Pull up to any camping spot across Australia and you’ll see the diversity of the 4WD community. It’s not about the size of your wallet or the inches of your lift kit – it’s about the shared hunger for adventure and the stories you collect along the way.

Take Ebony Price’s nimble Suzuki Jimny and Lachie Meiss’s imposing Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series. Both wrapped in that perfect sandy beige that seems made for dusty tracks, these two couldn’t be more different in approach, yet more aligned in purpose.

The Jimny darts through tight spots like a mountain goat, while the LandCruiser powers through obstacles with the confidence of a freight train. Yet ask either owner about their weekend plans, and you’ll hear the same excitement about hitting the trails and sleeping under the stars.

As Ebony puts it: “It’s about the experience, the challenge, and creating something that’s uniquely yours.” Lachie echoes it with his own twist: “Once you’ve built these rigs properly, every drive puts a massive grin on your face.”

2020 Suzuki JB74 Jimny

Ebony’s 2020 JB74 Jimny came to her already wearing its adventure credentials – Warn winch, ARB accessories, protection sliders and a two-inch Tough Dog suspension lift. However, at first glance, you might wonder if this little 1.5-litre machine can keep up with the big boys.

“I wanted something that could handle itself on tough tracks but still fit in a shopping centre car park,” Ebony explains. “Plus, there’s something satisfying about taking lines that bigger rigs simply can’t attempt.”

The interior maintains a practical approach: MOLLE panels for organisation, space for a compact fridge, and gear chosen for weight over bragging rights. This isn’t about competing with V8s on the highway – it’s about squeezing the most out of a small, capable platform.

Her High Country trips prove the point. Where others might need alternate routes, the Jimny slips through gaps and climbs grades that challenge much larger machines. As Ebony says with a grin: “Simple, dependable and absolutely addictive to drive.”

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 2019 Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series 

Then there’s Lachie’s 2019 79 Series LandCruiser in matching Sandy Taupe – long wheelbase, V8 turbo-diesel grunt and factory twin lockers. This isn’t just transport; it’s a serious touring statement.

“Owning a 79 Series was always the dream,” Lachie admits. “Sure, it’s become a bit of a cliché, but there’s a reason these things have the reputation they do.”

After buying the rig in 2023, Lachie stripped away the previous owner’s mods and rebuilt it to his own vision: four-inch Dobinson/Superior suspension, 35-inch Nitto Trail Grapplers, a custom Hunted Engineering tray, and colour-matched Rhino Rack systems.

His destinations read like a touring checklist – Fraser Island, the High Country, Tasmania, and the Flinders Ranges. Each trip reaffirming his choice: “The combination of sound, torque and capability creates something genuinely special,” he adds.

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Short wheelbase vs long wheelbase for off-roading

Short wheelbase advantages

  • Quick changes of direction
  • Tight turning radius
  • Easier parking
  • Lighter footprint on sensitive terrain
  • Tackles technical sections longer rigs must bypass

Long wheelbase advantages

  • Superior load carrying
  • Stable highway manners
  • Better approach on steep climbs
  • Comfort for long-distance touring
  • Space for serious recovery gear

Cost of building an off-road rig

The financial side tells its own story.

The Jimny represents accessible adventure – proof that memorable experiences don’t require stretching the credit card. Ebony’s rig even earned Show N Shine runner-up at the National 4×4 Outdoors Show, showing that thoughtful mods beat throwing cash at problems.

The LandCruiser sits in a different bracket. Purchase price, mods and running costs are higher, but depreciation is minimal and capability borders on legendary. As Lachie reflects: “The opportunities this rig has created have been incredible. Sometimes the ‘typical farm truck’ opens doors you never expected.”

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Which 4WD setup suits your style?

Strip away the size, power and price tags, and these two rigs share plenty of common ground. Both wear sandy paint like a badge of dusty honour. Both are built for purpose over flash.

Ebony focuses on minimalism: “I build for how I actually adventure, not how I think I should.” Lachie pursues maximum capability: “This rig needs to handle anything Australia can throw at it, from coast to coast.”

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Whether your rig costs thirty grand or three times that, weighs 1500kg or 2500kg, the real magic happens when you point it down a track and see where curiosity leads. The Jimny proves that big adventures don’t need big rigs. The LandCruiser shows why maximum capability matters for some explorers. Both get you dirty, both create stories, and both remind you why weekends in the bush beat weekends anywhere else.

At the end of a great trail day, covered in dust and grinning from ear to ear, the size of your rig matters far less than the size of your appetite for adventure. That’s the real sandy soulmate connection.

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