Former truck owners who switched to 4Runner, chime in!

[RunForIt]

2021 ORP Superwhite, KDSS.
It’s yet to be delivered but I do have a new set of blackout overlays awaiting as first mod.

Anyway I drove a ‘96 T100 4x4 for 23 years. Finally I got the new car bug and I was really thinking I’m getting a Tacoma. Sometime during that particular mental activity I started realizing I don’t really use my truck bed much anymore. So started thinking hard about SUV’s, body on chassis SUV’s. 4Runner always #1 in my mind I learned about the sub models and started reading these forums, also YouTube. Pretty soon I knew it will be a 4runner.
So today, right now I’m thinking I’m glad I don’t need a pick-up anymore, I know I want the 4Runner.

 

[Kanger328]

Thanks for all the input y'all. It's a tough call for me because I got my truck so cheap. I don't use the bed for its intended purpose much, but for how long it will last I know it's always useful to have a truck around the house, even if it's a beater. Considering keeping the truck and also getting a 4Runner, but doesn't seem worth it (maybe if I kept the truck and got a sports car, but not really a sports car type).

I'm in no rush since I know it'll be another year or 2 before the 6th gen comes out. I guess we shall see. Thanks again everyone.

 

[osugsxr]

I've been wanting to purchase a truck for a few years. Almost bought a 17 TRD PRO tundra but we went with a 17 SR5 premium 4runner. The 4runner is paid off and trade in is around 29k or so. Wife gave me the go ahead for a new tundra.

space for 3 car seats in tundra?

SUV pro
3rd row seating
storage coverage in cargo area
solid ride (we've done a 18 hour road trip before ) and easier to park
build is complete (trd pro shocks, black rails, trd pro skid plate blacked out)


tundra
limited use of the bed for house projects and thats about it.
Size of ride would be nice for long road trips

 

[CutthroatSlam]

Question: Has anyone transitioned from a pickup truck to a 5th gen 4Runner? If so, any regrets or things you miss about having a truck vs a 4Runner?

TLDR: Current Tundra owner thinking about switching to 5th gen, would like feedback from people who have made this switch (pros/cons going from truck to SUV).

Long version:
I'm a former 3rd gen owner, loved it. I had an opportunity to get a newer, lower mileage, less beat-up-from-offroading vehicle (lol) for free while I was poor and getting myself through grad school, so I sold the 3rd gen. Since then I went through various boring vehicles as I got myself through school. The goal was to get a new 5th gen as soon as I was able.

I'm at that point now, but having trouble deciding. I currently have a 2012 Toyota Tundra Doublecab 4x4 that I got for ridiculously cheap ($13K at 65K miles). It was all dealership maintained by previous owner. I know this truck will last me years to come, but the 5th gen keeps nagging at me. I'd like some real world feedback from people who have made this transition.

I don't tow anything. I live in Alaska though and try to do a lot of outdoorsy stuff (hiking, camping, fishing, biking, snowboarding, etc.). An SUV would be fine for all these activities, except sleeping in the truck bed with a cot.

Financially, I know this would be a dumb switch (any Dave Ramsey followers here?), but I'm doing ok. The current value of my Tundra is about $23K, which if I got that's $10K over what I paid. If I did get the 5th gen, I'd prob wait until next year to get the last model year of the current gen before the presumed update.

Just FYI, my desired trim would be the Off Road Premium with KDSS in magnetic gray metallic. #goals

Here are some pics/vids just because since I hate threads without pics:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fNwWMlwr1tA" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Rock Garden, first video, out back of Big Bear. Know it well. Would never do it in a vehicle. The 4Runner showed well.

 

[Kanger328]

Rock Garden, first video, out back of Big Bear. Know it well. Would never do it in a vehicle. The 4Runner showed well.

Yup, that’s correct! 4Runner took a beating that trip.

 

[ScottR]

My last vehicle was a 2nd Gen Tacoma pre-runner double-cab. At the time of purchase it was a compromise- I wanted the 4th Gen 4Runner and just couldn't afford one. After the Taco was paid off I made the switch to a 5th Gen 4Runner. I much prefer the seating configuration and its more secure/ enclosed cargo space. Not as much cargo flexibility as the Taco's open bed, but enough to get by. Never did much towing with the Taco, can rent or buy a small trailer for the 4R if needed. The 4R is an upgrade!

 

[JLTD]

Tough question, so many things to compare. Had a 2013 F150, 5.0 supercab. New wife's kids were outgrowing the smallish back seat so started looking. I had sat in a 3rd gen 4R years ago and didn't fit...but saw a 5th gen and lo and behold - redemption!


MPG: same between the two

Ride: 4R is better around town and off road. Long highway trip the truck was better. I also liked how you could lock the trans in a gear in the Ford; wish Toyota would allow the same but understand that it is a drivetrain protection issue.

Passenger space: with the S cab, back seat was inadequate for adult pax, especially with the suicide doors. Nod to the 4R here, but it would have been different if it had been the Supercrew

Hauling: big stuff, pickup wins but I have moved with the Runner and you can pack quite a lot in the back and as noted it's all locked and protected from weather.

Parking: MUCH easier with the 4R

But 4Runner is among the top 3 in both reliability and longevity among ALL vehicles. The Ford, at only 56k miles, was starting to do weird things in the transmission and developed a couple (!) of leaks when it rained. Easy choice.

It may have been a different decision if I'd had a Tundra with the full size back seat. I may go Tundra in the future but right now don't need to tow.

 

[projektzbora]

OP, I'm on the same boat as you. I currently have an '09 Tacoma double cab that I'm looking to sell or trade for a 5th gen 4runner. In fact, I started parting out the Tacoma just yesterday. My cousin has a 5th gen, and I've test driven it months ago and definitely liked it! My Tacoma is paid off, and I like the damn thing a lot, but with a growing family (currently have a 1.5 year old boy and may be trying again this year), I found the interior of my Tacoma to be really cramped! I don't utilize the Tacoma's bed as much as I'd like, but having the bed readily available for unexpected oversized items is definitely nice! At this point though, I think having the extra interior space makes more sense. I did find the 4runner to ride smoother on the highway and was more composed on the bumpy roads, whereas, with the Tacoma, it felt a little more bumpy/rough. I guess that's just the nature of pickup trucks. Maybe someday, when cash is more liquid, I'll buy another Toyota pickup for hauling/loading/daily driving. (maybe those 4cly smaller/lower 90's Toyota pickups)

 

[wrestlingnrj]

Went from an 09 F150 Lariat (with locking tonneau cover) with the 5.4L V8 to a 21 4rnr Venture. They're both primarily my wife's vehicles, but I regularly drive them on weekends with the family loaded in. I personally would have bought a new F150 if the choice was up to me, but my wife has always loved the 4runner, so here we are. I like the utility of the truck better, and having the massive amount of bed storage was nice. I'll definitely miss the V8 power and towing capability, but the increased mileage is nice.

I'd still rather have a new F150 at the end of the day, but the 4runner is definitely a nice vehicle and most likely the better choice in the long run (financially speaking).

 

[Finslayer83]

went from 2017 F150 SCREW that was rather well built to a 2017 TRDP.

Which is now well built (for my needs).

What do I miss:
- Power (5.0 with goodies)
- 2+ hour trips on the floating power la-z-boy
- bed for dump runs
- space - the SCREW F150 is massive. Lots of people space but not as much for "stuff" inside.

What do I gain:
- better vehicle
- same if not worse gas mileage
- can fit on trails
- smaller
- resale value

It's a completely different animal to compare one to the other. It is a complete paradigm shift.

If I went back to a truck it would be a 3/4 ton.

Love my 4R.

 

[jpartlow]

Ironically I just traded in my CrewMax Tundra for a T4R. We've started taking the dogs with us a lot more whether it be vacation, mountain biking, the mountains etc. My wife didn't like the idea of the dogs riding around in a camper shell and she drives a VW Atlas and despite many people trying to make theirs offroaders they are not very off-road worthy IMHO. Plus with gas prices on the rise, it seemed like a good time as well as the Tundra averaged 11-12mpg. Time will tell if I regret it or not. I probably should have waited until after my Spring projects were done but Off-Road Premiums don't seem to last more than 48 hours on the dealers lots around here and I've been trying to work deals on one and I finally got a deal that worked for me that included the Tundra. Had to travel a few hours for this one as all the local dealers refused to negotiate. Weird times right now for trying to negotiate a vehicle purchase.
Considered the GX, Discovery and Discovery Sport but kept coming back to the T4R. Plus the GX was pretty high for something that was just as outdated as the Runner. I'd of considered a Sequoia as well but the higher trim levels are $$$$ and they too are super outdated.

 

[Too Stroked]

I'm new to 4Runners and just sold my 2014 Tacoma to buy a 2021 4Runner. My reasoning? Well, first of all I work at a Toyota dealership. Second, I was looking at a new Tacoma, but didn't like the "new" 3.5 liter motor and 6 speed automatic. I tow my 22' high performance boat regularly, and the new combination isn't a "torque" motor like the 4 liter.

More importantly, we have a new rescue doggie (Herbie the Pit Bull) who's white. The only color interior available in a TRD Sport Access Cab Tacoma is black fabric. See where that one was headed? Here's what we were coming out of:

My second choice was a 4Runner all along. We got a SR5 Premium with the Softex seats and that makes cleaning up Herbie's hair a ton easier. It's actually got a better 4 liter motor and will tow the boat easily. And after having it for 1,200 miles now, I can say it rides and handles way better than the Tacoma. Oh, and Herbie loves the bigger back seat.

Here's what we ended up with:

The only down side I've found so far is that I lost the bed the truck had. No more hauling big or ugly stuff and not having to worry about scratching anything. Oh well. And in case you're wondering, the 20" wheels from the Tacoma will be going on the 4Runner as soon as the weather allows.

 

[Bruin1md]

Went from Ram 1500 Rebel to my 5th gen 4runner TRD Pro.

ZERO regrets going from my pick up to the 4runner. The Rebel was cool for towing a few things and some toys, but otherwise lacked the utility I get from my 4runner.
I find the 4runner far more nimble than my full size pick up (obviously), and unless you really need a bed for lumber/hauling stuff, it's a no brainer make the switch.
You won't regret it.

 

[4FL]

Not straight from a truck, but drove trucks for most of my driving life, came from an F-350.

No regrets at all, at first I thought the lack of having a bed and the general "toughness" a truck has would be an issue, but it is not at all, and I use my 4runner, meaning I will load what the heck ever in the back, bricks, dirt, you know, dirty things. I even filled up two gas cans and it was fine for my short drive back home.

I towed a loaded uhaul trailer, the thing handled it well on the flat I-95.

As for the toughness thing, no doubt trucks for the most part are, have that feel maybe you call it, and I feel the same about my 4runner.

All in all, love it, wish I would had bought one back in the late 2000's instead of another truck.

The 4runner really feels like a truck though when driving, that is what I like about it, that is why I drove trucks most of my driving life, I like the way they look and feel when driving.

 

[ahtoxa11]

Can't remember if I posted here, but I sold a 2016 F150 crew for my 19 4runner. No regrets. Space was massive inside the half ton and I miss that at times, but overall the truck was too big for what I wanted to do -- explore trails in CO.

 

[Drobs]

15 years with my Nissan Frontier King Cab.

Still have it, but prefer my 4Runner over the pickup. The 4Runner is way more comfy.

I figure I'll eventually sell the pickup and replace it with an utility trailer for carrying big dirty stuff.

 

[Akmerle]

Fellow Alaskan here, and hope this helps!

I have both. 2018 Platinum Tundra and 2020 4R Pro. Previously have had 2010 and 2001 Tundras, and 2001 and 1997 Tacoma’s.

I’ll describe the different characteristics I see with driving them both....

Tundra has a massive interior with crewmax, and is a more comfortable long distance driver. Motor and transmission work very well together. Average 15mpg mixed driving on 33” tires. LED headlights put out crazy good light. The factory premium JBL stereo was laughably bad.

4R has good interior room, but certainly feels small compared to the Tundra. Average 17mpg mixed. Much better in snow / ice driving, in both 2WD and 4WD. Definitely notice the motor having 100 less HP and one less gear. Love how much room the rear cargo area has. Is easier to park due to size, but feel the turning radius is smaller. Head lights are horrible.

You can’t go wrong with either, and almost solely depends on if you need the covered / higher rear cargo area of the 4R more than a pick up bed. We needed the rear cargo area for the dog, and it’s been great. If we go anywhere as a family, without the dog, we take the Tundra.

Have you looked at Sequoias? You should be able to sleep in the back, and to be honest, I kind of wish I would have bought the wife a Sequoia (softer ride, more room, and has auto 4x4), or at least test drove one prior. Also, I think Sequoias on a small lift with like 33” AT tires look KILLER.

Good luck!

 

[Midnightxp]

I probably would of stuck with my 2018 f150 supercrew fx4. The 4runner is a decent suv but I notice that my 2005 4runner with the v8 seems to have been a better experience then my 2020 so far.

The 2005 sr5 had better power, same gas mileage, auto climate control, higher towing, and just felt higher quality.

Things I miss about my f150 are passenger space, AUTO HEADLIGHTS, half pull for lane change turn signals, stereo and how android auto and car play worked, huge power difference, slightly better fuel economy of f150, less nose dive upon braking, the bed, towing, highway ride and ease of maintaining speed.

The 4runner is nice, feels like a compact car in comparison. The ride is pretty good, and it looks very nice in my opinion. It's probably better off road, at least it would fit places better. I drive about 30k a year, so hopefully it will live up to it's tradition of being reliable.

 

[BigGy]

Too funny, I was just thinking about this the other day. Had full size pickups for years when I was younger.....and wouldn't change it because actually used the bed often. Had kids, got away from hobbies where a pickup was handy, and it was a no brainer to go 4runner.

So, was thinking, after the kids are growed would I go back to a truck. Answer for me is no. The 4runner meets and exceeds all our needs and wants. Going pickup would be a step backwards.

 

[JLofa]

Not necessarily a switch but my dad has a 17' Tacoma and I swear he chose it on purpose for it to be uncomfortable so I wouldn't drive it
I'm a bigger guy and that thing suuucks I never thought I'd be claustrophobic until I compared it to my 4r
I think our DD altima has more room