How do you rate the 4R as an off road all terrain vehicle ?

[RonMAIDEN]

I thought we were talking more about the Runner's off road ability and not it's overall character. The FJ isn't underpowered if you're just talking off road and throwing the fact that Runners tow better is kinda moot for this thread.

IMO the 4th gens are great when compared to what else is out there (H3s might be kinda weak but they do handle trails nicely) but it does need a few things to enhance it's off roadability.
Stock for stock even my 3rd gen will have a slight edge over the 4th gens but it's nothing that a slight lift won't help but having no locker does hinder the 4th gen's in certain situations and this was shown on the last trip I made up to the mountains with my buddy and his '05.

It is too bad Toyota doesn't offer the locker in the Runners since you wouldn't think it would be too much of an issue to get it with a special order.

 

[Thai]

It is too bad Toyota doesn't offer the locker in the Runners since you wouldn't think it would be too much of an issue to get it with a special order.

Well, i would probably get ARB rear locker anyway. According to some current generation Tacoma owners, the Toyota rear locker is not very durable with off-roading. I think that it has something to do with the new 4.0L V6's engine power making more power than what the locker can handle as compared to the old 3.4L V6 on the previous generation. We will see if the same thing will happen to the FJC...or did Toyota make changes??

 

[Falls]

I know its not the same but I thouht the Atrac compensated for the lack of a locker to some extent.

 

[RonMAIDEN]

There still is no real replacement for having both rear wheels locked positively,it's a pretty simple concept that's hard to improve on that in a cost effective manner.

 

[Falls]

There still is no real replacement for having both rear wheels locked positively,it's a pretty simple concept that's hard to improve on that in a cost effective manner.

Yes, very true

 

[RonMAIDEN]

In a way the FJ could help lead a few more off road types to a 4Runner since Toyota needs a "low volume image vehicle" to get buyers in showrooms that otherwise might otherwise over look Toyotas and when they see that while the FJ is a very good vehicle for the off roading crowd it does lack a few on-road comforts and everyday liveability where the 4Runner fills that gap nicely and offers reliability along with it.

It still would be nice of Toyota to offer a updated locker as an option or may be a true TRD package for the Runner. Toyota does need to offer at least a couple of edgier vehicles to cover up their somewhat bland models they currently offer.

 

[Falls]

Good point's , I would love to see Toyota do that. A TRD Runner...........it would be in my garage

 

[Uneek]

Toyota does need to offer at least a couple of edgier vehicles to cover up their somewhat bland models they currently offer.

I'm probably in the minority. I don't like the FJ's look, way too funky. My brother on the other hand loves the FJ. Oh wells. The FJ is probably the only vehicle in Toyota's line up I wouldn't get based on it looks, everything else in each different category/class are ok with me, from small car to large truck.

Hmmm... a lot of critics and rags call Toyotas bland too. But one rag did say plain vanilla ice cream remains the most popular flavor, with that said I think Toyota has a winning receipe.

 

[RonMAIDEN]

"Funky" can be good since whether people like it or not it does get noticed but not in a Pontiac Aztec way.

 

[Fourty-four]

I'm probably in the minority. I don't like the FJ's look, way too funky.

I agree with you. I don't like the look of the FJ. I don't think it's funky, I just think it's ugly, especially from a rear view.

My local dealer has about 15 of them on their front lawn. I guess they're trying to use them to get customers into the door.

I'm not sure how well the FJ is selling, but I sure don't see many on the road yet. Maybe it's too early to tell, but are the sales meeting Toyota's expec tations?

 

[Falls]

"Funky" can be good since whether people like it or not it does get noticed but not in a Pontiac Aztec way.

I'm sure it will have quite a following as time goes on and more packages become available , and the deler markup goes away and you can start buying closer to invoice.

Don't feeel bad about not liking the look's of it, yes it has grown on me slightly but still to ugly for me to drivre, I'll keep my 4R for now . I like how the fron look's alot , the side view look's good except for the 4 foot blind spot area, the back look's ok but could use some tweek's , the white roof is damn ugly IMO.

My son who paint's for a certified toyota body shop ( they service all the local Lexus & Yota dealer in the area ) has seen a few tricked out pretty good that have come in for a roof colormatch He said 2 nor 3 so far and they're not to many even on the road yet....lol

 

[AlexJet]

4Runner with right gear (lockers, skids, bumper, tires) can do very well off-road. I'd say it's one of the best off-road vehicles. Past weekend I was wheeling with couple of my friends. I performed at the same level as TJ Rubicon. The only difference is in the mud-hole, Rubicon outperform 4Runner because of light weight (nearly 1/2 of 4Runner), full lockers and ability to put 36" tires. If I only can put 36 or 38 on 4Runner and add locker, I'd be the BEST.
Back to your question. YES, 4Runner is very capable off-road vehicle + it's much roomy then TJ. Disadvantages of 4Runner are IFS (limiting in lift = tires) and "stupid' error of Toyota engineers to forget add a TC-OFF button.

...FJ has no power...

I have V6 which is the same as FJ engine. I don't know how does it perform in desert, but in Canadian mud it's enough to get 4Runner through till you'll stuck on your skid. I, personally, never had any problems with underpowering off-roading with V6.

 

[Thai]

4Runner with right gear (lockers, skids, bumper, tires) can do very well off-road. I'd say it's one of the best off-road vehicles. Past weekend I was wheeling with couple of my friends. I performed at the same level as TJ Rubicon. The only difference is in the mud-hole, Rubicon outperform 4Runner because of light weight (nearly 1/2 of 4Runner), full lockers and ability to put 36" tires. If I only can put 36 or 38 on 4Runner and add locker, I'd be the BEST.
Back to your question. YES, 4Runner is very capable off-road vehicle + it's much roomy then TJ. Disadvantages of 4Runner are IFS (limiting in lift = tires) and "stupid' error of Toyota engineers to forget add a TC-OFF button.

Well, Alex...that's a lot of modification to a 4runner you listed. Some of the mods that you listed are either ridiculously expensive or impossible to do. IMHO, after seeing Rubicons in action, i will tell you that there is not a single vehicle on the planet that can go toe-to-toe with a Rubicon (in stock form)...and yes, that includes Defender. Hummer H1 may be more proficient at a few terrain, but Rubicon just rules out of the box. Unimog is too specialize to count. Yes, i know that Rubicon (short-wheelbase) may be more "tippy" on steep inclines, but it still can do it.

From off-roading with my brother who only has a mild 2" lift on his Rubicon (everything else stock, including tires), i can tell you that, unshamefully, Rubicon is better than my truck on most terrain. The only place where i am clearly superior is in comfort over rough spots and on-road driving to the place.

 

[pipspeak]

Hmmm... a lot of critics and rags call Toyotas bland too. But one rag did say plain vanilla ice cream remains the most popular flavor, with that said I think Toyota has a winning receipe.

Certainly I think Japanese manufacturers are the least adventurous when it comes to overall design of cars, but look when adventure gets the German and American manufacturers... pricey vehicles with questionable reliability or cheap vehicles with questionable reliability.

Having said that, I think Toyota is one of the better Japanese firms for SUVs. The current and previous landcruiser is a classically simple design that never seems to grow old. The 4-runner is unique in many ways (tho bland in others). The FJ is a funky love-it-or-hate-it design. The interiors are ugly IMO, however, but you can't have it all (whoever came up with the silver plastic idea in the T4R should be painted silver themselves).

To me, Honda takes the grand prize for dull design. The Pilot is by far the most uninspiring vehicle on the road IMO. Every time I see one I just cringe at the boxy blandness of it all.

 

[AlexJet]

Thai, I think you'll agree that with this package 4Runner is capable for more then just fishing/camping. Even in stock version or at least with simple spacer lift it can do a lot. I, personally, was taking it off-road in stock, then with A/T tires (Revos), after that Revos + Cornfed and finally Cornfed + MT/R. I can say how my performance was changing and that it's good off-road track if you know how to use it. I was able to drive through at some places with stock+Revos when TJ Rubicon can't with MT/R and lockers; mostly because the guy in TJ didn't know who to drive off-road. But the point I'm saying that if you know how to drive off-road, you can do a lot even with stock 4Runner.

 

[AlexJet]

...whoever came up with the silver plastic idea in the T4R should be painted silver themselves...

Yep, I think it's too much. So I covered some of it with my wood dash trim kit

 

[Thai]

Thai, I think you'll agree that with this package 4Runner is capable for more then just fishing/camping. Even in stock version or at least with simple spacer lift it can do a lot. I, personally, was taking it off-road in stock, then with A/T tires (Revos), after that Revos + Cornfed and finally Cornfed + MT/R. I can say how my performance was changing and that it's good off-road track if you know how to use it. I was able to drive through at some places with stock+Revos when TJ Rubicon can't with MT/R and lockers; mostly because the guy in TJ didn't know who to drive off-road. But the point I'm saying that if you know how to drive off-road, you can do a lot even with stock 4Runner.

Agree 100% with what you said.

 

[RonMAIDEN]

Certainly I think Japanese manufacturers are the least adventurous when it comes to overall design of cars, but look when adventure gets the German and American manufacturers... pricey vehicles with questionable reliability or cheap vehicles with questionable reliability.

I think you need to look harder since Japan IMO is better than the americans with more progressive and fun limited car designs over the last 15 years. RX7 and Mazda's current lineup,Supra,Integra Type R,past and forthcoming Skyline from Nissan,Honda's NSX,EVOs,the whole WRX line, to just name a few but Toyota needs something to replace the Supra in the more expensive category and in the cheaper lines there's still a gap left from the disappearance of the Celica and the MR2. Toyota is standing very well planted with their truck/SUVs lines and their Scions but their sedans are comfortably boring. They make an Accord look racy.

 

[pipspeak]

I think you need to look harder since Japan IMO is better than the americans with more progressive and fun limited car designs over the last 15 years.

I'd agree that in the last few years the Japanese manufacturers have picked things up a bit (the FJ is a classic example) but I still think on average over the last 15 years they've been fairly bland designs and we've seen nothing equivalent to the FJ, Element, or Scion box.

That's especially true for their entire lineup IMO, but even for performance cars too. I think the RX7 is probably the most interesting sports car they've made, but that's really a wacky car built around a wacky engine. I found the Supra, Integra, NSX et al to be very dull-looking sports cars considering their performance and price. Subaru's designs aren't much better IMO... the WRX sedan, with its rallying pedigree, is perhaps the most interesting. The rest are just glorified station wagons that make Volvos look cutting edge.

I guess we have different views on what constitutes an interesting design

 

[snap315]

How capable is a 4Runner?

VERY CAPABLE!

Here is a Youtube video of a Stock T4R going thru a monster truck course.



Youtube of Stock T4R going thru Monster Truck course