2011 Toyota 4Runner Review and Prices

By Chuck Giametta

2011 TOYOTA 4RUNNER BUYING ADVICE

• The 2011 Toyota 4Runner is the best SUV for you if you haven’t “crossed over” and still want a truck-based, go-anywhere vehicle.  

• The 2011 Toyota 4Runner is unlikely to change significantly following a major re-engineering for model-year 2010. The 2010 changes were extensive enough to qualify the result as an all-new, fifth-generation 4Runner. Basically, this four-door wagon returned to its roots as an SUV that backs up its rugged looks with serious off-road ability. The 2011 4Runner continues that path – but without sacrificing any important amenities.

• Should you wait for the 2011 Toyota 4Runner or buy a 2010 Toyota 4Runner? There’s little reason to wait. No major changes to styling, equipment, or features are likely for model-year 2011. Toyota doesn’t have a reputation for first-year bugs that need to be worked out. And owning a 2010 4Runner allows you a longer period to enjoy the current styling before the next update, likely around model-year 2013.  

2011 TOYOTA 4RUNNER CHANGES

• Styling: The 2011 Toyota 4Runner will carry over styling that morphed from soft-shouldered to square-jawed for 2010. The look emphasizes 4Runner’s throw-back nature, to a time when SUVs had truck-type body-on-frame construction. That was before the civilizing influence of the “crossover” craze. Now, most SUVs – from the compact Honda CR-V to the roomy Toyota Highlander – use car-type unibody construction. In truth, a design in which body and frame are essentially one unit is beneficial to most SUV owners. People who use SUVs as family station wagons are better served by the refinement and weight-saving fuel efficiency of unibody construction. For severe off-road driving and heavy-duty towing, however, the separate body-on-frame design carries advantages of strength and durability. With DNA traced back to 1980s Toyota pickup trucks, the 4Runner has always been body-on-frame. The 2011 4Runner rides the same 109.8-inch wheelbase (distance between front and rear axles) as the 2003-2009 fourth-generation model. Body dimensions are little changed. And it continues to offer seating for five or seven. But the latest bluff-sided, blister-fendered styling is inspired by the Toyota Land Cruiser, internationally respected for its all-terrain tenacity. The tough-guy theme continues inside, with blocky shapes and big knobs instead of the gentle contours and delicate switchgear of the previous 4Runner. The 2011 4Runner lineup should return three models. The SR5 is the base version. Next is the Trail model, and true to its name, its front and rear bumpers are shaped to more easily clear off-road obstacles. The top-of-the-line Limited goes all city on us with chrome-plated front-grille inserts and fancy alloy wheels.     

• Mechanical: The 2011 Toyota 4Runner should continue mechanically unaltered from 2010. The biggest change from the fourth-generation model is under the hood. Engine choices are now a four-cylinder and a V-6 rather than a V-6 and a V-8. The four-cylinder, a 2.7-liter, is likely to remain at 157 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque and continue with a four-speed automatic as its only transmission. It’s available only on the SR5 model and only with two-wheel drive (2WD). The V-6 has the same 4.0-liter displacement as the fourth-generation’s V-6, but is revamped to make 270 horsepower and 278 pound-feet of torque. That’s an increase of 35 horsepower, and compared to the fourth-generation’s 4.7-liter V-8, it’s 10 more horsepower and only 28 pound-feet less torque. The V-6 uses a five-speed automatic transmission. It’s available on SR5 and Limited models with both two- and four-wheel drive (4WD). It’s the sole engine for the Trail model, which comes only with 4WD. Most crossovers are based on front-wheel-drive engineering and typically employ light-duty all-wheel-drive systems that automatically transfer power to the rear wheels if the fronts begin to slip, then resume front-drive as traction is restored. The trucky 4Runner defaults to rear-wheel drive and uses traditional 4WD to transfer power rear-to-front. In fact, the system in the SR5 and Trail models is a throwback setup in which the driver activates a floor lever to engage 4WD. It’s a so-called “part-time” system, for use only off road or in extremely slippery conditions. The 4Runner Limited uses a “full-time” 4WD setup that can be left engaged on any surface; it’s activated by a center-console-mounted switch. Both systems feature separate low-range gearing for severe off-road conditions. (See “2011 Toyota 4Runner Prices” below for more details.)  All 4Runners have alloy wheels and a full-size spare tire. The SR5 and Trail models have 17-inch wheels while the Limited comes with 20s.

• Features: Rediscovering 4Runner’s muscular off-pavement personality doesn’t forgetting about comfort. Every 2011 4Runner comes with remote keyless entry, air conditioning, power locks, and power windows – including a power tailgate window. Tilt/telescope steering wheel, cruise control, 10 cup and bottle holders also are standard. So is a satellite-radio audio system with a “Party Mode” setting that directs extra power to tailgate-mounted speakers for outdoor listening. Trail and Limited models add steering-wheel audio controls, a USB interface for iPods, and Bluetooth phone and music-streaming connectivity. The second-row folding bench seat is split 40/20/40 and has a reclining backrest; seven-passenger seating is available on V-6 models via an optional 50-50 folding third-row bench. Also available is a slide-out cargo platform to ease loading and table your tailgate party; it supports 440 pounds. The 4Runner Limited has keyless entry and pushbutton start. Leather upholstery with heated power front seats is standard on Limited and optional on SR5; the Trail gets water-resistant fabric upholstery. Other equipment standard or optional depending on model includes rear obstacle detection or a rear-view monitor that displays on the inside mirror; a power tilt/slide moonroof; and a voice-activated touch-screen DVD navigation system with a 7-inch dashboard monitor. All 4Runners come with antilock four-wheel disc brakes for better control in stops, traction control for better grip in take-offs, and antiskid control to mitigate sideways slides. A system of eight standard airbags includes knee airbags for driver and front passenger and head-protecting side curtain airbags for all three seating rows. Available by subscription is Toyota’s Safety Connect with automatic collision notification and stolen-vehicle locator services.

2011 TOYOTA 4RUNNER PRICES

• Toyota won’t announce 2011 4Runner prices until shortly before the vehicle goes on sale, but they’re not likely to increase markedly over model-year 2010 levels. (Prices in this review include the manufacturer’s mandated destination fee. Toyota’s fee for 2010-model trucks was $800. Note that Toyotas sold in some Southeastern and Gulf states are supplied by independent distributors and may carry different destination fees.)

• The 2011 Toyota 4Runner SR5 price with 2WD starts at an estimated $28,700 with the four-cylinder engine and at an estimated $30,400 with the V-6. The 2011 4Runner SR5 price with 4WD starts at an estimated $32,100; this includes the V-6 engine.

• The 4Runner Trail model should continue only with 4WD and the V-6; its 2011 base-price estimate is $38,900. The starting price for the 2011 4Runner Limited is an estimated $38,900 with 2WD and $41,000 with 4WD.

• Toyota isn’t shy about touting 4Runner’s truck-based origins, but insists this SUV also provides plenty of coddling. Coil springs over gas shocks are used at all four corners.  Suspension is double-wishbone independent in front, with the solid rear axle located by a four-link setup. In addition, the Limited grade comes standard with Toyota’s X-REAS suspension that automatically adjusts shock-absorber damping over bumps or when cornering.

• The 4Runner’s off-road credentials include engine and fuel-tank skid plates on all models and a healthy 9.6 inches of ground clearance on 4WD versions. All 4WD 4Runners also have Toyota’s Active Traction Control (A-TRAC) system. A-TRAC can distribute driving force to any one wheel in contact with the ground to sustain momentum on irregular terrain and slippery patches. An electronic-locking rear differential is standard on the 4Runner Trail model. For enhanced control on ascents and declines, hill-start assist is standard on V-6 4Runners and downhill assist is standard on SR5 and Limited 4WD models.

• From there, things get really serious. The 4Runner draws on Land Cruiser kit for an array of advanced off-road features. Standard on the Trail model is Toyota’s Crawl Control, an electro-mechanical system though which the driver can match difficult terrain by selecting any of five speed levels. The system automatically maintains constant, slow progress to keep the vehicle under control and minimize the load on drivetrain and suspension components.

• The 4Runner Trail model also features Toyota’s Multi-Terrain Select. This enables the driver to dial in wheel-slip control matched to a particular challenge. For example, in loose mud and sand, more-than-normal wheel slip is permitted, allowing tire-spin to work in the 4Runner’s favor. On bumpy moguls or solid rock, wheel slip is minimized. The Trail model also is available with Toyota’s Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System. This radically improves the 4Runner’s ability to follow rough terrain by disconnecting stabilizer bars, allowing greater axle travel and better suspension articulation.

2011 TOYOTA 4RUNNER FUEL ECONOMY

• Official 2011 EPA mileage estimates had not been released in time for this review, but the 2011 Toyota 4Runner’s fuel-economy ratings should not change from the 2010 model.

• That means the 2011 4Runner SR5 four-cylinder 2WD model would rate 18/23 mpg (city/highway). The 2011 4Runner SR5 and Limited with 2WD and the V-6 engine would repeat at 17/23 mpg.

• The 2011 4Runner Trail model, the 4WD SR5, and the 4WD Limited, all of which use the V-6 engine, should rate 17/22 mpg.

2011 TOYOTA 4RUNNER RELEASE DATE

• The 2011 Toyota 4Runner should begin arriving at dealerships in autumn 2010.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE TOYOTA 4RUNNER

• If Toyota follows its traditional seven-year lifecycle for trucks, the 4Runner would undergo a freshening for model-year 2013. These “mid-cycle” changes typically include minor styling revisions front and rear but leave the main body unaffected. Cabin materials and graphics could also be changed, and new features may be added or existing features expanded to other models.

• Despite a renewed emphasis on lighter weight and fuel efficiency, look for Toyota to sustain the 4Runner as a rock-ribbed member of its vehicle portfolio, though perhaps with more of a niche focus as time goes on. An all-new sixth-generation 4Runner would be on track for model-year 2016.

• Toyota has pledged to field a gas-electric hybrid version of every vehicle in its lineup within the next decade or so. The 4Runner would seem better suited to the torque-generating power of a diesel engine, but taking Toyota at its word, there’ll eventually be a 4Runner hybrid. Whether it comes during the current generation or is part of the sixth-generation model remains to be seen.   

2011 TOYOTA 4RUNNER COMPETITION

• Nissan Pathfinder: This midsize truck-type SUV mirrors 4Runner’s appeal with macho styling, five- or seven-passenger seating, and serious off-road ability via part- and full-time 4WD systems. Pathfinder isn’t available with a four-cylinder engine, instead offering a 266-horsepower V-6 (14/20 mpg with 4WD) or a 310-horsepower V-8 (13/18 with 4WD). Base price range is roughly $28,000-$41,000. Pathfinder looks to a full redesign for model-year 2012, moving up in size and power to fill the gap in Nissan’s lineup opened by the imminent departure of the full-size Armada SUV.

• Jeep Grand Cherokee: Jeep takes its flagship upscale with a model-year 2011 redesign based on the underpinnings of the Mercedes-Benz ML SUV from its old German owner. A larger interior with richer appointments, plus adoption of an all-independent suspension, are highlights. But upscale on-road shouldn’t mean outclassed off-road. This is a Jeep, after all, and it’ll be available with such features as a Quadra-Lift air suspension for 11.1 inches of ground clearance and Jeep’s new traction-enhancing Select-Terrain system. Engines are a new 280-horsepower V-6 and a 360-horsepower Hemi V-8. On sale date is mid 2010 and base price range is an estimated $23,000-$42,000.

• Volkswagen Touareg: Not much of a reputation for reliability – especially compared to a Toyota – but refined on-road and an underrated monster off thanks to an arsenal of available electronic traction and suspension technology to support its standard AWD system. The V-8’s been dropped, but the gas V-6 (280 horsepower, 14/20 mpg) has been joined by a turbodiesel V-6 with 407 pound-feet of torque and a 18/25-mpg rating. Touareg also impresses with top-notch interior appointments. Pricing starts around $40,000. Touareg’s future is a bit hazy, with some reports indicating a redesigned version due during 2010 or 2011, with a hybrid in the works for 2012.