Reasons to get a 4runner over a Pilot

[overdraftfee]

Hi People:

Great forum:

I am in the market for a vehicle for the wife. We bought a new car a couple of months ago and the very next day it was stolen from right out side our house....LA baby !!! so we finaly settled with the insurance company and we are at square 1 minus a few hundred dollars

anyway she wants a safe car for carting the 1 1/2 year old around and said she wants a Honda pilot.

I think they are ugly.

I would like to get a sr5 6cylinder 2 wd or 4 wd but peeps at work said 4 wd drive more maintanance and not realy required for city slickers.

I am no way a car guy but am interested in any serious thoughts on what the pros of the 4 runner would be over the pilot



If i were to get it i would enjoy spending teh childs college tuition money on cool mods


I would use it to attach a trailer to it and drag stuff home from the lumber yard. nothing major just a 4 by 8 trailer 2 - 3000 lbs capacity.

i like building additions, furniture loading tools etc.....



i am sorry in advance for insulting all you guys with the most awful question

thanks

 

[Clemsonfan15]

The 4runner could handle what you want it to do, but I think it is overkill. You could just get a Highlander or something like that.

 

[JohnsD90]

Get the 4Runner, the pilot and highlander might not have even space for those home depot trips and lumber yard trips, and the just looking at them the 4runner is an obvoius choice. I say get the 4WD, it's not much more money and its peace of mind knowing you have it.

 

[Titanpat57]

Hi People:

If i were to get it i would enjoy spending teh childs college tuition money on cool mods


thanks

You stay right here....no need for you to go anywhere else...we like the way you think :cheers:

The Honda looks like a Saltine box on wheels....

And being the kids losing the tuition money anyway...spring for the 4wd...I work at a college, so I'll adopt them when their 18 and they can go for free...lol

No brainer?...right??:bravo:

Pat

 

[M1911]

Get the 4Runner, the pilot and highlander might not have even space for those home depot trips and lumber yard trips, and the just looking at them the 4runner is an obvoius choice. I say get the 4WD, it's not much more money and its peace of mind knowing you have it.

The Highlander has at least as much space inside as the 4Runner. The Pilot is also larger inside than the 4Runner.

He lives in LA. Why should he buy 4WD? Unless you are taking it offroad or going skiing, a 4Runner is complete overkill for LA.

Even a Highlander is an awfully big vehicle for just two adults and one sprog.

 

[chmura]

If it was for me a TE 4Runner no doubt.

For the wife a Highlander. Drives like a Camry which is perfect for the wife.

My parents have a 2002 Highlander V6 bought since new. 140k miles later still very solid and no major issues.

 

[overdraftfee]

The Highlander has at least as much space inside as the 4Runner. The Pilot is also larger inside than the 4Runner.

He lives in LA. Why should he buy 4WD? Unless you are taking it offroad or going skiing, a 4Runner is complete overkill for LA.

Even a Highlander is an awfully big vehicle for just two adults and one sprog.

maybe another little one a year or so down the line

I agree.. i drive a corolla and we had a camry before.. but she mentions she wants the suv type vehicle so it is easier for her to move the kid in and out of the car... not so much bending in and out....also bigger , heavier, stronger theory when it comes to safety..

I very much doubt i will ever go real off road .. not as recreational thing

Is the gas mileage and service requirements an issue on a 4x4 vs regular?
if it isn't a huge expense on service and mileage and ride then i would prolly get it just because it isn't that much more.... and i can turn it off when i don't need it right ?



when i get some time i guess i will start to look at specs on both and dop a comparison.

btw when we test drove a highlander we didn't like look or feel.

 

[Champ306]

The Highlander has at least as much space inside as the 4Runner. The Pilot is also larger inside than the 4Runner.

He lives in LA. Why should he buy 4WD? Unless you are taking it offroad or going skiing, a 4Runner is complete overkill for LA.

Even a Highlander is an awfully big vehicle for just two adults and one sprog.


Um, no. the highlander doesnt have the room the new runner has, sorry, it has room, but not like the runner.

go with the runner, high resale value come time to trade. get 4 wheel drive. if you ever move, or want to go camping, never know if you may need it. Honda is nice, but the 4runner is great.
__________________

 

[war07eagle]

As far as 4x4 or 2x4
4x4 has a little more maintenance, get one flat replace all 4, very unlikely but transmission issues outta warranty, and youll spend maybe an extra $250-$350 on gas a year, but you also have it if you move to a colder area for snow, offroading or in-case Noah ever brings the floods again and local roads go to shit, and resale is a little easier with a 4x4, because more people who buy used 4x4 suvs buy them to go off roading and such

 

[Aspen]

Actually the Highlander has quite a bit more cargo room behind the front seats (with 2nd row down in both, and 3rd row down in the Highlander) than the 4Runner does - that really surprised me since the 4Runner is a larger vehicle, but only by an inch or two outside. (I just bought one of each.) In fact the Highlander is much longer on the flat floor behind the front seats too than the 4Runner - I can lay completely flat in the Highlander and not touch my head or toes when straight, but I have to go completely opposite corners in the 4Runner to lay down without touching - the 4Runner seat backs that you have to fold up in order to lay the seat down take up a lot of space vs. the Highlander that just lay flat.

Highlander - 94.1 cubic feet
4Runner - 88.8 cubic feet

 

[adoihcj]

Actually the Highlander has quite a bit more cargo room behind the front seats (with 2nd row down in both, and 3rd row down in the Highlander) than the 4Runner does - that really surprised me since the 4Runner is a larger vehicle, but only by an inch or two outside. (I just bought one of each.) In fact the Highlander is much longer on the flat floor behind the front seats too than the 4Runner - I can lay completely flat in the Highlander and not touch my head or toes when straight, but I have to go completely opposite corners in the 4Runner to lay down without touching - the 4Runner seat backs that you have to fold up in order to lay the seat down take up a lot of space vs. the Highlander that just lay flat.

Highlander - 94.1 cubic feet
4Runner - 88.8 cubic feet

I was questioning the size of the two as well. I knew the Highlander was larger than the 4R. I wonder if it has anything to do with the last generation of the Highlander. Wasn't it much smaller than the current gen?

 

[Quentin]

Actually the Highlander has quite a bit more cargo room behind the front seats (with 2nd row down in both, and 3rd row down in the Highlander) than the 4Runner does - that really surprised me since the 4Runner is a larger vehicle, but only by an inch or two outside. (I just bought one of each.) In fact the Highlander is much longer on the flat floor behind the front seats too than the 4Runner - I can lay completely flat in the Highlander and not touch my head or toes when straight, but I have to go completely opposite corners in the 4Runner to lay down without touching - the 4Runner seat backs that you have to fold up in order to lay the seat down take up a lot of space vs. the Highlander that just lay flat.

Highlander - 94.1 cubic feet
4Runner - 88.8 cubic feet

Yeah, the highlander is definitely roomier than the 4Runner, specifically head room in the 2nd row. I am willing to give up a little space for capability, though. If I didn't camp, bike, and drive in a lot of snow, I'd probably get the Highlander. Plus, deals on the Highlander are probably better due to the fact Toyota moves far more of these.

I've never driven or ridden in a Pilot, though.

 

[westwind77]

Hi People:

anyway she wants a safe car for carting the 1 1/2 year old around and said she wants a Honda pilot.

thanks

From what I hear the Pilot is a 'safe' suv and has good safety ratings. If I am not mistaken, the 4Runner has not even been rated yet! The 4Runner could potentially have bad results (hightly doubt it but you never know) If she is going to be the one who is doing the majority of the driving with the suv get her what she wants.

 

[Aspen]

Since she said she wants a Pilot, I would buy a Pilot.

My wife started with a blank sheet of paper and looked at everything she could find to replace her aging Acura MDX (looking online - we don't have dealers of any brand near us). The 2010 4Runner was tops on her list, and after a week of searching dealers within three hours of us we found one 4Runner to test drive. It took her only ten seconds sitting in the drivers seat to realize she hated it up there. Scratch the 4Runner. The Highlaner was not really on her list, but we drove one of those while we were at the dealer and she loved it as soon as she got behind the wheel. She didn't even bother to drive any other vehicles and now she has a Highlander on the way.

In the process of reviewing all of her original choices to make sure she was getting a good vehicle, I decided that I needed a 4Runner (replacing my 2008 MDX) - oops. So now we have two Toyotas on order, and mine new car will have LESS room inside than hers!

 

[dekeman]

Best thing to do is sit your wife in a 4Runner and let her go for a drive, then in the same afternoon park her butt in the Pilot. She'll know instantly which one she wants and will thank you, in the manner a husband should be thanked, for taking care of her needs and for being such a caring and intelligent spouse. (Then, if she decides on the Pilot, go out and buy yourself a whole new set of power tools to compensate for a buying the lesser vehicle.)

You should also ask the same question over at the Pilot forum.

 

[M1911]

Is the gas mileage and service requirements an issue on a 4x4 vs regular?
if it isn't a huge expense on service and mileage and ride then i would prolly get it just because it isn't that much more.... and i can turn it off when i don't need it right ?

Even a 2x4 4Runner is overkill.

I've put 85k miles on my 2003 4Runner. It rides pretty well, for a truck. It brakes pretty well, for a truck. It accelerates pretty well, for a truck. It handles pretty well, for a truck. But you will never mistake it for anything other than a body-on-frame truck with a solid rear axle. And parking it in a tight space is not fun.

Being a truck with a high center of gravity, a 4Runner is far more likely to roll over in an accident than a car or cross-over. SUVs are NOT safer -- that is an illusion. People have a kid and suddenly decide they need a truck-based SUV, because they think it is safer. It isn't. I just don't get it.

I own a 4Runner because I take it offroad -- in the summer fishing on the beach, and in the winter bashing through an unplowed road to the gun club range.

But gosh, if you don't need that kind of vehicle there's a lot of better choices that will ride and handle better, with less fuel consumption to boot. And while the 4Runner may be easier for her to put the sprog in now, it will be harder when the kid is 3 years old and can't climb in himself and doesn't want to be picked up anymore (particularly since you don't get running boards anymore).

Just about any crossover would likely be a better choice. If you don't like the Highlander, check out the Venza. Mazda has several good alternatives, including the Mazda5, CX7, etc.

 

[overdraftfee]

Thanks for the replies

Thanks Guys !

I really appreciate the great responses and questions I should ask myself and wife.

As i said i am not a car person meaning ,I am pretty clueless about cars trucks and suv cross overs so it is great that I am learning ....

I am glad with just one post I have a lot of information.

I was simply going on looks as I prefer the look of a 4 runner Vs a Pilot. ( superficial I know but remember this is LA

and I have always owned Toyota. I was even thinking of a tacoma !


I would doubt we would use it to it's true capacity...

So i wanted it as an option maybe not off the cards we will go and test drive and research a little more.


Thanks again

I will keep you posted....

 

[M1911]

I was simply going on looks as I prefer the look of a 4 runner Vs a Pilot. ( superficial I know but remember this is LA

The Pilot is built with unibody construction. It has no frame, per se. It is effectively a jacked-up Honda Odyssey minivan. It isn't very capable offroad. It has an independent rear suspension that gives a better ride and more interior room, but reduces offroad capability.

The 4Runner is built with body-on-frame construction. That is, there is a separate frame that is the main structural member. This provides it better towing capability, at the cost of extra weight. It has a solid rear axle that gives it better offroad capability, but at the cost of less interior room and worse ride. The rear differential on a solid rear axle is in the center of the axle, and must move up and down. Therefore the rear floor has to be relatively high to allow the diff room to move. In contrast, the diff on an independent rear suspension doesn't move up and down, so the floor can be lower. The 4Runner is more capable offroad, within the limitations of its geometry.

and I have always owned Toyota. I was even thinking of a tacoma !

The Tacoma is also body-on-frame construction, and the frame is similar to the 4Runner frame. You'll likely find that the Tacoma has more road and wind noise inside. It will also have a worse ride due to leaf springs in back. If you put a cap on the back, visibility when backing up will be significantly worse than an SUV. The Tacoma will drive more truckish than the 4Runner, which is already relatively truckish, compared to a crossover.

I like my 4Runner for what it is, and accept its compromises in order to gain its offroad and snow capabilities. But if you don't need the offroad capabilities, then you are accepting the compromises solely for style. IMNSHO, there are other vehicles that would probably better serve you than an SUV.

What didn't you like about the feel of the Highlander?

 

[overdraftfee]

The Pilot is built with unibody construction. It has no frame, per se. It is effectively a jacked-up Honda Odyssey minivan. It isn't very capable offroad. It has an independent rear suspension that gives a better ride and more interior room, but reduces offroad capability.

The 4Runner is built with body-on-frame construction. That is, there is a separate frame that is the main structural member. This provides it better towing capability, at the cost of extra weight. It has a solid rear axle that gives it better offroad capability, but at the cost of less interior room and worse ride. The rear differential on a solid rear axle is in the center of the axle, and must move up and down. Therefore the rear floor has to be relatively high to allow the diff room to move. In contrast, the diff on an independent rear suspension doesn't move up and down, so the floor can be lower. The 4Runner is more capable offroad, within the limitations of its geometry.


The Tacoma is also body-on-frame construction, and the frame is similar to the 4Runner frame. You'll likely find that the Tacoma has more road and wind noise inside. It will also have a worse ride due to leaf springs in back. If you put a cap on the back, visibility when backing up will be significantly worse than an SUV. The Tacoma will drive more truckish than the 4Runner, which is already relatively truckish, compared to a crossover.

I like my 4Runner for what it is, and accept its compromises in order to gain its offroad and snow capabilities. But if you don't need the offroad capabilities, then you are accepting the compromises solely for style. IMNSHO, there are other vehicles that would probably better serve you than an SUV.

What didn't you like about the feel of the Highlander?

Wow thanks.....

it is info broken down like that that makes good forums invaluable.

it is great to understand the basics of what each vehicle is ....

It was my wife that said she didn't like the ride and feel compared to the pilot

She said the pilot felt more "secure" what ever that means?

But taking test drives and research is the way to go....

any suggestions in the same or lesser price range

i like toyota because they are the only vehicles i have owned ...

but would be open to other similar ...

 

[luke150]

T4R vs. Pilot

I traded my 2007 AWD Pilot for a 2010 2WD T4R. Towing 4000lb. boat is better with the 4R, seats more comfortable, gas mileage 18(Pilot) vs. 21.3 T4R. No snow in Austin, TX so I didn't get 4WD.