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A big chunky car built to fulfil all your offroad fantasies, the Toyota 4Runner is a car that can, as stated earlier, take you to any corner of the planet.</p><p>Should this be the vehicle of your choice for your next Himalayan expedition yes? Defintely yes.
The Toyota 4Runner is one of the coolest sports utility vehicles in the market. In an era of crossovers and compact SUVs, the Toyota 4Runners stands alone as a conventional, hardcore, boxy SUV. Toyota claims that this mighty SUV is one of the most durable, off-road capable, and practical SUVs in the market. So, can this monster of a car be your vehicle of choice for your next expedition to the Himalayas? We'll investigate that in this review of the 2017 Toyota 4Runner.
The 4Runner is Toyota's third-largest SUV. After the Land Cruiser and the Sequoia, this is the largest Toyota SUV your money can buy. The 4Runner is one of the very few SUVs that are capable of going off-road. Most of the SUVs in this segment merely claim to go off-roading while the others are just tagged as entry-level luxury SUVs. But not this one. This is one heck of an SUV that will take on any treacherous terrain you throw towards it.
For pure off-roading, go for the base TRD Off-Road trim level which comes with a standard 4x4 layout along with some nifty off-roading amenities. Want your off-roading experience to be luxurious at the same time? Go for the Limited trim level with the 4x4 layout. All the trim levels are equally good at their price point but make sure that you get the 4WD powertrain to experience what the 4Runenr has to truly on offer.
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SR5 Premium 4dr SUV 4WD (4.0L 6cyl 5A)
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SR5 Premium 4dr SUV 4WD (4.0L 6cyl 5A)
SR5 Premium 4dr SUV (4.0L 6cyl 5A)
A big chunky car built to fulfil all your offroad fantasies, the Toyota 4Runner is a car that can, as stated earlier, take you to any corner of the planet.</p><p>Should this be the vehicle of your choice for your next Himalayan expedition yes? Defintely yes.
The Toyota 4Runner is one of the coolest sports utility vehicles in the market. In an era of crossovers and compact SUVs, the Toyota 4Runners stands alone as a conventional, hardcore, boxy SUV. Toyota claims that this mighty SUV is one of the most durable, off-road capable, and practical SUVs in the market. So, can this monster of a car be your vehicle of choice for your next expedition to the Himalayas? We'll investigate that in this review of the 2017 Toyota 4Runner.
The 4Runner is Toyota's third-largest SUV. After the Land Cruiser and the Sequoia, this is the largest Toyota SUV your money can buy. The 4Runner is one of the very few SUVs that are capable of going off-road. Most of the SUVs in this segment merely claim to go off-roading while the others are just tagged as entry-level luxury SUVs. But not this one. This is one heck of an SUV that will take on any treacherous terrain you throw towards it.
The 4Runner is offered in six different trim levels. The base SR5 trim level with a rear-wheel-drive is offered at a price of $34,210 and the one with a four-wheel-drive system is priced at $36,085. Prices climb as you go up the trim levels and the top-of-the-line Limited trim level with a rear-wheel-drive system is offered at $42,525 while the one with a 4-wheel drive drivetrain is offered at $44,560.
The SR5, the SR5 Premium, and the Limited trim level of the 4Runners are offered with both a rear-wheel-drive and a four-wheel-drive system while the TRD Pro, TRD off-road, and TRD off-road Premium are offered with a four-wheel-drive system only. The engine and the transmission remain the same in all 6 trim levels. The major differences are on the inside where there are different types of seats, audio systems, and other various amenities on offer.
Trim |
SR5 |
SR5 Premium |
TRD Pro |
TRD off-road |
TRD off-road Premium |
Limited |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MSRP (RWD) |
$35,205 |
$37,035 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
$43,520 |
MSRP (4WD) |
$37,080 |
$38,910 |
$38,330 |
$40,290 |
$43,395 |
$45,555 |
Key Feature | Integrated fog lights | SofTex-trimmed heated front seats; 8-way power-adjustable driver's seat with power lumbar support; 4-way power-adjustable front passenger seat | Color-keyed front and rear bumpers with silver accents and color-keyed hood scoop | Color-keyed front and rear bumpers with silver accents and color-keyed hood scoop | SofTex-trimmed heated front seats; 8-way power-adjustable driver's seat with power lumbar support; 4-way power-adjustable front passenger seat | Smart Key System17 with Push Button Start and remote illuminated entry |
Projector-beam headlights with smoked trim | SofTex-trimmed 40/20/40 split reclining and fold-flat second-row seat | Entune Premium Audio with Integrated Navigation and App Suite, and 6.1-in. high-resolution touch-screen display | TRD Off-Road\u201d external hard badges | SofTex-trimmed 40/20/40 split reclining and fold-flat second-row seat | Entune Premium JBL Audio with Integrated Navigation and App Suite, and 6.1-in. high-resolution touch-screen display | |
Leather-trimmed tilt/telescopic steering wheel with audio and Bluetooth hands-free phone and voice command | Entune Premium Audio with Integrated Navigation and App Suite, and 6.1-in. high-resolution touch-screen display | SofTex-trimmed heated front seats; 8-way power-adjustable driver's seat with power lumbar support; 4-way power-adjustable front passenger seat | Overhead console with Multi-terrain Select and Crawl Control (CRAWL) switches | Entune Premium Audio with Integrated Navigation and App Suite, and 6.1-in. high-resolution touch-screen display | Dual-zone automatic climate control with air filter and second-row vents | |
Fabric-trimmed front seats; 8-way power-adjustable driver's seat with power lumbar support; 4-way adjustable front passenger seat |
Entune Premium Audio with Integrated Navigation and App Suite, and 6.1-in. high-resolution touch-screen display |
We Recommend
For pure off-roading, go for the base TRD Off-Road trim level which comes with a standard 4x4 layout along with some nifty off-roading amenities. Want your off-roading experience to be luxurious at the same time? Go for the Limited trim level with the 4x4 layout. All the trim levels are equally good at their price point but make sure that you get the 4WD powertrain to experience what the 4Runenr has to truly on offer.
The 2017 Toyota 4Runner is equipped with a chunky 4-liter V6 engine. The power unit pumps out a solid 270 horses and delivers 278 lb-ft of torque. The engine comes mated to a 5-speed torque converter automatic transmission and you can send power either to the rear wheels or to all the 4 wheels via a limited-slip differential.
The powertrain of the 4Runner is pretty much outdated though and we expect a newer unit in the upcoming model years.
Models |
Toyota 4Runner SR5 |
Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo |
Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited |
---|---|---|---|
MSRP |
$35,205 |
$31,490 |
$35,870 |
Engine |
4.0L, Naturally Aspirated V6 |
3.6L, Naturally Aspirated Pentastar V6 |
3.6L, Naturally Aspirated Pentastar Flat-6 |
Drivetrain |
RWD |
RWD |
AWD |
Transmission |
5-speed automatic w/OD |
8-Speed Automatic w/OD |
CVT Automatic w/OD |
Horsepower |
270 hp @ 5,600 rpm |
293 hp @ 6,400 rpm |
256 hp @ 6,000 rpm |
Torque |
278 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm |
260 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm |
247 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm |
Both, the Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo and the Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited use a smaller 3.6-liter motor. But, the Jeep makes a bit more power than the Toyota while the Subaru makes the least of all. The Jeep Grand Cherokee uses an 8-speed automatic transmission while the Subaru Outback on the other hand employs a continuously variable transmission.
Acceleration timings are a big turn-off in the case of the 4Runner. You can't really expect it to have sedan-like acceleration timings but the Toyota is still slow and sluggish for an SUV with 270 horses under its hood. The 4Runner hits 60 mph in about 7.3 seconds and covers the quarter-mile distance in about 15.5 seconds.
Models |
Toyota 4Runner |
Jeep Grand Cherokee |
Subaru Outback 3.6R |
---|---|---|---|
0-60 MPH |
7.3 sec |
7.9 sec |
7.1 sec |
Quarter mile |
15.5 sec |
16.0 sec |
15.7 sec |
Engine |
4.0L, Naturally Aspirated V6 |
3.6L, Naturally Aspirated Pentastar V6 |
3.6L, Naturally Aspirated Pentastar Flat-6 |
Top Speed |
114 mph |
135 mph |
120 mph |
In spite of using a smaller engine and making the least power, the Subaru Outback has the best acceleration timings in the competition. The Jeep Grand Cherokee on the other hand is slowest to 60 mph and in the quarter-mile run than the Toyota, which is also the fastest in the quarter-mile run.
The Toyota 4Runner is no lightweight SUV and stopping it in urgency isn't an easy task as well. The large 13.3-inch front and 12.3-inch rear brakes do well in stopping the 4Runner from 60 mph in 127 feet despite its 4,400 lbs curb weight. The brake feel is solid too as it offers decent feedback and the progression is linear for most parts.
Model |
Toyota 4Runner |
Jeep Grand Cherokee |
Subaru Outback 3.6R |
---|---|---|---|
Brake Front (in) |
13.3 |
13.0 |
12.4 |
Brake Rear (in) |
12.3 |
13.0 |
11.8 |
Curb Weight (lbs) |
4,400 |
4,545 |
3,847 |
60-0 MPH (ft) |
127 |
116 |
125 |
The Jeep Grand Cherokee is the heaviest of the lot and yet manages to have the shortest braking distance in this comparison, thanks to its large brakes on all four corners. The Subaru on the other hand is the lightest and hence makes use of a smaller set of brake rotors and manages to have a stopping distance better than the Toyota 4Runner.
The 4Runner isn't a machine you would buy to drive sportily on the city roads. The jungles and the unexplored terrains are the real home to the 4Runner and that's where you should actually go, to get the real fun driving experience from this SUV. Different off-roading modes offered with this car make literally the conqueror of all terrains. The big tires offer the SUV a good grip on the ground but the body-on-frame construction of the car results in a good amount of body roll and the ride quality is quite firm over normal roads.
The steering is not the most desirable either. It feels light and vague thereby making city driving a difficult task. We feel that Toyota should update their power distribution system which will further enhance the driving dynamics of the car and will make the car more driveable in the city traffic conditions.
The Toyota 4Runner is a full-blown SUV that does a great job at hauling as well. It can tow up to 5,000 lbs which is yet another best-in-competition feature. It can be used to haul a small motorhome, horse carriage, or even a speed boat for that matter with ease and hence adds to the practicality of the SUV.
Model |
Toyota 4Runner |
Jeep Grand Cherokee |
Subaru Outback 3.6R |
---|---|---|---|
Capacity (lbs) |
5,000 |
3,500 |
2,700 |
The towing prowess of the Toyota 4Runner is unparalleled in the segment and only the Jeep Grand Cherokee comes close which has only a 3,500 lbs of towing capacity. The Subaru Outback has the lowest towing capacity which is almost half of what the 4Runner has to offer.
The fuel efficiency figures of the Toyota 4Runnner aren't really all that great but nevertheless, they are not bad considering the practicality it offers. The 4Runner can go for only 17 miles in the city on a single gallon of fuel while it can go for about 21 miles out on the highway. The combined fuel efficiency is rated at 18 mpg by the EPA but thanks to a large 23-gallon gas tank, the 4Runner can be driven for over 400 miles before having to visit the gas station.
Model |
Toyota 4Runner |
Jeep Grand Cherokee |
Subaru Outback 3.6R |
---|---|---|---|
MPG (City) |
17 |
19 |
20 |
MPG (Highway) |
21 |
26 |
27 |
MPG (Combined) |
18 |
21 |
22 |
Fuel Tank Capacity |
23.0 gal |
24.6 gal |
18.5 gal |
Range (City / Highway / Combined) (miles) |
391 / 483 / 414 |
467 / 640 / 517 |
370 / 500 / 407 |
The Subaru Outback is the most frugal SUV here but features a rather small fuel tank which results in a driving range that is on par with the 4Runner. The Jeep though is marginally less efficient than the Subaru, features the largest gas tank here, and hence is a highway muncher and can be driven for over 500 miles on a single tank of gas.
Hop inside the cabin of the 4Runner and you'll find it to be quite spacious. But the quality of materials will pretty much disappoint you. The fit and finish are also not that really great. The plastics on the inside are flimsy and wobbly and tend to shake as you go over sharp bumps and potholes.
In a nutshell, not the best place to be in and you would want more given the fact that you'd be paying $36,085 for this SUV. The 4Runner can accommodate up to 5 passengers comfortably and you can also push in the 6th passenger if you want.Â
Model |
Toyota 4Runner |
Jeep Grand Cherokee |
Subaru Outback 3.6R |
---|---|---|---|
Passenger capacity |
5 |
5 |
5 |
Front Row (Head / Shoulder / Leg) (in) |
39.3 / 57.8 / 41.7 |
39.9 / 58.7 / 40.3 |
38.3 / 58.1 / 42.9 |
Second Row (Head / Shoulder / Leg) (in) |
38.6 / 57.8 / 32.9 |
39.2 / 58.0 / 38.6 |
38.9 / 57.3 / 38.1 |
At the front, the 4Runner has a decent amount of space but lacks legroom considerably in the third row. The Subaru Outback is the most spacious at both the front and at the back. The Jeep Grand Cherokee offers the best headroom and wider seats and lacks only marginally in terms of legroom against the Subaru.
Some of the interior features in the 2017 Toyota 4Runner are:Â
Toyota calls its infotainment system the Entune infotainment system. The system is offered with an integrated navigation system and an App Suite. The system also offers a 6.1-inch high-resolution touch screen display and a 12-speaker audio system as standard.
The audio quality is great and offers a great in-ride entertainment experience. Purists can also opt for the optional 15-speaker JBL GreenEdge audio system including a subwoofer and an amplifier to enhance the overall experience.
Some of the highlighted features of the infotainment system are:
The trunk of the Toyota is spacious enough to transport all of your camping and hiking equipment along with your luggage. With the second row of seats upright, the 4Runner can swallow 47.2 cubic feet of cargo while folding down the rear seats opens up to 83.7 cubic feet of cargo volume.
Model |
Toyota 4Runner |
Jeep Grand Cherokee |
Subaru Outback 3.6R |
---|---|---|---|
Cargo Volume to rear seat upright (cu-ft) |
47.2 |
36.3 |
35.5 |
Cargo Volume to rear seat folded (cu-ft) |
89.7 |
68.3 |
73.3 |
The new Toyota 4Runner has the biggest cargo storage capacity in the competition and that too by a considerable margin. The Subaru offers the second-best trunk volume at 73.3 cubic feet and is followed by the Jeep Grand Cherokee which is the most compact in this aspect.
The 4Runner weighs about 4400 lbs. and is humongous in size for the segment. The SUV is 190.2 inches long, 75.8 inches wide, and 71.5 inches tall. The 4Runner also offers the best-in-segment ground clearance of 9 inches just so that you don't scratch the floor while you go off-roading in a tropical forest.
The smoked projector beam headlights, the sporty hood scoop, and the chrome cladding on the grille, all offer the rugged and premium look expected of the 4Runner.
Model |
Toyota 4Runner |
Jeep Grand Cherokee |
Subaru Outback 3.6R |
---|---|---|---|
Curb weight (lbs) |
4,400 |
4,545 |
3,847 |
Length (in) |
190.2 |
189.8 |
189.6 |
Width (in) |
75.8 |
76.5 |
72.4 |
Height (in) |
71.5 |
68.1 |
66.1 |
Ground clearance (in) |
9.0 |
8.6 |
8.7 |
Wheelbase (in) |
109.8 |
114.7 |
108.1 |
Track width (in) F/R |
63.2 / 63.2 |
63.9 / 64.1 |
61.8 / 62.2 |
The Toyota 4Runner is the longest and the tallest car in the competition and also offers the best ground clearance. The only car that is wider than the Toyota is the Jeep Grand Cherokee which also offers a longer wheelbase that helps it open more space on the inside. The Subaru Outback is the most compact offering here.
Toyota vehicles have always been known for their reliability and safety and the 4Runner is no exception. Being an off-road vehicle, Toyota knows that this car will be taken to treacherous terrains and will face a lot of abuse. So, the 4Runner has been equipped with a handsome list of safety features. The 4Runner gets a good rating in most of the tests conducted by the IIHS and also gets a 5-star rating in most of the crash tests conducted by the NHTSA. Some of the safety features offered as standard with the Toyota 4Runner are listed below.
The new Jeep Grand Cherokee uses a smaller 3.6-liter engine and yet makes more power than the Toyota 4Runner. The Grand Cherokee is also quicker than the 4Runner as well but provides a combined fuel economy figure of 21 MPG which is better than the latter. The Grand Cherokee is also the smaller SUV of the two but the longer wheelbase helps it to offer larger passenger volume on the inside but it sacrifices the cargo volume.
The Jeep also costs $4000 less than the Toyota. If you crave a plush ride and want an SUV that can also be your daily driver, the Jeep is the best car you can buy. On the other hand, the Jeep is no match to the off-road prowess of the Toyota.
The Subaru Outback uses a smaller 3.6-liter and makes lesser horses and yet beats the Toyota in terms of acceleration timings. The Outback also outperforms the 4Runner in terms of fuel economy. The Subaru happens to be the smallest car of the two and but manages to offer more passenger volume than the Toyota and sacrifices on the luggage space as well.
The Outback shares its price tag with the 4Runner but is a lot less capable vehicle than the latter. Again, if you want a plush ride and want an SUV to drive around the city, then the Subaru Outback is the one for you. Otherwise, for off-roading purposes, you should certainly look towards the Toyota.
A big chunky car built to fulfill all your offroad fantasies, the Toyota 4Runner is an SUV that can as stated earlier, take you to almost any corner on the planet. Should this be the vehicle of your choice for your next Himalayan expedition, yes? Definitely yes. Should you buy this car if you have to wade through the concrete jungle every day to reach your office? Certainly not. Should you buy this car? Largely depends on your motive and purpose behind shopping in this category.