While some might get lost in translation when trying to figure out exactly how many social media channels The Fast Lane brand has created so far, we do appreciate their work because they tend to mix it up with lots of automobile fun. Case in point, some of the members of the crew were recently out camping with a Toyota Tacoma and a Jeep Gladiator in Moab, Utah.
And because they like to keep things fresh and enjoyable, this latest video from The Fast Lane Truck YouTube channel once again mixes apples and oranges to make a rewarding rock-crawling juice. As such, they didn’t bring out the Tacoma and Gladiator as direct competitors because we’re dealing with a 2002 Toyota and a 2020 Jeep.
No worries, because in case this isn’t for you, we already have the 2002 “Baby Yota” Toyota Tacoma truck going against a more contemporary 2004 Ford F-150 pickup (nicknamed “Manatee” for pretty obvious reasons) for a classic trail face-off.
It’s actually the same one that pitted the 2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon we see here against a couple of modern representatives of the midsize segment, the Ford Ranger Tremor and the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro. By the way, that was a very interesting battle, to say the least.
On the other hand, on this Baby Yota vs. Big Boy Jeep encounter we’re not dealing with Colorado anymore. Instead, the TFL guys went for a nice little camping trip (although it’s still a bit cold during the night, as revealed at the 7:06 mark) to check out some of the famous trails in Moab, Utah.
We suspect they were actually there on a scouting mission, as they will soon embark on a new adventure with a trio of full-size trucks (dirt-cheap, beat-down representatives of the Ford, Chevy, Dodge-Ram feud). But that’s probably another story, as this time around, we’re interested if the little Baby Yota Tacoma cand hold its own against the modern Jeep Gladiator.
Both feature a few modifications—suspension lift kits, some aftermarket parts, and chunky tires are plain obvious—so they’re not so unevenly matched as one would assume from the get-go. Naturally, the Gladiator elegantly powers itself out of any rock-crawling situation (from the 1:15), but it’s also very expensive; they reckon it’s a $70k vehicle with everything they have on it.
On the other hand, everyone (including us) ended up thoroughly impressed by the Baby Yota (has its own Yoda figurine inside, of course) and its new-found off-roading capabilities. It’s mostly due to the recent enhancements it underwent, rather than sheer power (has a puny four-cylinder under the hood), as shown from the 2:20 and 4:55 marks.
Still, we thoroughly agree it’s truly deserving of the “mountain goat” comparison by the end of the adventure...
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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