I would agree that there isn't a factory built, road legal, 4x vehicle that would beat a modern Jeep. I had a '97 TJ for 20 years and had no more problems with it than any other 4x4 vehicle I've owned, and I've owned more tha a few.
Fun for long highway drives - no
Good gas mileage - no
But then neither of those things were design goals.
Of the twenty plus vehicles I've owned over the years, none had a fun factor equaling the Jeep. And when I sold it after 20 years, I got more than 1/2 what I paid for it new. Match that with your Taco.
Bought a Taco with 80k on it for 6 grand. Didn't put a dime other than brake pads and wiper blades into it for another 150k miles.
Sold it for 2k.
Having owned both - there isn't anyone I know personally that has those kind of miles on a Jeep without issues. FOR ME the Taco lasts longer, more comfortable, more useful for hunting, camping etc and less expensive to own.
I'm not telling anyone what to own or drive - just that FOR ME, a Jeep would never be my daily.
In actuality, the best vehicle I've ever owned of any stripe was a CVPI.
