The Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco are superior to the 4Runner in terms of four-wheeling enjoyment.
However, those two models are significantly more expensive when equipped similarly, and their suitability as everyday vehicles is severely jeopardized.
Most 4Runner owners will find plenty of capabilities in a Jeep Grand Cherokee or a Subaru Outback, two vehicles that provide exceptional off-road comfort and excellent city handling.
The Honda Passport is an underappreciated and frequently overlooked option that offers car-like performance in exchange for a dose of dirt-road readiness.
In This Article...
What has the Toyota 4Runner’s appeal?
The 2018 Dodge Durango, which shares a chassis with the Jeep Grand Cherokee, may be the underdog among Toyota 4Runner rivals. The Durango comes in a variety of model and powertrain options, with prices ranging from $29,995 for the entry-level SXT RWD to $64,090 for the SRT RWD with a 6.4-liter Hemi V8.
The R/T model, which starts at $46,345, may be the best value in the series. Up to seven people may fit inside, there are 20-inch alloy wheels, Nappa leather seats, an eight-speed automatic transmission, four-wheel drive, a 7,200-pound towing capacity, and up to 8.1 inches of ground clearance. It also has a 5.7-liter 360-hp Hemi V8 engine.
What SUVs stand up to the 4Runner?
For those looking for a five-passenger SUV with off-road capability, the Jeep Wrangler competes successfully with the Toyota 4Runner. Toyota cannot compete with the variety of trims and options offered by Jeep’s line, which includes both two and four-door versions. The Jeep also has several convertible options, detachable doors, and a retractable windshield.
Jeep provides three engine options as well. In addition to its V6 engine, which is identical to Toyota’s regular offering, Jeep also provides a muscle SUV with a V8 engine and a plug-in hybrid four-cylinder turbocharged powerplant.
In addition, Jeep provides three years of maintenance as standard vs Toyota’s two. Finally, as you pass throngs of other Jeep owners in traffic, you get to smile and wave back.
The Bottom Range: The Jeep Wrangler SUV line has everything the 4Runner has to offer and then some when it comes to outdoor fun.
Cabin Space
Highlander: At 194.9 inches, the new 2020 Highlander is 4.7 inches longer than its more capable off-road sibling, the 4Runner. Even though their widths are nearly identical, the new Highlander sits three inches lower than the 4Runner. The Highlander is, it may be said, even more like a car than before. The Highlander makes better use of its interior space because it is built on the new TNGA unibody chassis.
The headroom is 39.9 inches without the panoramic moonroof and 39.4 inches with the optional glass roof. Without the sunroof, there is 37.1 inches of headroom in the second row and 38.4 inches with it. In any configuration, the third row offers 36.1 inches of headroom. In terms of legroom, the first two seats have enough of it. Even the tallest passengers can easily fit in the first two rows thanks to its 40.4 and 41.0 inch widths. However, the third row is a little congested at 27.7 inches.
4Runner: Despite standing a solid 71.5 inches tall and measuring 190 inches in length, the 4Runner lacks a tiny bit of headroom and shoulder room compared to its car-based predecessor. The truck-like structure, which utilizes robust but space-consuming suspension components, is partly to blame for this.
Comparing the 4Runner to its slightly bigger unibody sister, both vehicles offer comparable amounts of headroom. To be exact, 39.3 inches in the front and 38.6 inches in the back. Although it does manage to reclaim some space in the third row, which offers two inches more legroom than the Highlander, the legroom in the middle seat is noticeably shorter at 32.9 inches due to the body on frame structure.
Conclusion: The Toyota Highlander is larger than the 4Runner and has significantly more space inside for passengers. The way they are built is primarily to blame for this. The 4Runner is a body on frame, in contrast to the Highlander’s unibody design. As a result, the 4Runner sits on top of its frame as opposed to the Highlander, which means the cabin’s available area is immediately reduced.
Is a Toyota 4Runner a wise investment?
The reliability of the Toyota 4Runner The expected reliability rating for the 2022 Toyota 4Runner is 81 out of 100. A predicted reliability score from J.D. Power of 91 to 100 is regarded as the best, 81 to 90 as great, 70 to 80 as medium, and 0-69 as fair and below average.
Is the Tacoma the 4Runner’s inspiration?
Despite having similar aesthetic elements, the Toyota Tacoma and Toyota 4Runner are two different cars. Some individuals might erroneously believe that the Tacoma is the pickup version of the 4Runner SUV, but there are many more differences between the two vehicles besides just the design of the cargo space. The external styling of the Tacoma and 4Runner both varies greatly depending on the trim level. Both ranges’ TRD versions are sportier and more aggressive, frequently with contrasting trim and distinctive badging, whereas the Limited trim levels adopt a more opulent stance.
A Honda Pilot is larger than a Toyota 4Runner, right?
There is more room for passengers in the Honda Pilot because it is a tiny bit bigger than the Toyota 4Runner. Its total passenger volume is 152.9 cubic feet, as opposed to 128.0 cubic feet for the 3 row 4Runner and 93.7 cubic feet for the 2 row 4Runner.
The 4Runner has more storage room, though. Its maximum payload capacity is 89.7 cu-ft as opposed to the Pilot’s 83.9 cu-ft.
Which vehicle costs more, a Highlander or a 4Runner?
Starting Cost and Trim Levels for the 4Runner. Price is one of the first things you’ll want to compare between these two Toyota crossovers. The base Highlander trim level has a starting MSRP of $34,810, while the base Toyota 4Runner configuration costs slightly more at $36,340.
Does the 4Runner resemble the Land Cruiser?
Although the 2021 4Runner and 2021 Land Cruiser appear to be extremely similar at first glance, closer inspection reveals that the Land Cruiser is taller, wider, and longer than the 4Runner. The Land Cruiser only provides two trims, compared to the 4Runner’s nine. If you choose one of the 4Runner’s TRD trims or the Trail Special Edition trim, you can have some excellent off-roading features. Both models of the Land Cruiser come standard with skid plates, front and rear mudguards, and tow hooks located on the chassis.
Which SUV is Toyota’s largest?
The Toyota Highlander is the largest SUV in the Toyota series and comes with a standard third row of seats so that both passengers and baggage may be transported in comfort.
Is a Toyota 4Runner an SUV with a full size?
The Toyota 4Runner is a small, then mid-sized sport utility vehicle that Toyota of Japan has made and distributed worldwide since 1984. It was taken off the market in 2009 and is known in Japan as the Toyota Hilux Surf (Japanese:, Hepburn: Toyota Hairakkususfu). The 4Runner’s predecessor, the Toyota Hilux pickup truck with a fiberglass shell over the bed, was a tiny SUV. However, the design has subsequently undergone significant independent development to become a hybrid of a compact and mid-size SUV. At Toyota’s factory in Tahara, Aichi, or at the Hino Motors (a Toyota affiliate) factory in Hamura, every 4Runner has been produced in Japan.
Robert Nathan, a copywriter for the advertising firm Saatchi & Saatchi, came up with the moniker “4Runner.” Before the release of new Toyota models, the agency organized competitions for the creation of new car names. Since the sport utility vehicle was the first of its kind for Toyota, with an emphasis on its 4×4 capability and seating for four, the name 4Runner was invented as a play on the term “forerunner.” [Reference needed]
The Fortuner, which is built on the Hilux chassis, replaced the Hilux Surf in several regions in 2005.
The Bahamas, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, Peru, the United States, and Venezuela are among the countries that now sell the 4Runner as of 2021[update].