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Why is the Toyota 4runner "behind?"

Kren

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My Sequoia has 210K and my sons Forerunner will make 200K as well...I wonder if my new Bronco will make 200K?
 

Thechief86

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If your boring Toyota is boring, try abusing it a little. My 2017 4 cylinder, 5 speed, 4x4, Base Model Tacoma saw LOTS of hard off road use, and was regularly teetering on 2 wheels, or up to the frame rails in mud, or climbing hills that I'd have trouble walking up, or bouncing over rocks the size of Volkswagens. And yet, somehow never broke, never got stuck, never overheated or quit running, and NEVER failed to take me to the place I wanted to go to, even if it meant 2nd gear bouncing off the rev limiter for 15 minutes while moving forward at 0.0073 mph and not being able to see out of the windows.
60k miles of zig zagging across the country hauling dirtbikes or towing a camper, or a trailer with a rock crawler on it (my old 1980 toyota on 37's), many nights camping in areas that probably wouldn't be accessible by helicopter in an emergency, and 4 years of taking me to work no matter the weather, and picking up my son from daycare as an infant to a toddler, and the thing never let me down. This boring appliance proved its capability for excitement by GETTING THERE. Every Time. Totally stock other than some 32" All-Terrains, and still got about 24mpg unless hauling/towing more than 1000 lbs or so.
As my first vehicle less than 20 years old, I was very impressed with the Bluetooth functions and touch screen stereo, Air-Conditioning, Backup camera, electric windows, and power/heated mirrrors on the Base SR model. It may have been behind lots of nicer vehicles, but for a base model, 4x4 fleet-style pickup truck that thing was NICE, lol.
I sold this thing to get a down payment for my Bronco, and got $22,500 for it, after paying about $25k brand new, even with 60k miles of use which would have probably killed a lesser machine quickly. It still drove like new, and is now living in California.
My Bronco will have BIG shoes to fill. And if it doesn't it will be traded in on another Tacoma or 4Runner. I realize I'm in a small group of people who buy 4x4's because they HAVE to, but I need capability AND reliability, and although I've had Jeeps since I was 16, I know I can't depend on a Jeep to survive for decades through the life mine would have. My 1990 Jeep Cherokee is pretty dependable, and massively capable after a lift, lockers, 33's, and a winch, but leaks oil like crazy, is very loud, hot, gets crummy mileage, and is pretty dismal for long highway slogging, not to mention is is has around a quarter million miles on it at this point.
If my Bronco can hold up to the abuse, and prove its capability off road, and across the continent on the slab, I'll probably sell my old XJ.
So far, it looks like Ford has done it right. How right, will be revealed once the public can get our hands on them and start going cool places in them.
Toyota is behind because their formula works, and they are too wise to mess that up and sacrifice their reputation for reliability. American car makers can take these risks, because their reputations already suck. Ford is the only company I see taking real risks, while also improving not only their image, but also their quality. This Bronco has the potential to turn me into a Ford enthusiast, and I never was before. If Ford does this right, they will come back to having the cult following they once had, before cars like the Tempo, Taurus, Escort, Colt, Pinto, Fairmont, Maverick, Bronco II, Mustang II, Aspire, Festiva, etc gave Ford a similar reputation to the one GM earned throughout the late 70's to early 2000's.
Here's to hoping I won't regret selling my Tacoma for the Bronco.
 

Mopar2Bronco2021

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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.
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.

Easy fix Toyota, cmon.
 

Edumakated

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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.
 

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My wife and I were both interested in 4Runner, and we both really liked the one they brought to a car show we went to. It was army green with a roof rack and looked awesome. Then we sat in it. And that was it. Neither one of us could convince ourselves we liked it. Nothing about the interior was appealing.
 

Velociraptor

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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.
 

edgeflyer

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Cause its made by the most overrated auto company our there.
 

BroncoBilly17

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As a former Toyota employee, there was a joke that went around that if Toyota limited the colour choice to just beige, and told their customers they didn't need any other choices, the customers would still buy it.
 

GRENDIZER

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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.
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.
 

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revans1009

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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.
Me too..Lunar Rock being built starting Monday and should be here mid April. Excited.
 

revans1009

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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.
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.
 

Djdmustang

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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.
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.

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Jtorral

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Too many replies to read. But, the simple answer to this question is that the existing platform is considered by many to be one of the most reliable ever made. If I recall, they design and improve each component to last at least 25 years.

Yes they can and will do the same with the next and better generation but that will get old and this question Will come up again.

So, if it ain't broken don't fix it.
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