I am quoting myself here, but I think its still valid.
I find it amusing that every "New Model" thread becomes like an adaptation of the The Four Yorkshiremen.
T'old model were so tuff, missus cooked breakfast on manifold and served 'em wi' chips on't bonnet. New "INSERT MODEL" just doesn't taste right, all soft n fluffy like".
I don't hate it, and in fact look forward to its introduction. I read a piece by Alan Whiting, and experienced 4wd journalist, who touched on a conversation about the reliability of newer 4wds. Alan states that in his [considerable] experience newer 4wds are more reliable than ever before, and if there issues they tend to be, in order with components of the vehicle such "punctures, electrical issues, cooling and fuel system troubles, and suspension breakages" to paraphrase from his article.
Mine for example is an IFS Cruiser. "Soft as soft, can't believe Toyota ever changed the 80 series...blah blah blah". You can't tell me that my vehicle is not better than an 80 in almost every possible way, save for the fact that the front suspension cannot be raised significantly. That is not to say that the 80 series wasn't a terrific vehicle, it was and is, for its time. In fact I believe my current vehicle to be superior to the earlier live axle 100s I owned, except for the same limitation of suspension. But that same suspension delivers a superior driving experience day in and day out.
I do agree that modern 4wds are all starting to look similar, and the same thing is happening with all vehicles including sedans and motorcycles.
