2013 Toyota 4Runner Test Drive

[aigel]

My 2001 Sequoia is getting long in the tooth, so I have been jonesing a replacement for a while. There isn't much out there that I like - I had eyed an FJcruiser before because it can be had with a stick, but need more room nowadays. The new 4runner looks nice, so I went for a test drive.

I was pretty disappointed. While the outside is clean and well designed, the interior has a horrid Tupperware feel to it with many very hard surfaces and controls straight out of a comic movie and orange gauges from the 80s.

What really put me off was the engine. All was fine at very low throttle in town with the ECO light shining at me brightly, but going up the on ramp, accelerating into freeway traffic, nothing happened until i kicked the pedal in deeply. A screaming whine after a jerky shift and the rpm flew up and 3 seconds later it started going somewhere ...

Out the door price on a basic equipped SR5 with 4x4 is north of $40k. If I'd get a trail model with the KDSS, i'd be even above that ..

I got back into the Sequoia (Limited with leather and loaded for that year's model), fired up the V8 and drove home. Barely have to hit the pedal on the on-ramp to get going. I ordered a new set of all terrains for it and will pamper it another 100k. I can buy a lot of gas and do a few more repairs for the $35k I'll be saving.

Anyone else think the quality / workmanship on the Toyotas just isn't there any more compared to 10 years ago? Would i have to shop for another limited Sequoia ($60k?) to get the same?

Final note: WTF is up with console shifters on trucks that only come with an automatic?

Next test drive is a Suburban - in 2 years or so.

G

[look 171]

I am ready to buy one, but just can't seem to dish out 40k for a 4 runner. The one I drove for a split second was fine, but it was off a red light, no freeway on ramp. I might end up buying another Land Cruiser (used V8).

[look 171]

What MPG do you get out of that V8 in that Sequoia? 4WD?

[aigel]

I average about 14 with a lot of town driving. On a road trip I may see 17, usally keeping it at 75 mph. Yes, 4wd, I take it out to the boonies and need the 4wd!

Fueleconomy.gov has the Sequoia at 14 mpg average and the 4runner at 18. At 25k miles a year and about $4/gal I would save about $2k a year in gas driving the new 4runner.

G

[unclebilly]

I bought a 2011 Tundra Crewmax SR5 TRD last year. I'm not convinced it is any better than Alan F150 or GMC Sierra.

I now have 72,000 kms (43k miles) on it in 15 months. I added a spacer lift, 35" tires, smittybilt bumper and winch. The mileage got worse.

I like the truck but I think my next will have a twin turbo V6...

[onewhippedpuppy]

Totally agree. I think Toyota built the best vehicles through the early 2000s and has been declining ever since. My 1991 Land Cruiser and 2003 4Runner were two of the best vehicles that I've ever owned, but I'm not blown away by modern Toyotas. We cross-shopped the 2012 Tundra and F150 this year and ended up buying the F150, that pretty much says it all.

[vash]

my 2006 4x4 tacoma is pretty awesome..but i have to look past the shortcomings. one glaring insufficiency is the super thin, weak tail gate. my fat ass climbing on the tail gate..i feel like it will buckle. roll a modern street bike onto the thing..it will bring a whole new meaning to calling my truck a "taco". people on the internet go to great lengths to reinforce the stupid thing. the tailgate takes the brunt of all loads going into the truck. again with the paper machete interior. my dash is scratched up bad. i think a box of coconuts (cardboard) put the biggest scratch in the dash..

my burrito joint is across the street from a toyota dealership. they have a new 4runner there for $48k. i do want to steal the SE trail wheels for my tacoma.. (why would they put a tiny square hole in a off road toyota wheel to trap mud and debris forever...?)

[kaisen]

It will be interesting to see how the current gen 4Runner performs in the marketplace. They've only sold 39K of them in the US YTD. The Highlander outsells it 3 to 1, and the RAV4 outsells it 4 to 1. Ford has sold almost 100K more Explorers.

Not that the 4Runner is a bad vehicle, it just misses what the current marketplace is asking for, and buying.

The Sequioa is significantly worse, truly a failure, and it loses money for Toyota. They've sold only 10K so far this year. It has been outsold by the Suzuki SX4 and the Chevrolet VOLT..... that should tell you something. Again, not a bad product, just not keeping with the times.

The next generations of 4Runner and Sequoia better get it right

[onewhippedpuppy]

Putting everything else aside, I think the 4Runner is at least $10k too expensive. $40k+ for a non-Lexus compact SUV? Crazy.....

[aigel]

Originally Posted by kaisen

It will be interesting to see how the current gen 4Runner performs in the marketplace. They've only sold 39K of them in the US YTD. The Highlander outsells it 3 to 1, and the RAV4 outsells it 4 to 1. Ford has sold almost 100K more Explorers.

Not that the 4Runner is a bad vehicle, it just misses what the current marketplace is asking for, and buying.

The Sequioa is significantly worse, truly a failure, and it loses money for Toyota. They've sold only 10K so far this year. It has been outsold by the Suzuki SX4 and the Chevrolet VOLT..... that should tell you something. Again, not a bad product, just not keeping with the times.

The next generations of 4Runner and Sequoia better get it right

You think there is hope the bottom will fall out on the new 4runners when they hit the 3 year old mark?

What attracts me to them may be a deterrent to the majority of buyers: Truck frame, high ground clearance and very good off road capability. I would have no use for a Highlander, Rav4 etc.

I sure am glad that large behemoth overpriced SUVs are going out of style. Or are others doing much better in this segment?

G

[onewhippedpuppy]

Have you looked at the previous generation 4Runner? My 2003 (sold to Seahawk) was a fantastically reliable car and very well made. You can get them with the Sequoia V8, though I found the 240 HP V6 more than adequate. $15k buys you a pretty nice one today.

[Bill Verburg]

I've got a 2008 4Runner Sport Edition V8, it's used 90% towing and gets 16.3mpg since I last rest the computer a year ago. It's a great tow vehicle vvT really works wonders on these things, and ok around town too, but I'd never buy another because of the lack of V-8 torque.

I sort of like Sequoia but the same issue arises as w/ pu's, they don't fit too well in my garages

If buying today to get the same tow capacity in a reasonably sized vehicle you are pretty much limited to Jeep Grand Cherokee or it's Chrysler counterparts

[aigel]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Have you looked at the previous generation 4Runner? My 2003 (sold to Seahawk) was a fantastically reliable car and very well made. You can get them with the Sequoia V8, though I found the 240 HP V6 more than adequate. $15k buys you a pretty nice one today.

You are correct, that's an option. These are definitely on the radar, albeit just a little small for my n eeds. I'd like 3rd row seats which are rare as hen's teeth and only available on the later models of that generation. The sport V8 would be nice. These are very expensive in the used market IMHO, especially compared to the Sequoias which are a lot larger / nicer equipped and practically going for the same money.

G

[Evans, Marv]

Wow I'm amazed my old F350 Powerstroke gets slightly better milleage than the Sequoia, and it's 440+ ci. Too bad diesel is still (and may remain) more expensive than gasoline. I'm thinking I should stay with the older stuff.

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by aigel

You think there is hope the bottom will fall out on the new 4runners when they hit the 3 year old mark?

No. The supply is meeting demand, not outpacing it. So when used there will be demand, with very few to choose from at any given time. See manual transmission station wagons.

What attracts me to them may be a deterrent to the majority of buyers: Truck frame, high ground clearance and very good off road capability. I would have no use for a Highlander, Rav4 etc.

Ironically, unibody vehicles can have higher ground clearance and better off road capability than a 4Runner. You're buying in to an old-school mentality that simply isn't true anymore.

I sure am glad that large behemoth overpriced SUVs are going out of style. Or are others doing much better in this segment?
G

I mentioned that Toyota has sold 10K Sequoias YTD

GM has sold 149K V8 full-size SUVs YTD

[aigel]

Originally Posted by kaisen

Ironically, unibody vehicles can have higher ground clearance and better off road capability than a 4Runner. You're buying in to an old-school mentality that simply isn't true anymore.

I am curious which new vehicle competes with this old school set up? I thought most unibody 4wd vehicles are based on car platforms.

G

[onewhippedpuppy]

Eric, I'd like some examples of unibody 4x4s that can exceed the off-road performance of a body on frame. There are some that in stock form I'm sure could match the 4Runner (Grand Cherokee), but it's hard to state that they are superior. On-road absolutely there is no comparison.

[McLovin]

I had a Ford Explorer rental car recently, had to put 500 or so miles on it.

I don't know how you guys stomach driving vehicles that get 17 mpg.

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by aigel

I am curious which new vehicle competes with this old school set up? I thought most unibody 4wd vehicles are based on car platforms.

G

Let's look at a 2013 Toyota 4Runner Trail Edition with KDSS.
The ground clearance is 8.9" at the metal skidplate that protects the front swaybar. It wears 32" tires.
Minimum crawl ratio (lowest gear, low range) is 33.7:1
The biggest engine makes 270 hp and 278 lb-ft and tows 5,000 pounds
0-60 in 9.0 secs
EPA rated 17 mpg city and 21 mpg freeway (18 combined)

Compared to the unibody 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee Off Road Adventure Group II
The ground clearance is 10.6" at the engine's skidplate. It wears 30.5" tires.
Minimum crawl ratio (lowest gear, low range) is 28.3:1
The standard engine (3.6L V6) makes 290 hp and 260 lb-ft and tows 5,000 pounds
0-60 in 8.9 secs
EPA rated 16 mpg city and 23 mpg freeway (19 combined)

If you need more, get the 5.7L Hemi that makes 360 hp and 390 lb-ft and tows 7,200 pounds
0-60 in 7.9 secs
EPA rated 13 mpg city / 20 mpg freeway (15 combined)

The 4Runner was Four Wheeler magazine's Four Wheeler of the Year in 2010
The Grand Cherokee was their Four Wheeler of the Year in 2011


Adding 32" tires to the Jeep (standard on the Toyota) gives it an even bigger advantage

[kaisen]

Grand Cherokee unibody underside