","modalTemplate":"
Seriously, how cool does the 4Runner TRD Pro look?
Emme Hall/Roadshow
While many automakers claim theirSUVshave rough and rugged, go-anywhere attitudes, few can actually deliver that sort of performance. When it comes to climbing rocks and getting properly muddy, you need a true 4x4 SUV to handle the rough stuff. Enter the tried-and-true丰田4 runner.
Like
-
Unmatched off-road ability
-
Standard driver-assistance technology
-
广泛的可以le trims and options
Don't Like
-
Harsh on-road ride quality
-
Old V6 is hardly fuel-efficient
-
Toughest competitor is a used 4Runner
The 4Runner is one of the few SUVs available today with body-on-frame construction, as opposed to the car-basedcrossoversthat are increasingly popular with shoppers. Available with seating for up to seven passengers, as stripped-out or fully loaded as you like, the 4Runner can be many things to many people. But all four-wheel drive models pack serious off-road chops, with a two-speed transfer case and 9.6 inches of ground clearance. No, the 4Runner isn't as smooth and comfortable on-road as car-based crossovers, but if you plan to hit the trails, its abilities are hard to match.
Under the hood is a positively ancient 4.0-liter V6, pushing out 270 horsepower and 278 pound-feet of torque though a five-speed automatic transmission. In a world where eight-speed automatics are increasingly the norm, this old fiver doesn't quite cut it. Sure, it shifts smoothly, but it doesn't do the 4Runner any favors as far as fuel efficiency is concerned. The EPA claims the 2020 4Runner should achieve 16 mpg in the city, 19 mpg highway and 17 mpg combined. During my week with the off-road-ready TRD Pro trim, I saw just 14.6 mpg. Yeesh.
On the road, the 4Runner is only adequate. Sure, it keeps up with traffic just fine, and you know, turns and stops, but it's not exactly pleasing to drive on pavement. At the end of the day, the 4Runner is a truck and it behaves like one -- well, one from a decade or so ago, since that's how old its underpinnings are. While newer midsize trucks are much smoother on the road, the 4Runner is stiff and bouncy, jouncing along the highway. If you plan to use your new SUV for commuting, something like the newToyota Highlanderor smallerRAV4are probably a better bet.
However, if your goal is to get out and enjoy the great outdoors, the 4Runner is an excellent choice. The TRD Off-Road and TRD Pro trims come with an electronically locking rear differential, a Multi-Terrain Select four-wheel drive system and Crawl Control, all of which help drivers scamper up and over obstacles like they ain't no thang. For more impressions of those features,take a look at my earlier testwhere I took a 4Runner on a trip from Moab, Utah, over to the mountains to Ouray, Colorado.
Though the bones of the 2020 4Runner are old, the technology has finally moved into the present day.Toyota'ssuite of driving aids, Safety Sense P, is now standard across all trims. Yes, your old-as-dirt 4Runner now comes with modern conveniences like lane-departure warning, pre-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic high beams and adaptive cruise control. The bummer here, however, is that the adaptive cruise doesn't work below 25 mph, so it's pretty useless in stop-and-go traffic, which is where I want to use it most. Blind-spot monitoring is also conspicuously absent.
In-dash tech gets an upgrade as well, with an Entune infotainment system that is finally compatible withApple CarPlayandAndroid Auto. Heck, even Amazon Alexa is part of the game now. The 8-inch color touchscreen is nothing really to write home about, but its usability is sufficient. Front passengers get one USB and 12-volt outlet plus another 12-volt in the center armrest. Rear seat passengers are treated to two, 2.1-amp USB charging ports. In the cargo area there is a 120-volt/400-watt three-prong outlet as well as another 12-volt, to keep all your camping gear up and running.
Inside, the 4Runner can only be described as utilitarian at best. The knobs are big and bulky, but easy to use with gloves on, and all the off-road controls are on the headliner above the rearview mirror. Staggered cupholders means there's never a debate over whose Diet Dr. Pepper is whose and large door pockets can accommodate all kinds of swag. For some reason, the built-in tissue box holder on the inside lid of the center console just charms the hell out of me.