V8 Limited
I have an '04 V8 Limited and I must admit there are several things I am not crazy about either:
1). No memory seats. Hmmm, but I am really the only one who drives it.
2) Low roofline/minimal headroom. - especially with the sunroof. At 5'7" it isn't a problem for me or my 5'3" wife but my 6'4" BIL has a hard time with it. Guess he better save up for the GX470 instead.
3) No MP3 player. Have to ask my teenage kids what that is. I am still listening to CDs!
4) I do dislike the HVAC controls. I got used to them but stilll prefer simple slide controls.
5) The STUPID LOCATION of the FUEL DOOR RELEASE!!!! This one does bug me to no end.
6) Due to the low roofline and high floor, toe room for the backseat is minimal. The kids don't complain however.
7) The granite look plastic is OK. I have gotten used to it. I much rather prefer real wood (as in the GX), but my wife thinks it looks much better than plastic wood trim.
8) Gated shifter. Not crazy about this but most designs are headed in this direction.
9) Decent NAV system, but voice activation would be nice.
10) Driveline "clunk". More GX owners seem to complain about this than you guys do. Not a real problem but it does get annoying sometimes.
11) Occasional sulfur smell. My kids still blame this one on me and think I am blaming it on the Runner.
Now what I have come to appreciate:
1) Nice center console. I really liked the one in the Honda Pilot but think the 4Runner's is well thought out.
2) Short shifter. Much better fit for my hand than longer ones as in the GX.
3) Great cluster gauge needle illumination, especially the red light on the speedo out from the numbers.
4) 115V outlet.
5) Well thought out rear seat storage console. Actually a better design than the one that Honda touts so highly in the Pilot.
6) Leather quality. OK, many cars these days have cheap leather or "leatherette". Most shouldn't even use the word "leather". Have to move into Mercedes/Lexus/Audi territory to get high quality supple leather anymore. However, the leather in the Limited is much higher quality than many domestic and imports in it's class. Look at the leather in a Pilot after only a few months. Cheap quality with poor bolstering that sags. Lots of complaints re. this on the Pilot forums.
7) Multi-setting heated seats.
8) Heavy duty (for OEM) WD hitch with 7 pin connector already there.
9) Nifty storage place in the glove box. Fits my Glock 23 perfectly.
10) POWER REAR WINDOW! Besides the Sequoia, who else has this great feature? Many SUVs have non-opening rear windows. My biggest gripe with the GX is the side opeing rear hatch with non-opening window. I use my Runner for trips to Lowes and HD as well as frequent backwoods camping excursions. This is an important feature to me.
11) Easy start key ignition.
12) DAC
13) HAC
14) Electronic rear hatch locking mechanism.
15) X-REAS Sport Suspension! When I first heard of this I thought it was a gimmick. After driving other SUVs and 4Ruuners with and w/o this feature, I have come to love it. It really does make a difference in cornering and stability. Reason enough to pay a bit more for the Sport model over the SR5.
16) Standard skid plates. OK, they are not equal to heavy duty aftermarket designs, but at least all Runners come with them. Looked at the 05 Pathfinder (not a bad vehicle BTW, jury is out on quality/reliability) and only the "off-road model" has them.
17)Style/Appearance. OK, this is purely subjective and I usually do not give this a great deal of weight when buying vehicles (unless they are Pontiac Aztec ugly!), but IMO the '03 - 05 4Runner is the sharpest looking SUV on the market (along with the 3rd generation models).
18) Quiet. No comparison. Quieter and more solid feeling than just about anything else in it's class or price point.
Lots of likes vs. dislikes. I spent a year looking at SUVs and drove just about every one out there. I originally looked at crossover models (RX330, MDX, Endeavor, Toureg, Pilot, etc) but later gravitated towards truck-based after I established my towing and backwoods requirements. Drove many domestic and import models but once I drove the 4Runner and GX470 models, I knew I wasn't giving up much in the way of on-road handling and comfort. As a long-time Toyota owner (and supplier), I have more faith in this brand than any other re. reliability. Their track record speaks volumes.
I strongly considered the GX and test drove it many times. Whiile I love it's interior, better audio system, voice activated nav. and appreciate the even quieter environment, I coudn't justify another 12K over the Limited Runner. After driving both models on the same day over the same route several times, I feel that the X-REAS equipped Runner handled better with a less tippy feeling. It moves out faster (due to less weight) and just feels tighter with more control.
Hey, we own one of the most capable stock vehicles on the planet that makes little or no compromise in doing it all - both on and off-road. While some may consider a 43k V8 Limited as "pricey", I have come to think of it as a deal vs. the competition.
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