Best ride quality?

I rented a 4th gen TRD OR 6’ bed, overall I very much like the truck. The only thing I’m hung up is the ride quality over small bumps. I commute a stretch of highway that is in terrible shape with about 20+ miles of cracked/buckled pavement filled in, these cracks are every 6 feet or so.

The truck handles big bumps great, but bounces around/jiggles on these smaller bumps and leaves me with a slightly sore back after that commute.

In short, how do the trims compare on ride over those smaller road imperfections? Perhaps the 5’ bed (the spec I would want) rides better than the 6’? Or swapping out the rear shocks may fix that jitteriness?

I may wait to test the 2025 4Runner as I’m potentially cross shopping the two.

 

Off Road is supposed to have the softest suspension, Sport the firmest. Maybe adding higher profile tires to the OR and keeping them at the lowest recommended air pressure would help your commute.

 

Drip a little air pressure

 

The 4th gen seems a stiffer than the 3rd gen on those small bumps, I didn’t drive an SR5 on this highway but it seemed softer around town. I’m not sure if the OffRoad is the softest of this gen. I’m curious with the 6’ bed if it has higher spring rate rear coils.

TRD OR has the highest profile tires and cold pressures were around 30 PSI per the door sticker.

 

I don't know for sure, but it may be the same suspension.

 

Unlikely. A longer wheelbase always tends to be smoother. As an extreme, think an old Caddy vs a VW bug.

You're riding in a unladen truck, which is suspended to haul stuff, not be plush. Nice, but not plush. Put a couple hundred lbs over the rear axle and see if you like the ride better.

If you want more plush, and need an occasional bed for HD mulch, shop a Ridgeline.

 

Check the air pressure when you drive one. The ones I drove had 55lbs pressure in all the tires. Much better after putting down closer to 30

 

With the 4th gens I'd suspect the models with coil springs to have a more plush ride that the leaf springs. Hammer hangers will probably have a leaf spring solution in no time though.

 

The front half of the 4Runner looks identical to the taco. Probably rides the same (4Runner Off-road).

You should try a Limited or some of the other trims if possible.

 

The worst highway of my drive is kinda far from the dealer so I didn’t want to put mileage on someone’s future truck. I much prefer the look of the OR but will give a Limited a longer drive once 4Runners are on the lots.

The 4Runner is a true passenger vehicle though, so I’m anticipating more compliant suspension tuning. I love the Tacoma interior so am very glad that it’s the same. I unfortunately like the overall look of the Taco more, but the 2025 4Runner is cool. My folks had a 2016 4Runner and it was a little smoother.

My 1st gen rides like a brick from the high spring rate coils, and I want to get out of my stiff WRX daily.

 

Very happy with the ride of all of my vehicles. Good luck.

 

Mine was set to 50psi when I picked it up

 

Limited trim has Active Variable Suspension. Find one for a test drive.

 

Shocks will likely fix that issue.

The third gen was also criticized for a jittery tail. Shocks would help and I hear hammer hangers improved it even further.

 

The 4 runner has a shorter drivetrain, and more blocky, the first I noticed is the wind likes to push it around. Definelty more planted than a 1st gen taco, not sure of the 4th yet.