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Saturday, March 05, 2011
4Runner Caters To Off-Road Devotees
By Ken Walston
Of the Journal
When it came time to redesign the latest 4Runner, Toyota shunned the current trend among so many SUVs toward mutating into crossovers.
Instead of joining the crowd — like Ford's new Explorer — Toyota instead decided to ramp up the off-roader's attitude with bold styling, a big boost in performance, longer and wider dimensions, and more luxurious appointments inside.
That new styling definitely stands out in a crowd, square and bluff with a sharp-edged intensity that virtually shouts tough, if a bit overwrought. But the 4Runner is no pretender — it has the goods to back up what the styling suggests.
First off, the 4.0-liter V-6 is a pleasant surprise. With 4,675 pounds to push through the air, and the aerodynamics of a cinder block to overcome, the 4Runner is downright gutsy. Acceleration, whether away from a city stoplight or up a long interstate incline, is quite strong.
Yet the SUV delivers 17 miles per gallon in town and 22 mpg on the open road, not bad at all for a big four-wheel drive.
The tough theme continues underneath, with a good old live rear-axle rear suspension and heavy-duty shocks and springs. Skid plates offer off-road protection for the more vulnerable components.
Yet the 4Runner manages to deliver an unexpectedly serene highway ride for the most part. It takes a fairly sharp bump or pothole to expose the true truckish nature of the underpinnings, and it can get a tad bouncy on less-than-ideal roads.
The cabin continues the big 'n bold theme, with a kind of industrial design highlighted by unfortunately severe plastics, hard to the touch and too numerous in texture and finish. Speaking of hard, the front bucket seats are quite unforgiving in their firmness.
Ergonomically, the gauges and switchgear are logically placed and easy to access.
Toyota obviously believes there remains a cadre of buyers who demand true off-road capacity in their SUVs. The 2011 4Runner handily meets their requirements.
2011 Toyota 4Runner SR5 4x4
VEHICLE TYPE: Four-door, five-passenger SUV
BASE PRICE: $30,915
PRICE AS TESTED: $36,634 (incl. delivery fees)
POWERTRAIN: 4.0-liter, DOHC, V-6; 270 horsepower; 278 lb.-ft. torque; five-speed automatic transmission; all-wheel drive
WHEELBASE/LENGTH: 109.8"/189.9"
CURB WEIGHT: 4,675 pounds
EPA FUEL RATING: 17 mpg city/22 highway (regular grade)
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