backseat felt cramped to us.
Mark, great article as usual. Hmmm, I can’t tell if I want to play the part of Mama Fratelli or Walter White. Maybe I’ll buy the tent off the Aztek owner, buy the XJ, pitch a tent on some beach in Oregon, cook meth, cops come, lead them on a chase, and surrender myself. Sounds like a great novella!
ORV! ORV with bullet holes the size of matzah balls!
A RWD XJ is still an XJ, and that makes it the right choice today. I actually owned a 4×2 XJ and it was perfectly fine. It came with extra wheels with snow tires mounted on. The ground clearance was still nice and I got around fine. As an added bonus, it got +2 MPG over other 4×4 XJs I’ve owned, which I chalk up to reduced weight and parasitic drag on the drivetrain.
Know what a 2WD Cherokee is? It’s a station wagon. For much of the late 20th century, millions of Americans drove RWD station wagons, and that was perfectly fine.
Unless off-roading is your hobby, there isn’t much need for 4WD in most of the desert southwest. (Well, Flagstaff gets snow due to its elevation.) During the early small SUV era, tons of 2WD SUV were sold in the southwest, and they were perfectly fine.
I’ll take the XJ.
There was no “Trail Boss” Aztek. The seller just got some decals for a newer Silverado and slapped them on there. That said, I’ll take that FWD platform over a 2WD XJ
I’d rather own a Rendezvous before an Aztek. Never saw Breaking Bad, nor do I care for the Aztek anyways. The Rendezvous, at least, I have history of since my first and only real vacation was taken in one.
I’d rather have an XJ anyways.
The Aztek here makes more sense than the Cherokee. These are words I never thought I’d type, but here we are.
Aztek all the way. I spent my teenage years in an XJ, that was enough, thank you.
Great comparison choices, Mark!
My best friends’ mom had an XJ when I was growing up, and even as a not-fully-grown human I realized how cramped and uncomfortable that thing was. I know I could add 4WD to the Jeep, but my life’s busy–I’m not gonna. Taking these vehicles as they are, the Aztek is just going to be a significantly more comfortable and more practical daily hauler, even if the tent is probably rotted to shit.
I’d be shocked if the tent and air mattress were useable at this point. I bet there’s no pic of the tent up because it would disintegrate if you tried. I live in snow country so I wouldn’t take either, but turning the Jeep into something decent seems like an interesting project at least.
I can’t believe I voted for the Aztek, but it’s maybe the better deal. The Jeep is customizable, but as a project base needs to be cheaper. And I’ll admit, when the Azteks came out, I found them so ugly they’re fun. Probably wouldn’t actually buy one, but there’s some appeal.
When these came out, my friends and I ridiculed them and called them “Ass-teks”. Breaking Bad changed all that. Now they’re cool. I’ll take the Aztek.
I don’t know what drugs you’ve done to make you think the Aztek has attained cool status – it hasn’t – but it still seems like a better choice than the XJ that appears to have been inhabited by an extremely sweaty, filthy being.
Never thought I’d choose an Aztek over anything, but here we are. (Not that I can actually vote, since the poll never appears, regardless of what browser/device combo I’m using. This is the only site where I’ve got my adblocking turned OFF, it’s whitelisted, and yet – no poll, ever.)
A RWD XJ is about as useless as tits on a boar. I’m pretty sure someone shit in the front seats of this one, and someone else pissed on the backseat. Sure, you could convert it to 4×4, but why bother when 99.99999% of them already comes that way.
Aztec with the tent? This is beyond awesome.
I voted for the XJ, it could be made nicer with a Saturday of good cleaning and some junkyard bits if you get lucky. I live in Colorado so these still pop up all the time. I did notice it looks to have temps tags in one of the photos though, that always makes me nervous.
The Aztec was so far ahead of its time. People pay ridiculous money nowadays to strap an aftermarket tent to their roof.
Tough choice for me. If the Aztec was AWD, I would have gone for that in a second. Went with the Jeep figuring it was easy to convert to 4WD.
The jeep is the way to go. Most people who are building a offroad rig, heavily modify them anyway, and this would be a good base to start with. You could pull the parts from a junkyard and double your money with a flip too.
Both are great choices but the Aztek is the peak of gm design and engineering and will never be topped. Aztek all the way.
For once, I like them both. Aztec looks to be in much better condition.
Honestly? Cheap shit GM plastic is the kind of thing you want in a SUV campingmobile – the inside is more likely to get dirty than the outside anyway, so might as well have something easy to clean that doesn’t leave you feeling guilty if you don’t.
Well, I’ve always wondered what it’d take to get me to vote for an Aztek over anything else. Apparently making the other vehicle one where the previous driver literally shat himself in the driver’s seat will push the needle in favor of the Aztek for me.
But seriously, it comes with the tent? I feel like the “Ackshully the Aztek is a cool car, and it aged really well” hipsters would pay that asking price just for the hard-to-find tent accessory.
What’s next? Are you going to make me pick a PT Cruiser tomorrow and make me question everything I thought I knew about my automotive preferences?
Cherokee Nation
Actually, Hopi and Navajo
Maybe he’s just a big Paul Revere & the Raiders fan!