Ironically I just traded in my CrewMax Tundra for a T4R. We've started taking the dogs with us a lot more whether it be vacation, mountain biking, the mountains etc. My wife didn't like the idea of the dogs riding around in a camper shell and she drives a VW Atlas and despite many people trying to make theirs offroaders they are not very off-road worthy IMHO. Plus with gas prices on the rise, it seemed like a good time as well as the Tundra averaged 11-12mpg. Time will tell if I regret it or not. I probably should have waited until after my Spring projects were done but Off-Road Premiums don't seem to last more than 48 hours on the dealers lots around here and I've been trying to work deals on one and I finally got a deal that worked for me that included the Tundra. Had to travel a few hours for this one as all the local dealers refused to negotiate. Weird times right now for trying to negotiate a vehicle purchase.
Considered the GX, Discovery and Discovery Sport but kept coming back to the T4R. Plus the GX was pretty high for something that was just as outdated as the Runner. I'd of considered a Sequoia as well but the higher trim levels are $$$$ and they too are super outdated.

I'm new to 4Runners and just sold my 2014 Tacoma to buy a 2021 4Runner. My reasoning? Well, first of all I work at a Toyota dealership. Second, I was looking at a new Tacoma, but didn't like the "new" 3.5 liter motor and 6 speed automatic. I tow my 22' high performance boat regularly, and the new combination isn't a "torque" motor like the 4 liter.

More importantly, we have a new rescue doggie (Herbie the Pit Bull) who's white. The only color interior available in a TRD Sport Access Cab Tacoma is black fabric. See where that one was headed? Here's what we were coming out of:



My second choice was a 4Runner all along. We got a SR5 Premium with the Softex seats and that makes cleaning up Herbie's hair a ton easier. It's actually got a better 4 liter motor and will tow the boat easily. And after having it for 1,200 miles now, I can say it rides and handles way better than the Tacoma. Oh, and Herbie loves the bigger back seat.

Here's what we ended up with:



The only down side I've found so far is that I lost the bed the truck had. No more hauling big or ugly stuff and not having to worry about scratching anything. Oh well. And in case you're wondering, the 20" wheels from the Tacoma will be going on the 4Runner as soon as the weather allows.

Went from Ram 1500 Rebel to my 5th gen 4runner TRD Pro.

ZERO regrets going from my pick up to the 4runner. The Rebel was cool for towing a few things and some toys, but otherwise lacked the utility I get from my 4runner.
I find the 4runner far more nimble than my full size pick up (obviously), and unless you really need a bed for lumber/hauling stuff, it's a no brainer make the switch.
You won't regret it.

Not straight from a truck, but drove trucks for most of my driving life, came from an F-350.

No regrets at all, at first I thought the lack of having a bed and the general "toughness" a truck has would be an issue, but it is not at all, and I use my 4runner, meaning I will load what the heck ever in the back, bricks, dirt, you know, dirty things. I even filled up two gas cans and it was fine for my short drive back home.

I towed a loaded uhaul trailer, the thing handled it well on the flat I-95.

As for the toughness thing, no doubt trucks for the most part are, have that feel maybe you call it, and I feel the same about my 4runner.

All in all, love it, wish I would had bought one back in the late 2000's instead of another truck.

The 4runner really feels like a truck though when driving, that is what I like about it, that is why I drove trucks most of my driving life, I like the way they look and feel when driving.

Can't remember if I posted here, but I sold a 2016 F150 crew for my 19 4runner. No regrets. Space was massive inside the half ton and I miss that at times, but overall the truck was too big for what I wanted to do -- explore trails in CO.

15 years with my Nissan Frontier King Cab.

Still have it, but prefer my 4Runner over the pickup. The 4Runner is way more comfy.

I figure I'll eventually sell the pickup and replace it with an utility trailer for carrying big dirty stuff.

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Fellow Alaskan here, and hope this helps!

I have both. 2018 Platinum Tundra and 2020 4R Pro. Previously have had 2010 and 2001 Tundras, and 2001 and 1997 Tacoma’s.

I’ll describe the different characteristics I see with driving them both....

Tundra has a massive interior with crewmax, and is a more comfortable long distance driver. Motor and transmission work very well together. Average 15mpg mixed driving on 33” tires. LED headlights put out crazy good light. The factory premium JBL stereo was laughably bad.

4R has good interior room, but certainly feels small compared to the Tundra. Average 17mpg mixed. Much better in snow / ice driving, in both 2WD and 4WD. Definitely notice the motor having 100 less HP and one less gear. Love how much room the rear cargo area has. Is easier to park due to size, but feel the turning radius is smaller. Head lights are horrible.

You can’t go wrong with either, and almost solely depends on if you need the covered / higher rear cargo area of the 4R more than a pick up bed. We needed the rear cargo area for the dog, and it’s been great. If we go anywhere as a family, without the dog, we take the Tundra.

Have you looked at Sequoias? You should be able to sleep in the back, and to be honest, I kind of wish I would have bought the wife a Sequoia (softer ride, more room, and has auto 4x4), or at least test drove one prior. Also, I think Sequoias on a small lift with like 33” AT tires look KILLER.

Good luck!

I probably would of stuck with my 2018 f150 supercrew fx4. The 4runner is a decent suv but I notice that my 2005 4runner with the v8 seems to have been a better experience then my 2020 so far.

The 2005 sr5 had better power, same gas mileage, auto climate control, higher towing, and just felt higher quality.

Things I miss about my f150 are passenger space, AUTO HEADLIGHTS, half pull for lane change turn signals, stereo and how android auto and car play worked, huge power difference, slightly better fuel economy of f150, less nose dive upon braking, the bed, towing, highway ride and ease of maintaining speed.

The 4runner is nice, feels like a compact car in comparison. The ride is pretty good, and it looks very nice in my opinion. It's probably better off road, at least it would fit places better. I drive about 30k a year, so hopefully it will live up to it's tradition of being reliable.

Too funny, I was just thinking about this the other day. Had full size pickups for years when I was younger.....and wouldn't change it because actually used the bed often. Had kids, got away from hobbies where a pickup was handy, and it was a no brainer to go 4runner.

So, was thinking, after the kids are growed would I go back to a truck. Answer for me is no. The 4runner meets and exceeds all our needs and wants. Going pickup would be a step backwards.

Not necessarily a switch but my dad has a 17' Tacoma and I swear he chose it on purpose for it to be uncomfortable so I wouldn't drive it
I'm a bigger guy and that thing suuucks I never thought I'd be claustrophobic until I compared it to my 4r
I think our DD altima has more room

I've had a couple trucks throughout the years. Biggest perk to not having a truck bed is people can't walk by and throw their trash in it. That and you can run the heat and sleep inside comfortably in the winter.

ooh mee mee mee

well, not transitioned, because i still own my 03 F150. i mean, why give it up. a Napa commercial once stated "what's the best thing about an old pickup truck? you can treat it like an old pickup trick"
got something to haul, need to make a run to the county dump, need to carry something really dirty, need to move some trash, need to move something irregular and large...my T4R cant do that, or i dont want it to do that.

solid axles, truck chassis, nobody else wants to drive them at my address...i love em both.

Ill drive them both until they die.

one thing ive noticed tho...the F150 has 150K miles. the '14 4Runner is at 125k...
F150, problems at 75k, 110K, 118K, 122K, 145K across 18yrs of ownership (from new)
T4R, problems at...well, none what so ever across 7yrs of ownership (from new)

So you see clearly which one is build $%^&*I Tough huh.

I used to own a 2005 Tacoma and absolutely hated it. 4runner is more comfortable in the cabin and is easier to drive on longer trips but I’m still not 100% happy with it so now thinking about looking for something else, possibly back to a truck of some kind.


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Previous to my ‘18 SR5, I had a ‘02 Tacoma TRD 4x4, purchased new. Short answer, no regrets.

I bought the Tacoma when I lived near Bishop, CA, at the foot of the eastern Sierra Nevada. In addition to being a daily driver, that truck was regularly run on the rugged trails in the Sierra Nevada, Death Valley and western Nevada; the rear differential locker regularly engaged. It was a a super reliable truck and it is still in the family.

Fast forward to 2019. My wife and I are senior citizens. Both of us are arthritic, can’t crawl around in the bed. Living in north-central Nevada since 2008 there isn’t the same kind of topography that challenged the truck and my nerves; but mountainous enough that I wanted a truck based vehicle. Our knees are shot and the 5-speed transmission is getting to be a pain. The bed was always empty, as the camper shell required crawling around back there on painful knees to do anything; if I needed to haul, I used the trailer. Our two dogs fight for lap space in my wife’s lap when we took them anywhere.

I pondered for a couple years what to replace the Tacoma with. We don’t haul, but I do have a small utility trailer and annually bring home at least one ton of heating pellets; as well as occasional runs to the dump with yard waste. I don’t want or need a behemoth SUV like a Expedition or Yukon. I don’t want another pickup truck. I do want it to be a Toyota. A unibody like a Highlander isn’t rugged enough to take me on my favorite hunting trails. We live where there are miles of open maintained dirt roads that criss-cross the region and we regularly use them. I knew that a 4Runner would fit the bill.

So in July 2019 I bought a used ‘18 SR5 at the local Ford dealership. The dealer is part of a Boise, Idaho consortium that includes a Toyota dealer and regularly sent 4Runners here. I bought a silver one. I’m happy. The truck had low miles, had a few options, like 3rd row and navigation. I paid just over $36,000 after tax and license, that is with adding the 4Runner HD floormats, cargo privacy cover, cargo floormat and a net that spans the rear opening.

I spooned on a set of BFG All Terrain T/As as soon as I ripped a sidewall on the trail a few months after purchase. I’m happy with all aspects of the truck. I have taken it on my favorite hunting trails, where I’d before lock up the rear differential on the Tacoma; the A-TRAC works just as good. The ride is good on the highway and interstate. It’s quiet. It’s roomy. The dogs love the back seat and stay quiet in their plush beds. I pull my heating pellets, take trash to the dump. I’ve carried a large gun safe inside the 4Runner from a sporting goods store 125 miles away.

No, no regrets. At my age, it was the perfect vehicle for my wife and I.