4Runner ees fine.
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They need to update that powertrain for my wants/needs. I see too many people complaining about it’s power once it’s armored up and loaded with gear. It’s the reason why GX460s are becoming popular overland vehicles. Same platform, better engine.You can say the 4 runner is behind and it maybe, but it sells well and it is for me the main other vehical I would consider getting to the bronco. I could see getting both.
Same... Was looking at getting a TRD Offroad Version of the 4Runner. But even with not going the full PRO model, I thought the price was a too high for how out dated the truck is. Don't get me wrong I own Toyotas and they are super reliable vehicles, but even the comfort features were way outdated. Then Bronco got announced and I was all in on the Bronco.Toyota favors reliability and follows the mantra of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” They finally added LED lights to a decade old 4Runner.
I was actually in the market for one but the Bronco blew me away.
Me too..Lunar Rock being built starting Monday and should be here mid April. Excited.I just bought a 2021 4Runner TRD Pro. I doubt I will do any rock crawling so don't need quite the ability that the Bronco and Jeep have. I gave up on the Bronco after I realized my order would probably take a year and cost about 10K more than the TRD Pro. The 4Runner has a 500lb tongue weight too so can easily carrie my dirt bike on a hitch rack. The 4 liter V6 is good enough as is the old school 5 speed transmission. Nothing flashy but just what I need. For 2021 they added LED headlights. In 2020 they added CarPlay and Android Auto. Works for me. The interior is fine for me. We have other nicer vehicles so that was never something that was real important for me-except for Apple CarPlay.
2023 is what they are saying for a 6th gen 4Runner now. when that happens I may very well decide to trade my 2021 for it or a Bronco if they are available by then to the masses.I wanted a 4runner but wound up with the Jeep Grand Cherokee. The main reason is when I bought in 2015, the 4runner simply did not have any of the modern tech features I wanted. I like offroad vehicles but I also wanted active cruise control, decent nav system, heated/cooled seats, sunroof, keyless entry, decent power, etc. I couldn't get any of that in the TRD Pro at the time. Heck, the limited didn't even have it iirc
Finally, the 2021 4runner has stuff my JGC has had for 6 years and still kind of lusting after a TRD Pro. However, the Bronco has my eye now. I hope Toyota upgrades the 4runner line. I really wanted a cross between a TRD Pro and Limited where it has the offroad look/chops but still retains the luxury appointments.
Really nice write up. I have already posted once before about my 2000 Tundra TRD 4x4 that has 270k miles almost original. Sure I swapped shocks and springs and tie rods / ball joints including two timing chains and one starter, but other than that it’s flawless. It’s the perfect balance of weight, power, agility and reliability. Still going strong and fun to drive on all day Jeep trails in my local area. If I could buy this truck again right now, new? I would and I could build it up to keep up with any new F150 except probably with the Raptor. I just recently added a $1000 Kenwood audio system that has all the technology you could have. I can play DVDs while driving, dual cameras, satellite whatever. Things are upgradable. The truck is perfect and even after 20 years it’s plenty fast on and off trails. I purposefully selected the black painted top on my Badlands for two reasons: I can see the new redesigned Tundra out at the end of ‘21 and reason number two I want to wait until they will build hopefully 50k Broncos enough to get their production issues and kinks this perhaps increase their reliability. Having said all that I am still eagerly Looking forward to the new Bronco though... family = SUV and the Bronco has it all: fast, incredibly good off road, removable top and fun to drive. Did I say fast? The Bronco will also look great next to my 65 Stang.Ok, maybe I'm stupid to wade into this. And I have owned an 2014 FJ, a 2007 4Runner, a 1990 Toyota Pickup and the wife has a Toyota-built Lexus, so you'll call me ridiculously biased.
But I have also owned a '66 Mustang, '73 Charger, Xterra, Jeep Grand Cherokee, S-10 Blazer (3 of them) and a 2011 Equinox (which was an unrivaled P.O.S.). Let's remove the classics because they were labors of lust and above reproach.
Of all those cars, the Toyotas all had the fewest recalls or work needed, even though I have owned them the longest (other than my first car, and '86 S-10). The Xterra drove like a wobbly radio flyer put together by a 4-year-old with a hammer. T Jeep had the worst transmission of any car I have ever owned. Absolute $h!t. The Equinox was an unmitigated abomination. Trash. Got rid of it after pistons and rings were replaced under warranty before 18K miles and the contents of the transfer case exploded at 21K.
Sure, Toyota had to issue many brutal recalls for airbags manufactured by a third party, damaging their reputation. And there's no doubt Toyota has had more than its fair share of recall programs overall in the past decade. The minute Toyota moved some of its trucks out of Japan was the minute they started losing the same top-shelf quality control and fit and finish I love about their vehicles. One of the best things about my FJ is that it was built at the Hino truck factory in Japan, before they handed off Tacomas to the US.
But there is a damned good reason people talk about their reliability, and unless you have owned them for long periods, you aren't in a position to thrown them out like yesterday's stanky baby diapers just because you have seen the list of recalls. All of my Toyotas have run over 100K miles flawlessly. The '90 pickup is running beautifully at 160K. My FJ just hit 102K and I plan to keep it until the zombies eat my hands off to steal the key.
I completely agree with folks who say Toyota is light years behind in tech. It is frustrating at times. That made the Bronco instantly attractive to me, no doubt. But you can either deal with that or you can't, and I can. I quickly replaced/upgraded the few basic things I could, like NAV and audio, in both my 4Runner and FJ. (My dad had an Avalon that I sold when he died, and while it had a lesser degree of outdated tech, it was still built to run for 250K+.)
Maybe you owned a $h!tty Toyota and if so, then I get it. But they have a reputation that is based on tens of thousands -- maybe hundreds -- of owners who have driven them long past 200K miles. And the proof to me is in the offers from people right off the street that I get for not only the FJ ($32K at 100K miles), but the '90 pickup. Last one I got was $10K cash for it, and all it has added to it is cheap JVC stereo and an OME suspension. People believe, even if others are rightly skeptical due to recall reports.
Just my two cents.