To 4Runner or to not 4Runner, that is the question

My Tacoma is great, I love it. It’s super reliable and gets the job done. But hauling a child and driving long distances kinda sucks.

I’ve been researching Highlander hybrids, RAV4 hybrids, Siennas, and even GX/LX SUVs. But I’m just not sure what is best. Logically the best answer apart from Miata( because Miata is always the answer) is a sienna but man are they expensive and hard to come by.

or a Highlander hybrid. Since we are eventually going to have two childrens we do need the space and the taco just might not fit the bill. I love the bed for its versatility but I can always use a utility trailer with whatever I get. I can live with the terrible fuel economy because I’d rather have a vehicle I can maintain myself whereas a hybrid I may not exactly be able to do so, affordably.

I’m rambling so let me wrap it up.


4Runner owners with at least two kids in rear facing and not rear facing car seats, do you regret getting a 4Runner?

 

A 4.0 4Runner is going to be hard to beat when it comes to price, maintainability, and reliability.
And should you ever want to resell, the resell value will likely be better.

I can't speak for the 2025 w/2.4.
But I'd have to assume the technology with in it, won't be "as easy" to work on.

 

LC 250 it's hybrid whether you like it or not. I'm not buying any car seats, and most likely not going to be working on my own vehicle.

 

I should have specified, 5th Gen 4Runner. None of that 6th Gen turbo garbage.


I’d still be rocking an 80’s Mercedes turbo diesel if I could actually get a wagon for a decent price. I prefer my vehicles to be dead simple to work on and maintain and aside from the throttle by wire on the 1GR-FE the 5th gen is pretty simple if day

 

My 4Runner is ancient but with children of 3 and 6 it honestly isn’t the greatest car for car seats, not sure about design changes in 5th gen and now the new new 6th gen but back seat angle is weird.. really not that spacious in a hurry either.. but I mean @TnShooter is right it’s a great car for other reasons

 

You want a Gama Goat. Putting an engine and at least one axle between you and the child compartment will be godsend.

 

The biggest regrets I see with 4runner is fuel economy and power. They just arent peppy and they struggle to get half-way decent mileage.

We're seeing the turbo highlanders get 30mpg and hybrid highlanders get 40+mpg. The turbo model drives much nicer than a 4runner in every way except for truck stuff.

When we anticipated children we got a rav4 ahead of time and its been a gem since new. Honestly any Toyota isnt a bad choice, but think hard on what you want/need.

 

I saw some Crown fast back thing today looked a little more boxy than the regular Crown looked kind of neat. I thought it looked better than a Highlander, the Highlander is probably a better vehicle over all.

 

I had a 13 DCSB, and as far as the gas pedal is concerned my 23 4R is the same truck. Same engine notes, same get up and go, same shift points. Same steering wheel, and the steering itself felt the same.

MUCH better seats, and the power seats allowed me to sit higher rather than farther back to be comfortable. Which finally to your question gave our kids way more room behind me. I cant speak to child seats, our youngest only had a booster in the Taco, but even at like 5'6" and 4'6" the kids hated going anywhere over 20 min in the Taco and had no room for anything. Now a year older and taller, they can each have a backpack at their feet without complaining. Plus it has a fold down armrest in the middle which makes the ride that much more comfortable

 

With kids, you can never have enough space. We are looking at getting a Grand Highlander within the next year or so.

 

every single spreadsheet, Benn diagram, chart, etc points to either a Sienna or a Highlander. Preferences being Highlander just because of availability and price over the sienna. But I want truck….. I’ve never really had a cool car or truck and maybe I’m feeling that mid life crisis itch since I can’t have a sports car.


My one surviving hobby these days is droid building and Star Wars costuming. R2D2 is kinda big and I have seen him fit minus his dome in the back of Rav4s. Not sure about a 4Runner.


I know the 4Runner is the same drivetrain as the Tacoma. I don’t mind being slow and getting crap fuel mileage. Well, maybe better MPGs would be nice. No payment is nice with the Tacoma. I could just pony up the cash for a fiberglass shell. I keep coming up empty finding one locally.

 

Good thing my child is 20 months old and she’s more interested in her belly button than cars, currently.

I just drove a brand new Chrysler Pacifica minivan from Orlando to Panama City fl. Like 6 hours each way. Hauled a ton of crap back to Orlando in it and my god are the stow and go Seats the greatest I’ve room ever. Toyota needs to buy that patent because I will not buy a Chrysler minivan since their reliability is absolute garbage.

I’ve been looking at Turo to rent a 4Runner for a week and a Highlander

 

4Runner is superior to that taco in every way, built in Japan, fully boxed frame vs Tacomas weak flimsy c channel frame, way bigger back seat and you actually get more cargo room with the seats folded down vs a 5ft taco bed
Shorter wheelbase for better off roading and turning radius
Better build quality
Trd off road 4Runner models are basically like a taco pro (you get rear locker and all the off roading goodies get the hood scoop and color matched fenders and bumper and door handles etc

4runner trd off road models get the 4wd transfer case shifter lever as well

 

@LarryDangerfield says do it!

 

My wife has a 2020 4Runner Night Shade we bought new. It is a little heavy on fuel, under-powered and boring to drive but we both love it.
We’ve had zero warranty repairs (or any repairs for that matter).
It just “feels” like a vehicle that is going to go half a million miles
A Pedal Commander completely changed the way it drives and I highly recommend getting one.
I actually like the powertrain in it better than my Tacoma, that 4.0 seems to have much more torque down low in the RPM range.

 

We traded in a 2014 Highlander Limited for our 2020 4Runner. While the Highlander only had one minor Warranty claim in the 6 years we had it I never liked it from the day we bought it til the day we traded it. Nothing wrong with it but I just didn’t like it.

 

It was the Crown Insignia I saw.


I thought it had a black roof and it was what ever this blue shade is called, the BR must be optional. I thought it was more square but some of the lines are pretty sharp giving the Signia a boxy look, I also thought I saw Rav4 Tundra/Tacoma style fendee flares and the rear looked more like a fast back Chevy Malibu style. The car definitely had that grill. I belive there are only three Crown models available in the US. Crown Sedan, a CUV and a hatch back.

 

Do what I did, get both.
4Runner is the wife. Reliable, comfortable, depandable, affordable...
Tacoma is the mistress, very fun to drive. 2023 Tacoma TRD PRO, Manual Transmission, last of the good ones..

But yeah, if you can find a 5th Gen 4Runner, jump on it, you'll love it, my first Automatic in more than 25 years, and green is never been my colour, but she really grew on me.

 

Wish I had space and the income for both. But I don’t. Plus if I wanted a second car it would be something not 4x4. Like a Miata

 

Yeah, but you can't call a Miata a truck.
Because you can't haul with it a sheet of plywood.
And, it won't take you to 10,000 ft altitude, on goat trails.... I like my trucks. They take me places where there's no people.

It's just money, trust me, where there's a will, there's a way.