BlueRunner428
New member
So some background, I went from my 1998 GMC Jimmy late last year to my 2023 4Runner ORP. Now my 4Runner experience was a little mixed. I initially test drove a used 2019 SR5 and that vehicle seemed very boat-like, basically like a larger version of the Jimmy and did feel primitive. However then I test drove the ORP that I bought and that seemed to have a stiffer suspension. Now I don't know if there is any difference in the suspensions of Off-Roads versus the regular 4Runners or if it was just a placebo effect, but this ORP is like a sports car compared to that Jimmy and I am not conscious of any body roll when turning or nose diving when braking. It rides very nice. If there is a difference in the suspensions, then I figure all a boat-like 4Runner needs is an upgrade to a stiffer suspension. Mine is not a KDSS or a Pro.
So anyhow, my dad just got a used 2020 Acura MDX, which while a bit aged, is still much more road and highway-worthy than the 4Runner, very aerodynamic and round, sporty tires, four wheel independent suspension and unibody design, plus a 290 horsepower engine with 9-speed automatic transmission. So since the 4Runner was the only "new" vehicle I've driven, I was very curious to see how this MDX would compare as automotive reviewers are always saying how Stone Age the 4Runner is. My dad wanted me to take it for a spin to see if I detect any problems, so I took it on the highway and then for a drive on a nice country road.
Well it does drive very nice and afterwards, I went and took the 4Runner for a spin to make a comparison. To which all I can say is, like Rose in "Titanic" upon first seeing the ship, "I don't see what all the fuss is about." I was expecting to drive this vehicle and come away thinking, "Holy Crap, the 4Runner really is primitive in comparison to this." And "yes," the 4Runner is somewhat more primitive given its suspension and being a body-on-frame truck with a solid rear axle, but it wasn't any MAJOR difference. I was really expecting a larger difference. The only real difference was just with how much more seamlessly the MDX's transmission shifts, and even there it wasn't that big.
Now the Jimmy, THAT thing was primitive! I loved it as a vehicle and it served me well, but automakers have made some major improvements in how vehicles drive since then! But the difference between the Jimmy and the 4Runner was far greater than the difference between the 4Runner and the MDX.
So the 4Runner doesn't to me seem nearly as primitive as the automotive reviewers make it out to be. One thing I will say I did NOT like about the MDX is that the climate controls are in the touchscreen. There is a switch, one for the driver and one for the passenger, to toggle the temperature up or down, but otherwise to adjust the fan speed, you must hit a tiny button on the touch screen in the right spot, or go into a menu which gives you a bigger button to press. From what I've read, automakers are doing away with this now since people hate it. Also the 4Runner seems to have a better air conditioner.
So anyhow, my dad just got a used 2020 Acura MDX, which while a bit aged, is still much more road and highway-worthy than the 4Runner, very aerodynamic and round, sporty tires, four wheel independent suspension and unibody design, plus a 290 horsepower engine with 9-speed automatic transmission. So since the 4Runner was the only "new" vehicle I've driven, I was very curious to see how this MDX would compare as automotive reviewers are always saying how Stone Age the 4Runner is. My dad wanted me to take it for a spin to see if I detect any problems, so I took it on the highway and then for a drive on a nice country road.
Well it does drive very nice and afterwards, I went and took the 4Runner for a spin to make a comparison. To which all I can say is, like Rose in "Titanic" upon first seeing the ship, "I don't see what all the fuss is about." I was expecting to drive this vehicle and come away thinking, "Holy Crap, the 4Runner really is primitive in comparison to this." And "yes," the 4Runner is somewhat more primitive given its suspension and being a body-on-frame truck with a solid rear axle, but it wasn't any MAJOR difference. I was really expecting a larger difference. The only real difference was just with how much more seamlessly the MDX's transmission shifts, and even there it wasn't that big.
Now the Jimmy, THAT thing was primitive! I loved it as a vehicle and it served me well, but automakers have made some major improvements in how vehicles drive since then! But the difference between the Jimmy and the 4Runner was far greater than the difference between the 4Runner and the MDX.
So the 4Runner doesn't to me seem nearly as primitive as the automotive reviewers make it out to be. One thing I will say I did NOT like about the MDX is that the climate controls are in the touchscreen. There is a switch, one for the driver and one for the passenger, to toggle the temperature up or down, but otherwise to adjust the fan speed, you must hit a tiny button on the touch screen in the right spot, or go into a menu which gives you a bigger button to press. From what I've read, automakers are doing away with this now since people hate it. Also the 4Runner seems to have a better air conditioner.
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