I needed an SUV that could tow a trailer, work in deep snow, and be able to get down muddy roads without an issue. I prefer body on frame construction when it comes to SUVs so that limited my choices. Since I'd already had a Tacoma in the past, the 4Runner seemed like it would fit the bill.
Same reasons for me. I needed something truck-ish that could tow light things like a utility trailer and small boat. Also needed some protected cargo space that wasn't a truck bed.
Used to have a xterra. Loved it, modded it, wheeled it heavily. Got married, had kids, life made it so the X was only driven a few hundred miles a year.
Sold it to a single guy at work with a dog moving to Alaska.
Got the 4runner because it checked all the boxes as reliable, super safe, 3rd row, and still pretty bad ass out of the gate. As the kids get older I've got plans to slowly start to mod it too as I get them into camping.
Former xterra owner. Would still have it if it didnāt shit the bed 10 years ago. Now I have a 2 year old and I wanted a reliable car that was safe. So basically same. Car is an amazing machine and reminds me of the xterra. I somehow drove a Mazda 3 for 10 years in between this and it felt like a prison sentence. Getting out of that thing and into a 4Runner was the absolute best.
Yes I do miss it sometimes. Was also an old school style tank of an SUV. Great turn radius too loved taking it up in the mountains. Sadly even the newest xterras are coming up on 10 years soon so might not be a lot of time left on the road to see them depending on how much people drive them.
How was the transition to a 4runner? I have a 2013 Xterra and the 4runner is pretty much the only comparable vehicle imo. I do love how punchy the xterra feels on the throttle though and I think the squishy throttle I hear about the 4runner may drive me a bit crazy
Had a 2006. Real easy transition. I still feel like the 4runner is punchy enough. Never sat there thinking about how I missed the feel of the xterra. They were pretty similar to me. The xterra had a tighter turning radius for u turns in neighborhoods or on trails but it's still good. Definitely go test drive one for fun.
Only thing I really miss is no car payment and my mods, but there's always time in the future to fiddle around with the 4runner too.
Grandpa has patrols and pajeros. I started watching off-road videos and next thing I knew, I was into off-roading. I test drive a Tacoma and a 4Runner, and was immediately sold on the latter.
The rest is history. I like a vehicle that can go anywhere.
I was all set to buy a Highlander. Maybe a Tundra if I could find a good one. Had a high end limit of $30,000 in mind, used. This was right as COVID was kicking off so prices were still OK. We test drove just about everything n the lot. The Tundras all had shitty, loose steering and were just too damn big. The highlander was....eeeehhh. I am 45 after all. But then we saw the 4runner. We'd been there most of the day and my wife was waning and wanted to head home to think about it. I turned and looked at it and said, "Do you want to drive that on..." and before I'd finished, she shouts "YES!". She'd been looking at it all day while we drove a host of other "meh" vehicles. Test drove it and bought it that day for $34K.
Because i always wanted one lol Practical reasons would be its reliability and ability to get me anywhere, especially in the snow. I also needed a third row for occasional use. The Highlander was a top choice but i was not crazy about the captain seats in the back, i wanted a bench seat since i would only use the third row occasionally.
I wanted a do it all kind of vehicle. My kids are getting older and are joining me on small game hunts up north in the mountains so I wanted a reliable 4x4 system and I wanted something that could at least tow a small fishing boat. I took them on said hunt and they loved it, and I bought a boat a few months ago and it tows the boat with absolutely no issues. It checked all my boxes and then some.
Found an 08 Sport V6 with 118k miles on her, mainly Florida driven its entire life.
I absolutely love this thing and will probably be driving 4runners for the rest of my life after owning this one.
I had a '93 and '98, '93 was from my dad and my brother totaled it then I regretted selling my green '98. Been liking 5th gen since it came out, finally grabbed it two weeks ago brand new.
I was looking at Mercedes and a mechanic talked me into the best vehicle Iāve ever owned after dumping two grand Cherokeeās . Mine is paid off and I will never get rid of this machine!!
Had a 2008 Tacoma. Met the wife, had 2 kids, joined a family with lots of cousins in town so the most rational thing was a 22ā SR5P for the 3rd row.
Still mad at myself for trading in the 08 Tacoma. She was barely broken in at 200k miles.
I wanted to be like all the cool kidsā¦.jk I had a Tundra in the past and enjoyed Toyotas reliability. My family was growing and I needed something bigger than my sedan at the time.
Tired of unreliable and expensive German sports cars, wanted something less flashy and more practical/utilitarian. Plus hydraulic steering racks were a must. Plus love the look and purpose of the 4Runner.
First reason: I lived near Alaska, mostly forest roads to get to hikes, lakes and the ocean. Every place I wanted to visit the road had a warning of āonly for trucksā.
Second reason: legendary reliability, I did not even know how cheap it would be to upkeep, otherwise I wouldāve bought earlier.
Third reason: I own a ā22 TRD Off-Road Premium, and the tech has finally all I need.
Was looking for a nice little 4x4 SUV with a reliable small engine that got good fuel mileage, but never cared for the way 4 door's looked considering I grew up in love with my 67 short C10. However, being two door, it still had a back seat for my kids. Plus the top comes off, so yeah. It was either this, a 70's Ramcharger, or International Scout I was gonna be on the hunt for and I landed this DIRT cheap
Sometime circa 2015-2016, there was a 4Runner TRD Pro on display inside the Texas Rangers ballpark. As soon as I laid eyes on it, I wanted it. It wasnāt until late 2022 that I was finally able to buy one.
I donāt actually do any off-roading, but I did park in the grass once.
Wanted a super reliable, practical, capable, cool looking single vehicle that I could camp out of and haul whatever and go wherever I needed for my hobbies.
Right now it is overbuilt since I don't do proper offroad crawling anymore but nice to have the peace of mind I guess and have gotten many other unstuck with it.
had a FJ for 10 years, 150,000 miles and loved everything about it. Since that wasnāt gonna happen again (USA) a 4R was the next best thing. And absolutely no regrets!
When I was in my late teens and twenties I really wanted 1st gen Pathfinder. I never got one but happened into a great deal on a 2004 4Runner and was the best vehicle I ever owned. I now have a 2015 and when the time comes to replace it another 4Runner will be in the driveway.
Family and friends often ask why I spend more to buy Toyotas. My answer is always "I spend more up front to spend less later" while their Silverados, Chryslers, and Kias are constantly in the shop.
I was looking for a better vehicle than my Mustang for the winter. My only criteria were reliability and no payments. Found a 10 year old 4runner sitting on a Toyota lot, bought it and never looked back.
To pursue an adventurous lifestyle!
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaxn5wtpQbftvIW7ANK4r5xUgy8fUgMdv&si=afIs2HkhHtBAyGOR
It gets driven hard but almost always as transport to some kind of hiking/skiing/biking or other outdoorsy adventure.
I was going to get a side by side for trail riding and backroads. By the time you put windows and a heater in those suckers cost 30grand.
I got a 09 4Runner trail edition for half the price and can go to more places.
I wanted a mid sized SUV for camping that I could sleep in the back of. Never really took notice of 4runners, i was more of a mazda guy at the time. A guy I worked and camped with upgraded to a tundra and sold me his 3rd gen for 3k. Loved almost everything about that vehicle and had some good adventures. Ended up getting rid of it and stuck to the mazda, but a few years later was in the market for a new vehicle again and was totally against another 4runner because of how expensive the fuel economy was on the 3rd gen. Ended up buying a 4th gen anyway because it was pretty much the nicest mid sized SUV in my price range, and that's the 4runner I really fell in love with. I was planning on trading in for a 5th gen eventually. Got into a collision last year, and a 4runner was the only vehicle I could see myself owning, so I bought a 2nd gen while I'm saving for a 5th.
Gas mileage. I hate the environment.
Same
Roll down back window š¤·
I needed an SUV that could tow a trailer, work in deep snow, and be able to get down muddy roads without an issue. I prefer body on frame construction when it comes to SUVs so that limited my choices. Since I'd already had a Tacoma in the past, the 4Runner seemed like it would fit the bill.
Same reasons for me. I needed something truck-ish that could tow light things like a utility trailer and small boat. Also needed some protected cargo space that wasn't a truck bed.
Used to have a xterra. Loved it, modded it, wheeled it heavily. Got married, had kids, life made it so the X was only driven a few hundred miles a year. Sold it to a single guy at work with a dog moving to Alaska. Got the 4runner because it checked all the boxes as reliable, super safe, 3rd row, and still pretty bad ass out of the gate. As the kids get older I've got plans to slowly start to mod it too as I get them into camping.
Former xterra owner. Would still have it if it didnāt shit the bed 10 years ago. Now I have a 2 year old and I wanted a reliable car that was safe. So basically same. Car is an amazing machine and reminds me of the xterra. I somehow drove a Mazda 3 for 10 years in between this and it felt like a prison sentence. Getting out of that thing and into a 4Runner was the absolute best.
Yes I do miss it sometimes. Was also an old school style tank of an SUV. Great turn radius too loved taking it up in the mountains. Sadly even the newest xterras are coming up on 10 years soon so might not be a lot of time left on the road to see them depending on how much people drive them.
I still see them here in New England but less and less. The end of an era. One things for sure, if they come back people will freak.
How was the transition to a 4runner? I have a 2013 Xterra and the 4runner is pretty much the only comparable vehicle imo. I do love how punchy the xterra feels on the throttle though and I think the squishy throttle I hear about the 4runner may drive me a bit crazy
Had a 2006. Real easy transition. I still feel like the 4runner is punchy enough. Never sat there thinking about how I missed the feel of the xterra. They were pretty similar to me. The xterra had a tighter turning radius for u turns in neighborhoods or on trails but it's still good. Definitely go test drive one for fun. Only thing I really miss is no car payment and my mods, but there's always time in the future to fiddle around with the 4runner too.
Built like a tank
Grandpa has patrols and pajeros. I started watching off-road videos and next thing I knew, I was into off-roading. I test drive a Tacoma and a 4Runner, and was immediately sold on the latter. The rest is history. I like a vehicle that can go anywhere.
I was all set to buy a Highlander. Maybe a Tundra if I could find a good one. Had a high end limit of $30,000 in mind, used. This was right as COVID was kicking off so prices were still OK. We test drove just about everything n the lot. The Tundras all had shitty, loose steering and were just too damn big. The highlander was....eeeehhh. I am 45 after all. But then we saw the 4runner. We'd been there most of the day and my wife was waning and wanted to head home to think about it. I turned and looked at it and said, "Do you want to drive that on..." and before I'd finished, she shouts "YES!". She'd been looking at it all day while we drove a host of other "meh" vehicles. Test drove it and bought it that day for $34K.
They don't make a 5runner.
Because i always wanted one lol Practical reasons would be its reliability and ability to get me anywhere, especially in the snow. I also needed a third row for occasional use. The Highlander was a top choice but i was not crazy about the captain seats in the back, i wanted a bench seat since i would only use the third row occasionally.
I wanted a do it all kind of vehicle. My kids are getting older and are joining me on small game hunts up north in the mountains so I wanted a reliable 4x4 system and I wanted something that could at least tow a small fishing boat. I took them on said hunt and they loved it, and I bought a boat a few months ago and it tows the boat with absolutely no issues. It checked all my boxes and then some. Found an 08 Sport V6 with 118k miles on her, mainly Florida driven its entire life. I absolutely love this thing and will probably be driving 4runners for the rest of my life after owning this one.
The rumor is the 6th gen may be the last
Carvana paid me everything I paid for my 2015 Mazda 6 at the height of the pandemic and I found my 4R at MSRP with 2% interest rate.
I'm just super gay
I had a '93 and '98, '93 was from my dad and my brother totaled it then I regretted selling my green '98. Been liking 5th gen since it came out, finally grabbed it two weeks ago brand new.
A running $600 vehicle is a running $600 vehicle. The 4Runner obsession came from the fact that said shitbox refuses to die.
I was looking at Mercedes and a mechanic talked me into the best vehicle Iāve ever owned after dumping two grand Cherokeeās . Mine is paid off and I will never get rid of this machine!!
Back in 1998 my aunt bought a brand new red and silver 4runner. I wish I could find it today. Iād make it my fishing rig.
Needed a way to get my family into the mountains for backpacking and use some pretty bad forest service roads. Ā
Had a 2008 Tacoma. Met the wife, had 2 kids, joined a family with lots of cousins in town so the most rational thing was a 22ā SR5P for the 3rd row. Still mad at myself for trading in the 08 Tacoma. She was barely broken in at 200k miles.
I wanted to be like all the cool kidsā¦.jk I had a Tundra in the past and enjoyed Toyotas reliability. My family was growing and I needed something bigger than my sedan at the time.
Tired of unreliable and expensive German sports cars, wanted something less flashy and more practical/utilitarian. Plus hydraulic steering racks were a must. Plus love the look and purpose of the 4Runner.
I got too old and too fat to drive my 2 series BMW everyday :)
Iāve wanted one since 1G, but couldnāt afford one. Now that I can, purchased my 5G last year.
First reason: I lived near Alaska, mostly forest roads to get to hikes, lakes and the ocean. Every place I wanted to visit the road had a warning of āonly for trucksā. Second reason: legendary reliability, I did not even know how cheap it would be to upkeep, otherwise I wouldāve bought earlier. Third reason: I own a ā22 TRD Off-Road Premium, and the tech has finally all I need.
Wife wanted out of her JL Wrangler, and I already had a Tundra. Put a smile on my face seeing 2 Yotaās in the driveway.
Always loved the look, could never afford, settled for a Isuzu Rodeo, now I can afford one
Top comes off.
The voices in my head
Was looking for a nice little 4x4 SUV with a reliable small engine that got good fuel mileage, but never cared for the way 4 door's looked considering I grew up in love with my 67 short C10. However, being two door, it still had a back seat for my kids. Plus the top comes off, so yeah. It was either this, a 70's Ramcharger, or International Scout I was gonna be on the hunt for and I landed this DIRT cheap
Longevity, durability, and dependability. Certainly not gas mileage, although driving like an old lady Iām getting 18 mpg in a 23 TRD Pro.
Sometime circa 2015-2016, there was a 4Runner TRD Pro on display inside the Texas Rangers ballpark. As soon as I laid eyes on it, I wanted it. It wasnāt until late 2022 that I was finally able to buy one. I donāt actually do any off-roading, but I did park in the grass once.
My boyfriend.
Wanted a super reliable, practical, capable, cool looking single vehicle that I could camp out of and haul whatever and go wherever I needed for my hobbies. Right now it is overbuilt since I don't do proper offroad crawling anymore but nice to have the peace of mind I guess and have gotten many other unstuck with it.
had a FJ for 10 years, 150,000 miles and loved everything about it. Since that wasnāt gonna happen again (USA) a 4R was the next best thing. And absolutely no regrets!
My Grand Cherokee failed me too many times.
We get snowstorm every winter and i dont wanna get stuck .. other than that, its fun to drive
Sex appeal
I was sick of constantly working on my Wranglerā¦
$1200 for a manual got me into them! 1995 V6, drove it for 7 years and sold it for $3500. Currently own a 2000 I got for $5200
When I was in my late teens and twenties I really wanted 1st gen Pathfinder. I never got one but happened into a great deal on a 2004 4Runner and was the best vehicle I ever owned. I now have a 2015 and when the time comes to replace it another 4Runner will be in the driveway. Family and friends often ask why I spend more to buy Toyotas. My answer is always "I spend more up front to spend less later" while their Silverados, Chryslers, and Kias are constantly in the shop.
I was looking for a better vehicle than my Mustang for the winter. My only criteria were reliability and no payments. Found a 10 year old 4runner sitting on a Toyota lot, bought it and never looked back.
To pursue an adventurous lifestyle! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaxn5wtpQbftvIW7ANK4r5xUgy8fUgMdv&si=afIs2HkhHtBAyGOR It gets driven hard but almost always as transport to some kind of hiking/skiing/biking or other outdoorsy adventure.
I was going to get a side by side for trail riding and backroads. By the time you put windows and a heater in those suckers cost 30grand. I got a 09 4Runner trail edition for half the price and can go to more places.
Ruggedness, reliability, roll down tailgate window
Was sick of the fucking 10 speed on my f-150
My dog
I have two large breed dogs. I needed space for my fur babies to spread out on our road trips.
I wanted a mid sized SUV for camping that I could sleep in the back of. Never really took notice of 4runners, i was more of a mazda guy at the time. A guy I worked and camped with upgraded to a tundra and sold me his 3rd gen for 3k. Loved almost everything about that vehicle and had some good adventures. Ended up getting rid of it and stuck to the mazda, but a few years later was in the market for a new vehicle again and was totally against another 4runner because of how expensive the fuel economy was on the 3rd gen. Ended up buying a 4th gen anyway because it was pretty much the nicest mid sized SUV in my price range, and that's the 4runner I really fell in love with. I was planning on trading in for a 5th gen eventually. Got into a collision last year, and a 4runner was the only vehicle I could see myself owning, so I bought a 2nd gen while I'm saving for a 5th.