Fully Committed to a 4Runner?

Hey guys,

I am new to the thread but need a little insight. I have a ‘23 4Runner ORP on order. Having second guesses since there are of course pros and cons to moving from it to what I currently have. I have over a million miles of diehard faithful experience with Toyota products. Three of which saw aggressive overland mods and usage. Unfortunately I guess I was a little burnt out from having the same brand and also was really disappointed in the performance or lack there of in my ‘18 TRDPRO Tacoma. So I decided to try something new. I went with a ‘22 Ford Ranger XLT FX4. I was planning on doing a serious overland build after I saw a great deal of them built in Australia, New Zealand, South America and Central/South America over my travels as a survival instructor. Unfortunately I think the Toyota dna just runs really deep in my blood. I began to have regrets and have just never really felt like this current truck is actually my own. Also came to the conclusion that I teeter on whether I actually even need a pick up bed.

So I ordered a ‘23 TRD Off-Road Premium 4runner. What really sold me is the payload was much much better than my Tacoma. The 4.0 and Transmission is absolutely proven. Still love the physical linkage to the transfer case on the Premiums and the steering is still hydraulic on the 4Runners. The seating position is much better and feel like I am locking down one last built proof Toyota before we enter into a new era of drivetrains for Toyotas. Plus it would be awesome to have another Japanese built Toyota.

With all this said, I know I am going to loose fuel mileage, power, a pick up bed and there will be a slight increase in my car note. But I am crossing my fingers what I will gain will be more than worth the transition. I just have confidence that this is something that will pay for itself back in reliability and something I can still enjoy driving 10-15 years later.

For those that were on the fence about moving to a Gen 5 4Runner was it worth it? Any regrets? I’m pretty certain I’m following through but just making absolute sure this is the right decision specially since this is going to cost a little extra cash on top.

Side note* This 4Runner will get heavily modified to a hybrid overland build. Its usage when I’m not doing highway miles will be heavy use in the Rockies scouting new areas for Elk, Elk Hunting, traveling to remote properties to teach survival skills to private classes. As well as a rig that can hold all my gear in the event I have to link up in the field with fellow search and rescue/EMT’s on a call out.

I appreciate any insight. Thanks!

 

I drove 3 Toyota trucks, the first was a 95, the an 09 Tacoma and then 17 taco, the wife convinced me to trade the 17 for our 23 ORP runner, we love it.

 

Welcome to the forum!

As long as you are comfortable with it being a tad slow, mediocre fuel economy, and old technology, you'll be happy. I have 93K miles on my '19 and still enjoy it every time I drive it. I think it's an excellent platform for mild to moderate off-roading, and just big enough for sleeping inside.

Good luck with your decision!

 

Thanks! Yeah I’m pretty certain what ever performance I might loose with the Ranger I will gain in confidence and reliability. I mean I did a ton of homework before I sold my Tacoma and for the most part sounds like most people specially the international market have been quite impressed with their Rangers. Unfortunately I just don’t see it lasting as long and I will say the initial quality control and build quality out of the factory on this Ford is straight up pathetic. Yeah I get the 4Runner in its current Gen is a dinosaur but a dinosaur that will still be going 500,000 miles later. I just can’t gain full confidence to drop 20k into the Ranger like I thought I wanted to. Going to miss the 23 mpg and zippy torque but I just would hate to get deep into that build and watch the sun set on this 5th Gen without being able to snag a new one for myself. I’m technically an engineer by education and went to engineer school with a few friends who actually work for some is the Toyota plants. They said the next 4runner and Tacoma are going to be super impressive but it will be an all new drivetrain. A drivetrain I really don’t want to be a Guinea Pig on.

 

I came out of a 2015 F-150 XLT with the 5.0L engine. It would absolutely scream. Before that I drove a 2001 Tacoma Prerunner and a 2003 Tacoma SR5. My son still drives the ‘01. Like you, I began to question why I need a bed any longer. I also wanted something 4wd for more confident escapes. The 4Runner checks all the boxes for me. Overlanding mods are not on my list but I get that you have that life and I agree that the 4Runner will be a fit for those requirements. If you are convinced the truck bed isn’t important, that leaves gas mileage and power. Get a Pedal Commander or equal and you won’t even notice a loss in power. Coming from the 5.0, I’m totally happy with mine. Gas mileage you’ll just have to live with. Or get a RAV 4.

Welcome to the forum. Start saving your money now. The more you read here, the more you’re gonna want.

 

Yeah I absolutely loved my ‘88 Toyota PU, got 317k miles with zero issues, my ‘03 Tacoma SR5 was hands down my best truck I ever owned. 321k faithful miles. 309k miles on my ‘11 TRD4x4 Tacoma with very little issue. Only made it 67k miles on my ‘18 TRDPRO Tacoma. No issues other than a few 4 wheel drive actuator hang ups but what had me done with the Gen 3 was it absolutely struggling to move the truck down the road even after re-gearing it. They just really screwed the pooch on the drivetrain on the Gen 3’s. I’ve always been impressed with my friends 4Runners and have always wanted one.

 

Welcome to the forum!

Like Spare Parts, I previously drove an '09 and then '17 Taco. I was worried I may miss the bed, but I really don't. What I gained is an actual bed , for me and the pup. The increased interior space is just very nice compared to the Taco. Being able to keep all my gear inside, out of the elements is a massive plus for me. I do miss the standard transmission of the Tacos, but I like the better engine and built in Japan aspects of the 4Runner. I may eventually get another Taco or even a Hilux (if I move) down the road, but they will be in addition to, not a replacement for my 4Runner. I'm very happy I made the switch. It wasn't entirely without experience for me, my first Toyota was an '02 4Runner, so I knew what I was getting into for the most part.

 

Good insight! Yeah by the time I add either a cap or bed cover, drawers, etc. I don’t actually even have a pick up bed with all the trucks I’ve had. Kind of just semi external storage is all it really is. Specially since I’m a contractor that travels a ton and still single. I’ll probably completely yank all the seats out the back and just do one large flat floor instead on the 4Runner. Be easier to store stuff and crash back there on a long road trip.

 

I may go the whole bed platform route, but I haven't yet. A VERY simple mod, which is how mine currently is, is to just remove the seat base on the 60% rear side. It's just removing two 14mm bolts and takes about 5 minutes if you're slow. It lets me keep my 40% rear passenger seat, with dog crate strapped behind it, and the 60% side is large enough for a 30" wide sleeping pad. I highly recommend the Megamat 10. I've owned a gazillion sleeping pads and mats over the years, and the Megamat 10 feels as comfortable as my house mattress and fits the 60% side of a 4Runner like it was made for it. What removing the seat base does is give you an extra foot or so of headroom, so you can fully stretch out. With the seat bases still in, I am not quite able to stretch out fully (I'm 5'10") with my feet touching the rear door and my head touching the folded down seat base. Once it's removed, plenty of room. The benefit of this set-up is it allows you to return the truck to stock form in 5 minutes. You lose a bit of space compared to doing a full platform mod, but it's nowhere near as permanent.

Since the cargo area is about 3" lower than the folded down seat backs, my simple fix was to buy two of the cheap thermarest closed cell foam mats, cut them all in half, and duct tape them together on top of each other, It levels out the space under your legs, and has the added benefit of being a lot of extra insulation in a survival situation.

 

@TSU_Tanner - sounds like you've realized all the benefits and what you might lose if trading to a 4R. When's your order scheduled to arrive?

I went from a 2013 Tacoma TRD Off Road (similar engine and transmission) to my current 4R, no regrets.

 

I'm not single, but I yanked the rear seats out as well! No regrets! I love the extra space. I don't have any Tacoma experience, but I originally wanted a Taco and put on a cap to sleep in it. Tacoma's are slightly cheaper, but adding the cost of a good cap, the trouble of dealing with a cap and that they are ultimately prone to leak - the 4R was a much better alternative since I don't need a truck bed for hauling things. Everything is self contained, protected, side entries, rear entry, can access the front seat area from the rear, heating & cooling, better 4WD and a better made vehicle than the Taco. Everything I have seen and read about this topic and I was surprised at the results - unless you specifically need a truck bed, the 4R is a better vehicle!

 

Yeah in a perfect world the Ranger absolutely would out perform anything I have owned up to this point. The horsepower, fuel mileage, torque, payload and towing are quite impressive but I just don’t see this truck lasting past 150k miles. Specially since I want to heavily modify it. The interior in this truck is utterly disappointing, cheap and I’ve never seen something scratch so easy. Long story short, this Ranger is by far the best performing mid size on the market, but what it gains in performance I am genuinely nervous it lacks in reliability and overall quality. To the point I don’t think it’s worth gambling as much money I am wanting to invest into it is worth it. I much rather loose the gas mileage, horsepower and towing to gain something that will still crank up in 12 years. Plus there is something about a Toyota that is just timeless. I still find myself turning my head on old Gen Tacoma and 4Runner builds that just look great and have held up great.

 

Just an update to my last post with photos to show what I'm talking about. Here's the cut up thermarest pads:


Showing the fit of the Megamat 10 (Long, Extra wide size):


And showing the extra headroom from removing the 60% seat base. This pad is a full 78" long, and 30" wide. I normally fill the space beneath the head with something like my 1500W Goal Zero, or a 2.5 gallon water jerrycan, etc.:

 

To back up your statement, here's the latest JD Power Vehicle Dependability Study results. Toyota is in the top 7 with their Lexus brand at number one. Ford languishes near the very bottom.

 

Cool! Ironically the 4Runner is built in the same factory as the Lexus SUV’s in Japan. A lot of people have said that’s what has also contributed to 4Runners superior quality right out of the factory floor.

 

I picked up a 2003 Tacoma pre runner to scratch my Toyota pickup itch...it's 20 years old and still going strong.

 

I should have clarified I have a fairly light weight off-road utility trailer I use when guiding Elk hunts. That’s how I haul out my big game hunts. Had to do something for a tent since I was not a fan of roof top tents that glued my vehicle down unless I was willing to pack back up just to move along the hunting unit. So ironically I really didn’t use the pick up bed even for large coolers. The slowness of the Tacoma isn’t what bothered me. It was the feeling that it was actually struggling to even stay in gear or move with loaded cargo. I think the 4Runner will be better since its payload is only 54lbs difference from the Ranger. The Tacoma I think just got lazy during this generation. Really didn’t put their best foot forward and it showed with the solid competition from other brands. Performance still better with the Ranger, yep! But its reliability even 8-10 years from now and it’s over all quality is what has me hung up on committing to it.

 

"If you didn't like your turd gen Tacoma then you probably won't like the 5th gen 4runner" doesn't hold water. There's plenty of threads on 4runners.com with post after post of 3rd gen Taco owners delighted with their switch to a 5th gen 4R.

 

For me the 5th gen 4runner checks every box except space and towing capacity - awesome vehicle!

 

I never seem to hear them. In fact, I can't say I've once heard someone either on a 4Runner forum or TW say they regretted switching from the Taco to the 4Runner. I'm sure with the hundreds of thousands of owners out there, some people feel that way, but I hear regularly from people stating the opposite, and never once from someone saying they regret the switch. Also, as someone who's owned the 3rd Gen Taco and 5th Gen 4Runner, I can't agree that if you don't like one, you won't like the other...they are two completely different vehicles, and the differences FAR outweigh any similarities. Lastly, of the folks who didn't like the 3rd Gen Taco, pretty much all of them say they owned the automatic. I've never heard someone say they hated a manual transmission 3rd Gen Taco. I also owned a 2nd Gen Taco, and greatly preferred the 3rd.

 

Tanner it seems to me like you’re trying to rationalize an emotional decision. This is a weird market for used cars and some folks are finding that they can sell a car that’s one year old for more than they paid for it and if you can do that it would be great but typically when one buys a new car and then turns around and sells it a year layer he takes a bath. I don’t know what you paid for your Ford or what you can get for it but it may not even be relevant — it’s a perfectly legitimate position to say hey I bought this Ford but I’m not loving it as much as I thought I would and now I’ve changed my mind and want a 4Runner even if it means I’ll take a bit of a financial hit to get it.

Do what makes you happy!

 

Had a 3rd gen tacoma before the 4Runner. I only wish I had switched sooner. Hope you enjoy your new purchase!

 

https://www.4runners.com/threads/tacoma-to-4runner-converts.14339/

https://www.4runners.com/threads/looking-at-upgrading-to-a-4runner-from-a-tacoma.3258/

https://www.4runners.com/threads/anyone-go-from-4runner-to-tacoma.8010/ (thread where in 88 posts, 1 went from a 4Runner to a Taco but didn't say why; a few had both; the vast majority had switched from a 3rd gen Taco and never looked back)

 

Seems clear from your goals and your history that there's no better option than the 4Runner. It ain't perfect, sure, but what else could be even better suited?

 

You are correct, it is somewhat mental rationalization. I do think the 4Runner is still a superior vehicle and better fitted for me. But yeah just more less trying to collect peoples experience who were kind of on the fence like I am. I truly am impressed with the performance of the Ford but like I have mentioned in other posts. I just can’t seem to fully wrap my head around the confidence I am needing to want to invest as much as I want into an overland/utilitarian build. Don’t regret getting rid of my Gen 3 Tacoma but I guess I can honestly say I do regret not replacing it with another Toyota.

 

don’t think you are on the fence at all

almost every word of your posts seem to indicate thought and common sense

from where I sit you are 90 plus % convinced on the right path to buy a 4Runner

a little more of a loan yes
But the comments on longevity, lack of repairs and so on indicate U will buy a 4Runner

your somewhat second thoughts are natural

it will be ok

 

LMAO about payload. Payload on an ORP is 880# (which is absurd given the 6300# GVWR and ~4750# curb weight, payload *should* be ~1550#)

 

I’m one of those that after years of owning nothing but Toyota pickups and tacomas, first and second generation, finally bought a 4Runner. I sold it last year as I missed the open bed a truck provides. I’m not really all that impressed with my 3rd gen tacoma. I already miss the engine, transmission and overall build quality of the 4Runner. I bought a small 5x10 utility trailer and i’m about to sell my tacoma and get another 4Runner. FWIW

 

From a different perspective, I'm actually on the fence about keeping my 4wd SR5 Premium. It's cool. Has the truck feel that I want but it just doesn't give me the emotional pull as much as I had hoped. I'm actually looking at a Jeep Gladiator. I haven't really needed a truck bed until I needed a truck bed. Simple things like transporting a treadmill or towing our 25' boat. More often then not I don't need a truck bed though so I rationalize that I don't and then I'll use my brother's f250 for the boat but it's just inconvenient sometimes. Also, the Jeep Gladiator is just ready right out of the box. Put 35s on, no problem. Do what makes you happy. 4R is kind of boring IMHO but it's reliable and it'll last forever. I can hear Dave Ramsey yelling at me...