Great thread idea....
Since I'd only owned street cars built for street performance, when I decided I wanted to get into off-roading, I started looking into 4x4 options more than 1.5 years before I wound up ordering my KK. I knew I needed a 4x4 that would be versatile for daily driving for work (in dress clothes), hauling my niece, nephew and friends, hauling cargo for various remodeling projects, etc. but didn't want some gigantic beast or pick-up.
I considered:
1. Jeep KJ Liberty - Really liked the off-road mods I found on LOST in 2007 (and thought it had well-suited versatility for my needs) but then found out the Liberty was being (partly) redesigned for 2008 and I liked some of the feature refinements it was going to include and the boxier look, including with a little more room. Of course, I had no idea it would take so long to get the KK some serious off-road aftermarket product options like bumpers.
2. Hummer H3 - Loved the exterior styling and off-road capabilities even in stock form, but couldn't stand the interior (had them as rentals in Colorado a couple times) and they certainly seemed pricey versus other options, and seriously major gas hogs at that.
3. Nissan Xterra - Liked the exterior rugged styling and available off-road aftermarket, but the interior and features available weren't sufficient for what I wanted for my street driving needs.
4. Toyota Pathfinder - Nothing special for exterior styling, but having had them lots as rentals in Colorado, they seem well thought-out. Call me old-school, but couldn't get interested in a non-domestic name plate (yeah, I understand probably better than most how globalized our products and economies have become), especially for a "nothing special" vehicle.
5. Jeep JK Wrangler - If I lived in, or adjacent to, the Rocky Mountains, I would've bought this to support mountain adventures every possible weekend. Living in Kansas City where urban needs dictate my 4x4's requirements most of the time, the JK had too spartan an interior and insufficient ability to haul cargo inside.
6. Toyota FJ - Didn't look too close at as, besides the non-domestic nameplate, couldn't get into the "fat turtle" exterior styling. I did note the aftermarket products available for it though.
For me, the KK is a great balance of:
A. Available off-road capability (when properly equipped) with good streetability.
B. Ability to haul inside cargo (via fold-flat rear seatback and fold-flat front passenger seat), plus ability to tow 5,000 lbs (when properly equipped).
C. Nice interior features available, which go well with my work attire (pesky tie, dress shirt, etc.) or when going out.
D. Good ability to haul my niece and nephew, and a couple adults.
E. More rugged appearance than most, but not all, other 4x4 or AWD "SUVs" out there.
F. Loved the Jeep enthusiast community and Jeep being a domestic nameplate with a proud tradition.
G. Price point didn't seem out of whack versus others.
Thus I decdided in 2008 I was going to get the KK Liberty, but I've never been a fan of buying the first production year of any vehicle so I held out and custom ordered my 2009 KK. I've been real pleased with my KK and my decision. The only thing that hasn't turned out as I had thought was given the off-road armor and product options I saw in 2007 that were available for the KJ Liberty, I was thinking they'd be available for the KK Liberty sooner. Combination of several factors, including horrible timing versus the downturn in the U.S. economy, the release of JK Unlimited 4-door, etc.(see
here for more discussion). That's why I've been forced into taking matters into my own hands and developing
KK Off-Road Armor myself.
_________________
2009 KK Limited 4x4Jeep Green/partially dechromed/Sunroof/OEM Skids/
Gray Leather/uConnect GPS-Nav/DVD Head Rests/
MtnLuvr's Off-Road Front Winch Bumper, Heavy Duty Rock Sliders, Heavy Duty Off-Road Rear Bumper/JBA 4" AaS Lift w/UCAs/16x8's w/ 245/75R16 GY MT/Rs
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