suv vs p'up ?

[7echo]

I was going to get a new(to me) vehicle a year ago but family issues slowed down the process. Back looking again and have some questions for the Toyota crew here-
I was looking at 4door Tacos and 4 runners. The truck has a bed and would get a topper. It seems to me the truck would be more versatile? A 4runner just can't haul the stuff the truck can, but with 4 doors a truck has plenty of interior space for 2 adults and a kid. Is there something I am missing as far as the suv is concerned? never had one, only trucks, so I don't know if they ride better, are more comfortable, etc? Don't need 4wd, but a little lift, decent tires, maybe suspension upgrades.

Also, I searched the KBB and was surprised that 6 cylinder Tacos are listed a touch more expensive than a similarly equipped Tundra w/v8.

 

[verticaltrx]

I had a '97 reg cab Tacoma w/ camper shell and recently got a '97 4runner. For most of what I do the 4runner has been more useful. I can fold down the rear seats and have as much 'bed space' as my Tacoma did. Also it's easier to get to the gear in the back through the rear doors vs having to crawl in the back to get stuff out with the taco. I thought about extended cab trucks and double cab trucks, but they were just too long for the tight trails we have around here. I did have to upgrade the suspension on my 4runner, but now it hauls as much as my tacoma did with comfort and ease. The ride is about the same as the pickup, but the seats and interior is much nicer, making long drives easier.

As for the price, the Tacomas seem to have a much higher (inflated) resale value than the 4runners. Might be due to a stronger export market for the pickups, maybe they are just in higher demand, IDK. Almost every Tacoma I looked at they were asking 150% of KBB and wouldn't budge on price. Needles to say I gave up on that and got a 4runner.

 

[laxtoy]

i had a 92 4runner, and it was a great setup for what i needed it to do. getting to the pass, hauling friends around, good stock offroad, but as needs changed, i decided i needed a truck, and it was mostly because i had too many tools to carry in the 4runner anymore. i think if you plan to haul people and pets more often, get the 4runner. they are great vehicles, and seem to be a bit more refined. if you want to haul stuff in the 4runner, i could fit 4 or more 4'x8' sheets of 1/2" plywood with the gate and seats down, and as long as 12's with a little hanging out the back. worried about a mess, throw down some plastic. you can't haul long stuff in the double cab, unless it has a slider, that 5' bed is pretty small. you also mentioned price, and i think you could find a well equipped 4runner a lot cheaper than a double cab

 

[austintaco]

I have a double cab 03 Tacoma with a shell. It does everything I would want except that you can't sleep "comfortably" in the 5' bed with the tail gate shut.
With a 4runner, you can fold the seat down and you have the room to sleep.

Just something to think about, but with an RTT, a sportz tent attached to back or just some canvas, the problem is remedied.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Depends on your definition of "versatile" I suppose. I had an '04 Taco Extended cab that I thought would be a perfect exploration vehicle. Took it on 3 or 4 extended trips and after my last one, I put it up for sale and got a '99 4Runner instead.

The truck is better for hauling large, bulky items but for everything else the 4runner works better. As has been pointed out, you actually have a longer uninterrupted storage space in a 4runner with the seat down than you do in a double-cab Taco.

The 4runner is also notably shorter than the ex-cab or double-cab Taco which can help you in tight, twisty trails, or when trying to parallell park or make a U-turn on a city street.

Also, if you travel in deserts or dusty environments, be aware that it's very difficult to seal a truck bed to keep out dust. So, if you are planning on sleeping in the bed area, just note that your bed will be covered in dust every night. I Haven't taken my 4runner into the desert yet but generally, being a passenger vehicle, sealing the interior compartment is a bit easier.

The final reason I got the 4runner is because at that time my truck was my only 4 wheeled vehicle, and it was impossible to carry more than 1 passenger in it (Toyota classifies the Ex-cab Taco as a "5 passenger" vehicle but that's a joke.)

A few other things to consider in the Taco vs 4runner consideration:

* The Taco has a simple leaf spring rear suspension, where the 4runner has a more sophisticated and better riding 4-link suspension with coils

* 4runners, generally speaking, are more "up-contented" than Tacos: Things like power windows, power door locks, remote keyless entry, and air conditioning are pretty much standard. To get those on a Taco you usually have to find a TRD and they are pricey.

* It's pretty easy to find a 4runner with a rear locker. Again, with the Taco you have to get the TRD in order to get this or install one yourself.

Of course, the above could be a plus or a minus depending on your intentions. Some people like the idea of a simple rig with fewer things on it to break.

On the flip side, if you favor manual transmissions over automatic, it's easier to find a manual on a Taco than it is on a 4runner (except for the double-cab Taco, those were all automatics until 2005.)

 

[hilux30]

when I picked up my 07 taco AC it was one the toughest auto decision I had to make, to SUV or not to SUV? but I'm happy that I got the pick-up, as family decided to open a business and the renovations were full of drywall work, and that is where the pick-up and a trailer was golden!
It is just me and the girlfriend now, and the Access Cab has not been an issue so far, but we both know that IF and only IF kids start poping out, then.... well then a new volvo estate wagon is inline and the taco stays, I put my foot down and tolled her not to ever ask me to change over to a minivan .... maybe just maybe a 4Runner but that's as far as I'll go.

 

[7echo]

Thanks for the comments, good things to consider. I am looking for long bed trucks, so 6' box. How deep is the 4runner with the seats down?
A dealer has an '07 DC Taco TRD, was $23k, now 'reduced' to 19,800. It has 73,000 miles, but has been well cared for. More than I want to spend, but it drove nice. I will have to look closer at the 4Runners and do some cost comparison, you all make some good points.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Thanks for the comments, good things to consider. I am looking for long bed trucks, so 6' box. How deep is the 4runner with the seats down?

The back seat in the 3rd gen 4runner (96 - 02) is composed of two seats split in the middle.

Both seats are in two pieces, a bottom cushion that is hinged on the forward end, and a back cushion that is hinged on the bottom.

The standard way to drop the seat is to flip the bottom cushion forward, it rests vertically against the back of the front seats. The back cusion then drops downward. With this arrangement, the bottom cushion takes up approximately 4 -6" of usable space. With the seat in this position, distance to the inside of the closed liftgate is about 70", or 5'10". Not quite long enough for me to sleep in (I'm 6'1".)

The good news is that the seat bottom cushions are held on by two easy-to-access bolts that come of with just a few turns of a socket wrench:

This allows you to remove the seat bottoms altogether and gives you more length:

Of course, as you can see that length is "hanging out" in thin air. So, for my car-camping purposes, I made a simple shelf that sits on the driveline hump:

That covers the gap pretty nicely and gives me an uninterrupted 76" of length to the closed liftgate, 6'4", more than enough. I haven't tried it out yet but when I go to Death Valley in March, I'll use it and let the folks here know how well it works.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Forgot another thing...

...another advantage of the 4runner vs the Taco is that starting with the 1999 models, the 4runner was available with a multi-mode transfer case that allows you to run in full-time 4wd. On 99 - 2000 the multi-mode was only on the Limited 4runners (most of which have the E-locker as well.) Beginning in 2001, multi-mode was standard but sadly, the E-locker was no longer an option these years. The E-locker was not available again until 2009.

All 4th gen 4runners (2003 - 2009) have either a multi-mode 4wd system (V6 models) or full-time 4wd (V8 models.) The 4th gen V8 4runner is, IMO, sort of a "baby Land Cruiser." You can get most of the advantages of a true LC but at significantly lower cost.

 

[RU55ELL]

I know a guy who is selling his Tacoma if you are interested.

 

[laxtoy]

martin, you almost have me convinced to sell my taco and go get another 4runner!

 

[RusM]

I've had both, one stock and one stock to not. The 4Runner never got close to the fuel mileage f the DC, even stock to stock. I like the space of the 4Runner, but for working out of the DC was superior, I could put my concrete stuff in the back and it didn't fog up the windows or get concrete dust scattered around the truck. DC had a bad turning radius, 4Runner turns pretty sharp, even on 35's. 4Runner has a better wheelbase for wheeling, but more sheetmetal to damage.

 

[Redline]

A very good description of the 4th Gen., Land Cruiser 'light'. Of course my car needs another nickname like a you know what...

snip...

All 4th gen 4runners (2003 - 2009) have either a multi-mode 4wd system (V6 models) or full-time 4wd (V8 models.) The 4th gen V8 4runner is, IMO, sort of a "baby Land Cruiser." You can get most of the advantages of a true LC but at significantly lower cost.

 

[Mamontof]

Some idea to update SUV http://home.intekom.com/mcguyver/popup/

 

[Cackalak Han]

I've had both, and much more prefer the 4-door Tacoma. The bed is only 5', but that little thing squeezes out some impressive utility. I've hauled king-size bed/frame, mulch, mold-infested drywall bits, carpet, nasty fishing/hunting gear, etc. Couldn't have done that in my old 4Runner(s). I guess a solution is a SUV+trailer, but that's a hassle in itself. If you're wanting to sleep in the back, you can leave the tail gate open and get one of those truck bed tents. Oh, drive-in's are nice, too, especially for the kids. Leaf springs mean more carrying capacity. Ride isn't any different, IMO, between the 2 4Runners I've had and the 01 Tacoma.

Unfortunately, I had to sell my Tacoma for a LC, as it was going to be my wife's DD and the Taco with no ABS, VSC, etc. wasn't the best. Now that I've had this SUV for a year, I sorely miss the truck. I'm hoping to pick up (no pun) another Tacoma this year.

One other thing is, Tacoma's tend to hold their value better than 4Runners, which means it'll be more expensive to purchase (used), but when/if you resell it, you will usually sell it quicker and for more money.