In 2002, I embarked on a week-long trek across the High Uinta Mountains. On our first day out, I aggravated an old knee injury. So we borrowed a six-year-old all wheel-drive 4Runner and resumed our backcountry adventure by wheel. The 4Runner was ideal: rugged, reliable, capable and comfortable. Of course, Toyota didn’t get to be the world’s largest automobile manufacturer by leaving well enough alone…
In ’02, we flipped our mirrors back and threaded our way through narrowly spaced aspen trees to a lake at the bottom of a steep ravine. Skinned tree bark bore evidence that previous adventurers had attempted our road in wider vehicles.
Toyota’s ’03 revamp of the 4Runner added significant dimensionality to its formerly svelte figure. For the fourth gen 4Runner, the company based the vehicle on the plump Land Cruiser Prado 120. The 4Runner is now six inches longer and 4.3 inches wider than afore. That might not seem like much on-road, but off-road, well, let’s just say small is beautiful. Speaking of which…
In ‘06, the 4Runner underwent cosmetic surgery. The procedure pumped fresh collagen into the SUV’s trapezoidal grille and fender flairs. The nip/tuck also tightened the fog lights into round lenses and implanted projector-beam headlights and LED taillights. The Sports Edition continues to sport a decorative (i.e. useless) hood scoop: an ineffective affectation that belies Toyota's rep for serious-minded design.
We took full advantage of 4Runner’s cargo capacity to mule creature comforts: tent, chairs and a cooler. For family duty, the leather-trimmed 4Runner fit the wife, kids and our Black Lab. Still, it was a bit “snug.”
The obvious upside to the 4Runner’s Prado underpinnings: more elbow room for all concerned (unless you’re an adult banished to optional third row seats). The 4Runner’s cabin is amongst the best that Toyota-branded cars have to offer: supportive seating, soft-touch plastics, quality switch gear, flawless fit and finish and sublime ergonomics. Bonus! Even Nigel Tufnel would be impressed with a standard stereo’s power.
The Uinta’s Depression-era “roads” hadn’t been maintained since the Civilian Conservation Corps built them. The topsoil had long since eroded, leaving a highway strewn with boulders. We made full use of the 4Runner’s 11” of ground clearance, bucking and lurching our way to pristine lakes, without so much as a squeak or rattle.
Die-hard (one hopes) off-roaders will appreciate the 4Runner’s standard Hill Start Assist Control and Traction Control, and [available] Downhill Assist Control. They’ll also get off (so to speak) on the pair of convex back-up mirrors mounted above the 4Runner’s cargo area, inside the D-pillars. It’s a smart, low-tech substitute for complex (read: trouble prone) rear-view cameras.
Mud-pluggers will be FAR less pleased with the 4Runner’s aforementioned Biggie-sized proportions, and ground clearance and approach and departure angles that are little better than a full-domesticated CUV. These changes render an unmodified 4Runner completely unsuitable for a genuine Rocky Mountain high.
And then… a miracle. When we pulled onto a paved road, the 4Runner handled with the smoothness and quiet sophistication of a Lexus.
The latest 4Runner is even better equipped to handle extreme contrasts in road surfaces. Double-wishbone independent front suspension and four-link rear suspenders deliver creamy Camry refinement on tarmac. Sure, the big rig leans through corners like a four-wheeled La Torre di Pisa. But the SUV’s motions are controlled, predictable and rebound free. This truck tracks down the freeway as easily as it negotiates alpine trails.
My 4WD 4Runner Sport Edition (17” wheels, enhanced suspension) holstered the popular 236hp 4.0-liter V6, mated to a 5-speed automatic cogswapper. On the upside, the free revving 24-valve mill has lots of low down grunt (266 ft.-lbs. of torque @ 4000rpm) to motivate the two-ton leviathan. Soccer moms will have no problem getting the team to their Title IX practice. On the downside, 18/22 mpg.
Our 4Runner was a primal machine, bereft of electronic trickery or safety nets. We admired it for that.
The 4Runner now offers standard ABS, Vehicle Stability Control and Electronic Brake-force Distribution. The latter balances the amount of brake pressure applied to each disk depending on cargo load distribution. For example, if you put The Big Show (don’t know, don’t ask) into the back seat, the 4Runner will adapt to the extra 500 lbs. by channeling more braking force through the rear binders.
When we returned the 4Runner, I looked back with admiration, as one does with a faithful steed at the end of a long journey. Respect.
As an off-road machine, the current 4Runner is severely compromised. Toyota baked all of its mud-plugging goodness into the FJ Cruiser and relegated the 4Runner to highway and light trail duty. In other words, the 4Runner is now a refined, rugged looking, long-legged station wagon that gets miserable gas mileage. It's a terrific machine, but what's the point?
Thats to bad. What is the point?!
I have an 05 4Runner and this editorial is spot on. Toyota needs to be careful because their vehicles are starting to sink into the morass of blandness.
I must say that hearing the words “adventure” and “cooler” together always makes me chuckle.
95% of 4runner users thread only suburban mall parking lots, so I guess Toyota just aimed the revised version at that crowd. That may be just as well…
@Bill Wade: “Starting”?
The Uintas are beautiful, btw. I used to live near the Wasatch range.
I rented one of these a month or so ago when I needed 7 (8, in a pinch) passenger seating for my daughter’s birthday outing.
I’m almost embarrassed to say that I really kinda liked the 4Runner. Why embarrassed? I’ve always been anti-SUV, for the reasons the reviewer stated. Nonetheless, the V-8’s (it was a Limited w/V-8) power, sound and refinement, the high seating position and the smooth, quiet on-road ride seduced me. Can’t say I’d actually BUY one, but it certainly is well-suited to its purpose.
Oh, and it’s a FAR, FAR cry from the cramped, noisy interior, rough-ride and poor ergonomics that plagued all previous generations of the 4Runner.
There is so much critism of GM and Ford for “too many models.” If the 4Runner has ceded its role as an offroader, then the difference between it, the Rav4, the Highlander and Sequioa is minimal. Ditto the RX, GX, and LX. Can’t wait until Scion gets their versions.
I would like to know how this compares to the Sequoia actually. I rented a Sequoia once and it was highly impressive, but like everyone is starting to say, what makes the two models different from each other?
And doesn’t the Land cruiser slot somewhere between all those? I must say that Toyota’s SUV lineup totally confuses me…not that I’m interested in one anyway (except for the FJ). Lexsus is even worse, as their darn alphanumerical nomenclature seems to make no sense.
Yah, I echo SherbornSean's observation. With the FJ taking up the offroad mantle and 4Runner compromised into a tall, inefficient wagon, seems like the 4Runner and Highlander are now vying for the same customer except the Highlander has the efficiency highground. Talk about overlapping product plan. Seriously, lets talk about it.
I own a ’99 Forerunner. The truck is VERY rugged. The truck never left me stranded on the side of the road until the last two years: one time a spark plug had worked its way out of its socket from vibration over the years and the second time the starter went. It has over 130K miles and it still going strong.
Would I buy another one? No. Even with the anemic engine offered back when I got the car, the gas mileage is miserable and I no longer go off-road at all. The FWD is not working right now primarily because I only used it 1-2 times a year.
And I haven’t had it fixed because I only use it 1-2 times a year.
A tough truck that has provided great service so far, but is simply too much truck for how it is presently being used. If I get rid of the 4Runner, the likely replacement is an Audi A3. And yes, I know the GTI is the same car for less. But I had the exterior styling of the GTI and every encounter with VW dealerships give me the willies.
Yeah, it’s a shame to hear that the 4Runner has been watered down after having such a spectacular reputation in its previous generation. Say what you will about SUV’s and CUV’s, but the truck-based SUV really filled a special niche and it’s sad to see that falling by the wayside to station-wagons on stilts and high gasoline prices. Fair thee well Blazer and Bronco, 4Runner and Ranger-based Explorer.
For example, if you put The Big Show (don’t know, don’t ask) into the back seat, the 4Runner will adapt to the extra 500 lbs. by channeling more breaking force through the rear binders.
I don’t think he’d even fit in the front seat! You’d probably have to fold the second row and lay him in the back…
Ok I cant resist.. whats “the big show”?
GMrufugee: Yah, I echo SherbornSean’s observation. With the FJ taking up the offroad mantle and 4Runner compromised into a tall, inefficient wagon, seems like the 4Runner and Highlander are now vying for the same customer except the Highlander has the efficiency highground. And yet, 4 stars! If this vehicle is not quite what it was and not really what it should be, where are all the slings and arrows of truth for Toyota? Talk about overlapping product plan. Seriously, lets talk about it.
You and others are correct in criticizing Toyota for crowding and confounding their SUV/CUV offerings. TTAC has documented the company’s recent SNAFUs ad nauseam in numerous editorials. But the presence of the Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Highlander, or RAV4 does not make the 4Runner drive badly.
As ZCD2.7T indicated, this machine is extraordinarily seductive despite its now compromised off-road potential and fuel efficiency concerns. Furthermore, in terms of convenience, power, looks, comfort and refinement, it is exceptionally well executed (i.e. 4 stars). I certainly understand why someone would want to buy one.
As for the Highlander, despite the fuel economy advantage, it has all of the charisma of former President George H.W. Bush – wimpy.
The new 4runner may be watered down compared to the old school models when it comes to off road ability. But what Toyota did right with the new 4runner was keep it based on a real off-road capable chassis. They softened the stock version for the 95% of soccer mom buyers, but for the 5% who really want to use the truck off-road it’s very easy to mod it into a real capable vehicle. It is based on a Land Cruiser Prado after all, so all the Australian after market items will fit.
Some comments above where about Toyota having too many SUV models. But I think they did it right. The have small, medium, and large. And within size category, they have soft-roader and off-roader.
Small – Rav4 and FJ
Medium – Highlander and 4Runner
Large – Sequoia and Land Cruiser
The Rav4, Highlander, and Sequoia have very good on road manners and minimal off road capability
The FJ, 4Runner, and Land Cruiser come stock with good on road manners and good off road capability, but with a few after market mods can be really crazy good off road.
4Runner and Highlander are now vying for the same customer except the Highlander has the efficiency highground.
Not exactly. Highlander is a 4 cyl/V-6, unit body, FWD/AWD softroader aimed at soccer moms and tree-huggers (hybrid).
4Runner is a V6/V8, body on frame, RWD/4WD SUV with a center differential that’s fully off-road capable, aimed at mack daddies and legitimate off-roaders. (Yeah, I know you see more at the mall than you do at campgrounds. It’s like the “trail rated” Jeeps that never scale anything more challenging than a speed bump.)
Ok I cant resist.. whats “the big show”?
He’s a 500 lb. wrestler on WWE.
The dumbification of the 4runner reminds me of bands like Incubus and Metallica. Sure Rockers have to change, especially Incubus’ newfound melodic talent, but the “edge” is gone.
I’d be okay with the 4runner’s on-pavement improvements, if it had an IRS and the resultant rear seat room of the Explorer.
I’m gonna disagree with the 4v 4.0L being torquey, in my Tacoma test truck–even with the jumpy throttle–there’s nothing down low. And unlike the ballsy 3v Fords and 2v GM/Mopars in its price range, it takes premium. (at least it did in the Tacoma) Boo.
The Highlander and the 4Runner may seem to occupy the same market space until you want to tow something. The 4runner will tow twice or better the weight that the highlander will.
I do wonder what people will use as tow vehicles when all the body on frame suvs go away. I’m not sure what it would take to get a softroader’s towing capacity up to body/frame standards, but perhaps it can be done.
I do wonder what people will use as tow vehicles when all the body on frame suvs go away.
Suburbans…just like they did in the 1980s when nobody occupied this market. I couldn’t imagine the ‘burb going anywhere, its had a rabidly loyal following for decades now.
Surburbans…just like they did in the 1980s when nobody occupied this market. I couldn’t imagine the ‘burb going anywhere, its had a rabidly loyal following for decades now.
Now there’s a story that needs to be told, with a view to how it will last long after everyone trades in their cute-utes.
I think 22mpg is pretty respectable right now for a vehicle with this kind of capability. Compared to an Outback wagon, this thing is pretty competitive…especially if towing is considered. The 4runner is on my short list as the other vehicle in the garage…and there are good reasons the Highlander (small and no towing), FJ (Small and goofy), and Sequoia (too big and $$$) are not.
Sajeev, they run fine with good mpg on regular too.
Funny you mention the Suburban. A guy at work recently bought a used Suburban and is selling his ’94 4Runner. He still loves the 4Runner, but his family has outgrown it. I agree that it’s a shame they have plumped up and softened the 4Runner. The original 4Runners were some of the best offroad vehicles out there. The increased width would be the biggest problem for me. I’ve been on some roads in my truck that were barely wide enough for the wheels and had me wishing for something more like a Jeep. A 4Runner used to be a good alternative.
Sajeev, they run fine with good mpg on regular too.
Can’t refute that since I never put 87 octane in my Tacoma tester, but every vehicle I did experienced a significant loss of high (4000+) rpm power loss and over 10% loss in fuel economy. Considering the 4.0’s sweet spot is above 4000rpm, its not gonna work with my lead foot.
I found the powerband of the 4.0L to be less than truck-like with premium, and the Laws of Thermodynamics are pretty much dooming the chances of me finding it acceptable with low octane…compared to 5.3/4.6 V8s in comparable Detroit Iron that perform well on the cheap stuff.
Now there’s a story that needs to be told, with a view to how it will last long after everyone trades in their cute-utes.
Oh man, I think I smell another editorial. Thank you!
Another fine example of a great platform for Toyota’s Diesels. As soon as midsize SUVs/trucks can show me V8 torque with four-pot economy, I’ll be there. My “breakover angle” is 30mpg. Despite the rest of the capabilities, I just don’t feel right straining to get 22mpg on the highway.
I bought a 2007 4runner in February and just love the vehicle. I have taken it out a few times on some pretty rough 4×4 roads out here in Colorado trying to scout out some good camping spots. For me it’s perfect. I don’t want to do serious off roading but I want to bring my family and dog to more out of the way places than I could go in a cute-ute.
I used to own a 2000 4runner and its handling was pretty, well, truck-like. The 4th gen are just amazing on road, it’s hard to believe it can feel as good as it does for such a big vehicle.
As far as mileage goes, I’m getting an average of 20.7 mpg. I don’t do any highway but not much stop and go either.
I think that is pretty good for a truck this size.
Anyhow, the important thing is I really like it. Getting the
vehicle you think you should drive is rarely satisfying. I’ll give up a couple mpg for a vehicle I really dig.
By the way, I get the same mileage in this truck that I did
in my last vehicle, a much loathed subaru outback XT.
It’s nice having a vehicle now that the interior doesn’t
rattle and snap and gives 50% more cargo room for the
same mileage.
Oh man, I think I smell another editorial. Thank you!
I look forward to it, although you will make me terribly miss the 85 my dad owned. God I miss that ol’ Sub.
Keep the flame alive, good sir.
>>I do wonder what people will use as tow vehicles when all the body on frame suvs go away.
>>Surburbans…just like they did in the 1980s when nobody occupied this market.
Actually we can take it back to the 60s, when the segmetn was occupied by Jeep Grand Wagoneer and Cherokee, as well as the International Travelall.
Actually we can take it back to the 60s, when the segmetn was occupied by Jeep Grand Wagoneer and Cherokee, as well as the International Travelall.
We can take it back further, to the original 1935 Chevrolet Suburban Carryall.
“In other words, the 4Runner is now a refined, rugged looking, long-legged station wagon that gets miserable gas mileage. It’s a terrific machine, but what’s the point?”
Funny (to me) statement because that’s basically what I said about the crossover SUV I had which I traded in for a 4Runner. It would take less the $2k to turn the current 4Runner into a more capable vehicle both on and off road than the stock 96′ which was praised for it’s offroad abilities, so I would not call it “severely compromised”. Our sue-happy society makes it almost impossible for car manufactures to build and sell highly capable off-road vehicles with a high center of gravity and narrow track. The best we can hope for are vehicles that can be easily modified with as little $$ as possible to meet our needs. The 4Runner is one of only a few vehicles with descent aftermarket support that can be easily transformed. Check out the 2004 ARB 4Runner for proof.
I have almost no interest in this whole class of vehicles, but I still noticed that the last 4Runner redesign really sold out a lot of the model's previous off-road purist appeal in the interest of seeming more like a macho shopping-mall road hog. That new, garish front end design tells the whole story: it's announcing a 4Runner that's no longer a quietly super-competent truck, but rather an Xtreem Aggro Suburban Assault Vehicle. I thought this was the point of the Highlander, to allow the 4Runner to continue in its previous niche.
It’s probably also worth mentioning that the burgeoning crop of crew cab/4-door trucks is taking the place of the more rugged SUVs, freeing the SUVs to become softer and more luxury oriented. A family of 5 that wants to go off road can still get something like a Double Cab Tacoma that will seat 5 comfortably and carry a lot of gear. Even better, the dirty/muddy gear is isolated from the passenger cabin.
With Toyota’s purchasing shares of Izusu look for diesels in future 4Runner’s and FJ’s. Maybe even diesel hybrids.
The fact that it is body on frame seperates the 4runner from the wannabe’s even if it has sacrificed trail and climbing ability. There is value in the body on frame from a towing and longevity standpoint.
You could take a stationwagon on rough roads all you want UNTIL IT BREAKS. That’s the difference.
Toyota has been offering an especially large family of SUVs for some time now.
The 4Runner is most comparable to a Jeep Grand Cherokee: decent off-road capability, with a somewhat luxurious interior that seats four adults. The third row was added as an afterthought.
The Highlander feels much more like a car, and very little off-road ability.
The Sequoia is far larger, and not as capable off-road judging from the specs.
The FJ has a much less usable back seat and has a less upscale interior. It’s analogous to Jeep’s Wrangler. A Wrangler is better than a Grand Cherokee off-road, but isn’t as luxurious.
To compare specs and prices:
http://www.truedelta.com/models/4Runner.php
I don’t think that the diminished off-road capabilities are a problem at all, especially in light of improved on-road manners.
The new 4Runner in stock trim will handle anything that any reasonable person would throw at a new $40K vehicle. If you believe that you *need* to take your new 4Runner on more challenging trails, then you are ovbiously rich enough to afford the extra $4,000 for your ARB and Old Man Emu goodies.
I do like to hear that the on-road manners and noise levels are improved. I drive a stock 1990 4Runner, and road roar on the freeway is unacceptable. If I could justify paying $40K for a new truck to take to trailheads and drive through salty winters, I’d get a new 4Runner. As it is, I just can’t see paying that much money just to trash it, so I’ll keep my beater. 17 years old and salt-induced corrosion is the only problem.
As far as Toyota’s lineup goes, its the Sequoia that has me confused. The Land Cruiser is a mint machine (and doubles as the LX), then comes the 4Runner and Highlander. What differentiates/necessitates the Sequoia from the Land Cruiser? $8K?
As far as Toyota’s lineup goes, its the Sequoia that has me confused. The Land Cruiser is a mint machine (and doubles as the LX), then comes the 4Runner and Highlander. What differentiates/necessitates the Sequoia from the Land Cruiser? $8K?
The plan was for the LC to be axed after the Sequoia released. The Sequoia has a larger interior for less $$. I can only guess that since the Lexus LX in a dressed up LC that their cost to produce the LC is still low enough for the few sales they generate.
The 4Runner is headed in the same direction as the Land Cruiser. A neighbor of mine had one of the old off road capable classic Land Cruisers. Toyota bastardized that thing to at 70K suv that you would be crazy to take offroad. Kind of like a Land Rover.
I have owned a ‘97 4Runner and a ‘01 model. Both were solid, trouble free vehicles. Like someone else noted the 4Runners were overbuilt for my needs. That and the interior was a little cramped. If you need 2 carseats in the back it turned it into a 4 person only vehicle.
Basically Toyota still needs a midsized sporty SUV that can tow something. This is it.
…the overseas Ivory Coast 4Runner memories…
I have a lot of wild memories during my overseas days with my 4Runner (and I have a feeling I know some people who read this site and will know who this is in a heartbeat…some took part in those memories!) during my life in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. During my training in the DC-area, I had actually gotten a local BMW to work with me in terms of a diplomatic/overseas delivery for a 320ci coupe (with the tropical weather package – tinted glass w/ heavy-duty A/C…needed…much needed!) Before the order went through, my future boss told me to cancel the order as BMWs were being stolen at an alarming rate and as I would find out first hand, the freeways (yes – several freeways in a third-world country) were gravel holding hands with holes the size of land mine blasts to make things interesting. So with tears in my eyes, I stopped the order.
When I got to post, a departing staffer sold me his early 90’s 4Runner – decent looking – it had done time in other African desert and tropical locales and it had a few dings and dents to show for it. What I quickly discovered is that having a real truck-based SUV in a place where unpaved roads outnumber paved roads by over 10 to 1 is vital. The $5.50+/gal for (leaded super) gas was crushing though. Once the catalytic convertor came off, power went up a little bit and I was lucky to get 10-12mpg with that very poor quality fuel. (I did hit 20 just once on a long trip.)
This 4Runner could have been in a Land Rover ad. I had that thing in the rain forests of West Africa, the savannah of northern Cote d’Ivoire, the 4,000,000+ chaos of Abidjan (with air pollution that would turn your snot grey…trust me), to the pitted roads of the upcountry and into the Sahara in Mali and Burkina Faso. It had the cans of spare gas strapped to the top, next to an extra spare tire, water and supplies in the large cargo area, and maps all over the place. It served as our “transport” vehicle for us and the Marines on many a weekend-night adventure, including the recreation of a great scene from “Titanic” through the massive sunroof with visiting students and staffers. It was typical Toyota – sit on the floor seats, road noise to deafen, rock solid reliability, parts were available everywhere and the such. It went through “puddles” on a beach “road” that actually covered the hood (I have that on tape.) It was shot at once and it survived a pedestrian impact in a country where people treat freeways like alleyways and cross them at great risk. (While I got over the emotional impact of that over time, the truck had a head-sized impact on the drivers door and a shredded running board.)
The 4Runner always held my luggage, Peace Corp volunteers, computer and Embassy supplies, international school activities, and at last count, maybe 10 people on friendly terms.
There is so much more that I remember about this beast that took a beating and kept on chugging along. Much like a trusted Land Rover in Kenya, my 4Runner was the symbol of seeing a part of the world that not many on our side of the pond has seen, and I look at the new Toyotas and am saddened they have gone away from that image.
I loved the end of each trip – it was time to tally up the dirt, sand, dings, dents, scars, and other trash and wonder how we got through another adventure.
(The FJ Cruiser might be able to survive, but at what cost??? Sorry for the length but if anyone else has these kind of “beat up the 4Runner” tales, write them down please!)
Here’s my understanding of Toyota’s SUV lineup in the US:
Real off road SUVs:
Small: FJ Cruiser
Medium: 4Runner
Large: Land Cruiser
Mommy-mobile CUV crossover wannabe thingys:
Small: RAV4
Medium: Highlander
Large: Sequoia
So, the FJ Cruiser is probably a better offroader now because it’s smaller. I just can’t get over the huge blind spot on each side in the rear.
Don’t know the Highlander – my soccer mom wife (and swimming, and basketball, and Brownies) loves her 4 cyl Highander. Shhh! Don’t tell her it’s just a tall Camry wagon….
PS – the ’08 restyle is purely disgusting. The Santa Fe or Ford Edge look like a better replacement.
I really don’t think Toyota can meet their volume goals for any model by targeting hard core anything at all, except perhaps family guy/gal’s. I still feel the 4runner is one of the few SUV’s serving any kind of purpose at all, though.
Toyota has managed to refine it to the point where it really doesn’t give anything away to the unit body stilt wagons out there on road, while still retaining the ‘ruggedness’ of full frame construction. Unless my engineering knowhow is obsolete, the frame’s thicker steel and slight flexibility still help suspension and other attached parts handle more cycles of vibration over washboard and pothole ridden tertiary roads than a comparable unit body. It also makes for a nice, strong attachment point for a trailer mount, sitting high enough above ground for launching a midsize lake boat. That big V6 is also about as good as SUV engines get in a generally diesel averse country. It’s strong down low, smooth up high, quiet and seemingly everlasting. At the same time its light enough so you don’t worry about the front wheels sinking all the way to China if you should happen to hit some loose terrain, and frugal enough so you can get out of sight of the gas station before turning back.
If I lived in a backcountry/ranch/small-town-at-the-edge-of-civilization setting, with plenty of dirt roads, one of those would be something I would seriously consider. It‘s even priced to fit the kinds of salaries commonly on offer such places, and, being a relatively uncomplicated Toyota, it shouldn’t require too many (possibly long) treks to a repair facility. The notion that it is somehow inferior due to lower approach and departure angles and such just strikes me as silly. For those once in a lifetime Rubicon Trail trips, I’d be in a rental anyway, one not softened up and compromised to comply with on-highway requirements.
As a SHTF garage queen for city bound but dedicated/paranoid survivalists it’s hard to fault as well (for more on that, google FerFAL Argentina. Its great reading). As a vehicle for the vast majority who, for better or worse, are stuck in cities and suburbs, it’s pretty hopeless, though. The load floor is ridiculously high, breaking your back loading and your dog’s shoulders/hips jumping out. Besides, wherever you go, you’re blocking others’ sight lines, needlessly slowing down traffic, taking up way too much space, and in general wallowing around like an overweight, dimwitted insult to competent humanity.
The 4Runner embodies all that is wrong with Toyota design. You want bad proportions, odd and conflicting angles, eye-searing “surface excited” sheetmetal to just plain bad taste, just look at one. The upcoming Highlander is just as bad.
I guess Toyota is so intent on shedding its vanilla reputation that it embraced World-Class Fugliness. Most Toyotas make even Bangle-mangled BMWs look good.
As for the Highlander, despite the fuel economy advantage, it has all of the charisma of former President George H.W. Bush – wimpy.
Maybe so – but as a veteran, I’ll give H.W. some kudos – at least he actually faced combat (while getting his plane shot down in the process – that’s what I call “taking one for the team”), unlike his current namesake (who in the eyes of me and many of my fellow vets at home, abroad, and in VA hospitals – shall remain nameless….)
As for the subdivision off-road (in suburban mall parking lots, that is) vehicle that the 4-Runner has become – the name wimpy definitely applies…
Wimpy? Check out this mofo:
http://www.shrockworks.com/Toyota-4Runner-Rock-Sliders-Rock-Rails-Rocker-Protection-Nerf-Bars-4th-Gen-pr-16169.html
Some people are criticizing the 4runner for being too geared for off-road (eg. high load height) and some people are critical that it is not off road worthy enough (eg. approach angles). What gives?
It may never be the rock crawler that a wrangler is but then again who ever said it should be? Just as not all sports cars fit the same bill (some are more luxury, some are more performance, etc) not all SUVs have the same design goals. The 4runner fills a niche and is a great
product.
what is toyota 4 runner? It is like your father. with chiseled old face, with apprehensive wrinkles here and there. he stands for no beaty or seduction. he stands for a montain. for wide shoulders, that spread wider than praires in deep west. he stands for reliable daddy and workhorse, who would carry you up on the moonlit meadows on montaintops. you don`t kiss him, you don`t enjoy his color ,tan or manners. he stands for manhood, he stands for promises, and stands for keeping them. he is the one you can hide behind when firce december winds brush your cheeks. a bit simple, maybe rural, lacks style, and chrome, lacks harward, and new blood. let him stay like that – an asylum, a fort , a sense of home. you can`t belong to a truck, but somewhere deep inside you believe, that at least you belong to an invisible brotherhood, standing on the wide shoulders of giants. the giants of fatherhood. keep that sense!
I would disagree with the author’s assertion that “When we pulled onto a paved road, the 4Runner handled with the smoothness and quiet sophistication of a Lexus”…
When we traded our 4Runner in, we tried a new one, but found the Lexus RX and LX to ride quite a bit better, and ended up with an RX.
But otherwise, I’d agree that the 4Runner is a capable truck. But make no mistake about it, it’s a real SUV, with live axle wiggles and a stiffer than most commuters would want ride.