4Runner vs FJ Cruiser
- Thread starter Dennis
- Start date
Sac State
New member
Sac State said:FJ doesn't offer a locking gas door. So the FJ is out of any future consideration.
They can offer a locking gas door on a Corolla but not an FJ?
I got over the locking gas door and bought an '08 FJ Trails Team a month ago.
Having owned both vehicles each has its merits.
I love the 6MT and practicality of the FJ. The Runner took many mods to get it where I wanted it, the FJ came complete from the factory, so it is nice having stock everything.
Happy Trails!
martini
New member
This may have been a better place to ask this question about why the FJ comes with a different stock size tire than the 4Runner: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/perfo...1130-265-65r17-vs-265-70r17-2.html#post557776
Height I believe due to the straight off fender flares. I believe the older 4Runners that had a similar flare design used that same size of tire. Once the 4Runner went to the rounded flare they went to a slightly shorter tire.
An interesting thing is that the FJ can carry a 16" tire without any modification (other than wheels of course) and the TRD, Trail Teams, and Off Road editions all have a 16" tire like the SR5 4Runners. The higher models of 4Runner can't carry the smaller tire though due to the larger calipers.
And now as somebody who has owned and driven both, I can truly say that these vehicles are both fun and great in their own way. If I had the money I'd own one of each. Although they share so much in common, they are just for a different market really.
If I had no kids, I would have an FJ for sure. A $2 set of blind spot mirrors totally and completely eliminates the blind spot issue on FJ's. The 4Runner feels more like you're sitting down in a tub, while the FJ feels like you're sitting on top of the road. They both handle much better than they have business doing when compared to vehicles of similar manufacture by other car companies.
The FJ rides almost as smooth as any car I've ever driven, and the 4Runner is even smoother and puts vehicles in its category like the Pathfinder, XTerra, anything made by GM, the Explorer, etc. etc. to shame. Plus it has the offroad prowess that very few vehicles still made have.
You can realistically buy a recently used Toyota Certified 4Runner and an FJ for less money than a GX470. To me that is pretty amazing when you're pretty much getting the on road family truckster and the off road fun weekend vehicle that is like a Jeep and carries on the spirit of the FJ40, but with a more drivable setup for the common man. If I were in a profession that paid enough, I'd buy one of each and be a happy man. I can't see a reason to get any other vehicle for a person like myself who has a short commute, lives in a community that gets a lot of snow, likes a reliable vehicle that I can do my own service on, and likes to drive vehicles for many years to come.
If anybody has any questions about direct comparisons between the two in a specific area then by all means let me know. I'd love to be a resource for this board since I have been there, done that with both excellent vehicles. Is everything perfect with either one? Of course not. But they are both excellent. I have driven many SUV's over the past 20+ years and not many come close in all aspects. The Trooper was as comfortable as the FJ, but drove lke a wobbly sherman tank. The Pathfinder was as smooth as the 4Runner, but had too many problems in design, much lower resale, a much less impressive 4 wheel drive system, and less seating comfort and space. The Honda Pilot has better seating space and lookout, but more rattles and odd angles on the body than either vehicle which makes it difficult to park, but handles better. However off-road it can't compete with either is at is basically an AWD minivan. I've owned each of these in the past 5 years and can make good comparisons and have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know SUV's and learning their quirks and where they excel. For my money the 4Runner and FJ rise above each of those I've mentioned in enough ways to make it a no brainer if you're considering buying.
If I had no kids, I would have an FJ for sure. A $2 set of blind spot mirrors totally and completely eliminates the blind spot issue on FJ's. The 4Runner feels more like you're sitting down in a tub, while the FJ feels like you're sitting on top of the road. They both handle much better than they have business doing when compared to vehicles of similar manufacture by other car companies.
The FJ rides almost as smooth as any car I've ever driven, and the 4Runner is even smoother and puts vehicles in its category like the Pathfinder, XTerra, anything made by GM, the Explorer, etc. etc. to shame. Plus it has the offroad prowess that very few vehicles still made have.
You can realistically buy a recently used Toyota Certified 4Runner and an FJ for less money than a GX470. To me that is pretty amazing when you're pretty much getting the on road family truckster and the off road fun weekend vehicle that is like a Jeep and carries on the spirit of the FJ40, but with a more drivable setup for the common man. If I were in a profession that paid enough, I'd buy one of each and be a happy man. I can't see a reason to get any other vehicle for a person like myself who has a short commute, lives in a community that gets a lot of snow, likes a reliable vehicle that I can do my own service on, and likes to drive vehicles for many years to come.
If anybody has any questions about direct comparisons between the two in a specific area then by all means let me know. I'd love to be a resource for this board since I have been there, done that with both excellent vehicles. Is everything perfect with either one? Of course not. But they are both excellent. I have driven many SUV's over the past 20+ years and not many come close in all aspects. The Trooper was as comfortable as the FJ, but drove lke a wobbly sherman tank. The Pathfinder was as smooth as the 4Runner, but had too many problems in design, much lower resale, a much less impressive 4 wheel drive system, and less seating comfort and space. The Honda Pilot has better seating space and lookout, but more rattles and odd angles on the body than either vehicle which makes it difficult to park, but handles better. However off-road it can't compete with either is at is basically an AWD minivan. I've owned each of these in the past 5 years and can make good comparisons and have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know SUV's and learning their quirks and where they excel. For my money the 4Runner and FJ rise above each of those I've mentioned in enough ways to make it a no brainer if you're considering buying.
brian2sun
Elite Member
I wish Toyota put a roll cage and a convertible top on the FJ. If they did, I'd probably own one. If you're going to make a vehicle to compete with the Jeep Wrangler and market it primarily as a capable off road vehicle, it needs a roll cage IMO. I wouldn't have complained if it had a SFA either. I know, I know, it would never happen, but Jeep still does SFAs so why is it so taboo? It's not a Celica, or even a Sequoia.. it doesn't have to ride like a Caddie, right? I doubt even 1% of the soccer moms would know the difference if they had a SFA, but 100% of the off road enthusiasts would!
You're so right Brian. I never got that upset about the convertible top, because back in the FJ40 days we only had about 20 days where it was worth taking off. It is either too hot or too cold here.
But I think the SFA should have been an option and that is something that Toyota could have done pretty easily. I wonder if it is more a matter of the fact that the parts are expensive and seem to break. I just can't come up with a reason why it wasn't an option at all. I know that it is the weak link on the old 80 series Cruisers. Well, not weak.... because overall that vehicle is stronger than pretty much anything else out there from top to bottom. I just know that anybody I've known who has had one has needed to do that service on the front axle and it cost quite a bit. Maybe Toyota just feels that it wouldn't be worth the cost to consumers and wouldn't sell enough.
I can remember asking questions about why Mitsu didn't make more of the all-wheel drive and turbo models of the Eclipse. When I looked at the numbers it was amazing to me how many they made. It was like 4,000 a year and it was about 5% of total sales at most.
The question for me though was that because people just chose to go with the standard features as it was cheaper, or did they find it too difficult to track down a model that had those features? I think what would have ultimately happened is if the FJ had become a huge seller then they would have made it an option. I think the same thing would have happened with the DSM Mitsus. If they had sold more of them quicker and the standard versions would have sat on the lot due to demand for the others then the subsequent years would have seen a shift in that option.
As it turned out, the option disappeared altogether on the 3rd generation of the vehicle and the 4th as well. They just get a V6 and front wheel drive. It takes all the fun out of it. The FJ would have been a funner vehicle if they would have made a crawler edition, but they probably just didn't see it worth the time and effort to engineer it to be possible from the getgo, and now that the whole program is completely on life support (if that) then I think you'll never see a cool Toyota like that coming out from the factory. They decided to combine the 4Runner and the FJ and did an ok job with the 5th gen, but to me it just isn't the same. Toyota has really lost its way in the USA market in my view. It is for a lot of reasons. The sheer number of drivable roads has a lot to do with it I'm sure. But out west we would probably have people buying the hilux and the prado if they were sold here, or the 70 series even. We never even got the shot which sucks.
Just traded in my '07 FJ with 50K for '10 4R TE for several reasons, in no particular order.
1) -FJ: Rear door swings to left, a bit of a hassle when on a slope or trying to get around it.
2) -FJ: Road noise.
3) -FJ: Seat sits too low to be able to reach out drivers window and use ATM, etc. I need the seat all the way down to properly operate the vehicle.
4) -FJ: Back seat legroom.
5) -FJ: Visibility
6) -FJ: Required premium fuel. Cents/mi was cheapest using premium!
Notice that I did not mention on/off road performance once. I loved that truck except for the niggling things mentioned above. I think I just decided I had enough. Particularly after I test drove a 4R.
I am a really fat man and bought the FJ because of the ability to comfortably get behind the wheel. There are few vehicles which "fit" me. The '10 4R gives me even more room behind the wheel than the FJ but there is not as much hip room.
I am not a hard-core off-roader but want to have all the capabilities possible and the 4R TE just feels to me to be an upgraded FJ. There are some vulnerabilities on the 5th-gen such as the front turn signals and rear tail lights which I'm going to have to watch out for when in brush as they stick out a long ways from the body.
1) -FJ: Rear door swings to left, a bit of a hassle when on a slope or trying to get around it.
2) -FJ: Road noise.
3) -FJ: Seat sits too low to be able to reach out drivers window and use ATM, etc. I need the seat all the way down to properly operate the vehicle.
4) -FJ: Back seat legroom.
5) -FJ: Visibility
6) -FJ: Required premium fuel. Cents/mi was cheapest using premium!
Notice that I did not mention on/off road performance once. I loved that truck except for the niggling things mentioned above. I think I just decided I had enough. Particularly after I test drove a 4R.
I am a really fat man and bought the FJ because of the ability to comfortably get behind the wheel. There are few vehicles which "fit" me. The '10 4R gives me even more room behind the wheel than the FJ but there is not as much hip room.
I am not a hard-core off-roader but want to have all the capabilities possible and the 4R TE just feels to me to be an upgraded FJ. There are some vulnerabilities on the 5th-gen such as the front turn signals and rear tail lights which I'm going to have to watch out for when in brush as they stick out a long ways from the body.
Very interesting and great information. I think you made a good choice. I switched from the FJ to the 4Runner mainly for the back doors and legroom. I have a six year old and a one year old and getting them in the back seat was a pain, and since they are in car seat/booster then it gives them ZERO leg room and they are constantly kicking the back of the seats.
One thing though is that the FJ doesn't really require premium fuel. I only used premium maybe 2 times just because it happened to be the same price because I had some gas rewards points. I never noticed a bit of difference in mileage or performance on 85 octane (which yes, they do sell it here in the mountains due to our thinner air).
Good reasons for switching though and you made the best choice for you. If I had no kids or was a single guy or something then I'd certainly drive an FJ. But I can get great performance, comfort, and pretty much everything I need out of a 4Runner, plus it is easy with the kids and great in snow and in the mountains so I am happy. I do miss the FJ though.
One thing though is that the FJ doesn't really require premium fuel. I only used premium maybe 2 times just because it happened to be the same price because I had some gas rewards points. I never noticed a bit of difference in mileage or performance on 85 octane (which yes, they do sell it here in the mountains due to our thinner air).
Good reasons for switching though and you made the best choice for you. If I had no kids or was a single guy or something then I'd certainly drive an FJ. But I can get great performance, comfort, and pretty much everything I need out of a 4Runner, plus it is easy with the kids and great in snow and in the mountains so I am happy. I do miss the FJ though.
switched from FJ to 2010LTD
I loved my FJ, but I love the 4R even more. I only have one vehicle, and using the FJ in the city became a pain. The roof-rack is way too tall, and non-functional. I tried to get some lumber on it one time, and ended up snapping the plastic brackets (on the x-brace) because cold and plastic don't mix. As well, the roof rack is unnecessarily tall - (6'7") for that reason you can't get in to 95% of parkades.
The 4R is way more practical with features like the sliding hatch window. I've gotten a lot of stuff home via the back window.
The new engine in the 2010 4R is crazy powerful, and gets incredible mileage!
The only way I'd own an FJ again is if they brought out a convertible.
I loved my FJ, but I love the 4R even more. I only have one vehicle, and using the FJ in the city became a pain. The roof-rack is way too tall, and non-functional. I tried to get some lumber on it one time, and ended up snapping the plastic brackets (on the x-brace) because cold and plastic don't mix. As well, the roof rack is unnecessarily tall - (6'7") for that reason you can't get in to 95% of parkades.
The 4R is way more practical with features like the sliding hatch window. I've gotten a lot of stuff home via the back window.
The new engine in the 2010 4R is crazy powerful, and gets incredible mileage!
The only way I'd own an FJ again is if they brought out a convertible.
I just went back to an FJ. Got a great deal on one and found a willing buyer who gave me what I wanted out of my 4Runner and jumped on it. We already have a Pilot to haul the kids around, and it's just me most of the time in my vehicle driving to work and I realized how much I missed the FJ and how redundant the 4Runner was after having a Pilot. My preference was to sell the Pilot, but my wife typically drives it and she loves the car-like ride and felt it was a better vehicle for our needs since we sometimes use the third row and it has a DVD player for the kids.
I got the new Trail Teams and I don't think I'll look back from here. If I had spare cash I'd own a 4Runner AND an FJ and be one happy man. But I love the way this new TT handles and everything about it. I like it even more than my 2008 FJ due to some improvements like a rear camera in the rear view mirror for backing up, a bit stiffer suspension, more low end power and speed, better gas mileage, no stupid roof rack that I didn't want, and the comfort of the seats. For somebody with chronic back pain, this is a huge issue, and the 4Runner was designed for somebody shorter than I am and with a more narrow caboose. I'm 6'1" 220 and I don't think I am overly huge, but the 4Runner just is not that comfortable for me. I loved the drivetrain, the durability, the looks, the easy access to the back seat, the roll down window, and the excellent double decker cargo system. I hated the low headroom and the narrow seats. I guess the 4Runner was designed for shorter and skinnier people.
I love the new 4Runner also for lots of reasons, but I got most of the same features in my FJ for about $10,000 less off the lot so I'll live with the mini back doors, small back seat, less creature comforts, and no downhill assist. It has the rear locker, ATRAC, side curtain airbag disable, great ground clearance, BFG AT's, TRD wheels that look spiffy, rock rails, a fantastic Bilstein suspension, and the same V6 as the 4Runner, so I'm a happy man. I got a 4Runner junior with wider seats and more headroom. I am grateful that Toyota is still making a few viable options for offroaders in the 4Runner, FJ, and the Tacoma. Keep up the good work. If you can't find something that works for you in those three vehicles then you aren't trying hard enough!
I got the new Trail Teams and I don't think I'll look back from here. If I had spare cash I'd own a 4Runner AND an FJ and be one happy man. But I love the way this new TT handles and everything about it. I like it even more than my 2008 FJ due to some improvements like a rear camera in the rear view mirror for backing up, a bit stiffer suspension, more low end power and speed, better gas mileage, no stupid roof rack that I didn't want, and the comfort of the seats. For somebody with chronic back pain, this is a huge issue, and the 4Runner was designed for somebody shorter than I am and with a more narrow caboose. I'm 6'1" 220 and I don't think I am overly huge, but the 4Runner just is not that comfortable for me. I loved the drivetrain, the durability, the looks, the easy access to the back seat, the roll down window, and the excellent double decker cargo system. I hated the low headroom and the narrow seats. I guess the 4Runner was designed for shorter and skinnier people.
I love the new 4Runner also for lots of reasons, but I got most of the same features in my FJ for about $10,000 less off the lot so I'll live with the mini back doors, small back seat, less creature comforts, and no downhill assist. It has the rear locker, ATRAC, side curtain airbag disable, great ground clearance, BFG AT's, TRD wheels that look spiffy, rock rails, a fantastic Bilstein suspension, and the same V6 as the 4Runner, so I'm a happy man. I got a 4Runner junior with wider seats and more headroom. I am grateful that Toyota is still making a few viable options for offroaders in the 4Runner, FJ, and the Tacoma. Keep up the good work. If you can't find something that works for you in those three vehicles then you aren't trying hard enough!
Bought it in Carson City, Nevada. Flew out there with my brother from Salt Lake City to Reno. They drove me down to the dealership (about 30 miles). Picked the truck up and headed home. Here it is outside of a Jack in the Box for our pre-700 mile drive fuel up on crappy food.
We saw a whole lot of this until it got dark. Then we just saw lines on the road and lots and lots of stars. It rode smooth as silk though. Even a bit smoother than my 2008 Trail Teams, which I thought had a far superior ride to any Jeep I've ever been in and even a better ride than my Japan made 2003 Pathfinder which for years was the standard bearer for a smooth SUV.
Gassing up in Winnemucca (AKA... the armpit of America). We gassed up twice. Once in Winne, and once in Elko. They are about the only cities of any importance you run into going across Nevada via I-80
One interesting feature the new TT has is the sticker that appears to be some sort of black vinyl on the hood. I thought I was going to hate it just based on looks when I saw it, but it was part of the package and I prefer the Trail Teams because it comes with the suspension, the rock rails, better wheels and tires, etc. But this thing was functional. My old white FJ TT had a lot of glare coming off of the hood, especially when I was offroading and driving on desert roads. I noticed that I barely needed my sun glasses and was comfortable enough to drive in the day without them with the hood blackout. It actually works.
I am sorry I don't have more pictures. The interior is cool as it has insets of the sandstorm color in the middle of the seats. They are still the same fabric material, but it gives it some nice variety having a middle stripe running down the seat that has that nice tan color. If you want any specific shots Thai let me know and I'll try to fire them off and post them up tomorrow.
There are rumors that a green Trail Teams is coming out next year. I tried to put a deposit down and pre-order one like that, but couldn't find a dealer that could do it. So I moved on. Maybe I'll get one in 10 years or so to rebuild.
I have heard they have the 2012 Trail Teams planned as well and then they are done. If I had to guess I'd say that they are going to come out with the Voodoo Blue color again for one last hurrah since that is what the original prototype was. My second guess would be to go away from Sun Fusion yellow and to produce something in the mus**** yellow of the original FJ40's with some added features like a winch and a couple of other cool features. This particular model they only pumped out 1200 of them because FJ sales were slow, but it looks like they put out another 1200-1700. Supposedly the max they were going to make was 3200 once again.
I think the Trail Teams models are really nice. I don't know that they'll be worth any more than I paid down the line, but I really like having a limited edition vehicle. I always wanted a Buick Grand National but could never afford one. But I can afford the FJ and I enjoy driving it and it feels right to me. The price is great for all that you get in a really nice SUV.
Here's a picture I stole from the SEMA show that shows the interior. My interior looks just like this except mine is an automatic transmission. One thing that bugs me that I forgot was that Toyota yanked the sweet rubber floor mats that are so cool (and are actually pictured in this SEMA shot, but are hard to see) and made them put no mats in or carpet mats. I got the stupid carpet mats. I replaced them immediately with Husky floor liners, but I would love to find a set of the FJ Trail Teams rubber mats like I had in my old one. They are comfy for my bad feet as they are kind of squishy and they keep the interior nice because they hold massive amounts of snow and mud during the winter months. Toyota won't even let us buy them though. So people are selling their used sets for hundreds of dollars. What a bummer. There was NO WAY they could have ever cause a problem as they are way far down and away from the brakes and accelerator. The media ruined a good floor mat. Grrrr.
But there you can see a good view of what the seats look like. The newer models also FINALLY have map lights, which never bothered me before that I didn't have, but I realized how cool they are as I have already used them several times, especially as we traversed Nevada and were trying to use the TomTom and such.
But there you can see a good view of what the seats look like. The newer models also FINALLY have map lights, which never bothered me before that I didn't have, but I realized how cool they are as I have already used them several times, especially as we traversed Nevada and were trying to use the TomTom and such.
We've been talking about it for a while since the release of the 5th Generation 4Runner due to its obvious similarities to the FJ in the drivetrain with the newly added features such as a rear locking differential and the like. The two vehicles also share the new updated 4.0 V6 and are seemingly converging rather than diverging even farther apart which was a topic that was discussed for several years as we all anticipated the 5th gen. It seems to me that the 5th gen Trail Edition is an upscale FJ Cruiser with an additional set of doors in a lot of regards, where the 4th Gen was seemingly heading down the luxury path. There was great concern by many of us offroading types that the 5th Gen was going to turn into another Highlander or something. I say it didn't disappoint the 4Runner purists and came back to its roots and really compares favorably to the 3rd Generation and I wish I could have afforded one. But I think those with a lower budget and no real need for a big back seat will do fine in the FJ. Those who need the backseat and love the FJ will really love the 5th Gen Trail Edition 4Runner. Toyota seemed to find the best of both worlds and created a vehicle that is really growing on me with the 5th Gen and is a logical next step up for current FJ owners who start to have kids and whatnot and want that extra seating and space, but still want to stick with a Toyota that kicks butt off-road. Toyota did it right!
I just went back to an FJ. Got a great deal on one and found a willing buyer who gave me what I wanted out of my 4Runner and jumped on it. We already have a Pilot to haul the kids around, and it's just me most of the time in my vehicle driving to work and I realized how much I missed the FJ and how redundant the 4Runner was after having a Pilot. My preference was to sell the Pilot, but my wife typically drives it and she loves the car-like ride and felt it was a better vehicle for our needs since we sometimes use the third row and it has a DVD player for the kids.
I got the new Trail Teams and I don't think I'll look back from here. If I had spare cash I'd own a 4Runner AND an FJ and be one happy man. But I love the way this new TT handles and everything about it. I like it even more than my 2008 FJ due to some improvements like a rear camera in the rear view mirror for backing up, a bit stiffer suspension, more low end power and speed, better gas mileage, no stupid roof rack that I didn't want, and the comfort of the seats. For somebody with chronic back pain, this is a huge issue, and the 4Runner was designed for somebody shorter than I am and with a more narrow caboose. I'm 6'1" 220 and I don't think I am overly huge, but the 4Runner just is not that comfortable for me. I loved the drivetrain, the durability, the looks, the easy access to the back seat, the roll down window, and the excellent double decker cargo system. I hated the low headroom and the narrow seats. I guess the 4Runner was designed for shorter and skinnier people.
I love the new 4Runner also for lots of reasons, but I got most of the same features in my FJ for about $10,000 less off the lot so I'll live with the mini back doors, small back seat, less creature comforts, and no downhill assist. It has the rear locker, ATRAC, side curtain airbag disable, great ground clearance, BFG AT's, TRD wheels that look spiffy, rock rails, a fantastic Bilstein suspension, and the same V6 as the 4Runner, so I'm a happy man. I got a 4Runner junior with wider seats and more headroom. I am grateful that Toyota is still making a few viable options for offroaders in the 4Runner, FJ, and the Tacoma. Keep up the good work. If you can't find something that works for you in those three vehicles then you aren't trying hard enough!
Well I guess I'm a lucky man! I have both 08 FJ and just purchased a used 06 4rner for my wife. Her Mits was totaled the week before my trip to Moab and the FJ Summit. I tried talking her into another FJ (that would be so kool have 2 fj's :jump
any way she doesn't like the blind spots in the FJ. The funny part she has the better 4wd system then my FJ along with the V8 and tow package. Of course I told her next year we can trailer the FJ to Moab and the Summit with her car! :lookout:
