Anyone go from a Tacoma to a 4Runner?

I prefer the 4runner dash layout and the front seat ergonomics. It's just more comfortable to be in for me.

 

Went from my 2017 Tacoma to the 4Runner.

 

Currently own 2020 TRD Off Road double cab short bed. Great vehicle In my opinion, added sound deadening, upgraded speakers. Also bed cover and TRD wheels, the standard glove box and console kits added also. Now with grandchild and aging in-laws it's time to make the 4runner a reality. Having trouble finding a new one at this time. Currently looking to trade in Tacoma for 4runner. I joined this group to learn as much as possible to make a solid decision as 4runner come in many varieties.

 

I did, went from a 4runner to a TRD Pro Cement Tacoma. Fun to drive but it was a tight fit. I ended up trading it in for a Jeep Wrangler... mistake number 1, then I traded for a Subaru Outback...Mistake #2....
Finally did right by coming home to a 4Runner.

 

Same, my Tacoma ORP was totaled in 2021 and am now in a 2022 OR. Wish an ORP had been available, but I like the ride and torque/trans is MILES better.

 

Had a 2012 Tacoma 4-Dr with short bed and loved it besides having a few minor recurring issues. Overall, I prefer the '20 4RNR Off Road. More comfortable and has more useable space for my needs. Also makes things easier on passengers compared to small rear seat of the Taco. The worst I ever run into is Wisconsin snow and both vehicle handle it without concern.

 

I went from a 2016 Tacoma TRD Offroad to my current 2022 4Runner TRD Offroad.
I find the 4Runner more comfortable and definitely quieter overall to drive. It also tows better then my Tacoma could which is important to me. I do miss the box once in a while for getting lumber and such for building projects at my cottage, but a utility trailer has solved that. The 4Runner is much more versatile overall then the Tacoma was.

 

Not directly from one to the other but in late 2018 my (now) ex-wife got a 2019 Tacoma TRD OR (I had a crew cab F150). I drove it plenty, one of the last things I did before getting divorces was to teach my daughter to drive a manual with it. almost 2 years later I traded the F150 for a 4Runner. The 4Runner is hands down better than the Tacoma (I literally cannot think of one way the Tacoma is better than the 4Runner)...

I feel bad for that tacoma. Lots of cosmetic mods (stickers, raptor lights, cavalry blue trim rings inside to replace the chrome, etc), not a lot of functional mods (I mean, I think she finally put a prinsu rack on it but its cosmetic, nothing will ever be put up there...which is why I was not willing to spend the money on it) and it will never see even a dirt road. I guess maybe the 4runner TRD Pro wheels and Falken Wildpeaks are sort of functional but I put those on (and now don't really want those wheels on my 4runner...)

 

I had a 2019 Taco TRD Off Road Premium. I loved that truck. But, Toyota clearly built those with little people in mind. I'm only 5'9" and my head would just about rub the headliner if I wore a ballcap. The seats in the TRD model sit so low, that anyone with a bad back will suffer. So, I sold it, and I picked up a 22 4runner TRD Off Road Premium. I love my 4Runner, more room, and more comfortable.

 

I went from my 2009 DCLB Sport to a 2022 OR (Premium in US-Std. Package in Canada) just about a year ago. Drove my 09 for 7 years (from 2015), loved the truck but its was getting near 300K km's and figured it was time for an upgrade. I would've went back to Tacoma but the one I wanted wasn't available due to chip shortage for who knows how long, and with rising interest rates I grabbed a 4Runner instead (always a close second choice for me but always worried about life without a bed). Nearly a year later I'm very happy with my choice. I use the extra space of the 4Runner much more than I needed the box, for the few times I need a box I have lots of friends with trucks or could rent a one from uhaul if I needed.

 

I also went from a 2018 Tacoma to a 2020 4Runner for similar reasons. We had a baby, interior cargo space, etc fit our needs better. I really enjoyed the Tacoma, but overall feel the 4R is a better vehicle (for me) day to day. The power plant and the gearing in the Tacoma was really frustrating at times. I lived in CO during the Tacoma ownership and the elevation changes essentially required learning how to drive an automatic which is a weird thing to say. The 4R wasn't perfect in this respect, but it was vastly better than the Tacoma.

Seating in the 4R is way better IMO and I'm only 5'10". This is in terms of seat comfort, seat bottom and bolstering as well as the seating position. Anything over 2 hours in the Tacoma and my left leg/hip would start to go numb. I was never able to get a proper seating position despite all sorts of adjustments and trying the seat jackers from Desert does it.

I did like the slightly more modern interior of the Tacoma better, but that was a minor adaptation moving into the 4R as its really only the climate control in some models that's ancient. One less thing to fail though, right?

 

I'm just curious to know what year/model your Jeep was and what issues you had with it. If it was a the JK or JL/JT models, enough said. I have an '03 TJ, that I'll never sell because I won it in a raffle and it's modded to the tits for rock crawling.

 

After realizing the back seat space in my 2014 DCSB Tacoma sucked once I added a rear-facing car seat, and I only ever used the bed for strollers which ended up getting wet, I decided to 4Runner shop. I'm very very happy with the shift. The 4Runner is superior in all ways like many people say in here. The suspension is much more comfortable, interior is nicer and more spacious, tech is better, etc...



Sometimes I miss having a bed, but the enclosed hatch is better for day-to-day use, especially as a parent of a 1 year old. I also love all the new fancy tech/off-road features I got when moving from a '14 SR5 to a '21 Venture (based off the ORP). Now I need to get some slick A/T tires for the 4Runner so I can really enjoy going off the paved road!

 

I picked up a JL Rubicon. The best part of it is that it comes from the factory with 33s and gearing for 35s.... everything I did to my old 4runner with aftermarket.... BUT, it was my daily driver and once the electrical became glitchy and the roof leaked.... I knew I could not live with the Jeep Gremlins that Jeep owners know all about.
So... sleep better at night with my 4runnner

 

I've had two Tacoma dbl cabs - 2010 and 2014. Both were awesome trucks to go anywhere and do anything. Not the best for people hauling due to their size, especially back seats. Bought a 2020 4Runner brand new and have never looked back. Much more room, all the creature comforts, great for off/on-roading and everything is contained inside, away from prying eyes and the elements. I'd recommend the 4Runner!

 

yes! i had a 98 that was my dads but since im moving and the taco won't make it three hours away... i got the 4runner from his friend haha

i didn't do much to it since that was my first car lol

 

My '21 Tacoma and my '17 4Runner.

 

Your thoughts on each?

 

Wife went from a 2017 Ridgeline to 2023 TRD ORP+ in April and I just went from a 2021 Tundra to a 2023 TRD ORP+ in June.

 

Two pickups to two 4Runners; y'all like your redundancy. (And yes I know a Ridgeline and Tundra have little in common besides an open bed)

 

Not to go off topic but I have been thinking if you’re not towing a lot or off roading the Ridgeline I would think would have appeal as it does not have a frame to rust out.

I love the look of the current Tacoma but the frame rust would be a concern vs the Ridgeline is no concern in the Midwest winters I would think. Any thoughts?

 

I like 'em both.
The 4.0 is definitely the smoother engine of the 2, but I can also see why Toyota didn't use it in the Tacoma.
Both have KDMaxx tunes on them, so as far as driveability goes, the 3.5 is a lot better than it was from the factory. But the 4.0 is still the better engine.
The Tacoma rides like a truck. The 4Runner rides like a full framed SUV.

 

I have both. The 4Runner is much more roomy and feels like a tank next to the Tacoma. Both have their place. It all comes down to if you need the truck bed. If you rarely do, you might consider a 4Runner and a utility trailer.

 

What was your biggest deciding factor going from tundra to the 4runner? I’m thinking of doing the same going back. I had 2 4Runners before my tundra.

 

I get a kick that a lot of folks seem to think the Tacoma is the better offroad choice. It's not

 

Let's see, ground clearance, a wash. Angles, 4R. Wheelbase, 4R. Turning radius, 4R. Sliding back window, obviously 4R (unless you have a Tundra).

The Taco used to be the economical option, but it seems like prices have caught up in the past few years for similarly equipped models. The main thing the Taco is better at is hauling dirty stuff and towing. Also driving a little sportier, being much lighter and having stiffer suspension.

 

I've had a 1993 Toyota "pickup," liked but didn't love it, then a 2005 DCSB 6 speed Tacoma, didn't like it, grew to despise the 5 foot bed. Then I had a 2003 Tacoma in my dream configuration, a white regular cab 4 cylinder 4X4 5 speed manual. I adored that truck and would have kept it for life but a year or so ago I was rear-ended on the freeway in a hit and run resulting in a rollover. Luckily I wasn't seriously injured but did realize I'd spent more time building it to be the best camping and exploring truck than actually camping and exploring with it.

Since then I've gained a distaste for wrenching on my own vehicles so I'm looking for something new and turn-key ready to throw in a bed and cooler and go. I also want something more easily replaceable than a minty 1st gen Tacoma. I have traveled several times in my BFF's 3rd gen Tacoma DCLB and didn't like the cab ingress/egress or ridiculous proportions of being huge on the outside but cramped inside, the same problem that afflicts the FJ Cruiser. I had never paid attention to the 5th gen 4Runner before because I'm just not a fan of modern Toyotas, but on a whim I tried one out the other day. It didn't instantly dazzle me but everything about it just felt right. I loved the logical controls, J-shift transfer case and spacious interior.

Really love that it's a better passenger vehicle than a Tacoma but flip the seats down and it's also got a longer bed than most of them. Plenty of space to stretch out and sleep inside as I'm averse to RTT's and camp trailers. I see 5G 4runners all over town with lift kits, big tires and cheesy raptor grilles and they look bulky, but bone stock in person the dimensions are pleasingly compact, only slightly bigger than my dearly departed regular cab. So I think I'll be getting a TRD ORP soon.

 

owned a 2019 tacoma for nearly 4 years. recently traded in on a 21 OR, absolutley no regrets! the 4runner drives so much better, trans is not confused all the time, its roomier inside, nearly equally bad MPG but i didnt buy it expecting great mpg, and the seating position is actually, dare i say it, comfortable lol. Test drive a 4runner and i bet you make an easy decision.

 

I go from Tacoma to 4runner almost daily. Sometimes it's 4runner to Tacoma.



Love having both to enjoy, each for different reasons.

 

Love love loved my Tundra. The extra room and power, what a beauty it was. Truly the best truck I've ever owned. I didn't haul anything in the Tundra except butts.

Within a few weeks of getting wife's 4Runner (April 26th) I was looking for mine. The deciding factor was not one of need but a totally different driving experience. We took my wife's 4R on a mini trip to Waco after we purchased it and I was hooked on the experience, couldn't wait to drive it again. I do have to admit it was a tough decision but on the day of the sale (June 21st) it was eyes forward and I haven't looked back.

My wife has always driven SUV's and I've always driven trucks but when we got her the Ridgeline she was totally happy with it. In fact we were shopping new RL's and decided to find a 4Runner to just test drive.

Two 4Runners is one of the best vehicle purchases we've ever made.