So we are looking at a new vehicle this spring.
Been 20+years since we bought new.

Thinking 4Runner at around $40k.
Looked at the Honda Pilot and Passport.
Expedition is out of the budget and am not wild about a 3.5 motor either.
Just cannot phantom a Jeep due to quality and reliability issues.

Just wondering if I am missing Anything?. Not feeling like there is something else in the 4Runner category. I know they are heavy, lack power, interior is old skool and plasticky interior. 5 spd. tranny. The power train is 20 yo technology.
got all that and for us, that is fine.

I am "not" buying a rig to define who I am.
I need something that will last. Will have good resale value in 5-8 years. Will be rugged, handle, gravel, dirt some mud and snow. Will haul four and some gear.

Cross overs do not interest me. I need something that can handle an E rated all terrain tire. Can trailer 4000lbs

Just wondering if their is a rig/maker I have left out.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: old rugged cross,

Purchasing to hull all your rifles?

Only comparable I can think of would be the Grand Cherokee, which you've already nixed.

Otherwise you're getting into maybe Tahoe territory, or 'midsize' trucks.

We bought a new 2018 SR5 4X4 and we love it.

We did add running boards for vertically challenged passengers as well as the appearance.

34,000 trouble free miles so far.

So...

What caliber is it?

Sorry Arc, I put a post in the office asking if it could be moved to the lounge. Thx

Subaru Ascent possibly. Nissan Pathfinder also fits the bill.

I absolutely love 4Runners. Can’t go wrong!

We have the previous generation Honda Pilot, but that new 2020 Kia Telluride is very impressive.

I think the 4 Runner is really the best mid-size SUV made bar none.

The 3.5 Ecoboost in the Expedition is actually a great motor. I've got one in my F-150, more power and gets better mileage than the wife's 4Runner.

Wife had 2 4Runners and they were pretty much bullet proof. That said, they are low on power and mileage is not that great. However, they are body on frame, off road capable and you can pack a shit ton of stuff into them.

She traded her last one in on a Jeep Grand Cherokee. The Jeep is a lot more comfortable and has better driving dynamics but already has had a couple of electrical gremlins. The Jeep also has less interior volume than the 4Runner.

The 4Runner really is kind of in a class by itself. The Grand Cherokee really is the only other SUV that comes close. After that you're into bigger SUV's like the Tahoe, Expedition and Sequoia. Maybe out of the box thinking, crew cab pickup with a shell or a tonneau cover?

quote:

Originally posted by BB61:
I think the 4 Runner is really the best mid-size SUV made bar none.

Yes. Nothing comes close.

I've heard the Subi Ascent has a CVT tranny. Having owned one in the past I'll never own another. I drove my sister in law's 4 Runner. Would buy one if I had that kind of money.

Daughter and SIL bought a new Forerunner Limited last year, I think it's a 2019. What I don't like about it, and this is mostly nit picking and compared to the Honda Ridgeline I drive, is the ride quality is a bit choppy and tippy side to side on rough roads, third row seat is really tight, the whole interior is a bit tight given how large it is, and it gets maybe 17 mpg on the same driving my Ridgeline delivers 20-21.
I really like the proven drivetrain, lack of crazy electronic crap and adaptive cruise control (2020 models may have incorporated this though), heavy duty construction (and 4WD over AWD in certain situations) and towing capacity should be more than the 5,000 in Ridgeline. Taken care of, oil changed on or ahead of schedule etc., I would expect the Forerunner to last a long time, more than almost any other vehicle. And I believe they're still built in Japan.

I settled on the 4Runner and am pleased with my 2019. I think it’s the best choice but I do dream about putting a ProCharger on it.
https://www.procharger.com/blo...hargers-now-shipping

Thanks guys, pretty much what I had in my mind. Sigolicious has been brainwashing me un-relentlessly

Have a Toyota pickup already. This will be my wife's rig

This is what I just did. I recently bought a boat that maxes out my Ridgelines rec tow limit of 5000 lbs, although it did just fine running 65 mph from Cincinnati to Louisville. I was going to go for a 2019 Hertz rental return Toyota Sequoia. Cost was going to be about $40k otd for decent equipped SR5 4wd.

I've got a buddy who owns a fast turnover car lot that specializes in Enterprise lease return vans. Most are cable co GMC/Chevy 2500s, some Fords most all white. He had a 2014 Chevy Express LS passenger van with 4.8 v8 vortec engine, 2wd, 59,000 one owner miles and a rec tow limit of around 7000lbs. Great shape, well equipped and best of all price of $13,000. For towing a boat or moving 6 people it's hard to beat the comfort of a van. They aren't cool status wise but my buddy routinely has GM Express vans with 200k miles and they sell fast for decent money. Mine has a factory trans oil cooler and the 4.8 v8 has all the power I need.

I have a Honda Passport Elite. 11,000 miles so far and lots of positives. It's very quiet, well appointed, and trouble free so far. My only complaint is the adaptive cruise control is a little unrefined. It works but isn't nearly as smooth as it could be. I did add die cast running boards as I am not the tallest cowboy in Montana. I plan on adding a little device to deactivate the cylinder deactivation. It's a PIA.

We owned a Nissan Pathfinder. I sold it because I was afraid of the CVT. It was jerky at times. I hope to never own a CVT again.

We also considered the Mazda CX-9. Its a fine SUV. Our daughter just bought a new 2019 4Runner top of the line. It doesn't have a lot of modern safety features and doesn't have Apple carplay

Might want to look at the Highlander too.

Consumer Reports gives them pretty favorable reviews.

4Runner is a solid SUV even though it's a couple of years behind in tech. I had a 2002 that I drove the hell out of and it never missed a beat. If you want fancy, look at the Lexus GX460. A 4Runner on steroids.