First thoughts 2017 4Runner Off Road vs 2015 Tacoma DCSB Off Road

This is exactly how I feel after owning the Tacoma for a few years and then driving the 4Runner! I owe less than 20k on my Tacoma and it kind of makes biting the bullet to buy a 4Runner even harder. I really need to drive another 4Runner, if it screams buy me I suppose I could sell my Wrangler to help fund a pimpin dad ride.

 

Good luck with your decision. I had a 2002 Tacoma double cab when my kids were small. It handled car seats fine and then the jump seats. But now with teenagers and their friends and their sports gear, the 2017 Tacoma was pretty tight. I should have bought the 4Runner to begin with. For some reason I felt it was excessive and chose the Tacoma. Live and learn. And, your Tacoma will have some value privately or on trade, though if your kids are small it might still work just fine.

 

Funny - “a pimpin dad ride.” Perhaps the 4Runner’s greatest gift to us dads is that it’s not a dad ride. I feel a little selfish every time I climb in. Just tell yourself you’re doing it for the kids!

 

I went through this a few months ago except ended up with a Tundra. I really wanted the 4runner Trail, but the towing capacity of the tundra won it for me. I’d still love to have a 4runner though.

 

4Runners are great, one of the last US Toyotas built in Japan, build quality and QC are sadly much higher than Toyotas built here.

 

Took my Taco in for 30k maintenance yesterday and test drove another 4Runner while I was waiting. While it seems super nice... maybe too nice! The sales guy brought me a Limited model to drive, it just didn't seem to move me. It rode nice, it shifted smooth and seemed quieter than my Taco. Just didn't have the feel I was hoping for. Should I try and drive a TRD Offroad? Do you guys think it would "drive" or "feel" and different?

 

Yes Drive an OR or Trail it will drive significantly different. Look for one with the KDSS on it, and you will notice a difference. The only thing about the Limited I like is the AWD, no other models get it.

 

Yes, drive every model you can get access to. Each handles a little different, and what you like may differ from others. Each trim has different suspension, so each will handle a little different.

 

Agreed drive both OR and Limited. It's night and day difference between the two. I test drove a OR Premium and my brother-in-law Limited, the OR rides way plushier and with the KDSS it's worth the extra cost

 

So I've had my Tacoma for almost 2.5 years it's a 2013 TRD OR boosted 6speed and I love it. it's a fantastic truck. Then we bought the wife a 18 4Runner TRD Offroad Premuim with the KDSS. Hands down a better driving vehicle.
Both our vehicles have Icon suspension. Both have 285s both have plate bumpers so they are very similar builds and if I had to make a choice to only drive 1 for the rest of my life I would without a doubt pick 4Runner every time.
Smoother
Quieter
More comfortable
Better build quality then the taco
Better safety features
Cleaner interior (power seats)
At the end of the day Toyota I feel prides themselves more in the 4Runner than the taco. T4R is luxury as to where taco is just a pickup.
That's all my 0.02

 

I'm in the same boat as most of you guys here, I had a 2009 TRD Sport DCLB, then a 2017 TRD-OR ACLB. After about 1yr and 26k miles, I traded in the 2017 Taco. As much as I love the Tacoma, I hated it.... the jumping of the transmission and not having a back seat drove me crazy. I ordered a 2018 TRD-OR DCSB, and while waiting I test drove a '18 T4R Off-Road w/ KDSS and immediately changed my mind. That night I came home with the T4R. Some of the big takeaways for me were -
bullet-proof 4.0L
5spd auto that is reliable and doesn't hunt for gears
Ride is much more comfortable than the Tacoma
There seems to be much less road noise in the T4R vs the Taco


At times I do miss the Tacoma, however the positives of the T4R definitely outweighed what the 3rd gen Tacoma's offered IMO. The only downside to the T4R is the mpg isn't as ideal as the 3rd gen Tacoma, but its pretty minuscule for me. Overall I am very happy with the T4R and wish I would have switched earlier.

Hey question about your T4R..... for the rear suspension, do you have a write-up of the parts that you got? I used to have a Tacoma so I'm familiar with the leaf spring concept and all of that, but as you know the rear end in the T4R is very different. Mine is the same spec as yours, minus the leather, sunroof, etc.

 

So as far as the rear on ours all we have is the icon "overland springs" they lift the rear ~3" i still want to add the billet upper an lower trailing arms and rear track bar, but that's another 2k I don't have to spend right now.

 

Gotcha. So I have heard about the track bar, but the upper and lower trailing arms I'm not as familiar with.... I am guessing they just help increase articulation?

 

Both upper and lower makes up the 4 link suspension for up and down movement then you also have the panhard bar to keep the side to side movement of the axle secured.

 

What he said ^

 

I traded my 13 Tacoma for a 18 4Runner TRDOR Premium last week. Man I should have did that a long time ago. This thing is amazing! I want to drive all the time again.

 

I agree, I love the wife's if I have a choice im driving the 4Runner every time

 

Yeah I agree, As much as I loved my 15 Tacoma. I forget about it when I jump into my 17 4runner Pro!!

 

Always loved that in the Tundra you could have full rear window powered up or down. Now that's my favorite thing about my 4Runner, can power all the windows down, including the rear, and drive around. Nice airflow, especially since we have such nice moderate temperatures right now in Florida.

 

I loooooove this option. Loved it on my 86 4Runner and now on my wife’s 16T4R and my 18Tundra. Something about that air flowing all way through is sooooo nice