Question on the 4Runner's Crash Test Results?

[arouth]

Hi,

I'm looking at potentially getting a used 4Runner Trail Edition 4WD but am a bit concerned on the crash tests. I did a search on this but did not find too much discussion on this but I was just wondering what people on here thought of the 4Runner's crash test results. It does not seem unsafe, but just seems a bit off given Toyota's reputation for build quality.

My 2 areas of concern are the NHTSA frontal crash with the passenger getting a 3 of 5 star rating (down from 4 stars from the 2003-2010 4Runner) and the small overlap test with the IIHS. Below are the links to the tests.

2014 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SUV AWD2020 | NHTSA Toyota 4Runner
2020 Toyota 4Runner

 

[mteolus]

Hi,

I'm looking at potentially getting a used 4Runner Trail Edition 4WD but am a bit concerned on the crash tests. I did a search on this but did not find too much discussion on this but I was just wondering what people on here thought of the 4Runner's crash test results. It does not seem unsafe, but just seems a bit off given Toyota's reputation for build quality.

My 2 areas of concern are the NHTSA frontal crash with the passenger getting a 3 of 5 star rating (down from 4 stars from the 2003-2010 4Runner) and the small overlap test with the IIHS. Below are the links to the tests.

2014 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SUV AWD2020 | NHTSA Toyota 4Runner
2020 Toyota 4Runner

Yep, Tundra is the same way. I think it would be highly unlikely to have an impact like that but I guess possible. It's just a risk that most of us take, some may not like it though. What's a Jeep Wrangler in this test?

 

[JLTD]

Wrangler not much different:
2020 Jeep Wrangler

 

[rightyouareken]

As much as we love them, truth be told they are a 11+ year old design. Safety development has come a long way even since then. Also, being a body on frame vehicle there are I'm sure some limitations and inherent weaknesses of that design from a crash safety perspective.

Also, I'm not sure whether you can really compare crash ratings of older vehicles to new ones. The NHTSA isn't testing 4th gens anymore, and the tests are always evolving and being updated. The small overlap front crash test wasn't even introduced until 2012...so the 4th gen was probably never tested in that test.

 

[Bossman]

Crash Test Results

Safety and Reliability Ratings?

2014 Toyota 4Runner Fails Frontal Crash Tests

Bad crash, driver walks away

 

[BobsTrail]

Full frame and lots of air bags including knee bags. A few collision posts with deer, trees and other vehicles look to me like our old T4s are safe enough, better than many.

I think it's safe enough to get one and enjoy it.

 

[02SE]

I know it will do better in a crash than any of my Motorcycles.

 

[Blue 4ever Runner]

I remember seeing a post from someone who had a pretty nasty crash in his 4Runner. It looked horrible and he walked away. I think they are pretty safe vehicles. Maybe I'm fooling myself but if so, oh well! LOL!

 

[CharlesNellis]

Maybe against immovable objects the 4runner or BOF vehicles do worst, but against another movable object like a car or unibody SUV I think we would fair well.

 

[jp.vegas]

Not many options in the body on frame works well offroad and on department to choose from. I think "safe enough" applies and I'm good with that.

 

[itr1275]

Short answer: My answer is all numbers and statistics and has nothing to do with how you feel about the rating. So go with your gut and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

FWIW, don't worry about the test unless it's a complete disaster. Drive what you want and don't be an idiot, you will be fine.

This guy tried to kill my wife and I yesterday, we are fine. Success or failure had nothing to do with the 4runner. We didn't die because I was paying attention. There is no crash test for A**holes.
YouTube

Long winded answer: Having worked at a race track and seen hundreds of crashes, I can tell you that no matter what you prepare for there is always a hole in the plan.

Crash tests are contrived and set up in a specific way to be able recreate a scenario with deterministic results. In other words it's a comparison test with specific rules.

Car companies have all the rules when they build it and they can/do play to that. They can reinforce one area and redirect force from another one for good scores. 5 Star ratings don't ensure anything other than failure or 1 star reports may indicate that they don't know how to interpret a specification and thus reflect on poor engineering.

In the real world crashes don't happen exactly like that. People get killed by door window moldings (seriously). It came loose and punctured the driver's carotid artery, under a helmet, above a neck collar, through a window net. It was pretty easy crash and he would have been fine, but everything aligned that day. No one imagined it could ever happen, I don't know that there is any crash test for that.

If your in serious crash you're probably going to get pelted with all the crap in the back of the truck that isn't tethered. And I mean a real tether, not bungee cords. That means that a 2lb brick leaving your truck at 60 mph has similar energy to a .22 Magnum round. A 6 lb laptop is similar to a .45 ACP.

With that said, the speed at which it hits you will be much much less than 60 mph but I really don't want to crash and get hit with a 6 lb laptop too. In other words you can be injured by more than just the vehicle.

The probability of you getting is to a crash is there. The probability that you will be killed in a crash is very low.

There are so many other things that can kill you. According to the CDC, you are about as likely to kill yourself as die in a vehicle accident.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr68/nvsr68_06-508.pdf

Vehicle deaths (2017) - 40,231
Suicide (2017) - 38,106

So don't worry about it be smart and live life until you can't do it anymore. It is much shorter than we think.

 

[Wolfman’s Brother]

This guy tried to kill my wife and I yesterday, we are fine.

[MENTION=166470]itr1275[/MENTION] d1ckheads like the one in your video may be one of the worst failures America has ever produced. God help us.

Does your handle reference a DC2? If so, pics. Hijack this dumb thread.

 

[itr1275]

[MENTION=166470]itr1275[/MENTION] d1ckheads like the one in your video may be one of the worst failures America has ever produced. God help us.

Does your handle reference a DC2? If so, pics. Hijack this dumb thread.

I haven't heard it called that, but yes. It's a stock Flamenco Black Pearl 2000 garage queen, number 1275 if you didn't figure that out. It was my track car, but I got old and fat and it's irreplaceable now. LOL.

Only people that know what that is recognized the name. Good to know I'm not the only one left.

It looks like this
No Reserve: 19k-Mile 2000 Acura Integra Type R for sale on BaT Auctions - sold for $43,777 on October 4, 2019 (Lot #23,576) | Bring a Trailer

BTW the crash ratings on that were not good. Barely had air airbags and seat belts.

 

[rob_dixon]

There are so many other things that can kill you. According to the CDC, you are about as likely to kill yourself as die in a vehicle accident.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr68/nvsr68_06-508.pdf

Vehicle deaths (2017) - 40,231
Suicide (2017) - 38,106

So don't worry about it be smart and live life until you can't do it anymore. It is much shorter than we think.

Statistically in objective numbers sure, but this is a fallacy when applied to the individual. I would have zero chance of commuting suicide (controllable) therefore my risk is zero. This makes my individual/subjective risk of dying in an accident 100% greater than my risk of suicide.

 

[LimeLED]

Hi,

I'm looking at potentially getting a used 4Runner Trail Edition 4WD but am a bit concerned on the crash tests. I did a search on this but did not find too much discussion on this but I was just wondering what people on here thought of the 4Runner's crash test results. It does not seem unsafe, but just seems a bit off given Toyota's reputation for build quality.

My 2 areas of concern are the NHTSA frontal crash with the passenger getting a 3 of 5 star rating (down from 4 stars from the 2003-2010 4Runner) and the small overlap test with the IIHS. Below are the links to the tests.

2014 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SUV AWD2020 | NHTSA Toyota 4Runner
2020 Toyota 4Runner

Something to keep in mind is that crash tests are relative to vehicles of similar weight. Being the 4Runner is a relatively heavy vehicle, it’s still quite safe.

IIHS has data on insurance loss information. Basically, this tracks how much insurance companies actually have to pay out. They list 6 different metrics, but the interesting one is for Medical payments. Medical payments covers injury payments for the driver and passengers in the vehicle, but not those injured in other vehicles in a crash.

To view this data, flow this link and then choose Losses by class > 2016-18 > Midsize > SUVs > sort by Medical Payment. Insurance losses by make and model

If you do the above, you’ll discover that the Toyota 4Runner actually has the second lowest Medical payment among ALL midsize SUVs! Pretty cool!

 

[mrmike7189]

Toyota Safety Sense

The new 2020 4 runners have TSS toyota safety sense with lane detection alarm, pre collision warning, radar cruise control, auto braking etc. Plenty of airbags. I feel like they are never going to be any safer than now?

 

[mrluilou]

I hit a bmw X3 which spun out on the freeway in front of me while I was doing 65mph. My '17 4runner was totaled but my whole family came out safe with no major injuries. It is the main reason I decided to get a 2020 4runner :thumb:

 

[itr1275]

Statistically in objective numbers sure, but this is a fallacy when applied to the individual. I would have zero chance of commuting suicide (controllable) therefore my risk is zero. This makes my individual/subjective risk of dying in an accident 100% greater than my risk of suicide.

True, you are in control of your destiny and it's just numbers. I'm glad to hear you are discounting that option.

As stated in my post, this is the logical answer for emotional argument. Which is why I lead with

"My answer is all numbers and statistics and has nothing to do with how you feel about the rating. So go with your gut and don't let anyone tell you otherwise."​

Since you called it out I will update that to

"You are ~16 times more likely to die from Heart Disease than an in a vehicle accident"​

 

[itr1275]

The new 2020 4 runners have TSS toyota safety sense with lane detection alarm, pre collision warning, radar cruise control, auto braking etc. Plenty of airbags. I feel like they are never going to be any safer than now?

Yeah the TSS is great, if your playing with your phone, sleeping, or dead.

Watch the video I posted on this thread - sorry no sound. The TSS did alert me to the fact that some jack ass stopped in the middle of freeway for no reason, by beeping at me. However, I was already on the brakes.

If I weren't paying attention and it started beeping, I would have looked at my dashboard to see what happened and not at the road. So it was mostly just annoying.

It reminded me of the scene in Sully (with Tom Hanks) where the plane is shouting at the passengers "Brace! Brace! Brace!". Meaning, "Yeah. Uhm, some stuff happened and eh, you're sort of screwed now. So you might want to hang on, cause things are going to get a little bit weird."