Have you/do you own a 4Runner too?

Did you get the steering wheel wobble resolved? Just curious about the cause of it.

 

Not really. Most people will say it’s a tire balance thing, and maybe it is. Road force balancing didn’t fix mine. Neither did swapping wheels with another one at the dealership. The tech said they are aware of the challenge. It wasn’t horrible as I mostly commuted around town but if I was a freeway commuter it would’ve sucked. The 4Runner wobble isn’t uncommon. I’d recommend test driving on the freeway (50-60 mph) to rule it out. I still really liked the 4Runner. It felt roomier than my Tacoma. Loved the front seats. But it’s also heavier and had more exaggerated body roll and nose dive. Different rigs in my experience and pros/cons to both of them. The Tacoma is more fun if you are comfortable enough in the driver’s seat. My opinion, anyway.

 

Great post. Thank you

 

4 Runners. Yes, 2008-2012-2013-2015-2018. Only one did not keep, the '13, sold it back to the dealer when wife and I contracted to build a new home in FL. Needed the $$. Every one, 4WD, great trades. The last one 2018, just traded to the dealer, paid $36445 for it 4/18, dealer gave us
$36584 for it trade to new Tacoma TRD OR 4X4. Driving : New Michelin LTX/MS tires right after delivery on all. Important to have a shop that knows how to index each tire to the rim. The 4Runners ride better then this new Tacoma OR, that is to be expected. Only traded this time because we are pulling a small RV, a pickup is more convenient. Only issue I had thru the years, the '18, brakes soft on the pedal, almost had an accident with this. Right before we traded for the Tacoma, so no visit to the service for this.

 

“Soft on the Pedal”...totally agree with this comment. Thought it was just me. Our 2018 brakes the same way! Nice looking truck!

 

I personally prefer the 5th gen 4r's over the Taco's, just prefer the way they drive and refinement. Was top on my list for next car/truck/suv, however we actual need a truck, so Taco it was.

 

Well, this is my first Taco. I have had both the 4Runner (2016 SR 5) and a 2008 FJ Cruiser Trail Teams. The FJ Curiser was the most capable of the vehicles (with the exception of my 1979 FJ 40). I now have in the stable the 2021 TRD Pro Taco and a 2019 4Runner Limited. Apples and oranges! The Taco is more tuned for off road fun. The 4Runner is a highway cruiser. Both would be good for when the fecal matter hits the impeller; only problem is range. That is taken care of with a few of those 4 gallon plastic fuel tanks. I don't plan on changing anything from now till they take me out of here in a large plastic bag. I own these for the reliability and durability.

 

Until yesterday, I had a 2015 4R Off-Road Premium, 5-speed auto (KDSS). I sold it because I didn't need the 4R and the Tacoma. Other than having a truck bed (which I now need), I didn't find a single thing that the Tacoma does better than the 4R.

Update: The Tacoma has better fuel tank range. This isn't an apples to apples comparison for me as the Tacoma doesn't have armor yet (and the 4R does), but it's about 75 extra miles.

 

I’ve got a 2020 TRD OR DCSB and we just got a 2021 TRD OR 4runner for my wife. In the short time we’ve had both, i found the the 4Runner to be much more fun to drive. The power, transmission shifting and the seating position all seem to be better than the Tacoma right out of the box. Also I kind of like the softex interior better than the leather. I still love the taco but just saying they’ve been a great combo to have so far.

 

Dealership let me borrow a 2020 4x4 SR5 4Runner for a few weeks.

Drove it from Florida to Cincinnati. Had to fill up at 1/4 tank 3 times. I only make 2 gas stops when driving my 2018 V6 4x4 SR5 Tacoma.

If I didn't need a truck from time to time, I'd like to have kept the loaner all the same.

 

The Limited 4Runna's are nice!!! I love that Redwood interior & cooled seats!

 

I have a 21 Tacoma Sport and the wife has a 21 4Runner Limited. The power delivery in the 4Runner is more linear and requires more pedal input for the same acceleration. I actually like the power delivery of the Tacoma better. It seems more eager to rev and sportier to me.

The AT in the Tacoma does shift more than the 4Runner but it has an extra gear to work with. It is doing just what it was designed to do, maximize fuel mileage. And it does get better gas mileage than the 4Runner by a few MPGs.

The 4Runner is definitely more comfortable and refined than the Tacoma, which is to be expected.

Like others have said it's an apples to oranges comparison. I find myself doing light hauling and towing regularly so I picked the Tacoma. My wife uses hers for a grocery getter and hauling the dogs. She prefers sitting up higher like a truck but likes the comfort and semi-luxury of the SUV. For her the 4Runner is perfect.

 

Seems like you’re too tall and a little to sensitive in the arse. Lots of good feedback here. Look forward to seeing your new 4Runner.

 

I’d say you got your money’s worth out of that 2018 4Runner…you got paid to own it. Lol. Awesome resale value in this market today. Hope you’re enjoying the Tacoma and thanks for sharing your experience.

 

It’s not my ass that hurts, it’s my back. And I’ll take being tall over being short any day…but it’s not like any of us got a choice in that matter. Suppose I should just buy a Tundra next, but it doesn’t fit where I wanna go very well or at all.

 

Had a 15 Trail Premium. Enjoyed it, drove well, was quite comfortable on long hauls and I loved the Softex material. MPGs not awesome, which was a concern given that my daily commute was at least 60mi and my previous vehicle (Outback) would get 25+mpg. Hard to ignore. Kept the shocks but replaced the springs to something slightly stiffer and about an inch taller (Toytec, I believe….). Brake dive wasn’t an issue for me.

I’ve now got a 2020 Pro (Tacoma). Suspension is clearly different, so hard to compare there. Trans does wander around a bit, but ECT mode is fun. MPGs are better. Seats not as awesome as 4Runner, and everything just feels not quite as refined. But it has a bed. And that takes priority over interior cargo space.

And damn if dual-zone climate isn’t fucking amazing. That has saved my marriage. Not really, but after experiencing it, it’s really hard to go back. I care little about any other creature comfort besides dual-zone climate control.

Typical answer - it’s a matter of priorities. Personal experience tells me I’d get another Outback before getting another 4Runner.

 

I’ve gotten used to that auto climate control for sure. I don’t think it would be a big deal to go back to manually setting it, though. Just have to figure out the sweet spots. If I got a 4Runner it would be the TRD Off Road and they don’t offer the dual zone/auto climate. I would care more about that being missing if it did work in conjunction with the remote start, but it doesn’t. So no big deal. My wife doesn’t even use the dual function from the passenger seat anyway. She just turns the main control on my side because the funny thing is…she seems to care more about the fan speed than the temperature setting lol.

4runner mpg is not amazing, but neither is Tacoma (where I live at least). I was getting 14 city and 18 hwy in my lifted Tacoma with 33x12ish mud terrains. We got 17 mpg on a trip to Utah and back. I’m sure a similarly set up 4Runner would probably be even less than that. At least the 4Runner has a couple more gallons of fuel on board. Until we see more hybrid power plants in off road vehicles, the mpg for vehicles this capable won’t be great. I definitely understand your priorities for a little more mpg while clocking that many miles daily. Gas prices add up quick. Our SUV that my wife drives gets about 22-23 mpg over the ~70k miles we’ve owned it. She drives about the same distance as you for work. We wouldn’t want her driving a vehicle like a 4Runner getting ~5 mpg less than this either.

 

Thankfully I don’t have any back issues but I know a lot of people that do. In talking with them, which includes my girl, they never get comfortable. Doesn’t matter what vehicle.

In her case, I’m getting ready to rent a motor home and do a trial run to Florida or something. She and my dog can move around and party in the back while I drive.

 

The new Rav4 Hybrids are pretty nice...that's kind of the direction we are heading for our next vehicle. Hopefully the 4runner and Tacoma get Hybrid systems on the next model year '23

 

My wife will ratchet the thermostat up to 78deg when it’s 75 outside, and turn on her seat warmers. I had to dress appropriately when we had the 4Runner. Happy wife, happy life and stuff.