2014 4Runner

[NoDak]

I own a 2013, my point was I'm not going to feel bad about not upgrading to a 2014 that is mechanically the same as my 2013. It will take more than some cosmetic changes to make me consider upgrading.



See above...

i totally agree with you. if i owned a 10-13, i wouldnt upgrade on those changes alone. i might upgrade if they went to the tundra v8, but then again that would entail a whole new gen (6th?) built around having a v8. there is a post a few back that goes over this same thought.

now from someone that hasnt owned one since the 4th gen (2004), i bypassed the 5th gen due to work week commute cost, door sill button placement.

i miss my 4th gen but ive been wanting to come back to a 4runner for quite a while and this may get me over the hump after june passes by, plus im envious that the warden has a new 2012 tacoma double cab tx.

granted i love my subaru for driving to work in this crappy weather, but it doesnt get thru the deep snow like my 4runner did which is needed to get out of my subdivision and to get into the parking lot at work on heavy snow days.

 

[NoDak]

I'm considering buying a small, high mileage car next year to use for commuting. Save the 4Runner for one day per weekend and keep it forever. We'll see.

that would work if i didnt have the snow and cold winters in ND. when i drive at 5:30 am to work and the subdivision, city roads, highway, work parking lot are NOT plowed, that car doesnt always work. there have been a few times this winter where i had to steal the warden's truck due to the snow drifts and what not, because the subaru would bottom out in the deep snow.

i have a subaru legacy, which only has 6in of clearance compared to the 4runner 8.9in (?) or 9.6in in the trail.

 

[1engineer]

i totally agree with you. if i owned a 10-13, i wouldnt upgrade on those changes alone. i might upgrade if they went to the tundra v8, but then again that would entail a whole new gen (6th?) built around having a v8. there is a post a few back that goes over this same thought.

now from someone that hasnt owned one since the 4th gen (2004), i bypassed the 5th gen due to work week commute cost, door sill button placement.

i miss my 4th gen but ive been wanting to come back to a 4runner for quite a while and this may get me over the hump after june passes by, plus im envious that the warden has a new 2012 tacoma double cab tx.

granted i love my subaru for driving to work in this crappy weather, but it doesnt get thru the deep snow like my 4runner did which is needed to get out of my subdivision and to get into the parking lot at work on heavy snow days.

I had the same concerns initially with the placement of the window controls. I thought "What stupid engineer put these here where it will get wet?" Well I bought the SR5 and took the door panel apart to look at the switches. They are fully potted and the only thing I could think of that would damage it would be physical abuse such as a hammer blow. Water? No issues. Since then mine have gotten drenched numerous times including snow falling into the switch recess and melting with absolutely no issues. Believe it or not this is a good ergonomic location for the switches too, at least for me.

 

[philsey]

I'm sure the Dodge forums can't wait for that to happen.

:lookout:

Bwahahahahahahaha.

 

[NoDak]

I had the same concerns initially with the placement of the window controls. I thought "What stupid engineer put these here where it will get wet?" Well I bought the SR5 and took the door panel apart to look at the switches. They are fully potted and the only thing I could think of that would damage it would be physical abuse such as a hammer blow. Water? No issues. Since then mine have gotten drenched numerous times including snow falling into the switch recess and melting with absolutely no issues. Believe it or not this is a good ergonomic location for the switches too, at least for me.

too me the door sill placement feels un natural. i rest my elbow on the door handle ledge and with the button on the door handle area its a more natural reach.

granted i feel like i am kinda short so when i rest my arm on top of the door sill, its not horizontal plane from my shoulder socket to the door, its elevated at the elbow.

but thats just my quirk along with the other issues i had at the time when getting rid of my 2004.

i am glad to hear that the buttons probably wont be affected by any significant water/snow.

 

[Jayhawk5G]

i totally agree with you. if i owned a 10-13, i wouldnt upgrade on those changes alone. i might upgrade if they went to the tundra v8, but then again that would entail a whole new gen (6th?) built around having a v8. there is a post a few back that goes over this same thought.

now from someone that hasnt owned one since the 4th gen (2004), i bypassed the 5th gen due to work week commute cost, door sill button placement.

i miss my 4th gen but ive been wanting to come back to a 4runner for quite a while and this may get me over the hump after june passes by, plus im envious that the warden has a new 2012 tacoma double cab tx.

granted i love my subaru for driving to work in this crappy weather, but it doesnt get thru the deep snow like my 4runner did which is needed to get out of my subdivision and to get into the parking lot at work on heavy snow days.

Yeah if I owned a 4th gen or older, or I was getting ready to purchase an SUV then I would totally consider the refresh. Since I just bought my 2013 last fall, there isn't anything substantial making me kick myself. Plus as a mid-cycle refresh you should get a few years out of it before the 6th gen arrives... and by that point who knows what it would even be like...

 

[M1911]

There are some things stopping me from getting another car. First, I have to come up with the cash. I'll have the house paid off in December so that will free up some cash.

Second, here in MA you don't get much of a break on insurance for multiple cars. So insurance cost is another $1000 per year. That buys a lot of gas.

Third, I don't have much room in my driveway. I currently get the driveway plowed in the winter. If I get a third car, I'll have to buy a snowblower and do it myself, because the car will be in the way of where the plow needs to push the snow. And I don't have any room in the garage to get a snowblower around Mrs. M1911's car, so I'll need to get a shed for the snowblower...

 

[philsey]

There are some things stopping me from getting another car. First, I have to come up with the cash. I'll have the house paid off in December so that will free up some cash.

Second, here in MA you don't get much of a break on insurance for multiple cars. So insurance cost is another $1000 per year. That buys a lot of gas.

Third, I don't have much room in my driveway. I currently get the driveway plowed in the winter. If I get a third car, I'll have to buy a snowblower and do it myself, because the car will be in the way of where the plow needs to push the snow. And I don't have any room in the garage to get a snowblower around Mrs. M1911's car, so I'll need to get a shed for the snowblower...

So,,,,,,, what's the problem?

 

[RAD4Runner]

I'm really glad to see that the designers of the Pontiac Aztec found work with Toyota

Ricers found a Mon-Fri, 8-5 job with Toyota - LOL!

Drive On: New 4Runner looks like 'angry robot'

Yes, angry, aggressive looks with sissy tires.

Real Toyota's should look like this.

 

[M1911]

Yes, angry, aggressive looks with sissy tires.

Real Toyota's should look like this.

A technical and a trunk monkey -- now that would make for an enjoyable rush-hour commute into Boston. :gun5:

 

[gamerc]

Many here would like a 500 hp diesel running 33's that got 50 mpg and cost $20,000 bucks with leather heated seats. Unfortunately those are the ones that don't understand how things work.

So you're saying that comes in the 6th gen? Niiiiiiiiice

 

[mctizzo]

Should've had projectors in the first place....
':doh:
Sucks that they are just getting them.
I like the look of the fronts though could take or leave the back.

 

[fraggy]

Front Looks Like a Hyndai Velostra

Does anyone think the 2014 4-Runner front resembles the Hyhundi Veloster? They both even use a similar color of red in their promotional materials?

What do you think?????

 

[Bay33saw]

For some strange reason I don't think most of them would truly understand me the way you guys do lol. (that thing got a hemi?)



You of course are right, and I won't do that no matter how much I would like to. I will probably stick to boring and practical and durable and reliable as that is my DNA. Now, a new mtn bike is in my future though!

Which knowing you would probably run you almost as much as a SRT8:sorry:

 

[453030]

I'm considering buying a small, high mileage car next year to use for commuting. Save the 4Runner for one day per weekend and keep it forever. We'll see.

I might go a different route. Yesterday I test drove a GMC 2500HD with both the 6.0 V8 and the DuraMax diesel. Man was the latter super fun. I'm doing lots of highway miles and want to keep the 4Runner in top shape for years to come. It is a huge part of our Family outings. But I just can't go back to a car, and if it means a few K more per year on gas and expenses so be it. Plus, I own a stone company, so I can't really pull up to jobsites in a Prius or something :flypig:

 

[NoDak]

excuse me while i try and justify irrationally to myself

i ran some back of the napkin numbers for mpg and im seeing if i trade up to:

this will be my baseline gas cost 2010 legacy 3.6 :

61 fillups yr every 6 days

@ $3.60 gal :

2013/4 legacy 3.6 : gas cost even (since a new one is mechanically same)
2013 4runner limited : + $776 yr
2014 4runner limited : + 551 yr

@ $5.00 gal :

2013/4 legacy 3.6 : gas cost even
2013 4runner limited : + $1078 yr
2014 4runner limited : + 766 yr


2013/4 legacy 3.6 : avg mpg 22
2013 4runner limited : avg mpg 18
2014 4runner limited : avg mpg 19


just 1 mpg avg between the 2013 vs the 2014, your looking at $300 difference on the 2013 and $110 on the 2014 compared to the legacy i have now.

now if i compare only the city mpg :

2013/4 legacy 3.6 : city 19 mpg
2013 4runner limited : city mpg 17
2014 4runner limited : city mpg 17

@$5.00 gal, the difference is only $660 per yr. on the 2013/4

now if i compare only the hiway mpg :

2013/4 legacy 3.6 : city 26 mpg
2013 4runner limited : city mpg 21
2014 4runner limited : city mpg 22

@$5.00 gal, the difference is only $977 per yr. on the 2013 and $746 on the 2014.

so now i have to decide, does the features of the 4runner trump the legacy. the impractical side says yes, the practical side says no since i probably only see maybe 1-3 times a snow season where i cant drive the legacy in the deep/crap situations.

but man do i miss my 4runner.

 

[Moving Chicane]

Wow, just jumping in now and taking a look at the pictures; and, as a 2012 model owner - this revised thing looks like crap!!!

The front end looks like a tack-on plastic piece that is too big for the hood and fenders, and the chrome-plastic accents pieces on the rear and elsewhere look so cheap (reminds me of MBZ and the rear of the ML's with the chrome/plastic).

If TMS/TFS/TMNA/etc. are reading this - bad design direction!!!

 

[chmura]

I agree. Wished they just kept the bumper as is and just upgraded the headlights to projectors or HID's.

 

[diverscale]

Wow, just jumping in now and taking a look at the pictures; and, as a 2012 model owner - this revised thing looks like crap!!!

The front end looks like a tack-on plastic piece that is too big for the hood and fenders, and the chrome-plastic accents pieces on the rear and elsewhere look so cheap (reminds me of MBZ and the rear of the ML's with the chrome/plastic).

If TMS/TFS/TMNA/etc. are reading this - bad design direction!!!

In darker color, the new design is much better looking.

One thing I can't get over though, is that toyota cancelled the signature yello DRL that the pre-redesign had, where you can spot a 4Runner 2 miles ahead.

 

[Jayhawk5G]

In darker color, the new design is much better looking.

One thing I can't get over though, is that toyota cancelled the signature yello DRL that the pre-redesign had, where you can spot a 4Runner 2 miles ahead.

While most of it is growing on me overtime, I think in order to retain the soul the vehicle there are certain elements that should always remain. You can play with the design but they should be kept. Corvette is dealing with a similar outcry over the new Corvette Stingray taillights.

However others would argue that in order to survive nothing should be sacred and everything should be on the table, and in some ways I can understand that... if we get too connected to certain design elements, we can get stuck in a rut. The new design certainly is striking.