Hello, long time lurker. A quick history of why I'm here. My wife and I currently have a 09 Tacoma Doublecab TRD. We fell in love with Toyota from the moment we test drove the truck.

We have 2 kids (20months and 3 months) The rear seat in the Tacoma is just a little small. We have the seats right now middle postion is rear facing, and the forward facing one is behind the passenger seat (we had to move the passenger seat forward alot).

When the time comes to move the rear facing seat to forward facing, the driver seat will have to be moved forward 3-4 inches (which is undrivable).

So anyway we've decided to get a new vehicle in the spring. We have a travel trailer (small little one) So we based a few must haves when I was looking. I tend to over research everything (go internet , lol).

Ok must haves, pretty short list actually. Must tow at least 5000lbs, (the reason I put 5000lbs is lot's of vehicles that tow 5000lbs or less have disclaimers, such as, 4500lbs* will tow 4500lbs with no one but the driver, lol.) Also rear seats must be bigger than the Tacoma, a no brainer as that's why we are looking. The dimension I'm looking at is the distance from the front of the back seat to the rear of the driver seat when the driver seat is in a comfortable driving position.

To continue, we've kind of narrowed it down to the 4runner, Grand Cherokee, and Explorer. I've measured the back seats of all these vehicles and the Explorer and Cherokee are about an inch bigger than the Tacoma while the 4runner is about 3 inches.

I was at the dealer on the weekend and was bale to test fit the seat in the back of an 2011 Sr5, with the rear seat being able to recline slightly I could move the car seat back a few more inches. The 20months old foot was about 4 inches from hitting the front seat, 1 point 4runner.

Sorry that this is so long winded, just trying to get all my thoughts out.
When we bought the Tacoma resale value was a high priority as we knew we'd eventually be selling it. With this next vehicle we are probably going to be keeping it for a while.

So my dilemma, I'm torn when looking at these 3 vehicles. Up here in Canada they are all similar price, when you compare the 4runner Limited. The 4runner has the best engine when comparing the v6's (Cherokee has 5.7l v8 option that adds a 6spd auto). I was about to elimante the Explorer from the list due to the mixed reviews online, then I sat in one, wow, it's really nice (mind you they are all really nice).

My main concern I geuss would be options or what I like to call gadgets. The 4runner is surpassed by a long shot by the other 2 with gadgets. Being that they are all similar price. Is that something I should care about? I'm torn between brand loyalty, and the amont of extras you get with other brands. This is mostly between the Cherokee and 4runner (in my mind the Explorer is half ruled out). Anyway between those 2. 4runner you get X-reas, Cherokee Quadra lift (auto levelling air suspension, awesome for towing).

Ahh nevermind, you all don't want to hear the ramblings of the differences.

So it comes down to the thread title, what factors helped you decide to buy the 4runner? And am I crazy to be looking anywhere but Toyota?

Thanks in advance.

How long do you intend on keeping it?

1. Resale Value
2. Gadgets break
3. Function over form
4. Piece of mind

Ask yourself: Do I want to be driving home with my family at 2AM on a deserted strip of highway in a Toyota, Jeep or Ford? That was my question and for dependabiliity the Toyota wins hands down.

Go test drive a 3-4 year old Grand Cherokee, Explorer and 4Runner then let me know what you think of each vehicle.

I do think the new Explorer and GC look good and have lots of cool gadgets, but I wouldn't buy them for that reason.

If you are planning on keeping the vehicle a long time, then that is more of a reason to buy Toyota. One of the reasons Toyota holds it's value is because people have more confidence that an older Toyota will not have as many problems.

That and I love the fact that the rear window rolls down!

Before I bought 4runenr I had Fords for over 12 years and first thing I looked at Ford Explorer, but in 2011 Explorer looks more like a minivan with no 4x4 lock and it's a new model, so I would expect a lot of glitches in it. I liked 2010 but counldn't get it, and 2011 is not for me. I didn't consider Cherokee because of reliability reputation, for the same price I wanted better quality. I still like 4 doors Wrangler but I think it's not as comfortable on long trips.

So that left me Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander and 4Runner and after I test drove all of them I knew that I wanted 4Runner.

I considered the same 3 vehicles before I purchased the 4Runner. The Explorer is really nice, but it is built on the Taurus platform and its base model is FWD. Its really a crossover and not a truck built BOF. The Jeep is nice I will concede, but I hate Chrysler and their reliability issues in their transmissions.

The Toyota fit everything I am looking for even though the limited is not up to par with the other two's options it felt more "right" to me when I drove it. Its a real honest to God truck. Not a unibody like the Jeep or a crossover like the Explorer.

Toyota's reliability and resale value!!!

this.

well, sans the #3.. I love the way the truck looks. It was one of the deciding factors.

What??

No one can say it's cool and fun?!?




and at my age I need all the "cool and fun" I can get...


buy with confidence...yea, there's a few things, but I really wouldn't trade it right now for anything

I would not feel safe towing 5000lbs behind the 4R.

Have you looked at a Sequoia? Might be more than you wanted to spend.

Before getting my 2011 4Runner Trail Edition I had a 1998 SR5, which took us everywhere we wanted to go, in any weather, and was extremely reliable for 13 years. Our daughter started out riding in a booster seat in the SR5, and wound up taking her driver's test in it just before we traded it, and we always considered it the safest vehicle we could have her riding in.

Compare Consumer Reports' reliability rating for the 4Runner for those of the Jeep and Ford. Jeeps have been notoriously unreliable for years, and apparently the new Explorer has its share of "new model" issues. Basic good design, assembly, and reliability are far more important to me than "features".

As well as mechanical reliability, the only part of the 'Runner that rusted were the bumpers. The body resisted rust despite the tons of salt used on our roads in winter here. Bumpers are fairly cheap to replace with aftermarket parts, or original parts from a wrecker.

In negotiating for the Trail, I got the sales manager down to the lowest cash price I could, then said that he could rescue the deal by giving me a good trade in value for the SR5. He offered $500 over what I considered reasonable, then went up another $500 to seal the deal. (This could also mean I didn't bargain hard enough, but I'm hoping it just speaks to the good resale value of 4Runners).

I test-drove the Hyundai Veracruz, Honda Pilot, and Nissan Pathfinder, but found serious faults with each of them. With all the backroad travel we do, I'm especially glad to have the 4Runner's body-on-frame construction, rather than the flimsier unibody technology of the Jeep Cherokee, Ford Explorer, and all but one of the Korean SUVs.

Good luck with your decision, and I hope whatever you buy is fun to drive, safe, and reliable.

Yes.


If you buy the Jeep, plan on getting to know the dealership's service department staff really well.

I don't have recent experience with Ford.

yeah - if I were bumping into that 5000lb mark frequently, I'd go to a P/U or Sequoia.

It sounds like the trailer the OP is describing is more like 2,000 lb; well within the T4R's comfortable towing capacity.

WRT the 5000 number, you can do it, with care. I've hauled 4800lb quite a few times, and 5400 lb twice. It's OK. Not perfect, but OK. It's critical you have good brakes on both trailer axles, and you drive defensively with eyes-up and remain fully aware.

I bought my 4Runner for one reason only. An that's because Jeep pissed me off. I went to the Jeep dealership 3X to buy a 4 door Rubicon with Cash.

Each and every time I went there; a sales person would walk right by my wife and I to help someone else.

Finally we gave up and walked right over to the Toyota Dealer! \