Anyone thinking about letting their 3rd Gen Taco go for the last of the Gen 5 4Runners?

Yes! Definitely looking into it. I love my Tacoma but I’d be lying if I said I haven’t wanted a 4Runner forever. Both will run forever but I think the 4R has the upper hand for my uses.

 

I’ve been considering this for months. Add T4R (but 4 vehicles and a car payment is dumb) or trade (but I have too many mods in my ‘16 for this to be a good plan)

MT holds me back the most. But AWD T4R has legit appeal for family hauling.

my Taco suspension is butter now that I replaced stock w foxy foxytons. So the primary complaint is no longer. I have 4.88’s on the shelf. The secondary complaint is low rpm torque but it is what it is and I have a v8 ‘02 Tundra for torque and I can always tune and one day regear.

I think most likely waiting to see options for 2025 T4R. Even discounted they are still far more than I paid for my Tacoma and the used ones are pricey as well. Then there is the whole chrome problem with the limited and nightshade is hard to find.

also looking at a s 2011+ leaf for family put put. Then as a donor for ev conversion of the ‘05 Taco.

If I had cash to waste I might be more serious. I really like short wheelbase vehicles and AWD is really nice for this location. It’s really MT and all the finished mods.

 

What did you dislike about the Rubi that made you get a taco? I've been wondering if I should have gotten a Galdiator diesel (was my original plan for fuel economy because I drive a lot). I know they have their issues, but it seems theres more 2cnd and 3rd hand complaints about issues vs first hand owners experience. But that can be said about almost all vehicles...

 

no, i think people are convinced 3rd gen is not reliable. It was highest selling mid size truck

 

I would've loved a 4 runner if I was able to afford it. Kinda settled with the tacoma hahaha

 

I'm thinking of trading for a 4Runner or a GX (what I had before). I really miss the GX and looks like I could come out close to even trading my '22 for a '21 with about 30k more miles than my truck has. Only slightly considering the 4R as to me the GX is better all around.

 

Reliability and sales numbers don't always go hand and hand.

F150 has been the top seller for years when the v8 tundra was by far the most reliable full size on the market.

 

No.

 

No real need for a SUV, so no…

My wife wanted one to replace her Trooper until I told her what the piss poor gas mileage was. She’ll most likely get a hybrid RAV4 instead. Though she is pretty smug driving my old ‘99 Tacoma. Said it feels like a little tank, and damn the gas mileage! Ha!

 

No.



.

 

These toyotas about the drop the hottest album of the year with those stances haha!

 

I was at the dealer with wife, buying her last of the V-6 Camry's, and I too was looking at he 4Runner. She got the XSE off the showroom floor and that is where the 4 Runner also was. I was thinking about it actually.

 

I as well have both. The build quality on the 4R is wonderful, as my 2018 still feels like it’s new. It’s really fun to drive, has a great ride, visibility, and plenty of interior space. The back seat area is huge if you have passengers. Mine is the Limited, which I like having the full-time four-wheel drive for mixed road conditions (it still has part-time and four-low). Plus, I have to say; I prefer its 4.0 and 5-speed.

The benefit of the Tacoma is a bed. If you can live without a bed, and you can't have both, I'd for sure get the 5th gen 4R.

 

what i mean by that statement is that more trucks are purchased then more of them can go bad

 

Already considered it! I would’ve bought a 4Runner last year instead of my Tacoma if the 4Runner came in a manual.

 

Absolutely not. If I didn't need a truck I'd go back to a turbo hatch.

 

I debated the 3rd gen to 4 runner swap with a 2024 T4R. Looked at them took test drive. T4R definitely had some perks. Was just about ready to pull trigger but the final straw for me was calling my buddy that's a finance manager 8% interest with tier 1 scores. Hard pass coming from 3.0% interest and almost paid off no point in restarting that clock at almost triple the interest rate. Assuming the new gen T4R has the same 12-14k price increase the 4th gen Taco had even harder pass at that price range I'd rather save another 10-15k and jump up to Land Cruiser or GX.

Went full idiot on my tacoma instead full fix 2.5 dsc set up and ordered a GFC. That solved one of the biggest T4R perks of having enclosed storage. Now I have even more room than the back of a 4 runner.

My 2018 finally just ticked 40k miles. Plenty of life left in her.

 

To me the 3 draws are:

• Shorter wheelbase (nice in urban settings and my house garage is not deep enough to fit the big trucks)
• Bigger back seat (kids getting big)
• AWD (PNW changed things for this one, so many days of wet roads here.)

the top cons are:

• Dog fur and ski’s are nicer in a pickup bed w shell. Though a 5’ bed is pretty weak, not much of a truck
• Price tag is tough, I had enough trouble shelling out 28 for the ‘16
• AT. But also kind of nice too. I have one friend who doesn’t drive stick and my wife also refuses even though she owned one when we met. When I get in the ‘02 Tundra I sometimes feel a sense of relief that I don’t have to think about driving it, just push pedals and steer
  
• Chrome on the limited. Solved by going nightshade but limited pool of nightshades. Still where I’m leaning if I bite.

third row seat is kind of ridiculous
Mileage sucking is a concern too. I already have 3 inefficient trucks.

EV ‘25 T4R w AWD or a return of MT T4R would snap me to attention for sure. But I suspect pricing will keep me away.

 

Don’t get me wrong I really loved the Rubi, but it was some what of an impulse buy even though I had been looking for a diesel model at the time. My mother who I was very close to had just passed and I think I was trying to fill a void and create a distraction.
Anyway I’ve owned many jeeps and this was definitely the nicest and had everything I wanted but the JL’s are plagued with electrical issues that stem from a terrible charging system. I’ve been dreaming of the day that Jeep came out with a diesel however they were too late to the game. It was hobbled by emission controls and a had a pretty shoddy past in terms of reliability. Only time will tell if they hold up better since they revamped them from the previous second gen. It was a strong engine and pulled 37’s with zero effort even without a regear.
Ultimately I didn’t trust it because every day a new sensor was having a nervous break down and Jeep service is one of the worst in the industry so I did all my own work even though it was still under warranty. Just wasn’t worth the hassle.
I will NEVER own another one as long as Fiat (Stelantis) owns them. They truly do not care about the wrangler line and especially the US market. The terrible reviews and comments Jeep received these days are truly warranted.

 

I really dig modded 4R’s

Something about the stance, extra room inside (sacrificing bed of course) and that classic 4.0

Something sexy about a 4R on a set of Methods and beefy tires IMO