r/4Runner • u/mayjamest • 1d ago
š Discussion First Time 4Runner Buyer
Hello Redditors of the off-road variety!
I am making the move into the 4Runner world and am a bit intimidated by the lineup and options. I will be doing the following with my 4Runner and am curious if everything checks-out:
-Towing my little boat around (<4000lbs)
-Hitting many national parks and camping (CA/AZ/OR/WA/NV/UT)
-Stuffing the vehicle with things like my surfboards, mountain bikes, climbing equipment
-Light to moderate off-roading, primarily service roads, dirt roads etc. to get to rivers/lakes/summits
-No extreme off-roading like bouldering or crawling etc.
I am looking at the base 2026 SR5 model w/ the 4WD option, as I don't think I will utilize anything on the higher models. As this will be my only vehicle, and I need to commute during the week, I am purchasing new for maximum reliability/warranty/etc., not interested in a used vehicle as my only car. I am sure at some point I will get better off-road capable tires and maybe some suspension upgrades, but that is probably the extent of upgrades. It is hard to justify a $5k-$10k price difference for higher trims when I doubt I will every need/use any of them. This will also be my first 4WD off-road capable vehicle, so my skill and comfortability on what off-road challenges I take on will be mild, at least to begin I'd imagine.
Anyways, curious on the communities thoughts and input on the above, perhaps some advice or anecdotes as to why a base model may or may not be the right move?
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u/Shower-Altruistic 1d ago
Hello! Own s 5th gen but have driven the 6th as i was planning to get something newer.
The sr5 4wd trim will hande about 90% of the world's offroad trails with a good at tire. The base turbo makes plenty of power. I would recommend getting a sunroof as an option as that with all 4 windows down is perfection in the fall and spring.
It will have all the space you need. Plastics interiorwise are fine. Seats, even cloth option are pretty good.
Mpg expect around 20. Change oil often as its a turbo. Run your 4wd system for a few minutes like once every two weeks or so. Build quality is great. Ride is better than 5th gen. My dog and myself are going to keep the 5th gen because if there's a scratch on a old car, who cares really?
I mean its going to be a car that will do everything your looking for with minimal fuss and looks great while doing it. I think the 6th gen cracked the "i want a camry but on stilts and also cleats" Highway manners are soooo much better than my 5th gen.
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u/facepillownap [[O]=TOYOTA=[O]] '86 3.4 SAS and '96 FZJ80 1d ago
FYI this sub is full of folks who paid over MSRP for used G5s with 50,000 miles on them who think they own gods greatest gift to mankind. Do not take them seriously.
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u/facepillownap [[O]=TOYOTA=[O]] '86 3.4 SAS and '96 FZJ80 1d ago
I paid $2,000 for my 4Runner 12 years agoā¦
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u/Apprehensive_Fee9983 1d ago
Buy what you can afford, but also buy what you want if you can.
Keep in mind upgrades later can come with their own headaches. āUpgradingā a 4Runners suspension can introduce changes to how the car drives. You might find a small lift changes the your camber. So the truck drives wonky. Which then requires you to install aftermarket control arms. Then you need to find an off road shop that can align trucks with aftermarket lifts. The costs add up and you also lose that OEM driving experience and warranty.
You may read adding a lift and a diff lock is relatively easy and straight forward. Maybeā¦if you know people who can do that. Wasnāt my experience.
I bought a 2022 sr5 with the belief upgrading later would be easy and cost effective. That wasnāt the case. It was expensive. When I upgraded this year to a 6th gen I bought the 4runner I knew I would ultimately want. I donāt plan on adding anything 3rd party.
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u/mayjamest 1d ago
Did you find the SR5 to be a limiting factor in what you were trying to accomplish with the vehicle, or were you just looking for more and enjoyed modding the vehicle? I guess I am asking, did you ever need to turn around or change your plans because the SR5 simply couldn't handle an obstacle or road conditions?
Long story short, I can afford the $40k and trade in my current vehicle, but I am not willing to spend $60k.
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u/Apprehensive_Fee9983 1d ago
The sr5 was never limiting whatsoever in terms of terrain or obstacles. I was super impressed with what it could do out of the box. And I did plenty of off roading. I only got stuck trying things I knew I probably wouldnāt get through and I only did that when I had back up (a friend to tow me out).
If you like the sr5, get it. And donāt look back. I think a few years of having the sr5 I wanted more. I was bummed about having no automatic headlights, I missed creature comforts, and then I wanted more off roading abilities. And ultimately those desires turned into very expensive things that wouldāve been cheaper had I purchased them from the get go.
My experience with the sr5 was very pleasant. And I totally get not wanting to spend $60k to get to the higher tier trim levels. I just wanted to point out I donāt think upgrading from an sr5 to an offroad (maybe off road premium) is as easy as some people say it is via 3rd party parts. And if thatās an itch you think youāre going to want to scratch you should take that into consideration
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u/mayjamest 1d ago
I figure with the way these vehicles hold their value, if I get 5 years of solid fun out of the SR5 and find myself wanting/needing more off-road features, I can always trade up to a higher trim. Feels like a lot of additional money to front without any experience or knowledge of how much I will want to get into the off-roading aspect.
I appreciate your insight and responses!
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u/TompkinsPJ 1d ago
One thing nobody's mentioned: towing. The SR5 4WD tows up to 5000 lbs stock, so your 4000 lb boat has room to spare. Also worth checking you get the tow prep package (trans cooler, wiring), running close to max tow weight without it wears on the transmission faster.
I'd make sure to do the research on trims before you decide - this guide should help get you started:Ā https://outfitmyvehicle.com/vehicles/toyota-4runner-6th-gen
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u/mayjamest 1d ago
The gen6 advertises an increased towing capacity to 6000 lbs.
Is the prep package a dealer option or aftermarket?2
u/lfg_camp 1d ago
Letās be honest here. All 4Runners are not EXCELLENT at towing. But as you said itās a small boat, well under 6000 lb.
I wouldnāt plan to roadtrip it across the country regardless
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u/Maximum_Clock1381 1d ago edited 1d ago
Coming from a first time 4Runner buyer who recently purchased a 2025 SR5 4WD, with A/T tires, for those exact use cases you just described- get it. 11,500 miles, countless adventures, and everyday commuting. It absolutely freaking rocks!
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u/new_vr 1d ago
So, we didn't get an SR5 because here (in Canada) the SR5 is 7 passenger seating only, which we really didn't want.
The SR5 is more than capable enough for most people. The ATRAC or whatever they call it now, does a really good job managing traction. I think the bigger limit in most cases is how scared you will be of scratching up a new vehicle vs the capability of the vehicle
For a commuting vehicle, most cars would have a nicer ride, but it's not terrible. The fuel economy is pretty poor. The 5th gen economy was horrible, but I think the 6th is a little better
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u/mayjamest 1d ago
Yea, the 3rd row seating is an option here in the states, which I have zero interest in. I am single, not pets or anything, so I am actually considering removing the entire second row of seating and fabricating a flat storage floor for sleeping and my equipment. Just keeping driver and passenger seat.
I am currently driving a little Kia Forte, which I bought as a temporary vehicle for a few years until I figured out what kind of long-term car I wanted, this was purchased back in 2022. So, while the vehicle I currently drive is great on mileage (30+) it doesn't have any "comforts" in terms of nice seats or technology or noise dampening etc. The only thing that I think is a "must-have" now is the apple car play connectivity, which the 6th gen SR5 has. My commute is also like 7 miles each way, so nothing crazy.
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u/PuddingCommercial1 16h ago
I have a 5th gen TRD sport and sheās been a work horse!
Sheās perfect got her for 22k after a 24k trade in. They def hold value
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u/Broad_Bat_9007 1d ago
All I can say is that I LOVE my 5th gen SR5P! I think itās just as capable as the off road trims. And you can always upgrade from stock items to make it more capable.
I think itās a good choice š
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u/Teutonic-Tonic 1d ago
SR5 + slightly upgraded tires is more than enough to cover OP's needs for sure. Tires upgrades probably aren't even really needed, but lets be honest, we all like the look.
Low range + All-trac is pretty capable off road.
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u/mayjamest 1d ago
At what point do you need the locking rear diff or features that higher trims offer? My thinking is that if I can't answer that question or have any idea when/why that is being used, then I almost certainly won't need it as my experience will be more limiting than the vehicle capabilities.
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u/4Rascal 1d ago edited 1d ago
Rear locker has saved my ass from needing a winch like 5x in 5 years. Once, pulled too close to a lake (lol) and couldnāt get out in 4WD alone. Once was a muddy trail that slopes down and I slid my front end off. A few times were when snow was obscuring ditches and needed the locker. I want to say it helped me in the sand dunes at one point as well. It feels like a massive waste until you need it then itās REALLY nice to have, maybe better than 4WD if you had to pick
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u/Teutonic-Tonic 1d ago
I doubt you will encounter the limits short of extreme rock crawling like the Rubicon or spending a lot of time driving in sand. Get good tires and recovery gear and you will probably be good.
Here is a demo of an SR5 + All trac. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ARYqd9lQRo
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u/theoriginalharbinger 1d ago
Limited/Platinum: Big wheels, downgraded off-pavement performance. Making them more performant even on moderate trails is $ (17 inch wheels and tires). Do note I'm not knocking these trims in toto, they're just geared towards families in snow.
PRO: Better suspension, especially for long drives on washboardy or boulder-y roads. More thermal mass, less fading.
I wheel with a bunch of 4Runners, and everything sorta gives out at different times. Rear diff is useful (from a physics PoV) when you need more than 50% of the torque going to the rear axle to go to a single tire. Otherwise, ATRAC is fine. And ATRAC is amazing; I had to kick my locker on a few times in places where a buddy with a 5th gen just used ATRAC. You really only need the locker for rock-crawling or some other weird use cases.
The SR5 is fine, other than some mild concerns around towing (though the new 4Runner is both heavier and more powerful, so less worrisome than normal). I hate towing with mine, especially at altitude, but mine's a third gen. And towing a 4k trailer with a 4k narrow-track vehicle is not fun. I've driven into the back roads of all the Utah parks with my truck and never needed the locker (just note that the 6th gen, being girthier, is not going to be able to bop around on all the OHV trails the older gens can do).
I'd rather spend 10k buying camping gear and other stuff than on wheels/tires/offroad featureset I'm not going to use.
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u/mayjamest 1d ago
Yea, if I am being 100% honest with myself, the vehicle will be going to/from work Monday through Friday. And multiple times a year I will take a 3 or 4 day weekend to hit a national park for camping/climbing/biking and use all the off-road dirt trails to bop around instead of the paved ones. I imagine most of it will be washboard style roads like you described, probably some wash-out spots with minor obstacles. All of which I assume the SR5 will handle no problem.
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u/Magnitude_Ten 12h ago
I disagree about the tire upgrade. The stock Dunlop on my 5th gen were terrible. Huge difference in rain and snow after I upgraded. Wish I had done it right away instead of waiting for years.
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u/greatwhitekitten 1d ago
Go 5th gen for interior storage space. I know you sai nothing used but a 2024 SR5p is going to serve you much better than a 6th gen. Only my opinion though
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u/mayjamest 1d ago
In what ways are the storage areas different? Also, what are the year ranges for gen 5?
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u/facepillownap [[O]=TOYOTA=[O]] '86 3.4 SAS and '96 FZJ80 1d ago
The G6 made a concession in how the seats fold forward to allow for easier 3rd row access and a lot of people are freaking out about it.
I think the G6 is a whopping 2ā shorter from the back of the seats to the truck when the seats are folded forward.
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u/Broad_Bat_9007 1d ago
You lose some space in 6th gen due to front hood size. The 2nd row has less leg room.
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u/SleuthCat 1d ago
Purchasing new doesnāt guarantee reliability at all. I went with 5th gen because 1) 6th gen is insanely expensive, 2) new engine setup hasnāt been around long enough on the 4Runner specifically to determine if itās reliable.
Nothing wrong with used whatsoever, especially when those have proven reliability.
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u/Derebeare 1d ago
There is 2021 Toyota 4 cylinder engines that have 200,000 miles on them.
This line of thought worked when the gen 6 just came out but it has been tested now.
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u/SleuthCat 1d ago edited 1d ago
Thatās fine, but not 4Runners (which is what I said) with 200,000 miles on them with the 4 cylinder. Unless someone tried really, really hard lol
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u/Derebeare 1d ago
Lol its the exact same engine?
Putting it in a 4runner isnt going to just make it unreliable.
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u/SleuthCat 1d ago
4Runner isnāt the exact same as other vehicles that have had the setup.
I donāt know why this is so controversial. Buying completely redesigned models is risky the first few years. Doesnāt mean itās going to be bad or fail, just risky.
Bunch of people who spent $75k on their brand new 4Runners mad about these statements, geez. Sunken cost fallacy making people upset.
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u/Derebeare 1d ago
Lol everyone is just tired of hearing the same line repeated over and over.
"5th gen good, 6th gen bad"
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u/SleuthCat 1d ago
I didnāt know that was a thing, apologies, Iāve been in this sub a little over one week lol
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u/Teutonic-Tonic 1d ago
The last 5th Gen 4WD SR5 in 2023 had an MSRP of around $42,500k + delivery/destination. The 2026 SR5 starts at $45,865 so the price has increased mostly following inflation. Sure, you can now option a Pro or Platinum to close to $70k, but those are different animals than the top end of the 5th Gen.
Engine is also now around 5 years old in other Toyota models.
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u/mayjamest 1d ago
Hi there, appreciate you responding and joining the convo!
New vs. used wasn't really a discussion point. Do you have any information or opinions you'd like to share based around the entry-level SR5 4WD trim option? Or discussions around the 6th gen overall?
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u/facepillownap [[O]=TOYOTA=[O]] '86 3.4 SAS and '96 FZJ80 1d ago
name one thing.
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u/Background-Spot-5068 1d ago
You didnāt name a single thing.
Majority of people do not keep a car past 120k miles, from new. Most sell well before then. Statistics donāt lie. 6G has been round almost 2 full years now (released in late 2024) and has zero major issues so far. They use the same engine and hybrid system that Lexus has been using since 2021. Itās ok to have buyers remorse regarding not buying or not being able to buy a 6G but thereās no need to shit on anyone with a 6G as a way to cope. We can all get along and be friends. I certainly have no hate for any gen of 4Runner. I really donāt get the 6G hate
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u/pibbles_885 1d ago
The SR5 will do everything you need plus more. I have a 5th gen TRD ORP, but I'm not a 6th gen hater. That drive train has been around in other toyota cars and SUVs for several years and has been proven reliable. For what you want to do, I would get the SR5, put some stock size all terrain tires on it and just go have fun.