If you were in the market, which would be your preference & why?
Specifically, the late 4th to early 5th gen 4Runner & mid 2nd gen Tacoma (2006-2010 ish years)

Mechanically, they're near identical: 4.0V6 & 5AT (or 6MT with the Taco). Not sure if the Taco uses the same 4wd system as the 4R [where it can be driven in 4Hi on the road as a quasi-AWD].
Also, have the rust recall/class-action on the Tacomas to consider as well.

Question:
Taco or T4R?

Choices:
Tacoma
4Runner

 

This message has been edited. Last edited by: P250UA5,

I’m solidly in the 4Runner camp. I’ve had several of them including my current 2007 with a V8 and well over 200k miles.

4Runners are made in Japan on the Land Cruiser assembly line.

Taco’s (solid trucks) but are made in Mexico.

I've had both. A TRD Off-Road and TRD Pro Tacoma as well as a 2020 4Runner Off-road Venture (current). The 4Runner is about as bullet proof as you'll find in any vehicle in production today. Still made entirely in Japan.

4Runners do seem to be in more [and lower mileage] supply around here.
Even found a few early 4th gen for similar pricing to the 3rd gen, but with high-ish mileage.

My family has had 3. My dad had an 03 V6 5wd SR5 & a 05 V8 4wd Limited.
The SR5 was a fantastic truck
The V8 was great, but had developed a small coolant leak & the trans was starting to slip.

If I moved forward at all, it would for sure be the V6. 2wd or 4wd would just come down to what's available.

Think it depends on your needs/intended use.

Either makes a good 4wd on/off road vehicle, but if you want to haul stuff around that makes a mess from time to time, plants, rocks, mulch, sod, dirt bikes then the Tacoma is probably a better choice.

Not much help but, 2010 is the model change for 4Runner to the newer body style.

I've been searching for a while to find a 2010-2013 4Runner with the features I want.

Best of luck!

Cheers~

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Think it depends on your needs/intended use.

Either makes a good 4wd on/off road vehicle, but if you want to haul stuff around that makes a mess from time to time, plants, rocks, mulch, sod, dirt bikes then the Tacoma is probably a better choice.

Hauling stuff can be a concern and something I considered whenever I traded my Tacoma TRD Pro in for the 4Runner. I have a 10' and 16' utility trailer so it was not a problem.

Really depends on if you need secure interior space, or a truck bed. Of course you could always put a cap on the bed of the Tacoma. Note that the 4Runner is made in Toyota’s Tahara plant in Japan, which also produces the Toyota LandCruiser.

I dont believe the 3rd gen 4Runners were equipped with the 4.0L, maybe I'm mistaken.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeGLI:
I dont believe the 3rd gen 4Runners were equipped with the 4.0L, maybe I'm mistaken.

I heard the next gen 4Runners will have a turbo-charged 4 cyl. engine.

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Think it depends on your needs/intended use.

This. For me, taco absolutely, but that’s my work truck. If I didn’t live on a ranch and didn’t use a truck all the time, probably a forerunner.

Just based on my recent purchase. I've had Jeep Wranglers for 20 + years. Recently needed a new vehicle and changed it up and bought a Gladiator. Realized I should have stayed with the Wrangler. Truck bed has come in handy but I miss having all that interior space. You can always line the back of the 4Runner if you need to haul dirty stuff and if it's something too tall you can use a small utility trailer.Having the enclosed air condtioned/heated rear area of the 4Runner is also better if you have dogs.Yes you can put a topper on a truck bed but it's not the same. Just my .02 cents

quote:

Originally posted by Jupiter:
Hauling stuff can be a concern and something I considered whenever I traded my Tacoma TRD Pro in for the 4Runner. I have a 10' and 16' utility trailer so it was not a problem.

I'll go along with this, and with batex' response below it.

When I traded my Tacoma for an SUV, the first-next thing I had to do was buy a trailer. The swap worked well for me, though, because I really wanted the lockable and easily-accessible cargo space offered by the SUV.

The last time I compared the two (about a year ago) thinking of buying, I found the Tacoma got better fuel mileage than the 4Runner. That may still be true, but for my own uses I'd end up buying 4Runner and trying to shut up about the fuel cost differential.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeGLI:
I dont believe the 3rd gen 4Runners were equipped with the 4.0L, maybe I'm mistaken.

Edit: You were right, I had my years mixed up, post corrected.

3G had the 3.4 V6
4 & 5G were the 4.0 V6 with the 3G also having the 4.7 V8 option.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: P250UA5,

I think the Taco interior feels really small. I chose 4runner, and have a utility trailer for hauling the messy or big stuff.

I have had four 4runners and two Tacomas. My third gen 4runner (3.4l) was nearly bulletproof. I sold it to a friend who drove it for years. They are super capable and I used it like a truck since it was my beater. The frame ended up rusting out behind the rear axle and they junked it.

I currently have a 2015 tacoma pro (4.0 l) that I bought new and don’t plan on ever selling. The truck has been almost trouble free with the only issue being one of the remote reservoir shocks going bad. I prefer having a bed and in the end that was the determining factor between the 4runner and tacoma.

I jumped from a 3rd Gen Taco to a 5th Gen 4Runner. If Toyota had stayed with the bulletproof 4.0 Liter in the Taco, I'd be driving one of those instead. Kind of glad they forced my hand because I love the interior space the 4Runner has but I do miss just throwing the trash in the back and hauling it to the dump. Now, I've got to make sure there's nothing leaking out of the bags before I put it into the cargo area.

I voted Tacoma but only because my wife has a Lexus 350 (SUV).

The truck and SUV allows more versatility than two SUVs. (and the Tacoma would replace my current 2007 with 225K miles on it)

Now if we did not have the Lexus I would definitely go with the 4Runner even as a replacement to the current Tacoma

quote:

Location: Spring, TX

I doubt you're going to have frame rust problems in that climate.

quote:

Originally posted by dry-fly:

Taco’s (solid trucks) but are made in Mexico.

Nope. Some are built in Texas, some in Mexico. My 2016 is from Texas.

Tacomas are more versatile, being a pickup truck. That’s my vote.