I get to pick a new ride, help me decide

[philsey]

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.

^^ Second this. I nearly bought a Pilot. They are a little more refined (IMO) and have a little more content than the SR5 or TE.

I wouldn't go near either of your other two brands, the reliability and resale of Toyotas and Hondas is just too important to me.

 

[KGWVU]

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!

Of the listed vehicles, we only considered the JGC. We took one for a weekend, the Overland Edition, and really liked it. However, we could not bring ourselves to get past the less than acceptable reliability of the JGC's. We liked the Evoque, but there were none available in our area. We also considered the Acadia. We ended up not going with the Acadia because of the redesign coming for 2013. We did not want to purchase a new vehicle and in 6 months, a redesign come out. Also, we did not want to wait and purchase an Acadia in its first year of the design. In all, the 4Runner had everything we liked and only a few things we disliked (lack of memory seats being the biggest disappointment). We love the reliability, the capability, and most of all, the resale value!

Good luck and enjoy whatever ride you decide on!

 

[SgnDen]

I have owned 3 LR Range Rovers. You are talking about a much different price bracket new of course and you then get the privilege of not only the Yuppie stigma, but the horrendous reliability. Beautiful interiors and cool as h**l IMO but NOT worth the hassles.

Of the three, the Jeep will feel much more powerful out of the box and more cushy for sure. The jury's out on reliability but nothing as bad as LR products. I do see a lot of cool attractive young ladies sporting fancy new JGC's around here (Denver) and they seem to fit the personality MUCH better than the 4Runners IMO. The 4Runner has a truck feel and is generally much more tank-like.

I concur with a few others that the Pilot or new MDX are great choices given what you've said. Excellent SUV/Crossovers for sure, they'll never give you a problem, and are both much more "lux" than the 4Runner. If price is no issue, then jump to a NEW Landcruiser or the big Infinity Tank or Lexus (though I see Lexus as way too stodgy for a young lady).

Have fun!

 

[JohnnyT]

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

I wholeheartedly agree here. Very well built, reliable SUV.

Fun and sporty to drive as well. Strongly recommend you take a look.

 

[G8RB8_12SR5]

I looked at a used LR3 which when I looked at it was a 2007 and this was 2010 and it was loaded for $17k though they're over 40k brand new (then I had a friend who money is no object tell me how he had to replace his brakes at 30k which I thought was horrendous) so that turned me off of any Land Rovers. I sat in the Evoque at the NY Auto Show when it first came out and the back window is so small it is literally useless and makes for very small cargo space (also useless for the price considering the cargo capacities of the other two vehicles you're deciding between).

We sat in a JGC but for some reason the back seat felt cramped even after normal seat adjustments for the front seats in how I would drive (at 6'1") and since we have several friends and family members that are over 6' it took it out of the running.

Thus, this is how I ended up with a 4R (granted it's an SR5 but they're still not cheap), plus it's the 8th Toyota my or my family have ever owned so the reliability is well proven to me. Good luck with your choice, the MDX or GX 470 are also good considerations to offer a little more luxury but definitely push the $40k budget a little higher. Good luck!

 

[Bill Z]

I have a 2010 Trail Edition and it has just about enough room for weekenders with my wife and 5 month old daughter. I'm not saying that the 4runner is limited in it's capacity, just that kids hog up alot of cargo room. With all of the stuff my wife brings on weekenders for the baby if we were to have another child I'd probably have to move up to a bigger SUV.

 

[robsonj]

Lol, you should try weekend camping with wife, a 4 and 6 year old... In a mini countryman . From those days we have a Yakima roof box which is great to put all the soft stuff for a road trip, good optional to add more capacity to the T4R occasionally, rather than a bigger SUV where your pulling around that extra space even if you don't need it. That said, coming from camping with a mini, the 4runner seems like a cave to us

 

[G8RB8_12SR5]

Lol, you should try weekend camping with wife, a 4 and 6 year old... In a mini countryman . From those days we have a Yakima roof box which is great to put all the soft stuff for a road trip, good optional to add more capacity to the T4R occasionally, rather than a bigger SUV where your pulling around that extra space even if you don't need it. That said, coming from camping with a mini, the 4runner seems like a cave to us

Ha! I came from a MINI Countryman All4 as well...had it 9 months and realized the size wasn't a good fit for me and the fiance and our (now) two hunting dogs. Especially since we frequently have out of town guests and take the dogs everywhere. It was a fun car to drive though. Sorry fftopic: over.

 

[bigbillyt]

My Decision Process - FWIW

I was initially leaning toward a Ford Explorer since my wife and I have had very good luck with my Escape and her Mustang for the last few years. Then, I drove a rented 2012 Explorer for a few days and was not impressed. The technology felt gimmicky and the overall ride and handling felt like it was for an older, more conservative driver. Then, I moved on to test driving the Jeep Grand Cherokee. I do really like the dark green color in their current lineup and features seemed pretty comparable to the T4R. The six and eight cylinder models I drove were both nice and I could have gotten similar features for less overall. However, the ride and handling reminded me a lot of the Explorer, very heavy feeling and the reliability and resale are not so good. I have ridden in a number of Range Rovers and the L4-5 series and the Range Rovers, to me, are very uncomfortable. The L4-5 series are nice but gas mileage and reliability are bad. Haven't ridden in or driven the Evoque so I can't speak to that. I haven't driven a Pilot recently but I generally find Honda vehicles to be kind of boring for my taste. I also was very interested in the new Xterra but I have owned two before and while I really liked them the new ones aren't significantly different or better and are overpriced for what they offer. Anyway, sorry for the long winded response but once I drove the latest 4Runner I was hooked and then, once I drove a trail, I had to sign up. Big bonus, the wife loves it too!

 

[Kimber13]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I looked into the Honda Pilot and while I know Honda makes great cars, I just wasn't in love with the exterior. I will check out the MDX as many of you have said good things about it. Problem is, the city that I live in doesn't have very many car dealers and the brands we do have (Toyota, Jeep, Honda) don't really have much variety in their inventory. I have yet to actually see a Trail Edition 4runner in person. I liked the suggestion about adding the Trail Edition styling to a Limited, seems like good way to merge the rugged appearance and luxury interior. I plan on making a trip to check out the other brands you all have mentioned as well. I also appreciate the feedback related to the Land Rover vehicles. I have not owned one, and do not personally know anyone who has, so the insight that you have given me about their reliability is a huge help (especially since I live 2 hours away from the nearest Land Rover dealer!).

 

[jspagna1]

Ya not a fan of the Honda Pilot either. A cousin of mine has the previous model year which I liked better and loves it. They got rid of the JGC for it. The MDX is a nice vehicle, but just not big enough interior/cargo roof for me.
I had a 95 JGC Laredo V8, had it for about 2 years. Developed a lot of electrical gremlins.
I would never consider a Land Rover. Just not reliable enough for the money and trannies need to be replaced anywhere from 80-100,000 miles.

So I guess the T4R is the winner.

 

[Kinnick]

I will check out the MDX as many of you have said good things about it.

Keep in mind the MDX requires premium fuel (91 octane) which adds additional cost every time at the pump. I am guessing some people find that out after their purchase. But yes, a nice vehicle.

 

[PGRunner]

Wife has an 09 MDX and I have the 4R. On road trips we always take the MDX due to the more comfy ride. However, she prefers the roominess of the 4R. Can't go wrong with either vehicles. I never test drove a JGC but I have never owned an American car due to reliability and resale value and at this point I probably never will.

 

[Reino]

If you get a 4Runner TE then I guarantee that Wrangler will just collect dust in your garage. The 4R will accomplish all of your 'family' needs as well as what the Wrangler does off-road. The only advantage to the Wrangler would be the drop top.

If you plan to start a family, between the Wranger, 4Runner, and your boyfriend's Tacoma, you have three vehicles that run below 20 mpg in the city. This is not very efficient for carting a family around the city all week long. I suggest having ONE dedicated camping/off-road vehicle (the 4Runner TE), and selling both the Wrangler and Tacoma and buying a mid-size sedan or even a convertible for city driving.

I have an Accord sedan and my wife has a 4Runner. We swap back and forth depending on need. But I also have an F-250 that used to be the dedicated camping vehicle. But once she bought the 4Runner, the F-250 just sits in the street collecting dust except for the rare trip to Home Depot.

 

[p nut]

I agree with those that are suggesting more of a crossover rig than an SUV. Since this will be an on-road car, I'd get something that handles better and gets better MPG. My wife has a Subaru Outback that gets over 30MPG and handled nicer than the 4Runners.