I get to pick a new ride, help me decide

[Kimber13]

Hey Everyone, I'm new to the forum but have been lurking for a while and have a few questions. I am in the market for a new SUV and could use a little advice on comparing the new 4runner to that of other vehicles. First of all I should say that I am coming from a 2004 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon - which I intend to keep- and I am looking for something larger with more creature comforts. I am looking to buy new and would like to stay in the $40k range. The new truck would be mostly used for on road, city driving and a few family trips annually. I am hoping to start a family soon and want something with enough cargo space for strollers, groceries, etc, but still want to have something fun and not be a "mom" SUV- I'm only 27 so I want something that looks kind of youthful without being cutesy. Which is where the questions come in. I have narrowed my search down to just a few contenders : 4Runner trail edition, Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, and Jeep Grand Cherokee. To me, these are the sportiest, while still having the standard features I desire (4wd, sunroof/panoramic, and decent gas mileage). The questions I have are:

- Did any of you test drive these other vehicles and still decide on the 4runner? If so, what made you pick the 4runner?

- Is the TE ride quality comparable that that of a Tacoma? (my bf has a Tacoma 4wd and I like the way it handles/ride quality)

- Does anyone have experience owning a Land Rover? I have had Toyotas and Jeeps, but not LRs and was concerned about their reliability and quality.

-Are there any other SUVs you think would fit my needs that I haven't considered?

Any input is greatly appreciated. Also I realize this forum might be slightly biased, but I have asked the same question on the other makes' forums as well. Thanks!

 

[robsonj]

Can't comment on the other car brands, but we had similar requirements to you, family, mainly on road, need space, few roadtrips a year, need to tow etc. we went with the limited edition as to me it seemed to be the most suited to mainly on road driving over the sr5 and trail. We have 2 kids.

Cheers
Jonathan

 

[JohnnyT]

Never drove a Land Rover. I understand reliability is not stellar.

Drove a 2012 JGC. Dealer gave me one for an entire day. It was the v8, it was impressive inside and out, but I couldn't seriously consider it because of the JGC's abysmal reliability reputation.

Drove a 2012 4Runner Trail. The ride is "unique". Test drive it thoroughly to make sure you like it. Seems to still uphold Toyotas reputation of reliability.

Seems like you are only considering new but I ended up with my 4th gen 2007 4Runner Sport v8 which I consider far better than the other two I drove based on my perception of their build quality.

 

[Kimber13]

Thanks for the input guys. Yeah I would really like to go with something new that comes with a warranty. I am not mechanically inclined and I want to have something that is covered, especially in the Land Rover arena as I have heard that some models are prone to issues.

 

[Jivewalker]

I'm happy with my trail. Have two kids and do trips from SC to PA with no problems. Don't think Mileage and reliability on the jeep won't be as good, and the rover reliability may be less. I moved out of a Volvo xc90 which was awesome, but expensive once out of warranty, and am fully happy with the trail. I got a lifetime power train warranty on all new toyotas from the dealer which was a big plus. Hope this helps.

 

[JohnnyT]

Thanks for the input guys. Yeah I would really like to go with something new that comes with a warranty. I am not mechanically inclined and I want to have something that is covered, especially in the Land Rover arena as I have heard that some models are prone to issues.

Toyota Certified Pre-Owned comes with a warranty and for a few dollars more, you can get the Toyota Platinum comprehensive coverage at time and/or mileage intervals that make sense for you.

 

[Shamish]

Glad to hear you are keeping the Rubicon; those are awesome 4 wheelers right out of the box.

My neighbor had a Land Rover (or Range Rover) for a couple of years. It was one of the higher end models. A couple of weeks ago, he came home with a new Land Cruiser, glad to be rid of the Rover. Reliability was an issue.

I think you'll be happy with either model of 4Runner. The SR5, while not as cool (in my opinion) as the Trail, is still awesome. I don't think it has any "compromises"...just a few less doo-dads. In the interest of full disclosure, I will say that I just recently traded my 2010 SR5 in for a 2012 TE.

Happy shopping!

 

[JohnJerk]

I can never get myself to buy a LR because of resale and reliability. Love their concept and aesthetics and luxury though. Might add the Lex GX460 to your list. 2010s are hitting the 40k mark with some strong haggle. With a Rubicon in the driveway you need some lux. The t4r limited is a good mix. Get with third row.

 

[KCcarguy]

I'm happy with my 4runner, but not totally in love. I would stay away from the SR5. Go for a TE with KDSS. Everyone who has a Trail seems to love it. I have heard lots off bad stpries about LRs. They are cool, but you mentioned your a family guy. I didn't even consider a LR because I don't like the idea of my family being stranded somewhere. The JCG is really nice. It's a much nicer place to be than the 4R. But, reliabilty is most important to me and I know Chrysler products are not the best. $40k is a lot of money. I want something that will still have several years of good use ahead when its paid off.

I actually liked the 4th gen 4runner a little more than the 5th. But the prices were way too high and I decided to go new for just $3-5k more. I'd also check out the 2012 Pathfinder. There might be some good deals on those. My friend has one and they're pretty nice. They're a little roomier than the 4runner they have a pretty legit 3rd row too. PFs aren't as good off road, but thats what your Rubi is for.

 

[Kimber13]

Thanks for the input yet again. I have actually been sort of steered away from the Land Rover from comments made on my similar post to their forum. Citing that the Evoque lacks rear cargo space and may be a tight squeeze for car seats. While this wouldn't be an immediate concern, I don't want to be in a situation where I have to sell it in order to have a practical daily driver. However I do like the styling and uniqueness of it. The same could be said for a TE as there aren't many in my area (West Central GA) but I really don't see myself off-roading it which I feel would be kind of a waste. The Grand Cherokees are all over the place down here and I don't really want something that blends in to the crowd that much, but have always had good luck with my Jeeps in that I haven't had to do much to keep them going. My only reservation with new Wranglers is that to me a Jeep is 2 doors, and everything manual - hence why I am keeping the last "real" Jeep to roll out of the factory. But I'm a chick who likes fancy things and could use a little luxury from time to time.

 

[Hellamatic]

Obviously on the T4R forum, most of us will suggest the 4Runner. I'd go with either the 4R or the Jeep. Make sure you take some long test drives tho - the Jeep is a unibody and the 4R has a real frame, and therefore, a more "truck like" ride.

I nearly bought a JGC - I took an SRT8 out and fell in love with the handling and 470 horsepower. I ended up getting my 4R after weighing the options and realizing I wanted a bush buggy/overlanding rig more than I wanted a street machine though.

Good luck!

 

[whodat]

My opinion is go with the reliable option, and to me, that's the 4R > JGC > Evoque. Less time getting things diagnosed/repaired, means more time with the family

If you like fancy things, look into the Limited, more luxurious than the Trail.

If you like the look of the TE, then add the TE trim to the Limited, a few members did it on this forum with a very recent thorough write up.

And with the Limited stock, you can still offroad once in a while, many members here offroaded stock and fared well. Granted, it's not like a stock Rubi, but mild to mod offroading would be fine.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Kimber13]

Decided to go and take both the Grand Cherokee and the 4runner out for a test drive tomorrow. The Land Rover people actually talked me out of that one! At least the 4runner owners enjoy their rides!

 

[Quentin]

Honestly, I'd broaden your horizons to a non-SUV if you are keeping the Wrangler. A Trail Edition seems to have a lot of overlap with a Wrangler as far as making a lot of compromises in the ride/handling/mileage department for the sake of off road ability... and you already have a great offroader. I love my 4Runner, but I love having the option of my darty little supercharged hatchback or the comfortable, easy to drive, efficient hybrid. Right tool for the job and all that. I'm by not means recommending that you buy a Prius, haha, but if I were to lay out all that money for another vehicle, I'd want different capabilities. Since your BF has a Tacoma, a nice sport wagon might fit your needs. The upcoming BMW 3 series sport wagon? 2.0L turbo, RWD...

 

[Kinnick]

The new truck would be mostly used for on road, city driving and a few family trips annually. I am hoping to start a family soon and want something with enough cargo space for strollers, groceries, etc, but still want to have something fun and not be a "mom" SUV- I'm only 27 so I want something that looks kind of youthful without being cutesy.

Have you considered the Honda Pilot? Not sure if this passes the "mom" SUV test for you but in my opinion it does look more SUVish compared to other crossovers like the highlander/traverse/ect. The only reason I mention it is it may suit your current/future needs better (more passenger room, more cargo room, smoother ride) and will have more creature comforts than what the 4runner provides. I can't tell you how many times my wife uses the automatic rear lift gate button on her Pilot. It also comes with great long term reliability and resale value like the 4runner. Good luck with your decision.

 

[got556]

If you already have the stripped down fully decked out factory off road vehicle I agree with the overlap of the Trail Edition. I wouldn't get a BMW wagon though. That's just me. Try to find a decent price on an '10 or '11 4R Limited. They're pretty darn nice.

 

[WFO_Racer]

Former Range Rover owner, sold before warranty expired. Repairs out of pocket suck.

Trail Edition owner now when mostly city streets are driven I get 15.2 mpg in So Cal on regular gas from Costco. Okay vehicle but it has it's faults needs more power, wish it had the motor from my Toyota Tundra Crew Max the 5.7 even better with the T U R D supercharger. As is it's kind of gutless.

Depends if you plan on taking future jr hunting or off roading if you want the Runner.

 

[trailedition]

I have had my Trail Canadian edition for about 8 months now and it is the nicest vehicle I have owned for a number of reasons. Exceptional off road, plenty of power for what I need as I tow with it, excellent gas mileage for the type of vehicle (Truck Frame) (the last body on frame SUV) In my case it has had more compliments with the Salsa (Rare Colour) than any vehicle I have ever owned. It is the same size as the Jeep GC within one inch for most areas in the front passenger compartment and has reclining rear seats to 18 Degrees. Toyota owners if you read the forums in general are very happy with the 4R and usually buy another when the time is right. The LTD T4R would be the elegant option with a little less off road ability that in the USA can be added as was mentioned. My Jeep 10 years back was a good unit for me with no problems and I like most of the Jeep models even today and almost bought one (However I am glad I did not) My last comment is yes as mentioned before go test drive one, however what I suggest is something I have done many times when buying new, go and rent what you think of buying. One problem is Toyota is to high value and is hard to find a rental unit here in Canada. Good luck.

 

[KCcarguy]

Also consider a MDX. They're great vehicles. In base trim, they run about $40k.

 

[TheOnlyQP]

We looked at a ton of SUVs before I bought my TE. if reliability and efficiency had been better I would have chosen a Land Rover LR4. Love it but the nearest dealership is an hour away and they are piss poor on reliability. Second choice was the TE/Lexus GX. I didn't get the GX mainly because of the dumb rear door and lack of decent deals. I love my TE so far. Third choice was a Mercedes ML350. That thing drives great and was finished nicely but I didn't love it.

If I had more cash I would also consider a Mercedes GL diesel. But it's almost double the cost.