• a1
• a2
• a3
• a4
• a5
• a6

• Home
• Build & Price
• News & Reviews
• Dealer Ratings
• See What Others Paid
• About Us

Toyota 4Runner News & Reviews

   2010 Toyota 4Runner Trail Edition Road Test

If I were to describe the all-new 2010 Toyota 4Runner Trail Edition in one word, it would have to be 'diverse.'  I use that word

A tougher, meaner looking 4Runner lets everyone know that this isn't the usual tarted up crossover. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

because this SUV's new look is bold and rugged yet can appeal to anyone from a die-hard off-roader to a soccer mom.  It can satiate the appetite of a sporadic trail tackler, but also transport people from point A to B without feeling every imperfection on the road.  Bottom line, it can serve totally different functions without feeling out of place while doing any of them. 
 
Now in its fifth generation, this all-new utilitarian vehicle seats five (seven with the Limited trim), has a new interior to complement its all-new exterior design that is also to-the-point yet still attractive, and a slew of gadgets that will help in ones quest to venture into untamed territory.  The Trail Edition comes complete with locking rear differentials, a Multi-Terrain Select System (MTS) that regulates wheel spin for optimal traction, beefy 265/70R17 <Read More>

   2010 Toyota 4Runner Road and Trail Test Review

At a time when most automakers seem to be dropping their body-on-frame models for new unibody designs, Toyota has invested

Looking right at home in the wilderness, Toyota's totally revised 2010 4Runner is one of few true SUVs left. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

heavily in its classic 25-year-old SUV resulting in an all-new 2010 4Runner.

With the new fifth-generation 4Runner, Toyota answers the one criticism most buyers had about the outgoing model, styling. While the outgoing model joined the Tacoma in introducing the truck division's upside-down smile, or rather frowning grille, a design element that carries forward in the new model, it was generally thought of as more refined looking than rugged.  Personally, I loved the old truck, but seeing it on the road now that I've spent time with the new one leaves me a bit flat. The new 4Runner is simply more masculine, which should help it appeal to the mostly male clientele that true 4x4-capable SUVs attract.

The new

Pulling a few cues from the FJ Cruiser and more from its own history, the new 4Runner is one tough looking customer. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

2010 4Runner is more than just tougher looking. It's tougher overall. It now rides on an all-new platform, although that doesn't mean it's no longer based on the ultra-rugged Land Rover Prado that comes here as the tarted up Lexus GX 460 next year. This new platform architecture results in a stronger body structure made with a high-strength steel cage, plus the best standard ground clearance in the segment at 244 mm (9.6 inches) and an all-new V6 engine that replaces both outgoing engines with more power than the old top-line V8 and better fuel-economy than the previous entry-level V6 at an estimated 12.6L/100km in the city and 9.2L/100km on the highway, best in class by the way, and a 5% improvement over the outgoing V6 plus 17% over the V8, helped out by a 10% decrease in drag for a Cd of 0.36. A bonus is the ability to go farther into the wilderness without the need to refuel as often.

This,

No shortage of power with the new V6, and no need for a V8. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

of course, benefits day-in and day-out livability too, especially at a time when fuel prices seem to be steadily increasing. And that feel-good reality of improved mileage doesn't get any better than when there's not only zero penalty to pay in performance, but significant power is added. The new 270hp 4.0-litre V6 is 34hp more potent than the outgoing V6 and 10hp more powerful than last year's V8, while its 278 lb-ft of torque makes up for some of the extra weight this larger SUV incorporates. The transmission remains a 5-speed automatic, so there are no radical gains in performance made here if any at all, but it's a smooth operator that doesn't feel as if it needs an extra cog to get up to highway speeds and maintain a good pace.

Actually,

An excellent perch to make your way through the woods. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

strangely enough for a body-on-frame 4x4, the 4Runner has always been a strong performer at higher than posted speeds, and I'm talking about handling. Certainly Toyota's Highlander crossover manages corners with greater deftness, but in a back-to-back high-speed test I did with the outgoing 4Runner and other leading off-road capable SUVs including a Chevy TrailBlazer, Ford Explorer, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Nissan Pathfinder, the 4Runner was the clear winner through a narrow circuitous forested dirt road that ended on a long slippery section of banked tall grass before resulting in a gravel road and winding, descending paved section. And oddly enough, the Pathfinder was a unanimous last place finisher in this group.

The

Comfort and luxury, the top-tier Limited is plenty nice. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

new 4Runner feels even better, partly because it's stiffer with a heavy-duty full-boxed frame featuring seven crossmembers, and attached to that a double wishbone and coil over shock front suspension and a solid axle in the rear with a Panhard rod and coil springs, plus stabilizer bars front and rear (more on these in a minute). The steering is rack and pinion with variable flow control (VFC), and it is quite direct and rewarding for this class of SUV, while four-piston calipers front disc brakes and discs in the rear help haul the heavy SUV down to a standstill quickly.

We had plenty of time to experience the 4Runner on pavement, but where this Rubicon Trail proven ute truly stands out from the mass of wannabe off-roaders is when that pavement, or better yet, dirt road ends and the hiking path begins. I wasn't

Plenty of room in back. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

about to doubt whether or not the 4Runner, a vehicle that actually finished the SCORE Baja 1000 in near stock trim, would do well off-road, but sometimes I forget how far automakers have come in electronic and mechanical skill since my father and I explored every road from Vancouver to Bella Coola, BC in his classic Land Cruiser FJ40. Now, instead of having to step out of the truck and oftentimes into the muck to manually lock the hubs, everything happens automatically. But that's nothing new, and for that matter neither is the part-time four-wheel drive system that's the basis for the 4Runner's off-road prowess. Featuring H4F, H4L, L4L modes, the latter that locks the centre differential for maximum traction, torque split is set up 40:60 front to rear, while front wheel slip is 30:70 and rear wheel slip

A nice looking, nicely laid out centre stack features everything you need. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

is 53:47. What I find amazing now is how all the electronic driving aids designed to keep the SUV upright when traveling at highway speeds, benefit off-road action. The days of sandbags and wooden planks, not to mention pulleys, might not be completely over, but there certainly is less need for these peripherals now that electronic traction control can add power to the wheel with grip and modulate all other wheels so that they don't spin unnecessarily and make things worse. Toyota's Active Traction Control works in L4L, and it's outrageously effective! But that's just the beginning.

The new 4Runner features two seriously impressive high-tech off-road aids that make 4x4ing a cakewalk, starting with Crawl Control and ending with the new Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS). If you've owned an older 4x4, like my Dad's FJ, you might remember the manual choke-like throttle controller that would keep a slow steady pace without foot on the gas pedal. The 4Runner's Crawl Control does this same thing, but it's so much more sophisticated in the way that it goes about its job. Really, when climbing up or down a slippery slope, you'll probably want to solely rely on Crawl Control as it does the job so effortlessly, maintaining preset speeds from 1.6 to 8.0 km/h (1 to 5 mph), leaving you to the important task of steering in order to avoid potential pitfalls, literally.

KDSS, a fully mechanical system, optimally adjusts front and rear stabilizer bars based on a set of interconnected hydraulic cylinders. It will disengage the stabilizer bars when it senses that a wheel has dropped due to extreme suspension articulation. The stabilizer bars are jointed, allowing movement independent

Stability control, traction control, hill decent control... the 4Runner comes well equipped. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

of one another, and you'll be happy to know that they engage automatically when off-road conditions become friendlier. The Dodge Ram 2500 Power Wagon uses a manual stabilizer bar disconnect, not as sophisticated as KDSS, but extremely effective if you know when to switch it on (it'll switch off and reconnect the stabilizer bars over a certain speed automatically, for safety).

Added to the 4Runner's list of electronic aids are Hill-Start Control and Downhill Assist Control (HAC and DAC), which use four-wheel hydraulic brake pressure to maintain control on steeper grades, while the SUV's Multi-Terrain Select System can make the most of the 4Runner's various systems depending on road/trail conditions via pre-settings for Mud, Sand, and Dirt/Mogul/Rock.

And I

The backup camera is integrated into the rearview mirror. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

suppose this is where my first complaint comes in: why can't KDSS, as well as Crawl Control and other off-road specific upgrades be had with the top-line 4Runner, instead of only the Trail Edition. Oh, I suppose I'm getting ahead of myself. I should probably begin any talk of options by commenting on some of the 4Runner's standard features, such as air conditioning, a leather-wrapped tilt and telescopic steering wheel, auto up/down windows, keyless entry, heated and powered mirrors, CD/MP3 audio with auxiliary input and a tailgate speaker system referred to as "party mode" that basically is a switch which pushes the sound to the rear speakers, plus cruise control, variable intermittent wipers with a de-icer, intermittent rear wiper, front cloth bucket seats with driver's power adjustment, 40/20/40 split-folding slide and recline rear seats, a trip computer, a powered rear hatch window, <Read More>

   2009 Toyota 4Runner Road Test Review

The Toyota 4Runner is a bit of a niche vehicle in this country, but down under in Australia (where I spent a few months recently),

Still a great looking SUV, the 4Runner has stood the test of time and has proven very durable. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

where men are men and 4X4s are 4X4s, these things are everywhere. In the Outback, where you really, really, need a reliable vehicle to not die of thirst if forced to walk to the next town, the Prado (as the 4Runner is known there) is one of the most popular modern camels for crossing the vast expanses of dry red soil.

In urban Canada, even if the only off-roading the 4Runner sees is hopping over what the plow left at the end of the driveway, it's still in its element. The 4Runner is a real SUV, not just pretending to be tough, because it can coddle its occupants while still being able to carry, tow and climb with the best of them.

The <Read More>

   New c Concept takes Prius brand down-market

Toyota has made leaps and bounds in hybrid progress since the first Prius launched over a decade ago, making the current Prius

Big future seller? A smaller, thriftier, cheaper Prius? You bet! (Photo: Toyota)

one of the most fuel-efficient cars on the road today. It therefore only makes sense that a smaller, lighter version housing all of the technological upgrades that the current car now incorporates would simultaneously reduce fuel consumption and harmful emissions over its larger sibling. Enter the new Prius c Concept, a true compact model bearing Toyota's iconic hybrid nameplate. But isn't the Prius already a compact?

When the Prius first arrived on the scene the EPA dubbed it compact, and so it was. The second-generation Prius grew in size and functionality and therefore received a mid-size designation, despite many still considering it compact compared to other mid-size models including Toyota's own Camry.

There will be <Read More>

   Toyota predicts Prius will be top-selling nameplate by 2020

What would it take for Toyota buyers in the U.S. to switch from a Camry to a Prius? Higher fuel prices and a desire to remain

Prius continues to be the top-selling hybrid prompting Toyota to predict that it will overtake Camry and all others within 10 years. (Photo: Toyota)

in a car that offers midsize roominess.

Camry is Toyota's number one seller in the U.S. with the Corolla a close second, but according to the Bloomberg news service Toyota is not only predicting that its Prius will take the top-spot away from Camry by 2020, but that its Prius nameplate will be number one amongst all competitors too.

"We will end the decade with Prius being the number one nameplate in the industry," said Bob Carter, Toyota's group vice president for U.S. sales, to Bloomberg and other analysts via conference call on Monday. The Camry "will be a close second, and that's not because there will be a drop in Camry sales," he added.

Whether Carter <Read More>

   2011 Toyota Tundra 4x4 Double Cab Road Test Review

After more than a decade on the market and now four years into the second-generation model, the Toyota Tundra has evolved

The Tundra Double Cab looks right at home at this construction site. (Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press)

from being a challenger to an established competitor in the full-size North American truck market. And while sales were well off in 2009 largely due to the shaky economy and much-publicized recalls over unintended acceleration and frame rust, the fact of the matter is that the Tundra remains a damn good truck. Happily for Toyota, it seems consumers are once again starting to realize this, with October 2010 Tundra 4x4 sales up 12.1 percent over the same month last year here in Canada, and 2010 year-over-year sales figures that showed a gain of 28.5 percent as of July in the U.S. - an increase that's twice as good as the industry average.

Designed and engineered in the U.S. and built in San Antonio, Texas, the Tundra can hardly be called an import competitor - from a North American point of view, it's an import-brand domestic truck. Like its domestic-brand brethren, the Tundra is available in a wide variety of configurations. There are three cab styles - Regular Cab, <Read More>

   Toyota Highlander gets updated styling for 2011

Unlike most mid-cycle updates at Toyota that seem like mild makeovers, the differences between the old 2008 through

The new 2011 Highlander is here and it's one thorough mid-cycle upgrade! (Photo: Toyota)

2010 Highlander and new 2011 model are much more thorough. It should be noted that the outgoing model was hardly lacking in styling points, so such significant modifications to trim, lighting, sheet metal and the interior for 2011 show a big departure from past procedures.

The exterior updates include a new grille, headlights, front fascia, hood, and fenders up front, plus a new rear bumper, spoiler and updated combination taillights out back, as well as new alloy wheels all-round. A unique grille and front bumper are added to the Highlander Hybrid, giving it a new sportier look.

Inside, all Highlanders receive updated instrument panels, gauge clusters and interior detailing.

"Known for their versatility, the 2011 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid models come with even more standard features including 3rd row seating, making room for <Read More>

   2010 Toyota RAV4 4WD Limited Road Test Review

In case it escaped your notice, Toyota is still in the business of manufacturing and selling motor vehicles, not just recalling them.

A few styling changes update the 2010 RAV4, still a strong contender in the compact crossover segment. (Photo: Automotive Metrics)

When the dust finally settles from the unintended acceleration hoo-hah, there will still be a lengthy lineup of products available from Toyota.

One such product is the compact Sport Utility Vehicle, the RAV4, which has been around in one form or another since 1996. The RAV4 was the first-ever car-based SUV. RAV4 stands for "Recreational Active Vehicle with 4-wheel drive." Like most vehicles, it's grown in size and sophistication over the years.

The current version rides on a 2,659-mm (104.7-inch) wheelbase. Its overall length is 4,620 mm (181.9 inches), which includes the spare tire cover on the rear door. The RAV4 comes in either front-wheel drive or electric on-demand four-wheel drive versions. With a ground clearance of 190 mm (7.5 inches), it has a modest off-road capability, enhanced by <Read More>

   2011 Toyota Sienna LE 4-Cylinder Road Test Review

Toyota's new Sienna has been getting a lot of press lately, and for good reason. It's extremely good and fills a niche that used

Good looking new Sienna is ultra-fuel friendly in 4-cylinder mode. (Photo: Automotive Metrics)

to be an auto sector mainstay.

Let's face it. There are nowhere near as many brands in the midsize minivan market now than when the segment was at the height of its popularity in the late '80s and throughout the '90s, but the models that remain certainly deserve their loyal fans. There's the single South Korean entrant, Kia's Sedona -- the short-lived Hyundai Entourage now history, while the Japanese contingent now only includes Honda's Odyssey and Toyota's Sienna from the original four. Good news, mind you, is that Nissan will be back with an all-new yet still eccentric Quest. The domestic minivan segment has seen ten separate brands join the fray since 1984, but now only two remain, the Chrysler and Dodge. These two, as you likely know, are the segment originators, and like always they're virtually <Read More>

   US Government Clears Toyota of All Sudden Acceleration Claims

Audi unintentional acceleration, take two? If you've been on the earth long enough to remember the sudden acceleration fiasco that

The Prius and other Toyota models were named by claimants as "suspects" in unintended acceleration cases... all have been proven innocent! (Photo: Toyota)

plagued Audi, a premium automaker on the rise in the early to mid '80s and brought to its knees by media hype about drivers who, it was later concluded, misplaced their feet and pressed the go pedal instead of the brake, you might experience a little déjà vu as you read on.

Toyota, as you likely know, has been under fire recently for similar claims. The Japanese automaker has received more than 3,000 reports of sudden acceleration in the US, and now, after more media hype than Audi experienced (thanks to the immediate viral spread of news via the internet, albeit without a television news show that fabricated a reenactment) the U.S. Department of Transportation has concluded that the real culprit is driver error.

Investigators analyzed data recorders from numerous <Read More>