4runner vs Tacoma

Congrats, if you don't need the bed then the 4runner is the superior vehicle. I wish they still came with a 4.7 V8, or that option was available on a Tacoma. I would trade-in my truck asap.

 

Might be in the same boat as you when the 2020s come out. Love my Taco, but I haven't used my truck bed for anything meaningful (snowboard/camping gear).

 

Yeah same here. I do a lot of shooting and carry a lot of gear, steel plates, etc. That's why I went with the Taco originally. But this thing has tons of space in the back and I should have no problem loading all my stuff.

So far I am impressed with it, especially for being such an old platform. The engine/trans combo is very good and ridiculously quiet and smooth.

 

My 4Runner will be three years old in September. Zero issues except the soft front suspension. Toytec Boss fixed that.

 

Those steps scream mallcrawler

 

Lol. It’s not mine. I just grabbed the pic for future ideas.

My 4runner is practically stock except for the front struts. Definitely still a mall crawler at the moment.

 

4 runners have a linked rear suspension with coils all around. in my opinion it'll be smoother riding, but less utility/cargo space. engine is still the 4.0 v6.. and the 5speed automatic, and transfer case (WITH AN ACTUAL SHIFTER!!!) I do love that it has a manual t-case shifter.. you will lose some MPG/utility use, but all in all it's very close to the 2nd gen taco.. offroad/sport/trd/pro packages included.. they are just as mod friendly for a cost... and theyre capable.. weight is roughly that of the tacoma 4400-4800lbs, and a towing capacity that is 5000lbs... its all trade offs, all de4pends on what you are comfortable with.

 

When your dog gets sprayed by a skunk you REALLY need a truck box . . .

If one is willing to dive into the 4th Gen T4R market, the V8's have a 7000lb tow capacity and the same sweet 'V6 Tow Package' as the Tacoma, 130A alternator, ClassIV hitch, external trans cooler.

 

They are extremely capable in stock form. A stock 5th gen runner has been through the Rubicon with just tires & sliders and survived

 

Been driving a lot today on this, loving it.

It was feeling extremely bumpy on the road . Checked tire pressure and realized they were all set to 62 psi. Sticker says 32psi recommend. Dealership dropped the ball.

Anyways, rides smooth now.

 

Just drove from sc to pa back to sc for a funeral this week. Alittle under 1400 miles total and averaged 21.0 mpg. We love our t4r. I daily my pro to and from work and use it for hunting and fishing but man I really like her t4r.

 

I have almost 6k miles on my 19 tacoma. If I had done better research I would have bought a 4runner. I still think about trading for one but I would probably lose my ass on the mods I have put into the tacoma. I am totally happy with it. I just feel like I would be happier in the t4r. Oh well, I figure if I pester the fiancee (wife in 2 weeks lol) long enough I can convince her to trade her explorer on a 4runner. Best of both worlds.

 

HA! What kind of an asshole puts 63 psi in a tire? Holy shit is that terrible!

 

Yeah man I couldn't believe it. I know it's common to air them up for transport and because they sit in the lots for a while, but this is crazy. I almost didn't buy it in my test drive because it was so bumpy.

 

^This. So many fools buy a brand new 4runner and then run up debt throwing all kinds of modifications at the thing before they even take it offroad. I drove a stock 4runner (with some crappy road-going tires) all over the place including some remote logging country up in Canada...going up and down some trails that were pretty much set up for ATV's. The thing never skipped a beat and chewed up all the terrain I encountered...albeit I was very careful to pick good approaches.

A lot of people just don't understand how capable that thing is in stock form. Now if you want to learn its quirks, and then act a fool by buying all kinds of mod's, have at it. But you can certainly get to 99.9% of the road-accessible places in North America with a stock 4runner.

Having driven both back-to-back, the 4runner rides a little bit nicer and has somewhat better low-end grunt. Some of that is just stating the obvious (4r's coil springs vs Tacoma's leaf springs). However, the newer generation Tacoma has very much narrowed the ride/comfort/quality gap with the current 4runner, whereas the previous Tacoma was noticeably less refined compared to the 4runner.

Honestly, you'd really have to nit-pick to say one is much better than the other. They both ride and handle well enough are well-built, generally speaking. Anyone who needs a well-priced but capable 4x4 would be happy with either vehicle; the Tacoma has the bed advantage while the 4runner has just slightly more comfort due to its rear coil springs.

 

I agree with practically everything you're saying, however having just traded in my Tacoma for a 4runner, the 4runner is a lot smoother and more refined in my opinion. The cabin is also a lot quieter.

 

I agree, and if you're someone who has spent lots of time in both vehicles, you'll quickly pick up on those differences.

However, if you're new to the midsized truck/SUV segment and new to Toyota's 4x4's in general, I don't think you'll feel or notice a lot of differences in terms of overall ride and comfort, at least not when comparing the 3rdg Tacoma to the 5thg 4runner. The coil springs will always have an advantage in terms of ride comfort, but the leaf springs lend themselves more readily to modulating payload ratings (which is why most pickups still use them for the rear suspension).

Cabin noise is subjective. I do think the new Tacoma has a noticeable improvement in terms of cabin comfort and quality over the previous generation. But it's 3.5l v6 is a higher-revving engine, so it's plausible there will be more noise as compared to the 4runner.

 

Totally agree. My mother has a 2015 4Runner Limited (probably the ugliest and least capable trim level IMO). We have taken that thing on several forest service trails in Gunnison County Colorado and its never skipped a beat. Even with the gaudy 20” wheels and super skinny tires, it has always done what has been asked of it. I think people would be surprised at just how capable these things are in stock from.