1 of 7
The new design of the 4Runner may be controversial, but I like it.
2 of 7
The new interior is very intriguing, although hard plastics do wear very easily.
3 of 7
Manual shifts are becoming increasingly rare; they are almost a treat in a modern 4WD.
4 of 7
The Terrain Select and Crawl Control are easy to reach on the ceiling just above the mirror.
5 of 7
An impressive amount of travel and clearances you just won’t find with a unibody SUV.
6 of 7
Yes, I believe the new 4Runner is better off-road than the last.
7 of 7
Words and photos by Budd Stanley
It is a sad fact that the automotive industry is slowly turning their backs on the traditional utilitarian 4WD. The modern 4WD has very little in common with its ancestors of only a few short decades ago. Vehicles that were once built for people that live in inhospitable places, farmers, and off-roading enthusiasts are being watered down, doing away with everything that makes a rugged 4WD… well a rugged 4WD. They are all transforming into a jack-of-all-trades, master of none wagon to meet the needs of the many, rather than the dedicated.
Its not just the manufacturers fault, 4WD’s today must adapt to the current conditions, making sacrifices in the name of fuel efficiency, safety regulations and the dreaded emissions standards that are only getting tougher and tougher to meet. And so we have 4WD’s that have lost their solid axles, their body on frame construction, their low-range transfer cases, while ashtrays on the arm rest are replaced with TV monitors in the head rests for the kids weekly soccer run.
The 4Runner in particular I thought was on a similar path to its nearest competitors. The Ford Explorer and Nissan Pathfinders have strayed so far off the path that in my mind, they have lost the right to keep their own names. “A CVT Nissan, really?” But is the 4Runner following suit to appeal to the broadest range of potential customers?
We come to the new 2014 4Runner, and I have to say, I like what I see. Gone are the over compensating haunches over the wheels and the bloated look. This is what a 4Runner should look like, tight, clean and athletic. The front end doesn’t sit well with some people, and while I’m not a fan of some of Toyotas brash new designs, I love every part of this one.
Getting into the 4Runner, it feels very much like an FJ; it feels pronounced, purposeful, ready for the outdoors. At first, I couldn’t put my finger on it, but even sitting in the parking lot, it felt like Toyota has made this face lifted 2014 more off-road capable than the outgoing vehicle.
Inside you get a fantastically intriguing interior with lots of different shapes and designs that camouflage the hard plastics quite well. There is so much going on, yet at the same time, everything is organized and designed around the driver. Large knobs and dials still work the controls, Toyota have done a good job not to give in to flush mount buttons that are as annoying as they are cool. This Trail Edition deletes the third row seats that yield to a sliding tray in the cargo area, great for those who spend days, not hours in the wilderness.
Then there is the overall feel - top notch. The seats hug you, but don’t pinch, and are comfortable enough to wheel in all day long. The steering wheel has the basic infotainment controls and the feel of something that should belong in a BMW. A sports wheel in a truck? Yes, and it works well.
Like all Toyotas, and just about every manufacturer, the onboard infotainment is confusing and distracting. Yes, I’m old and grumpy for my age and hate technology, but I’m just not a fan of the Toyota system in particular. It must be said great improvements have been made from the previous system, and after a few weeks of getting to know the vehicles little quirks, owners will eventually attune to the system.
When it comes to the mechanical bits, all the good stuff is still there, a solid rear axle, 17-in wheels with tall rubber, body on frame construction, and a manual shift transfer case. Yes, a modern vehicle equipped with a manual shift transfer case, it's amazing how rare these have become and how pleasing they are to drive when you do find them.
Let’s talk about the off-road controls that you get with this Trail Edition 4Runner. All tucked away nice and neat in the ceiling above the rear-view mirror; the control panel lets you operate the Crawl Control and Multi-Terrain Select systems while offering buttons that turn off traction control, lock the rear differential, and turn on the A-TRAC (the system the directs power to non-slipping wheels). It is a fantastic system that makes a huge difference in the off-road performance of the 4Runner, turning intimidating terrain into a walk in the park.
While it is a cool feature and fun to play with, but the whole premise behind off-roading is to challenge both you, and your vehicles capabilities and skills. Using this system is like putting an automatic transmission in a sports car, it lets you go out and enjoy the vehicle without the joy of being part of the equation. Then again, Ferrari and Lamborghini don’t even build manual transmissions anymore, so what do I know, maybe the 4WD owner is going down the same path as the sports car enthusiast.
Despite the fact that the 4Runners bones rest in old technology, it works well both on- and off-road, which is the reason why its competitors went from SUV’s to CUV’s. It does feel a bit top heavy, but still stays planted in the corners. There is a fair bit of nose droop and lift on braking and acceleration, however, this is the Trail Teams Edition, so do not expect the firm ride of an on-road only SUV.
In the backcountry, I was quite surprised with the 4Runners agility over challenging terrain. The ground clearances are quite useful although the running boards still handicap the break over. The feel of the FJ Cruiser came to reality as I plodded along an abandoned cut block road. The wheelbase wasn’t as good as FJ, however I was enjoying the narrower body. One thing that caught me off-guard was the articulation, getting this thing hung up on two wheels really shows the travel available, then lock up the rear and hit the A-TRAC and the 4Runner pulls itself out of impressively contorted situations with minimal tire contact patch.
The vehicle I was using was still wearing snow tires, which did well in the dirt and mud, however, my last experience with the all-seasons that come standard, turned out to be the previous 4Runners’ Achilles Heal, so you may want to budget for a good set of All-Terrains.
Issues do start to arise when it comes to the efficiency of the 4Runner. Toyota publishes 12.7L/100km in the city and 9.4L on the highway. In the real world, these numbers bloat to 15.9L in the city and 10.5L on the highway. Not bad for an SUV, but with the steady advancement of drivetrain technology making even the most gluttonous trucks and SUV’s fuel sipping anorexics, Toyota can and should do better. They still utilize the same 5-speed auto transmission and 4.0L V-6, while others are turning to eight and nine-speed transmissions and the efficiency of turbo and diesel power. However, Toyota has jumped in bed with Cummins, and there is a very nice 2.8L turbo diesel ready to be produced in large numbers that would work quite well in the engine bay of a 4Runner.
I was quite impressed with the new 4Runner. My expectations were low but Toyota stepped up to bat and threw down a 4WD I can respect. The issue is, can it keep it up. There are great forces at work demanding that this vehicle become fully independent and make use of lightweight unibody construction. That’s the bad part, the good part is that the powertrain will also have to modernize, so cleaner and more fuel-efficient tech will be on the way. For now, I love the old girl with her old school underbody and what I consider a good-looking design.
SPECIFICATIONS:
MSRP: $37,900
Price as tested: $46,139
Engine: 4.0L V-6
Power: 270 hp, 278 lb-ft
Transmission: 5-speed Automatic
Curb Weight kg (lb): 2,111 (4,655)
Wheelbase mm (in): 2,790 (109.8)
Ground Clearance mm (in): 243 (9.6)
Approach Angle Deg: 33
Departure Angle Deg: 26
Ramp Breakover Angle: NA
Wading Depth mm (in): NA
Tow Capacity kg (lb): 2,268 (5,000)
Fuel Efficiency (L/100km): City: 12.7, Hwy: 9.4, Comb: 11.2