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

I love having a pickup bed for when I use it. Dirty stuff goes in the back of my Tacoma, not my 4Runner, and passengers fit better in the back of a 4Runner. It's just a shame that the 3rd gen Tacoma doesn't have the 5th gen 4Runner's 4.0 and 5-speed!

 

I took an sr5 in underground for a test drive. Soooo much room and way smooth (ear muffs to my taco). I get the mushy suspension, more diving than my OR. I do like the new old feel of it, like getting a classic that’s new. I just worry that while my truck is off road ready, it’ll cost a bit to get an SR5 runner to the same place. I felt dirty driving truck home, like I cheated

 

they are different but so similar… not trucks and suvs but Tacomas and 4Runners. If I put a 4k smart cap on my OR then it’s so close to a 4Runner in function and price. Still not sold just thinking about it before everything becomes versions of the Tundra, not my favorite looks.

 

Also to add to my first world dilemma is that it seems the 4Runner needs some suspension love from the start. Then I think about just dumping that into my taco… make a taco supreme.

 

I mostly drive my Tacoma, but wow, driving my 4Runner... what a change. The 4Runner smoothly accelerates to 80 mph. It has none of the weird shifting, the lagging, the feel of working harder, that my Tacoma does. But, both are paid off, and I'm not getting rid of either for a long time. I suspect the 4Runner will last longer.

 

I have owned both. The 2 big differences for me are:
If you own a dog, the back seat folds down completely flat. Tacoma > 4Runner.
If you own a home and like to DIY a truck bed is a must. Tacoma > 4Runner.

Don't miss the 4Runner.

 

I own both, 3rd gen OR and 5th gen 4R SR5. I've since put in takeoff shocks and springs from a 2022 SR5, and new ball joints, sway bar links, tie rod ends, bumpstops, etc. The 4R's suspension tuning is from 14 years ago, and it shows. Ride & handling is better than 2nd gen Tacoma, but noticeably worse than 3rd gen. There's more body roll and dive/pitch. The 4-link rear suspension transmits more pavement flaws into the cabin, I guess because it's stiffer longitudinally.

The 4R's engine has more low-end torque. Wheelbase at 110 in. is the same as a 2nd gen single-cab Tacoma, so it's more maneuverable in traffic. As a commuter vehicle the 4R is good, which is why I bought one.

The 4R has some nicer interior materials, but durability is slightly worse than a 3rd gen: The front seat cushion bolsters are more likely to collapse at an earlier age. The air vent tabs like to break.

Rust on a 4R is worse than a Tacoma of comparable vintage. Body rusts more because there's more steel (vs. plastic on 3rd gen). Frame rusts more because there are more welds. Rear hatch likes to rust out because the roll-down window lets in water, and there are design flaws still unfixed after 14 years, like the emblem garnish rubbing off paint. I bought mine with a broken fuel tank strap - the tank's weight was supported by the skid plate.