Help me decide: 5th Gen 4Runner vs FJ80/LX450 for a family of 5

[Over The Silent Planet]

Hello! First time poster here looking for some opinions. If you had three young kids (oldest being six), which of these would you choose to build for your expedition/adventure vehicle? I would love to NOT go with a full size domestic vehicle. Help convince me that's possible! Here's where I'm at with the pros and cons of each. What would you add to this list?

5th gen 4R
Pros:
• easy to find low mileage specimens
• proven, reliable drivetrain
• biggest 4R yet
• all things considered, decent fuel economy

Cons:
• higher price of admission
• some say it's underpowered
• not quite as bombproof as LC series
• is it big enough?

FJ80/LX450
Pros:
• pretty much bombproof
• wider, larger cargo area
• axles & factory locker options
• cheaper price of admission

Cons:
• all of them seem to have really high miles
• the ever-present specter of rust
• lots of attention required as parts wear out/fail from high mileage
• fuel economy is abysmal

I could get either with 3rd row seating, but I'm sure I would need that space for fridge/storage. Either vehicle would require a roof rack. I would love a tent up top as long as it left room for more storage on the rack in pelican cases.

Do any of you have a family of five with experience with either platform?

 

[chaentjens]

I have a family of five without a third row without any complaints!! I absolutely love it!
I've had a fzj80 and it was awesome but much heavier and most of the time to big for trails in the northeast.

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[Over The Silent Planet]

I have a family of five without a third row without any complaints!! I absolutely love it!
I've had a fzj80 and it was awesome but much heavier and most of the time to big for trails in the northeast.
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

Thanks for the reply. Great looking truck!

What all do you fit in the cargo area? Do you carry all your food, gear, tent, etc. in the back, or does some of it go up top on the factory rails? Are any of your kids in car seats in the second row?

 

[bkg]

Apples and water buffalo comparison.

Intended use?

 

[dman93]

Family of 4, not 5, but owned an 80 for 12 years, while our kids went from age 3 &5 to ages 15 and 17. Our son learned to drive in the 80. We never felt a lack of room, though we did sometimes use a rooftop cargo box (half width), mostly for skis or for camping gear with 6 or 8 people. Tackling a hardcore trail with 8 people on board (early 80’s had 3 seat belts in the 3rd row, up until ‘95 or so) is pretty special. I called it our Rubicon minivan. However, although the 80 felt plush and luxurious when we first bought it, by 2008 it seemed slow, rough riding, and not that safe for a family (no airbags in our ‘93, and generally poor active safety, especially with a 2”lift). Though it had been very reliable, inevitable repairs seemed like they would be pricey. I sometimes miss it, but I’d take a 5th gen in a heartbeat.
Edit: in the early years, we did have 3 car seats across once or twice.

 

[chaentjens]

I have a family of five without a third row without any complaints!! I absolutely love it!
I've had a fzj80 and it was awesome but much heavier and most of the time to big for trails in the northeast.
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

Thanks for the reply. Great looking truck!

What all do you fit in the cargo area? Do you carry all your food, gear, tent, etc. in the back, or does some of it go up top on the factory rails? Are any of your kids in car seats in the second row?

I have storage in the back that Carrie's all my tools,spares,recovery equipment etc.
I haven't had car seats in it. But you could fit two big car seats and a small person in between. Or 3 booster seats.

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[Over The Silent Planet]

Apples and water buffalo comparison.

Intended use?

Ha! Would you really go that far in contrasting these two rigs? It seems people do almost all the same things in each.

I intend to build it up as a reliable adventure rig that can get us from the South to places out West from Death Valley to Moab to Big Bend to the Denali Highway.

 

[bkg]

Ha! Would you really go that far in contrasting these two rigs? It seems people do almost all the same things in each.

I intend to build it up as a reliable adventure rig that can get us from the South to places out West from Death Valley to Moab to Big Bend to the Denali Highway.

DD or dedicated?

I honestly would go that far... Why? 20 years of design is a long ways apart... and as was highlighted in the OP, the results are also very different.

What is similar? Size and brand. I think that's about it.

Don't get me wrong... I fully understand the reason for looking at both... but I'd add a Gx470 and FZJ100/LX470 to the comparison list given the gap between the 80/4Runner.

 

[nick-v]

Can't help with vehicule choice, but as a father of 3, i would definitely go for 3 rows of seats. Even if they get along side by side now, chances are it won't last. Screaming and arguing kids in the back can ruin a nice trip...

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[tennesseewj]

Will this be a daily or just a toy? Squeezing in truck maintenance with three small kids can get difficult, so I would lean towards a newer and lower mileage rig for that scenario. If it's a toy and you can afford some more downtime maybe it's a different story.

I loved the awesomeness of my 80 series, but I spent more time planning projects than I did planning adventures.

Any reason you excluded the GX platform and the 100 series from your options?

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[Over The Silent Planet]

DD or dedicated?

I honestly would go that far... Why? 20 years of design is a long ways apart... and as was highlighted in the OP, the results are also very different.

What is similar? Size and brand. I think that's about it.

Don't get me wrong... I fully understand the reason for looking at both... but I'd add a Gx470 and FZJ100/LX470 to the comparison list given the gap between the 80/4Runner.

Good question. My initial thought is that an 80 would be dedicated while the 4R could be a DD with its better fuel economy.

Will this be a daily or just a toy? Squeezing in truck maintenance with three small kids can get difficult, so I would lean towards a newer and lower mileage rig for that scenario. If it's a toy and you can afford some more downtime maybe it's a different story.

I loved the awesomeness of my 80 series, but I spent more time planning projects than I did planning adventures.

Any reason you excluded the GX platform and the 100 series from your options?

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Agreed about the older vehicle maintenance...

I'll look into the GX. The 100 series just seems too big and heavy to me.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

100 series for a family of 5 hands down. The same weight as an 80 and only slightly larger with V8 power and rear ac.

 

[JLee]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/LexusGXOR/

+1 to the GX470/GX460 suggestions.

I would also consider the Sequoia - it's larger than a LC.

 

[Over The Silent Planet]

100 series for a family of 5 hands down. The same weight as an 80 and only slightly larger with V8 power and rear ac.

Rear AC! Now that I think about it, the 3rd row 4Rs don't have rear AC. There are vents on the rear of the console and on the floor under the front bucket seats. If you're in the 3rd row of a 4R, there's pretty much no airflow getting to you. That's pretty lame.

 

[CreeperSleeper]

I would also push you towards a 100-Series...