Exceeding all expectations

[Deep_palancar]

The 5th gen. trail edition has far exceeded my expectations. I've owned 4runners from '85, '89, '94, (fell off the wagon for a while), '02. I still have the '02 and an '07 FJ Cruiser in the fleet.
I had been waiting anxiously for Toyota to replace the 4th gen 4runner, it just wasn't my cup of tea. When the '10 4runner was released I knew that I was going to own one. I knew nothing about KDSS, the other gadgetry like crawl control and adaptive traction control. I knew from the FJ that A-Trac was more than a marketing gimic.
This week I've been able to put my new trail edition through it's paces. We started from Houston, Tx bound for Ouray, Co.
Stocked with the worlds finest Bar-B-Que we head west x northwest for 980 miles

The road goes on forever through west Texas and New Mexico.

Near Durango, we're not in Texas any more!
Road manners and 10 hour comfort of the new 4Runner, much better than the 3rd gen and a little better than the FJ

This is why we bought it--

You wanna drive over there? Sure, we can get there!

10,000 feet, no problem.

I don't need no stinkin road.

 

[Deep_palancar]

cont.

Well, maybe a little bit of road.

The adaptive traction worked like magic on a button.
Crawl control worked so well that on descents along the loose shale shelves that the wife soon insisted that I turn it on, I think she trusted the engineers more than me. The KDSS was a wonder to 'feel' in action, it felt like we were balanced on a gyro on some of the really off camber rough spots.

Lunch at 11,000' - Thanks to my trusted navigator, and sometimes white-knuckled right-seat driver.

 

[Clemsonfan15]

Great pictures man. I can tell y'all had a great time.

Have you lifted it yet? I saw you put new tires on it.

 

[jcbeck84]

I kind of felt like I was watching a commercial scrolling through those pictures.

 

[4RFan]

Thank you for sharing those fantastic pictures! You should be the photographer for the 4Runner brochures. Those pics would sell a lot of trucks.

 

[Quentin]

Well, it is settled. I'm going to have to drive my T4R out west with the wifey. Looks like a great time!

 

[Jesse1983]

awesome pics, looks like a great time with breathtaking views.

Have you lifted it yet? I saw you put new tires on it.

You can see the Toytec coilovers in his very first pic.

 

[BrianLSU]

Nice. I've wanted to drive west like that for a while. That's one of the reasons I sold the Rubicon and got the 4Runner. I guess I need to "just do it".

Nice pics and congrats on the trip.

 

[Clemsonfan15]

You can see the Toytec coilovers in his very first pic.

Yeah I saw that, but the tires didn't look that big.

 

[SCRunner12]

Nice post. It's always good to see the Trail Edition out on the trails.

 

[3x4runnerOwner]

Amazing pictures, I'm jealous. Are those N-Fab nerfs? If so, how do you like them and were they easy to install?

 

[MrGrimm]

Great pictures. Cant wait to get some cross country adventures done once I move back to the mainland!

 

[Racerboy007]

Thanks very much for sharing the awesome experience!

Hello and Thank you!
Those shots and the narrative that went along with the entry are greatly appreciated. The photos of the landscape and your travels were very well done. I really think the 5th Gen is a very capable vehicle and if it is your passion to get out on the road and slightly or very off the beaten path this is the truck to do it. I most certainly would not even consider my MDX for this type of road trip...well maybe the tarmac stuff but the real stuff - not a chance. Hope you enjoy many more of these adventures and thanks again for sharing.

 

[jhebert9]

To Deep Planacar,

Which pases did you go on? Been over a bunch of passes near Ouray in my Toyota 4X4, but can't wait to take my wife's 2010 4RTE next summer. She won't let me take it over Black Bear Pass. I'm a southern guy (from La.) It's a long drive isn't it?

 

[TOYSTRY]

Gosh are you living it up..........looks like you had a blast.

 

[blcktpgsr]

You must be loving the capability of the 5th Gen more and more. Great pics and adventure!

 

[DocMT]

It's nice to see a thread like this one to offset all the negative 5th gen threads on the forum lately. It only goes to prove that there are 5th gen owners who are perfectly happy!