Toyota used the NASCAR two-car team strategy this year to infuse our test with some of its new off-road technology. You've already read about how well the giga-buck Lexus works, but the good news is that the new 4Runner shares all the electronic traction aids with the Lexus GX 470. It's just that they're wrapped in the lighter, sportier, and less-expensive 4Runner package. Perhaps the most radical off-road technology in this year's test is Downhill Assist Control (DAC). When in low range you can flip this system on and take your foot off the brake and let the vehicle squeeze the rotors to keep the vehicle under 5 mph. The system is loud and a little unsettling to use because it sounds like firing a large caliber machine gun. But the important part is how well the system works to manage downhill speed. The driver can focus on steering and enjoy the decent. Plus it even works in reverse! To complement DAC the 4Runner also uses Active TRAC traction control instead of front and rear limited-slip differentials. By using the same hardware that operates the ABS, Active TRAC uses the brakes to slow the spinning tires in order to force the tires with grip to do their job. In our testing, the traction control worked OK on the rocks, but we think with 235 hp on tap the 4Runner's real forte is in the sand.
The reason the Lexus came out on top of the 4Runner is not because our judges are spoiled brats and want the status symbol of driving a Lexus. It's primarily due to the way the 4Runner that Toyota sent us was put together. Half the judges couldn't get comfortable in the seats, and the other half felt Toyota latched onto the Chevy Avalanche bandwagon and came home with an ugly truck. Not to mention the gear selector in the Toyota got jammed up during our test, and the Lexus had a real shifter for the transfer case versus the Toyota's dial. What's up with that? Now if our test vehicle had come with a hoodscoop, things might have been different.
Manufacturer: Toyota
Model: 4Runner
Base Price: $30,280
Price as Tested: $33,230
Options as Tested: 17-inch aluminum wheels, double-decker cargo, roof rack crossbars, electrochromic rearview mirrors, curtain side airbags, rear-seat audio, foglamps, 115-volt AC outlet, leather steering wheel with audio control, rear spoiler, daytime running lights
Type: DOHC 32-valve V-8
Displacement (liters/cubic inches): 4.7/284
Bore & Stroke (inches): 3.70x3.31
Compression Ratio: 9.6:1
Induction Type: Sequential, multiport fuel injection
Fuel Required (octane)/Capacity (gallons): 91 recomended, 87 acceptable/23
SAE Peak Horsepower: 235 @ 4,800 rpm
SAE Peak Torque (lb-ft): 320 @ 3,400 rpm
Type: 5-speed automatic overdrive
Model: A750F
Ratios: First: 3.52:1; Second: 2.04:1; Third: 1.40:1; Fourth: 1.00:1; Fifth: 0.71:1; Reverse: 3.22:1
Transfer Case
Type: 2-speed, full-time, with manual locking Torsen center differential
Model: Toyota
Low-Range Ratio: 2.57:1
Front Type: IFS
Rear Type: Solid axle
Hubs: N/A
Ratio: 3.73:1
Front: IFS with upper and lower A-arms, coil springs
Rear: Live axle, with 4-link, track bar, and air springs
Type: Power rack-and-pinion
Turns Lock-to-Lock/Ratio: 3.125/15.7:1
Turning Radius (feet): 36.7
Size (inches): 17x7.5
Material: Aluminum
Size: P265/65R17
Brand: Bridgestone Dueler HT
Front: 13.3-inch discs with ABS
Rear: 12.3-inch discs with ABS
Curb Weight: 4,410
Advertised GVWR: 5,510
EPA Estimate (city/hwy. mpg): 16/19
As Tested (mpg): 8.58
Standing ¼-mile (seconds @ mph): 17.30 @ 80.58
Wheelbase: 110
Overall Length: 188.75
Overall Width: 83.25
Overall Height: 71
Front/Rear Track: 62/62
Front/Rear Overhang: 36.25/42.875
Minimum Front Ground Clearance: 8
*5-speed transmission
*Rear audio controls
*Torsen diff-equipped transfer case
*Body styling
*Awkward shifter
*No hoodscoop
Not the 4Runner we had hoped for