2021 One Year Review

Current vehicle: 2021 4Runner Venture


Previous vehicles: Honda something; Volkswagen can’t remember; Subaru Forrester; Jeep CJ7- driven till the engine literally caught on fire; Jeep Commanche – best small pickup ever; Volvo XC 90 and 60


Modifications (exterior): Blacked out chrome grill strip; tires changed to Cooper Discoverer AT3


Modifications (interior): glove box and center console organizer; emblem black out; rubber storage/cup holder inserts; screen protector; built rear leveling/sleeping platform; Husky X-Act Contour floor liners.


Milage: 16,000


Maintenance: usual oil/tire rotation


Repairs: window chip repair


Reason purchased: Had a volvo XC60 R design and basically drove it like a truck. Why did I not just get a truck instead of the volvo? Because men often do things that don’t make sense. Initially I had an early first edition Bronco reservation thinking I’d trade the Volvo. Then the Ford Bronco dumpster fire started and one day during a blizzard I was driving past a Toyota dealer and spotted a 4Runner out front. Dealer man gave me the keys and said “Just bring it back sometime today.” It was a stock 2x4 SR5. About 20 minutes in I couldn’t figure out why I never considered a 4Runner before. Driving it was…fun. I was also impressed by the fact that the cup holder held a full sized Yeti mug with the big handle (key in my auto buying criteria). And then I accidentally hit a button and the rear window dropped. Sold. Sign me up.


Pros:

1.This truck (yeah yeah fight amongst yourselves about if it’s a truck or not. I call it a truck, drive it like a truck and in my tiny pea brain, it’s a truck) is analog. Its got everything you need and nothing you don’t. Unlike the volvo, the vehicle isn’t constantly beeping and buzzing, correcting or yelling at me. Car and driver crapped all over the 4Runner saying its low tech and needs a refresh- ancient engine, 5 speed relic. I like that my gauges are analog. HVAC is fast and strong and the heated seats do what they’re supposed to. That little Atari in the dash panel. Perfect. Reminds me of when I was 10. Its got big knobs that work with a glove on. You can operate the controls without swiping through a screen. Oh and that screen? Perfect size. If you need a 52 inch TV on your dash I dunno what to tell you. All this plus car play which is about all the tech this guy needs.

2.The 4WD lever. Listen folks, when you’re engaging your 4WD and you pull a lever to do so, you just feel good. Suddenly on dry pavement and need to turn? You’re workin your lever and it feels real good. No knobs or fancy named buttons here kids. You pull your lever.

3.Did I mention that drop down rear window? Someday people are going to realize that this is the highest of tech anyone could ask for. You put that window down and a 185 pound Newfoundland sticks his head out while Sundown by Gordon Lightfoot is blasting and…you feel good. If it’s a blizzard and you’re in the same scenario and you pull your 4WD lever, you feel even better.

4.It goes 0-60 eventually. Listen I dunno about you but I can’t think of one time when I knew the difference between 5 or 10 seconds. I also can’t think of a time on a trail or in the snow when I was trying to get to 60 anyhow. Further, in the volvo I got 12 points on my license for speeding because that thing was faaaaaaaassst. Touch your foot to the throttle and bam you’re goin 90 and trying to explain to the statey that no you didn’t know how fast you were going because who knows where the speedometer is in the digital screen. Now I go slower. Sometimes with a tail wind going down hill I even go 68.

5.Everything just works, every time. One year in and I’ve never had a glitch in the screen, car play or nav, all of which were notoriously finicky in other vehicles.

6.Its great on road trips – longest seat time was a 10 hour stretch.


Cons / Things I wish it had

1.Look everyone talks about the gas milage but for a giant upright brick I don’t think its terrible. Honestly the volvo did no better (prolly because I drove it 90mph like an ass). You don’t buy this thing for fuel economy. Its that simple.

2.I wouldn’t be mad if it had wireless car play. I ain’t mad without it either.


Intangibles:

This truck made driving fun again. I always viewed my vehicles as tools, utilitarian objects to get from A to B. But something changed with this truck. It’s a pleasure to drive it. When you look at it, constantly filthy, you can’t help but love it. It’s brought us back to adventuring. Back to the woods, the ocean and the mountains. Camping in it. Driving it to the Smoky mountains and to Cape Cod and everywhere in between. Its brought us back into the wild places and that’s not something that can be measured by the usual metrics. My 12 year old daughter recently told me to “keep this truck working till I’m 16 so I can drive it to college and do road trips with my friends.” That’s what makes this truck special. That connection to things that matter make this ancient beast worth every penny.

 

Great write up. Made me laugh. Thanks!

 

Great review.

If you're looking for a wireless option you might take a look at https://cplay2air.com/. Haven't used it with a Toyota head unit yet (our 'Runner is still inbound) but have used it with a couple other cars. It can be a little buggy at times but the convenience of wireless is pretty handy.

 

This is 100% spot-on, thank you!

 

Outstanding OP.

 

Mine doesn't have the 4WD lever. It must not be as good. Damn it.

 

They are both just as good.

I mean, the lever makes it a teeny tiny bit more just as good, but both are just as good.

 

Solid review! I feel similarly.

THanks.

 

OK good. I was worried I would have to trade it in for the lever model.

 

"Ancient Beast" I'll have a license plate frame or window sticker made with that. Perfect!

 

Great write-up OP, thanks for the laughs.

 

Very creative and spot on write up.
Bought the same 4runner used in MGM and frankly, the best vehicle I have ever owned.
The perfect balance of what you need and what you want.
Easy to maintain and as dependable as you will ever find.

 

Nice essay.

 

Can’t believe that I didn’t see this before. Great review!