Likes and Dislikes of 4th Gen

First, sorry if this post already exists but I wanted to ask real owners their opinions on the 4th Gen.
I’m currently in the market for a new vehicle and deciding between a 4th Gen Tacoma or a 5th Gen 4Runner. I’ve read a ton online but want to hear from the people who drive it regularly. It’ll be a daily drive vehicle with occasional trips off road in Appalachia. I’m currently driving a 3rd Gen 2018. My biggest drawback from pulling the trigger on the Tacoma is I really have little need for a truck bed besides occasional large object moving. I’d love to hear from you all.
Most quality of life things (wireless CarPlay, sound system, lights, etc) I’ve put into my current taco. Would love to mainly hear about handling, why you chose it over any other choice, things of that nature. If you’d prefer, I wouldn’t mind messaging to learn some more before I go into a dealership and hear all the sales talk. Thanks everyone!

 

I just replaced my 3rd Gen Tacoma with a 4th Gen Tacoma. The new generation is a better truck all around no doubt.

I also own a 5th Gen 4Runner though. If I didn’t need the hauling or towing capacity of the pickup I would pick the 4Runner in a heartbeat.

 

Not sure what to say really. They're built on the same platform made by the same company. One is a truck. The other is an SUV. Same engine, etc. Wheelbase on the 4Runner is shorter so it's got a tighter turning radius which arguably makes it a better daily driver. Really boils down to do you want an open bed or smaller enclosed space?

Of course you can always get a top for the bed to enclose the bed. Not many people willing to take a can opener to remove the top from their 4Runner.

 

The deals on a Tacoma are probably better than the 4 Runner. My daughter just got a new 4 Runner and got $4500 off for employee pricing, about everyone else is paying MSRP or more. The 4 Runner is nice though but there isn't a whole lot of difference in the cabin between the Tacoma and 4 Runner.

 

Decide what you want before going to the dealership. I haven't seen a 6G on the road yet or sat in a new Tacoma. I don't want an SUV those are for married guys.

 

I had several third gen's, when I moved to the 4th I wanted the hybrid trail hunter version, however there where none when I was ready to buy, So I got a trd sport non hybrid in jan and ordered put a deposit at same dealer for the trail hunter when they got one allocated. looong story loonger the sport non hybrid for me was ok not great but ok it handled and drove better than the 3rd power seemed to be delivered faster and smoother, the transmission was beyond better in the 4th overall ride quality and handling on stock components was overall much better. Now the hybrid was to me an enormous difference in drivability and power delivery is greatly improved. if you can I would def try to go with the hybrid version. my 2Cents since you asked

 

Mark up on a 6G 4R? That really makes no sense when the LC 250 is sitting there discounted next to the 4R on the lot. With the Tacoma and LC 250 already available 4Runner almost makes no sense for Toyota to design and build the vehicle only because Toyota never sold that many to begin with.

I'm guessing the 4R gets less MPG than Taco and still has the small tank. Outside of wanting a 6G 4R, I think any CUV would be a better daily driver. I haven't looked at pricing on the 26 Honda Passport but I'd probably pick that over the 4R.

 

4g is a lot of bucks for your use case.

Whats wrong with your 18?

 

Go to the 4 runner forums and see that most people are paying MSRP. Some dealers are adding a bump sticker but who knows if they are actually selling them. The 4 Runner is priced lower than the Land Cruiser so it does have a market. The cheapest LC is around $58,000 where you can get a 4 Runner around $45,000. The 4 Runner sold between 109,XXX in 2023 and 144,xxx in 2021. Those are sales figures the LC would love to see.

 

Like transmission and power delivery. Rides much nicer with multi link in rear.

hate interior materials and absolutely hate the brutal turning radius.

 

I don't own a 4th Gen, but I really like the interior, the multitude of configurations, models and options.
I think it looks better than the 3rd Gen, apparently has better seats and an engine specifically tuned for the application. The Frontier is the only other competitor that I'd consider, seeing how Ford and GM severely limited choices and killed off longer beds and king cab.

 

5th gen 4Runners are getting more scarce by the day. As an owner of one (2019) I spend a lot of time on the 4runners.com website, and for all I've read, the vast majority, there at least, are not looking to trade into the newest generation anytime soon. if you decide on a 5th 4R instead of a 4th gen Tacoma, be prepared to look long, wide, and hard to fine one with low miles, hasn't been beat on, or isn't rusting away in the north or northeast, at a reasonable price.

Unless you meant to say 6th gen 4Runner...

 

I have had 3 new Tacomas since 2010. (I buy one for myself, drive it 2 years, then pass it onto a field manager in the company I own). This 4th Gen is by far my most favorite Tacoma to drive.
It just "feels" better than any other Tacoma I've ever had.

 

Agree on all of that. Huge leap forward in powertrain. A move backward in interior quality: seat fabric looks and feels cheaper, plastics are loosely attached, larger panel gaps. Toyota continues to increment its over-the-top design language on the inside with more fake screwheads molded into the faux-metal plastic, a double row of little rubber nibs on the climate controls, the huge raised TACOMA lettering on the dash, the red START button up high in my field of vision, etc.

The interior is gaudy and tasteless. Without looking real hard, I can count 9 different textures and finishes on the dash.

It's like being in an DIY-remodeled house where every room has ended up with a different flooring (tile, carpet, wood, vinyl plank, etc.).

 

I can't speak for the 4Runner, having never owned one myself, but I traded my 3GT for a 2025 TRD Sport Hybrid and I absolutely would not go back! The 4GT is leaps and bounds past the 3GT in terms of performance. It runs and drives better in every way. The interior tech is nice as well. I made sure I got one with the 14" display, as well as the heated seats and steering wheel. These are luxuries I didn't have in my 3rd gen. I'm loving the truck for sure!

I would say the only negative I've found with the new one is the size of the fuel tank. It does get slightly better fuel economy than my 2019 did, but the benefit is lost to a fuel tank that is 2 gallons smaller.

 

18.2 (4th) vs 21.1 (3rd). Major bummer, especially when towing.

 

I’ve been very happy with my Tacoma and if given the opportunity to start over would pick the same truck I currently have again. I do need/use the bed, so 4R was never on the radar for me. My primary concern was finding a short cab/long bed configuration which pretty much eliminated most mid-size trucks (didn’t want 4-dr truck). As a daily driver it’s been great——has everything I need re features and the ride is smooth (and mine is one of the lower trims, so the higher end Tacomas are a step up from mine). Don’t have any direct experience with the 4R, but videos showing the interior look almost identical to the Tacoma, so the overall driving feel I’d guess would be similar. I’d recommend doing a test drive of both to see if one seems better for you or not. If the drives aren’t too different, just figure out if the bed or enclosed rear end would best suit your needs. It sounds like the functionality of either would work for you.

 

I have had 3 new Tacomas since 2010. (I buy one for myself, drive it 2 years, then pass it onto a field manager. 2025-2010=15, 15/2 =7.5.

 

2024 4R sales were around 92,000
2024 Tahoes sales were around 105,000
Last five years both models have been selling 100K+/yr

4R "forum" members are a very small subset of 4R owners. Most are driven by soccer moms who will trade for a new car in a heartbeat. There's plenty of availability.

 

Totally agree, I hate the interior. That stupid huge knob for 2wd and 4wd is a terrible design and location. The passenger grab handle down low is a dumb location and useless. Engine and tranny are awesome. Gas mileage is good but smaller gas tank has some folks upset. Lots of give and take with the 4th Gen…