2014+ Toyota 4Runner

[Vandal]

Anyone have one, if so what are your current thoughts on the vehicle? Any maintenance or other issues that have come up? I'm very interested in any complaints owners have. This will be the first vehicle in 5 years I'm looking to purchase instead of lease.

I am thinking about picking one up before the end of summer and get out of my 2015 Audi A3 2.0T. I'm done with small sporty cars being 6-4 and 245lbs. Having to almost fall into and crawl out of my ride is getting really old. The 4Runner seems to be the last mid-sized, truck frame based SUV on the market that isn't a Jeep Wrangler 4-door. I went and drove a Tacoma Double Cab TRD Off-Road yesterday to basically confirm that was the route I was going but damn near hit my head on the roof going over speed bumps. I don't really need the truck bed either. Had a lot more room in the 4Runner Trail I drove had good cargo space for range days, other outdoor fun and road trips.

[ramairthree]

I drove an early gen 4 runner for ten years.

When I went to get a new one, 2005 or so,
The new 4 runners no longer seemed like a truck suv,
I can't remember what pathfinders were like then. The retro style little Cruisers were not out yet,
4 door jeeps were not out yet.

I ended up with an X-Terra being closer to my old 4 Runner than a new 4 Runner.

The old school 4 Runners, pathfinders, etc. largely seem to have dried up as a concept with AWD car type SUVs like crv, max, etc. taken over.

[rushca01]

I have a 2014 trail premium. Love it. Get one.

[donlapalma]

I picked up a 2015 Trail Edition over Labor Day weekend and fall in love with it more and more everyday. This is my first 4x4 vehicle and went through the same process as you last year. I thought heavily on the Tacoma and realized that I didn't want/need the truck and bed. My priorities were reliability and resale value both of which Toyota delivers on in spades. I've done some light off-roading with it and it is my daily driver. It is nimble enough for city driving and tough as shit for off-road stuff. I get 15.5 MPG mixed driving so gas mileage isn't great. Be sure to check out the 4runner forums if you haven't already.

[THCDDM4]

Anyone have one, if so what are your current thoughts on the vehicle? Any maintenance or other issues that have come up? I'm very interested in any complaints owners have. This will be the first vehicle in 5 years I'm looking to purchase instead of lease.

I am thinking about picking one up before the end of summer and get out of my 2015 Audi A3 2.0T. I'm done with small sporty cars being 6-4 and 245lbs. Having to almost fall into and crawl out of my ride is getting really old. The 4Runner seems to be the last mid-sized, truck frame based SUV on the market that isn't a Jeep Wrangler 4-door. I went and drove a Tacoma Double Cab TRD Off-Road yesterday to basically confirm that was the route I was going but damn near hit my head on the roof going over speed bumps. I don't really need the truck bed either. Had a lot more room in the 4Runner Trail I drove had good cargo space for range days, other outdoor fun and road trips.

I've had a 2nd gen, 3rd gen, 4th gen and 5th gen 4Runner.

I still have the 3rd, 4th and 5th gen. I do all maintenance myself.

The 3rd gen is a tank, a true work horse that just keeps going and going. I've got approximately 389,000 miles on it and that's with regular maintenance and a few replacement parts here and there (Timing belt, water pump, CV's, Suspension, starter, and a few other minor pieces I'm forgetting) It gets about 16 MPG average. Which is on the good side for the 3rd gen from what I've heard. Only issue I've had with it beyond typical maintenance is the gas gauge sucks- I have to fill up at 1/2 mark or risk the gauge lying to me and running out of gas. Not a big deal but frustrating.

The 4th gen is much more comfortable and has a lot more computerized features than the 3rd gen, but it is also a tank and keeps on keeping on with regular maintenance. I've got 105,000 miles on the 4G. The 4.0L engine is much more robust than the 3rd gen 3.4L and it hauls loads easier, it has more Torque and HP and I get 18.5 Miles per gallon average (Not computer average, my actual average based on mileage/gas consumption. )

The 3rd Gen is a bit more fun to off-road as I have it set up for that with a bigger lift and bigger tires, but the 4th gen is a beast and can take trails beyond what it should with a good driver. The 5th Gen is no slouch, being equal to the 4th gen off-road and then some with the new computerized features.

The 5th gen is great also, but I like the 4th gen better because I am used to it more. If the 5th Gen was my DD I might change my mind. The 5th gen has more cargo room and head-space and more computerization. I'm glad they kept the 5 speed tranny from the 4th gen in lieu of going with the 6-7 tranny's most are using these days to help with EPA/GAS regulations, but not quite happy with the new engine.

The 5th gen is kind of dumpy acceleration wise and hauling compared to the 4th gen, not a big difference, but the 4th gen seems to get up and go and the 5th gen seems to lag a bit. But the 5G rides more like a truck than the 4G. My wife gets about 16-17 MPG out of it, but she doesn't track it manually, just with the computer and I know the computer MPG is not correct.

However, having said all of that, I love the 5th gen 4runner! It is a solid riding, beasty machine that was built for tough situations. You feel the road when you drive and with the KDSS, you hug the road and trails like I have not experienced in my other 4runners. The crawl control and multi terrain select is fantastic and gets you out of situations that the 4th gen would be left spinning its wheels.

The 4th gen is probably the best daily driver and my favorite all-around as I drive it everyday and it fits me like a glove, my wife gets the 5th gen as the wifey always gets the newer car (Happy wife, Happy life and all...). But I love them all. My 3rd Gen is reserved for hard trails and getting lost deep in the mountains and woods.

5th Gens are good to go! 4Runners are beasts in general and will last a lifetime or two if you use quality parts and chemicals during maintenance. They are the last mass-produced purpose built Body On Frame genuine 4X4 off-road SUV's.

I don't like any of the new jeeps, they are unibody's and they break down A LOT more than they should for there price range. I've pulled a few out of sticky situations on trails due to broken shit. Too often I've had buddy's who got a jeep and it constantly needed work to keep running.

We've got the trail edition and would gladly buy another. I want to supercharge it when my wife retires it to me and gets a new one. Let's hope the 2016 T4R is not going to turn into a minivan type SUV like all of the modern day crockover pieces of trash. I hate uniboody all-wheel drive weak sauce.

One day I'm gonna get a Gen1, drop a built 350 in it and pimp the shit out of it for off-road. One day...

For more info than you could ever need go to T4R.org its the M4C equivalent of the 4runner internet world.

[brickboy240]

Umm...it is a Toyota truck.

Show it any sort of care and it will last a VERY long time.

Drove two earlier Tundras - one went to 250k before I sold it and the latest one (2006) went about 310 with noting but regular maintenance.

My mom has owned 2 4Runners and she too had very good luck with them

I'd say buy with confidence.

Skip the Jeeps, Chrysler's build quality is terrible and their resale value is equally as bad.

There are only two brands of pickups I will buy: GMC/Chevy and Toyotas.

[tog]

I'm on my third FJ Cruiser (2014 UE). I have seriously considered moving to the 4 runner trail version. Love the 4runner!

[GH41]

Be sure to look at buying new if looking at 2014 models. Demand for low mile used Toyota is strong enough that you can usually buy new for pennies more. The two things I don't like about my 2014 Tacoma... The service intervals are short (1/2 of what my Ford truck was) and the spark plugs must be change every 30 thousand miles.

[SilverBullet432]

Get the TRD PRO :) I'm a Ford guy fo life, but those pros are nice. Id still take a Raptor anyday personally.

[Honu]

have a 15 trail love the KDSS for camping as I travel on the road to get to the service roads and the KDSS works wonders for keeping the vehicle flat when loaded ;) and when on daily driving the KDSS really IMHO makes it a touch flatter feeling which I like but again with a roof rack full of gear the lean on my other vehicles was quite noticeable this one is amazing so glad we are driving this now but I do miss my FJ :)

before this also had a Toyota FJC that was quite worked up for off road and would have kept it but with the kids the doors became more hassle than its worth and they wanted windows they could see out of etc...

if I was single or married with no kids I would be looking at the FJC also but its a love or hate vehicle ;) if I was camping and wanted more space the 4 runner as the FJC is quite small in cargo area really

a few folks have even dumped there LC (Land Cruisers) for them in the off road circles and are very happy they did IMHO that speaks a lot about the vehicle :)

head room in the FJC seems more also the 4runner with sun roofs have complaints of head room so your height for sure no sun roof I reckon :)

[Jwknutson17]

Ex Toyota Line Tech here.. ASE Cert, Toyota Cert, etc. I would have to say I am disappointed in the power of the new Runner. All that hype of "power of the v8 with great fuel economy" BS. Why they did not continue to make the 4.7 or an updated V8 in the 5th gen, made me a little upset. Have owned many 3rd gen, and 4th gen runners and GX470's. Drove probably five or more 5th gens daily. I still think that the best Runners are the 2006-2009 Sport V8 4.7l trucks. Down hill assist, Locking center diff, full time 4wd, and the power of the 4.7. Projector head lights, LED tails, and the solid black sport interiors make this all around my favorite. They are tanks. Belt, plugs, WS trans at 90. Diffs and coolant at the 30's. Strongly suggest swapping out the toyota "super" long life pink coolant with toyota red at the first possible chance in any and every toyota out there. The 4.7's trans hold up well into the 300k mark. Rarely see any leaks.. maybe VC gaskets ever few hundred that came through with high miles. I also like the GX470's. Pretty much the same thing as the V8 runner. After you swap out some of the air suspension, they are pretty much rock solid.

Runners are solid trucks all around. I dont know of a bad runner. Ok maybe I don't like working on the 22REs any more :) But if I was you, find a 2009 V8 Runner Sport and drive that before you go look at a new one. You might just like it better. IMO of course.