Tacoma vs 4Runner in my shoes

Chirping throw out bearing, reverse gear too tall, terrible 1-2 rpm drop and 3rd gear synchros we're done by 75k

 

This problem doesn’t sound that common. Maybe a random lemon?

 

I had a 4cyl 5MT access cab for nearly 4 years, I sold it and got a 4runner about a month ago.

If it's a secondary vehicle for fun stuff and utility, and you also have a family type car I would go Tacoma. I made the switch because of a knee issue that made daily driving a stick painful, and if I'm gonna drive an auto I wanted to love it not just tolerate it.

So the answer for me was a V8 4x4 4runner, and I'm on the prowl for a utility trailer for those circumstances when an open bed is needed.

 

I had a 2014 4Runner Trail Edition.
I had a 2017 Tacoma Sport MT.
I now drive a 2019 Tundra Limited Off Road.

All three are totally different vehicles and cannot be cross shopped as they are simply different.
Figure out what you want. Good luck.

 

That’s my thought too. The 4Runner power train went into production like 17 years ago. The basic frame and body isn’t much different. It doesn’t have a fancy interior or any high tech gadgets that would justify the cost.

I love the 4Runner for its rugged simplicity but I don’t feel I should be paying tippy top prices for something that had its design and production tooling costs payed off 10+ years ago.

 

Are you carrying smelly/gross stuff? For Home Depot tripe the 4Runner with the seats down and a moving blanket is much better than my short bed Tacoma was.

My girlfriend has a stock 19’ Outback and my 4Runner is lifted, 285’s, sliders, RTT etc and I feel it’s the perfect combo. Her car is what we take to family events, Seattle, etc, and mine is our all around utility vehicle. Camping, hauling, you name it. I also think coming from an XJ you’ll be happier with the 4Runner as far as off road stuff. While it’s no tiny XJ with solid axles, it is extremely capable and the shorter wheelbase is definitely noticeable coming from the Taco.

With all that said, if you do go for a truck I think the Tacoma is absolutely the way to go. The 3rd Gen Tacoma gets wayyyy to much shit that it doesn’t deserve, and if the 4Runner didn’t fit my needs so much better I’d still have mine.

 

It's extrememly common on the 4.0/6MT setup. I had the exact same issues with my FJ, plus a new tranny thrown in for good measure. My TOB went at like 10-15K miles and had lost 2 3rd gear synchros by 26K miles. The 6MT setup on the second gen Tacos and with the FJ is pure trash, espicially when compared to the 6MT in the 3rd gen Taco.

 

The throw out bearing was a known issue, there was a sleeve kit made to fix it. I have heard from only a couple others on here about the synchros, but the reverse gear and 1-2 drop are what they are.

 

One is an SUV, one is a truck. Totally different purposes.

Also, the majority of Tacoma owners have not had any problems - I’ve had two 3rd gens and they have been problem-free. Just don’t expect full-size power out of a mid-size truck, and test drive to feel it out.

 

I’ve have a few Tacoma’s and two 4runners. As others have said, if you don’t need a truck, the 4runner is fabulous, with a built in topper.

However, once you lift the runner & add larger wheels, the MPG’s will go way south. If money is not an issue, the 4runner would be my choice.

 

I went through the same process as the OP trying to decide which to buy. I moved out here with a brand new 2019 4Runner towing a small 58 U-haul trailer. 1700 miles later I found that to be one of if not the most comfortable truck/suv I had taken cross country. Locally I took it on some forest roads, rocky roads, some dirt/sand roads and it did well. Even carried my bloodhound and basset hound with me. Plenty of room for dogs on that long trip also. BUT ... in the end it just felt like too nice of a vehicle to be off-roading in. It seemed more like a family suv to me (single) ... so I bought a Taco from a friend and found the 2019 was a nightmare. I am currently in a 2020 Taco TRD OR. Oh ... I have used the Taco bed a lot more than I did the cargo area of the 4Runner and still room in the back DBLC for the bloodhound.

 

I wanted a 4R but dealers were not discounting the OR when I bought, Tacoma was second choice saving me $10k. The price is lower on 4R now recently helped a friend buy a very nice OR Prem for $38k

The 4R is much comfier for taller rear seat passengers or fatter passengers.

 

I just thought I’d offer some feedback. I have been on the fence for months between the 2 trucks. The only way was to compare back to back.

Wife and I had a Socal to Zion trip planned and I found a dealership that actually rented both vehicles. Had the 4Runner reserved when a week before they called and told me they were selling the T4R and that a Taco would be available. The plan was to take one on the trip and test drive the other one while I had the rental.

Picked up a DCSB Sport in auto of course and away we went. 900 mile road trip and really got to know the vehicle better than any 4 mile test drive.

The downshifting when approaching a hill left something to be desired, but I already knew that. It seemed as the the truck had 2 modes: cruise at 1900 /2000 RPMs or Honda Civic VTEC mode at 5000 with my foot in it lol. Great truck otherwise.

It was a game-changer when we got to the dealership for the T4R test drive. I’ll preface this by saying my wife and I both think that the Tacoma access cab might be slightly more aesthetically appealing than the T4R and had almost mentally written off the T4R until the test drive. Wife tried not to like the T4R, until the test drive.

Fit and finish was almost like a different class of truck. Maybe Accord vs Civic (where the T4R is the Accord and the Taco is the Civic). As per the salesman he advised me to take a dip at well over the recommended speed of 15 mph. Lexus smooth. Front seat and rear seat room was definitely bigger while having a shorter overall length and wheelbase.

After the test drive we’re now leaning way more towards the T4R even though we have the Outback. I’d also highly recommend anyone cross shopping to give the T4R a good look and test drive before your Taco purchase. It’s too common of a switch not to consider one. If you don’t it’s no sweat because it’s common knowledge that Tacos hold their value better so selling it 18 months later wouldn’t really cost much.

Hope this thread helps at lease one person on the fence. I’m already bracing myself when I see an access cab TRD OR (pretty rare to find right now)with a 2.5” lift on 285s

 

100% with you on the looks of an AC. I had a 2009 and I must say I felt like I drove a Go-Cart a lot of the time. In 2019 I bought a 19 DCSB OR. Felt like a boat in comparison. The vehicle is not that much different but it felt that way. Anyways, with 1st kid on the way, AC's are a thing of the past for me, unless it's a Tundra, the back of that AC is probably more roomy than the DC Taco.

Definitely 2 totally different beasts, I traded the Taco on my FJ. I'm pretty outdoorsy and work in the garage a lot. I just wasn't using the bed really, except to bring oil spoils to the parts store. I'll put it this way, I always go back to my college memories when this topic comes up. I did the most camping, hiking, biking & surfing of my life with my 98 Jetta with a rack on it. I bought a Frontier right after college & when I would go camping, surfing or fishing, I'd ask my little brother to borrow the Jetta for the weekend & he could drive my new truck.
Question is, do you really NEED an open bed?

 

My old runner looked pretty good on 33’s and my next vehicle might be another.


But so did my old extra cab on 34’s.

 

I’m actually just selling my taco now to get a 4Runner. More space with an infant seat in the rear will be nice.

 

I would trade my Taco for a 4 Runner like that any day.

 

Just get one of each

 

That sounds pretty good!

 

I've owned two 5th Generation 4Runners and I absolutely love them. They are 100% solid and I never experienced one single rattle throughout tens of thousands of miles. The Tacoma has all kinds of rattles that bug me but I just need to track them down and see if I can remedy them.

Out of the 15-20 vehicles I've owned over the past 15 years or so, the 4Runner is by far my favorite. The Tacoma is a very close second. I appreciate all the bells and whistles they added in the Tacoma but the quality just isn't quite in line with the 4Runner. The Tacoma is still a super high quality vehicle but the 4Runner is just on a completely different level.

The main reason I traded in my most recent 4Runner for a Tacoma is because my wife and I got a travel trailer and try to go camping twice a month during the on-season. I'm kind of anal about keeping my vehicles as immaculate as possible and throwing stuff in the trunk of the 4Runner knowing it would scrape up the interior kind of irked me. That alone wasn't enough to make me want to trade it in but the shorter wheelbase of the 4Runner made it so going around turns in the hills while towing the trailer felt more uncomfortable than it needed to. The Tacoma's longer wheelbase makes towing a much more confidence-inspiring event. I never feel like the trailer is going to push the rear end around like it felt with the 4Runner. Plus I can throw all the shit I want into the bed without a care in the world. Diamondback Tonneau cover that locks makes it about as secure as a 4Runner trunk.

Also, it's just the two of us and a dog so back seat size isn't a huge concern for me. 4Runner interior space is way bigger feeling and the backseat is significantly more roomy for passengers.

tl;dr - If you don't want to scratch up the interior of your vehicle or need to haul things in a bed or want a more comfortable feeling while towing, Tacoma is the way to go. It's a great truck that seems to survive everything. If you don't care about scratching up your interior and want to maximize room for passengers while also having a vehicle that can navigate small city streets as well as it can navigate off road trails and can afford it, go 4Runner for sure.

I also believe both the 4Runners and Tacomas are some of the best and unique looking vehicles on the road compared to the competition.