Generally speaking, it's the reliability that keeps their loyal base. The 80 series cruiser that we don't get in the US is very reliable, especially with the turbo diesel. They also have a massive aftermarket. Up until not very long ago, Chrysler built generally garbage, unreliable stuff that people wouldn't trust 400 miles away from civilization. Now, granted, in the US the furthest you can get from humanity is probably around 150 miles or so, but nevertheless, the auro of "you're gonna break down" stays in the back of your mind. Land Cruisers for instance are trusted by the offroad crowd, the UN, ISIS, and generally anyone that has to travel off the beaten path, it's earned a reputation. It's also a vehicle that can be fixed almost anywhere in the world. In the US, the IFS argument is probably more popular, as it's probably more comfortable for daily driving but still capable for what MOST people do offroad. I have a JK, and still wouldn't do what Eddie does, because I lack the experience to fix certain things on the trail, and since I generally wheel alone, I only take generally minor risks...however, I do love the JK platform and trip after trip, my JKs haven't let me down, so on a personal level, as well as whomever I am able to influence with my travel threads, Jeep is earning the trust it needs to one day, be synonymous with bulletproof reliability.
