The 80 is wider. The 80 is heavier. The 80 is taller. The 80 is awesomer? lol
No in all seriousness, it's a different animal. You have to keep in mind I had 33's on the 4Runner and 35's on the Cruiser which are a dramatic advantage for the 80, so it's not exactly apples vs. apples. I get high centered less and hang up on less objects in the 80 but I would assume that is due to more ground clearance (4Runner was 2.5/3.5" lift 80 is about 3/3.5" lift) plus the 1" increase in clearance in tire size. I would say I definitely notice the weight more than anything. I feel I have to be a little more careful in off-camber muddy or snowy sections knowing that if the truck slips it's going to run away real fast and regaining control would be more of a task than the lighter 4Runner. I think in this regard it also ties in to the aspect of agility, where the 4Runner definitely felt more manoeuvrable in tight quarters both in dimensional size and it's ability to quickly change direction. The 80 almost requires more pre-planning of your lines and a little more attention. The 80 sucks on washboards in comparison but the last time I did washboards was with OME heavies and no bumpers or armor, so that may change now with the heft I have since added, but I still expect the 4Runner to be more comfortable in that area. However, overall, I feel more confidence in the 80 offroad. I definitely feel more comfortable in off-camber situations as the 80 just feels more stable (wider track width and bigger tires). It is also just a "tank" and it feels like nothing will stop you. I would say driving the same trails with both of my vehicles, the 80 for sure does obstacles with more ease, despite the aspect that I generally feel more "involved" in the driving experience. VERY subjective thoughts here but maybe I just dont know how to describe it. The 80 turns way more heads and has more "cool" factor IMO. It also has way more finicky little maintenance items and costs more to maintain. Even though my 4Runner was only 1 year newer, it felt like a substantially newer vehicle. Obviously the 80 series platform started in 1990 where the 3rd Gen was new in 96' but it's still worth noting. The 80 is gutless and feels even more underpowered than the 4Runner all while getting worse fuel economy. Would I take the 4Runner back and start again given the opportunity? Absolutely not.
