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As I countersteer while the bright orange Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro slides sideways in the snow, the question of why one should buy one of these ancient SUVs keeps swirling in my mind.
The answer is that most people shouldn’t be buying a Toyota 4Runner, but the Japanese automaker is selling 121,023 units in the US as of 2022.
After spending a bitterly cold winter week full of snow, ice, and cold in the 2023 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro, I realized that basically my Uncle Robert’s 1990 Nissan Pathfinder was updated with safety equipment to be considered a “modern” SUV. It’s old, undeveloped, and the competition is usually more reasonable, but it has old-school appeal. This is where it hits and misses.
2023 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro
Pros: The 4Runner TRD Pro sports a traditional brick-like SUV design
In an era when many crossover SUVs have cookie-cutter looks and limited visibility due to small windows, the 4Runner still looks like a rugged SUV. With a blunt front end, lots of tall glass around the greenhouse, no rake to the roofline, and squared off proportions, the 4Runner carries the hallmarks of a traditional body-on-frame SUV. It’s one of the few remaining two-row body-on-frame SUVs. Others include the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco. The 4Runner split the difference between them and the softer, curvier unibody Grand Cherokee.
2023 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro
Con: The 4Runner TRD Pro has an ancient powertrain
The 4Runner’s powertrain is old and out of competition. While the Broncos had a 10-speed transmission, and the Grand Cherokee and Wrangler featured eight forward gears, the 4Runner’s 270-hp 4.0-liter V-6 engine was compatible only with a 5-speed automatic transmission. It’s actually more like a 4 speed with the addition of a high overdrive gear. It didn’t take long on a road trip for my wife to tell me to turn off the cruise control. To maintain momentum at over 70 mph, the transmission continuously drops from fifth to fourth and then back again. This is a grid. This happened regardless of whether I was driving alone or with my family and luggage.
2023 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro
Pros: The 4Runner TRD Pro features a second row of seats that folds flat
Nearly every modern crossover SUV has a second row of seats that folds down, but many don’t fold all the way down. The reason for this is that the support on the back of the chair makes it sit at an angle when it is folded down to the base of the chair. Like my 2000 Grand Cherokee and my Uncle’s 1990 Pathfinder, the bottom of the 4Runner’s seat folds forward and then the seat back falls out. This creates a completely flat cargo floor. One glitch with this arrangement is limiting how far the front seats can slide when the rear seats are folded, partly because the seat mats snap into place. Gentle giants like Senior Editor Bengt Halvorson, who stands at 6ft 6ft, may find it uncomfortable. At 5-foot-10, it works for me.
2023 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro
Con: Poorly tuned ABS and ESC in 4Runner TRD Pro
Both ABS and ESC were badly adjusted on the 4Runner due to bad weather. The 4Runner will slide around the corner at a much greater angle than it needs to before the ESC will kick in and try to save your ass. It’s fun, but it’s not the safest track for the average driver. The ABS also didn’t react as quickly as other vehicles I drove in the snow, including my wife’s 2015 Grand Cherokee in the same weather on the same day. I adjusted my driving to be more careful in the snow and ice. Will everyone?
Pros: The 4Runner TRD Pro’s interior is from the 90s
Think modern cars are too complicated with too many features? 4Runner might be for you. Besides the 8.0-inch touchscreen, the 4Runner’s interior controls and ergonomics may also be from the 1990s. The audio and climate functions are operated by large knobs and buttons. Simple and neat analog gauge cluster. The Bronco and Wrangler are similar, but feature a more modern infotainment system. The Grand Cherokee has hit the market with a cleaner, more upscale look while retaining the rocker buttons and switches.
2023 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro
Con: The 4Runner TRD Pro has basic part-time four-wheel drive
The 4Runner TRD Pro, which is the loudest off-road oriented model in the range and the most expensive, costs $55,355. My tester options include surcharge paint, running boards, sliding rear cargo tray, and a state 50 emissions package for $56,475. While that price includes four-wheel drive, it only works part time, and there’s no option for a full-time system. The system is activated via a console-mounted fat selector that might as well have been straight out of a 90s dumpster. Oddly enough, the only 4Runner models with full-time four-wheel drive were the cheaper, chrome-laden Limited models. The low-rental Wrangler has part-time four-wheel drive, but the upper trim and off-road oriented models feature the full-time system. Every Bronco gets a full-time system, as does every Grand Cherokee equipped with four-wheel drive.
2023 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro
Bonus: The 4Runner TRD Pro off-road tires offer a bit of traction in snowy climates
The Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro comes with Nitto Grappler All Terrain tires. Regardless of how they looked, their large, protruding hooves were terrifying in the snow and ice. The “3 Peak” rating many tire manufacturers slap on their tires to show they are snow ready (this AT Grappler included) doesn’t mean they are winter tires. This week with Nittos has made me grateful that my wife’s Grand Cherokee runs on Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 winter tires. If you live in an area with harsh winters, invest in winter tires for your safety and that of others on the road. Additionally, in the tire rating system on Nitto’s own website, these Grappler AT tires scored moderately in every category except dry performance, where they earned a 4 out of 5.
4Runner is old and outdated. Broncos, Wranglers, and Grand Cherokee surround it in the most meaningful ways. All three are capable, if not more, off-road in the right configuration. All three have more modern powertrains and the Grand Cherokee is much more pleasant to drive.
Most people who see the 4Runner have to walk into a Jeep or Ford showroom and get the cash to buy a Wrangler, Grand Cherokee, or Bronco. But for the 121,023 people who don’t in 2022, I kind of understand the decision.
4Runner spoke to me for the wrong reasons: It’s still pretty capable and from lost time can trigger a bit of nostalgia. The 1990 Nissan Pathfinder Unc is rad. He is a blue-blue model with a manual transmission. Too bad you can’t select all of those in 4Runner.
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2023 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro
Basic price: $55,355 including the $1,335 goal
Price as tested: $56,475
Powertrains: 270-hp 4.0-liter V-6, 5-speed automatic transmission, part-time four-wheel drive
EPA fuel savings: 16/19/17 mpg
hits: Excellent visibility, visible parts, easy-to-use controls, completely foldable second row
Miss: Archaic powertrain, poor ABS and ESC settings, part-time four-wheel drive, all-terrain tires are not winter tires
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