What to expect if I swap my 4Runner for a Taco...

I just bought a new TRD ORDC last week. I traded in my Wrangler for it. I had it narrowed down to a 4Runner or a Tacoma. I wanted a reliable platform coming from a Wrangler (I’ll never buy a Chrysler product again). So I spent a lot of time researching and test driving both.

My thoughts:

4Runner has a more solid feel to it. From when I first sat in the 4Runner you can just tell it’s built better than the Tacoma. That’s not to say the Tacoma feels bad—just that the 4Runner is built in Japan and the Tacoma isn’t—and you can tell.

The space in the double cab actually gets better as you get used to it. There’s solid storage behind and under the back seats that help. Yea it’s no big SUV but I’ve has my taco a week and on Friday drove myself and 4 work partners to lunch. That’s 3 adults in the back. No one complained. I wouldn’t do that for a 4 hour road trip but the room isn’t as bad as people make it out to be.

As for the layout of the Tacoma, I find everything thought out and laid out nicely. The knobs are big and easy to grab. The setup of the cluster is easy to use. My 1 complaint about the Tacoma’s interior is the seat and wheel position. I’m tall. About 6”3. I have the seat all the way back and the wheel all the way up—and I don’t have a ton of room when turning the wheel as my right knee will hit sometimes. I have plenty of headspace though. The seating position wasn’t that big of a deal to me cause I drove an FJ for 8 years so I’m used to the “sitting on the floor feeling”. But the 4Runner felt better seating wise to me. Which should be a given.

I ultimately went with the Tacoma because I just need the bed. It’s not a huge bed but it’s extemely functional and I’ve already used it twice in a week. I have zero regrets. I think you’ll like the Tacoma the more time you spend in it. But if you don’t really need the bed I would just stick with the 4Runner. It’s gonna be more comfortable inside and give you more dry storage space. The Tacoma has more plastic but that’s normal in a truck. My dad has a 54k dollar F150 king ranch and that thing has just as much plastic.

Again, I love my Tacoma. I’m getting over 18.5 MPG so far too and that’s mainly city driving. The shifting issues are blown way out of proportion on here as well so don’t worry about that.

 

You're right about all trucks having a pretty plasticky interior!

I average 19 +/- .5 mpg in the 4R. That's with steel sliders, alumnium skids, and 265/70/17 LT Nitto G2s. I used to have a heavy foot before getting the 4R, but with that MPG readout staring at me the whole time I drive, my habits have changed for the better.

My oldest of three is 6, so they'll all fit in the backseat for a while at least...

At worst, I'll still be keeping the 4R for my wife's DD, and despite my initial disappointment hopping behind the wheel of the Taco, I still need a truck bed in my life. Gonna have to spend some time test driving!

 

Not better built, "different" built for different target demographics. The 4Runner was designed also to use for Prado and Lexus sheet metal. Had to be quiet, ride good and still go off road. The Tacoma had no such constraints.. it's unabashedly a truck and proud of it. Build quality is measured in fit, finish, material specs and component quality. Not ride, roominess of back seat and seat adjustments.

Again... if you haul people, get a 4Runner as that is what it is designed to do. If you are gonna haul stuff.. dirty stuff too... get a Tacoma.
Two different vehicles designed for two different missions.

 

I think I just fell in love with your truck. I which I had a way to get a soft topper underneath but that might be my 99.9% solution

 

F150 ecoboost man, otherwise keep the 4runner. Love my Tacoma but I'm just saying it sounds like you want something more comfortable and luxurious. Can't beat the Tacos reliability though, you will hand it down to your kids to drive.

 

OP, I would consider testing all mid-sized tricks if you want a mid-sized truck and not the monstrosity that is the tundra. A ridgeline or Colorado May be suitable for you. Not even trolling. The ridgeline has plenty of unique storage options and cubbies. Both of those two trucks ride better than the Tacoma and have much nicer finishes if you’re looking for more luxury. Like @hiPSI said, the Tacoma is a rugged vehicle by design. It’s not trying to wear multiple hats and that’s one thing I love about it and why I chose it as my truck. I would take the wife to test the Colorado, Ridgeline and Frontier before signing any papers. Even if it will primarily be your vehicle.

 

The Tacoma is pretty close to a Zero Fu*ks Given vehicle lol. I like it.

 

It sounds like you are trying to talk yourself into wanting one. I wanted a Toyota again and love mine. If you have questions about wanting it, you probably dont.

 

Yeah the very similar relationship between 4runner and Tacoma departed when the 5th gen was released. Prior to that it would’ve been a fairer comparison.

I.e you could hop in a 3rd gen 4runner or 1st gen Tacoma and swear they were the same vehicle just one had a built in cap and carpeted bed lol.

 

I find this confusing. Both vehicles are designed by Toyota. I have other vehcles made by Toyota in Japan and its not like any difference is staring me in the face. Tightening bolts tighter in Japan ? What ?

 

YASS! I don’t want to have to worry that I’m gonna ‘mess up’ a brand new vehicle. If I let a new car or SUV get dirty and stained people are all like “he doesn’t appreciate and take care of his possessions.” If i let my new truck get dirty (like the paint stain my roommate left on my drivers seat) people are all like “makes sense. He’s using his truck for its intended purpose.”

Full disclaimer: I do take care of my Taco

 

@4RunninInATacoWorld my last piece of advice which I wish someone would have given me is to consider 1st and 2nd gens. Didn’t research em much before I pulled the trigger on my 3rd gen. And well, let’s just say if you spend any time in this site at all (which obviously you do) you’ll wish you had all that extra monthly payment money to spend on mods instead

 

Here my two cents. I have a 2017 Toyota Tacoma double cab long bed and a 2018 4Runner. If you want best of both world get a Tundra. Like several people have voice this option think about it really. It’s a truck and the interior of the tundra is massive and less plasticly. It has ALOT more power. The only down side the fuel efficiency, but I lifted my Tacoma 3” and put 33” tires I’m getting about 15 mpg. It hasnt been regeared but that a $2500 job that I’ll get later on. So the difference isn’t much fuel wise.
I also don’t complain about the fuel because I had a 92 Jeep in Phoenix Arizona with NO AC or roof and got 15 mpg on a good tank.

 

I said this a long time ago in regards to Tacomas. They're a tool, not jewelry. You maintain a tool, but you don't worry about it being shiny.

 

I thought the same thing as @StoicBeau when I first sat in a Taco. Seems like they're built by different companies that are both named Toyota.

The 4R interior is more well thought out with higher quality materials (even in my base model SR5 with no nav, luxury crap, or extra features) and better fit & finish. It looks like even the interior can take a serious beating and handle it just fine. Everything is sturdier. The pride that Toyota took in designing and building the 4R interior is just not there in the Taco. And that's fine. Just my opinion. I still want to spend some more time test driving a Taco, but the difference was something that struck me immediately.

 

I feel the quality of the 3rd gen Tacoma interior is a vast improvement in many ways compared to the 4Runner. Again, I am coming from a 2017 TRD OR into a 2018 Tacoma TRD OR. First and foremost, the damn 4Runner has a bunch of shiny painted surfaced that don't seem all that durable. Anyone who has seen the interior of one will know what I mean. I am incredibly anal and diligent with how I treat my vehicles inside and out, and for the life of me I could not avoid scratching the door pulls, steering wheel, center console, etc. Granted they were just micro scratches but none the less very annoying. In addition, the black plastic around the doors, base of the seats, trunk etc. would easily scratch. The headliner would show lines that would not groom out if you rubbed something against it just a little too hard. In addition, it let a huge amount of dust in around the rear door and trunk seals. A lot of used 4Runners I was looking at before purchasing a new one showed interior wear that did not match up with mileage or age. I think the 4Runner wins in overall feel of the interior including the faux leather on the doors and the plastic used in the dash (feels more solid), but I would not call it a durable finish. Also, the tiny screen on the Entune system is just disappointing, although functional.

I have only had Tacoma for a short while, but so far I am very happy with how the interior is holding up to a lot more abuse that I put the 4Runner through in the same amount of time.

I really struggled going from a 4Runner to a Tacoma but I am happy that I went with the Tacoma. I am also getting decent fuel economy in the Tacoma with a 50/50 mix of city and highway commuting in a fairly hilly area; 11.5 L/100KM or 20MPG I believe. The 4Runner with stock tires would struggle with 12.5 L/100KM on the same commute. Not a huge difference but it adds up.

Just so you know I am not making shit up, I've included a picture of my 4Runner from just before I sold it.

 

Chicks will want to be the passenger.

 

Something else I would add as to why I picked the Tacoma over the 4Runner was there just seemed to be more of a “fun” factor with the Tacoma. Idk. It’s completely subjective but the 4Runner just seemed kind of boring to me. It drives bland. The interior is nice but I’d say bland and boring as well. Just nothing overly exciting about it.

 

No need to read further. Sounds like the Tacomas not for you. Go with your initial impressions.

 

I've been thinking the same thing about the two interiors. I've had a 2008, 2016, and now a 2017 Tacoma and my wife has had a 2010 and now a 2017 4Runner and the materials are basically the same, as far as I can tell. I've been trying to figure out where all the extra plastic is in the Tacoma lol. The door and center console have soft material in the same place and the Taco has it in the dash. My wife's 17 Limited 4Runner has some faux wood trim, but it's definitely plastic. The painted trim that you mentioned DEFINITELY scratches easily. I clean our vehicles pretty regularly and I've noticed that the trim in the 4Runner gets scuffed really easily and it's more noticeable than the scuffs in my Taco. The rest of the plastic doesn't seem any more durable either. Her cargo area has deep scratches from cardboard boxes, so I'm always a little surprised when everyone talks about how much better the materials are in the 4Runner. May a little better here and there, but I don't see the massive gap in quality that others are talking about. I'll give you the fit and finish part, because the 4Runner does seem to be a little better in that regards.

I'm not bashing the 4Runner by any means. I love my wife's 4Runner and if we had no use for a truck bed, I would have a tough time deciding between the two. Sounds like OP already has a negative opinion of the Tacoma and I don't think test driving is going to change that. The Tundra is an option, but it's mostly plastic inside too. However, if you're looking for more room with a truck bed, a crewmax Tundra has an insane amount of interior space. That 5.7 V8 ain't bad either.