I really want a new 4runner but the MPG

Bought the wife one last year and she loves it now i find myself wanting one before they are gone.

I drive a lot 2 1/2 hours a day and would spend around $400+ a month in gas with the current prices been driving a old corolla and spend around $132 a month in gas and it's 15 years old with 240k miles. Been looking to replace it my issue is it has no power and it's just old.

May settle for a RAV4 because of the MPG.

 

I think if it makes you happier its worth the money

 

You only go around once. Make yourself a priority in your own life.

 

Calculate extra gas costs, then add it to the car price. If you can still afford it, then why not? If gas costs are a consideration, then you should look into RAV4.

However, I would not consider 4Runner a great long solo commute car. Personally, I would look into something with better on-road handling. Deepening on your tastes, Ford Mustang GT, Mazda MX-5, etc. I test drove RAV4, and in a blind test I would consider it better at highway handling.

Personally, I purchased 4Runner to commute. However, my commute is short, I often carry other people, and I have to deal with bad winter weather where "can I get through" is a consideration at least 1-2 times per year, if not more. More so, 4Runner isn't my only car and in the summer I often drive 'fun' cars instead of 4Runner. YMMV.

 

Takes 3 responses to get to a thoughtful answer, and not some enabling crap that ignores the OPs dilemma.

I second the Rav4 hybrid, much nicer rode than the 4Runner on road, and uses less than half the fuel most of the time. They're not the most powerful car on the road, but mine feels like a rally car compared to the 4Runner.

 

I would agree that for a long commute there are a lot of better choices than a 4Runner.

If you already have one 5th gen in the family I'd personally look for something more comfortable inside, more comfortable on the road, and better on gas.

 

A few years ago we had a Tacoma and 4Runner in the driveway, and as much as I liked both vehicles, I just couldn’t get past that neither vehicle could get over 20 mpgs regulars. We traded the runner in on a Rav4 prime and then a year later we traded the Tacoma in on a new runner.

I like the Rav4 a lot, love the 4Runner, but if our commutes were more than the 15 minutes of in town driving, I’d be in a something with great mpgs, as I see the higher the number the more money in my pocket.

 

Do you use the car for work or that’s just your commuting time? Why do you need a SUV for commuting? Get a pre-loved Camry Hybrid and good to go. You already have a 4Runner in the family. Whenever you need it just switch car for those days with your wife.

 

I was just coming back to say scratch the Rav4, a new Camry would be a major upgrade to the old Corolla. Or heck, you know, a new Corolla.

 

Fuel costs/Gas mileage is only one factor in Total Cost of Ownership. You also need to consider depreciation, repair and maintenance, insurance. Which are better than average for 4Runner, resulting in good Total Cost of Ownership for a typical use case. Gas mileage becomes dominant factor only in extreme use cases - where daily commute is lengthy and at highway speeds.

For example, EV would get much lower fuel costs than any gasoline car, BUT your depreciation and insurance costs would likely make total cost of ownership higher than even 4Runner even if you have long commute. So buying a new EV is a poor choice, but leasing (a way to control depreciation) one might make sense depending on subsidies and offers you get.

 

I'm in a similar position but currently have a 5th gen, and they suck for commuting. The gas costs, the discomfort (with modified suspension), the slugishness and lack of power merging or getting on freeways, braking, etc. You will not enjoy it.

When I drive my wife's CRV I feel like im in a go-cart and can zip around comfortably.

 

When do you think the 2+ million 5th gen 4Runners will vanish?

Jokes aside, Rav4 or even Corolla Cross are good commuter vehicles. You still get the higher SUV sightline, but they have a smaller footprint than the 4Runner, better for zipping around traffic.

 

100% agree with this. I have a 45 minute, 30 miles each way commute, and after 5 years and nearly 100k miles, I'm tired of it.

I love the 4R around town, but I'm thinking about getting another used Volvo as a comfortable commuter.

Unless you need/really want an SUV, why not get a sedan? My GF easily gets 40mpg with her non-hybrid Elantra, the hybrid gets even better. Or if you're a Toyota guy, a Camry or Corolla would be a good choice.

The other advantages of the sedans is that they'll be better at speed. Smoother, safer, better mpg at 80 than most SUVs.

 

Where I work a lot guys commute from out of town, driving between 40-60 miles each way. Some drive their big trucks or SUV’s and not really caring too much about gas, something they knew going into it and budgeting it out. A number of them on the other hand, kept their “beater” or bought something cheap just for commuting so they didn’t put excessive wear and tear on their “dream” rigs. Could always keep the Corolla for just commuting .

 

I absolutely LOVE SUVs. I have a few. But, and it's a big but, I work from home. My wife works from home. MPG is not part of our calculus when considering a car. If I had a commute - anything beyond 20 miles, I'd have a sedan. I'd likely start looking for a wagon, then accept the fact that the Americans don't like wagons and that there aren't a lot of options, and go back to shopping for a sedan.

As a bonus - on top of all the points made about driving a sedan - sedans tend to depreciate quickly. That can be in your favor. I'd look for a 2-3 year old, low-mile Camry or Mazda6. Yeah, Mazda. I have no problem straying from Toyota if said vehicle doesn't have a transfer case ;-). Mazda is at the top of my non-Toyota list. (we have two of those).

@Noodles nailed it - you already have a 4Runner... switch things up with your wife. Oh, just make sure the sedan is gassed up when you take the 4Runner ;-)

 

Subaru still makes what I would consider station wagons - Outback and Forester.

 

Doesn’t sound like a 4Runner/truck would be a good fit.
We sold a perfectly good, like new, always garaged 2016 CRV(30k miles) when we bought a new 4R. The CRV was a very good running car……but it was still a cheap noisy econobox commuter and not any better if not worse than the new 4R on trips….. disclaimer….my wife can’t drive anymore, we are retired and I’m a body-on-frame type of Guy.

 

Hold off for a 6th Gen!

 

Check your budget and see if it's a viable expense to switch

You'd already lose an extra 300 on gas, plus gull insurance, plus loan etc..

Why not ask your wife to trade cars on certain weekdays? Maybe you just want a scratch the itch in that new car smell but I would not consider the 4runner as a good commute vehicle.

"Hey I uhhh gotta go hit a mountain road to test out the suspension"

 

Good call on Mazda, my buddy had a 6 sedan and it was surprisingly nice. Luxo car feel but not price.

I like SUVs and trucks too, I can't even imagine what obnoxious thing I'd drive if I worked from home, haha.

I LOVE wagons. I'd add Volvo to that list, the XC70 wagons have always been nice, I have an 07, and IMO the latest generation, the V90, is one of the best looking vehicles on the road. I lust after those something fierce, haha.

 

Owning a 2020 Tundra and a 2020 4Runner, I don't worry about MPGs in either one of them. You're paying for reliability. Get a 4R, put a Banks Pedal Monster on it and have fun with it.

 

If you really want a 4runner get one.

You can easily get over 20mpg. Drive the speed limit maybe 5 over, be light on the throttle, keep stock size highway or non aggressive tires. Also there's tunes available that help a little with mpg.

If I drive reasonable I can get 18-19 mpg, and that's with aggressive 33s.

 

My GF has a Rav4 and it only gets about 2MPG better than my 2021 4RUNNER.

That being said, if I was driving the miles you are. I would opt for a Camry or something similar.

My 2010 Corolla S with a manual 5-speed was fun to drive and could easily keep up with traffic.It git 33 MPG.

 

Do you get 18-19 mpg in city traffic? We don’t know if OP’s commute is in heavy traffic or long distance on back road/highway.

 

I drive 45 miles each way to work so it’s 90 miles round trip each day been doing that crap for 20 years.

it’s mostly high way miles.

the Corolla is bare bones model has zero power to pass anyone and I don’t like sitting on the ground any more it makes it hard to see on coming traffic. Don’t get me wrong it’s been a great car and can zip around turns.

I do have a tundra that I drive to work once in awhile to break up the drive but in the city a large truck can be a pain with limited space.

I do drive the 4Runner when we run to town and I find it very comfy.

im not much on the hybrid cars as most of my driving is highway miles and they cost more to buy and my state charges you a hybrid fee yearly if you own one no to mention the battery replacement cost at some point to me it seems like all that would take away your gas savings.


I get 33 mpg on the Corolla, 18 mpg on the tundra about the same as a 4Runner.

 

When I got the 4R last year, I kept my 2010 Outback for commuting (about 75 miles/day).

 

I love mine and use it for everything but my commute is 8 miles of back roads, and I only have to do it a few times a week. Plus I use it a lot for camping, towing, and light offroad trips. AND we have a roomier, more economical family hauler for long distance road trips.

If I was driving an hour on the freeway in traffic and not doing any of that other stuff the 4R would not be my first choice either.

 

You will hate the Rav if you want a Runner but also having two of the same vehicle seems redundant to me.

 

Right? If my s/o had the 4Runner as a "practical" car, I'd be inclined to get some sort of sports car or sedan, not another 4Runner.

Maybe because I'm single, but I see having a s/o as an opportunity to have two different vehicles in the household. Growing up, my parents had different vehicles and swapped back and forth depending on what they were doing.

 

maybe your right, I have drove a rav4 and don’t mind it.

I drive to far to lease.