Best daily driver ride - Trail, sr5, or limited?

[aimcat]

We are trying to narrow down a few 4runners looking at new trail and sr5, or used limited. Between these in your opinions which has the best road or daily driver ride? Im leaning more toward limited because of all the creature comforts, but new is nice too with no miles but budget for new limits us to trail or sr5. I have only driven a a sr5 model which is a relatives and its a 05 model. Wondering how the ride might have changed since then or is it the same?
My husband likes the look of the trail.....

 

[Engineer]

A couple things,

The 4runners changed generations in 2010, so while the 05 was a similar platform they are not the same. Y'all are heading the right direction by test driving as that is really the only way to answer that question. All around everyone of the models is 99% the same and is a truck based SUV so it will not be as "comfy" as a CUV/Sedan etc. Also the models that have different suspension break down like this

SR5 & Trail w/o KDSS have the same suspension set up

Trail w/ KDSS has the same shocks as the Trail w/o KDSS & SR5 but a much larger diameter sway bar so you get less body roll through corners. If you want to know more about the KDSS I encourage you to search this forum/google

Limited: Has the same sway bars as the SR5/Trail w/o KDSS but has XREAS shocks which are cross linked? I will let someone with more knowledge then myself explain what effect this has on the suspension. Edit: As I thought this system essentially increases the dampening of the shocks during cornering.

Best of luck in your search

 

[Danimal]

Car and Driver thought the Trail rode better on potholed roads than the Limited, possibly due to their version having KDSS. Their (paraphrased) words, not mine.

Dan

 

[Jabberjaw]

Get an SR5, save some cash and make it ride the way you want.

 

[bimrunner]

Subjective question. I like how mine rides daily. You need to drive them all and decide which you prefer. What I like or even a professional reviewer likes, may not be what you like... And you are the one that will be driving it!

 

[Jhalko]

If you dont offroad a limited or sr5 might be better than a trail. The bells and whistles on the limited are nice and it rides much better on the road. But a used 4runner isnt a great value if you can buy new (they hold value too well). Some folks like the kdss for onroad ride as well, so if you do offroad sometimes you might like a trail.

All just random opinions, test drives will tell you what you want.

 

[dwm2112]

For on road the xreas suspension on the LE performs very well. We are on our 2nd 4Runner with this suspension and the road manners are great. As noted you should try driving each but for my wife's purposes, it is hers, the LE works best.

 

[aimcat]

Ive been finding Trails new but base no leather or anything for about 36,000 and 2012 limited with about 50K for around 30k?
You think 2012 with 50k is too much?

 

[JohnJerk]

You might consider a 2016 tacoma double cab with that price point. Will be nicely redesigned and fuel economy might be very good and it'll be brand new.

 

[wfo9]

Trail will have better long term resale. Just because of the out of the box off-road features...

They all drive a little different, but its just lipstick on the same pig

 

[dwm2112]

Ive been finding Trails new but base no leather or anything for about 36,000 and 2012 limited with about 50K for around 30k?
You think 2012 with 50k is too much?

Off the cuff that sounds on the steep side for 50K miles. We puchased my wife's used. It was 4 months o,d with 1,300 miles. We paid ~$37K for it. Being in Va is it 2wd or 4wd?

 

[aimcat]

Looking at 4wd only....

 

[oljedi11950]

Trail IMO ! But 10-13 more better .

 

[WRM1]

I drive a 2010 Trail with KDSS. The ride is really great, smooth, bumps don't have much effect. We test drove all three versions, and the Trail was the best ride by far. The KDSS seems to smooth out the big bumps, especially if they affect only one side of the vehicle. I also prefer the fabric seats to the leather in the Limited.

 

[Marginmn]

Could use some advice. New member here. Have a 2005 Yukon with 220k miles and it's days as a reliable daily driver are now behind it. After much SUV shopping we are looking to buy a new 4Runner - like next week! However, which model has the potential to give the best City/Hwy ride?

After driving three 2016 models - an SR5 Premium with 17 inch wheels, Premium Trail with 17 inch wheels, and a Limited with 20 inch wheels, we like the options on the Limited but found that the SR5 Premium with the 17 inch wheels gave the best ride of the three in a combination of city and interstate driving. Why does the Premium ride best on the hwy?

Shouldn't the Limited with it's 4wd and superior suspension potentially give a better ride than a Premium? Do you think it was because the 17 inch wheels on the Premium are better suited for the hwy than the 20's on the Limited? Could one improve the ride of the Limited by swapping out to a set of 17 inch wheels like they have on the Premium? Or is there a lot more to it?

I ask because the dealers around me have some good deals on new Trails and Limited's but they are out of stock of the Premium's in the color that we want - so we are wondering if simply switching the tires on a Limited would help it to ride as good as a Premium. Thoughts?

 

[ToyoDriver]

Trail will have better long term resale. Just because of the out of the box off-road features...

They all drive a little different, but its just lipstick on the same pig

Wait wait wait.

You're saying something good about the trail? I thought you hated them! :naughty:

 

[High_Country]

Ride quality is generally subjective. The limited has the most 'luxury' and creature comforts BUT it has 20" wheels and low profile tires which can yield a harsher ride (and why the other guy thought the SR5 rode better).
Probably the 'best' riding daily driver for most people would be a Limited with 17" wheels and tires from a SR5 or Trail.
Now, if you plan to go crazy with mods - lifts, tires, armor - it's another conversation with another answer.

Is your daily drive suburban streets and 20 mile jaunts on the highways at 80mph sipping Starbucks or are you slogging up and down forest service roads hauling chainsaws and firewood and snowboards and such?

It's a great platform that can be suited to many lifestyles.

(I love the daily drive of my Trail with KDSS - sipping Starbucks while hauling chainsaws. Haha)

 

[Marginmn]

Ride quality is generally subjective. The limited has the most 'luxury' and creature comforts BUT it has 20" wheels and low profile tires which can yield a harsher ride (and why the other guy thought the SR5 rode better).
Probably the 'best' riding daily driver for most people would be a Limited with 17" wheels and tires from a SR5 or Trail.
Now, if you plan to go crazy with mods - lifts, tires, armor - it's another conversation with another answer.

Is your daily drive suburban streets and 20 mile jaunts on the highways at 80mph sipping Starbucks or are you slogging up and down forest service roads hauling chainsaws and firewood and snowboards and such?

It's a great platform that can be suited to many lifestyles.

(I love the daily drive of my Trail with KDSS - sipping Starbucks while hauling chainsaws. Haha)

Thanks for your reply. The use of it would be a combo of city driving around Indy and about fifteen 300 mile trips to rural Kentucky and back - 2/3's of the ky trips being interstate and the other 1/3 being winding but paved back-roads, and a semi-annual 1000 mile trip to and back from Florida. Little to no non-paved roads use.

 

[derryck]

I recently was faced with the same decision...which 4Runner best served my needs as a daily driver. I ended up going with the Limited because of creature comforts like ventilated seats, stereo, etc. and the full time 4WD. I like how the XREAS handles and just ordered a set of the 17" TRD wheels which should help with any trails I try to tackle without sacrificing much ride quality.

 

[Cymon]

I recently was faced with the same decision...which 4Runner best served my needs as a daily driver. I ended up going with the Limited because of creature comforts like ventilated seats, stereo, etc. and the full time 4WD. I like how the XREAS handles and just ordered a set of the 17" TRD wheels which should help with any trails I try to tackle without sacrificing much ride quality.

Do this...

The vehicle you want with the wheel size and tires to soften the ride. Either try to swap in dealer negotiations or sell the limited wheels aftermarket to recoup some of the cost difference.

IMO...paying too much $ for a new vehicle to compromise.