Shoreline blue popped up here (Southern coast of NC) for crazy high money. Sold immediately.
I was hoping it would sit on the used car lot and I could snag it for a good deal. I was wrong.

13 trail hands down

I had to put $1000 deposit in order for the dealer to hold my salsa red for a few days. They told me 5 people called and tried to buy it after I paid the deposit. My salesman even had to hide the keys since so many people were at the dealership asking about it too.

Took a flight to Flagstaff, AZ on my day off and drove it back home.

I came from a 2018 limited to a 2021 limited nightshade.

Not everyone is in to the limiteds. Many of the changes i like for 2021 arent exclusive to the limited, but all the same, it’s worth pointing out that’s where my experience has been. the 2021 model is my preference. the adaptive cruise control, CarPlay, LED headlights, larger screen multimedia, better sounding stereo system (the 2018 JBL system was great, but this is even better), remote start (and other connected services) and blacked-out interior sure do make it feel a whole lot more modern. Quite a few significant, small touches make for a much-improved experience for me. I love the balance of retro and rugged with the 4runner. After 3 years with the 2018, I can tell you the upgraded tech additions sure do help round it out for me. Yes, you can get an upgraded head unit with CarPlay, but I am unimpressed with the final look of a replaced HU and console mods to accommodate it all.
Most of my time behind the wheel is spent driving between Utah and Wisconsin. I dont do a lot of 4-wheeling but I do spend a lot of time on dirt roads. Couldn’t be happier with my 20201 nightshade LE. I hope youre as happy with yours regardless of what you choose!

2017 is best. Because that's what I have and it works for me.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

I'm biased, but if you're gonna do any offroading the older ones are a great value, and you feel less bad scratching up a sub $20k car. Plus you have more money for mods.
It still amazes me that Toyota changed nearly nothing in 10 years, then changed the infotainment, safety, and headlights and kept everything else the same, and these 5th gens have sold like hotcakes pretty much the whole time. I love my 10 TE and will likely never sell it. I'm not going to find anything i want that has similar features and reliability for the price.

I bought a 2013 shoreline blue trail about a month ago, looking forward to many years of fun with it.

The salsa red is growing on me, and the dark lower trim kind of sets it off and feels a bit throwback. Proves you made a good choice with the demand for it after you put your deposit down! Congrats on the fly-out, drive home trip! I should have done that when I bought mine out of Palm Beach FL, drive back to Wilmington NC but by the time I got the flight, maybe 1 night in a hotel, gas, food, penalty minutes with the wife and kids.... HA! Shipping was like $575.

To the other poster that snagged a Shoreline blue, congrats! I don't know if I'd call it a unicorn, but close to it!

I do like the newer 4runners in magnetic gray or whatever the official name of the color is...

Personally, I love the early 5th gen trail editions with the black trim. It’s as if the headlights were originally designed to match the rest of the body lines

To me, the current headlights are a little squinty. Makes the sr5 resemble a catfish and the Limited look bearded or bottom stacked.

With that said, I didn’t buy this truck because it’s the prettiest. You really can’t go wrong; any 4x4 5th gen with a locker is good within your budget.

Hah, this reminded me, when the 14+ came out i swore the white ones looks like Juggalos. I still can't unsee it, lol.

Lakewood Toyota in NJ had a '11 TE in Salsa Red with 55kmi last month. I ALMOST flew from TX to get it. Sat on the lot for over a month at $26,500
Then dropped to $23k or something.
Even though I got a few frame pics from the salesman I still worried about a NE car.

LOL...I had to google and now I regret. As a late model superwhite owner, I think I’m going to stare at stormtrooper pictures for the rest of the day!

https://www.top4runners.com/runhist/index.html

The limited models add ventilated seats in 2014 if that's your thing.

I'm not a fan of the sensor nannies ether and I am also not a fan of carplay because i prefer my phone integration. Works much better.

So the 2019 was a great choice for me.

2019 because that is what I have. Sounds like just about any year is a good year for the 5th Gens.