Skip to main content

Toyota introduced the 4Runner in 1984, taking what made the Land Cruiser so successful and putting it in a smaller, more affordable package. It was conceived to compete with other hot off-road-ready SUVs, like the Ford Bronco, Chevy Blazer, and Land Rover Discovery.

It was fairly priced, and it quickly gained popularity as an unkillable truck. If you go on Craigslist right now and look for late 1980s or early 1990s 4Runners, you’ll see examples for sale with well over 300,000 miles on the odometer. However, you’d be hard-pressed to find one under $10,000.

Today, the 4Runner is one of Toyota’s best-selling cars (next to the RAV4 and Tacoma, of course). Priced from $42,220 to $66,900, it’s still fairly reasonable compared to its competitors. And, true to its nature, it’s still regarded as one of the most reliable trucks you can buy.

However, Chris Pyle, a tenured mechanic with GoBankingRates, says that a majority of 4Runner buyers would be better off buying something else.

He says Toyota 4Runners come with a lot of features that are never used

4Runners, just like back in the day, come with a lot of features that make them incredibly capable off-road. Like part of full-time four-wheel drive, a rear or center locking differential, multi-terrain select, crawl control, and active traction control.

It also comes with high ground clearance, and some models can have a quick disconnect feature on the sway bar links. All of these features, Pyle says, are rarely used by a majority of 4Runner owners—making them a waste of money.

“It is a great vehicle inside and outside — a purchase you will not be disappointed with,” he said. “The bad part though, it is designed to be off-road and most [people] do not do that. So, you are paying for features you have never used. A different and cheaper SUV to stay on the highway is better.”

The same argument can be made for most Jeep models, which come with incredible off-road features and a legendary four-wheel drive system. However, many owners, like those who buy three-row SUVs, buy them for “just in case” reasons instead.

That’s not to say 4Runner buyers are doing anything wrong by buying one—just that it might not be the best choice as a daily driver.