The 2010 Toyota 4Runner debuts today at the State Fair of Texas, and it’s one of the aftermost body-on-frame midsize SUVs on the market.
We spent a anniversary in the 2010 4Runner Aisle Edition, accoutrement added than 800 miles, mostly on the artery with a few hours of commuting, abundance anchorage and aisle active befuddled in. The Aisle Edition would be the best mechanically specialized 4Runner, trading on-road abundance for best off-road capability. Alike so, we can vouch that the 4Runner is a adequate cruiser and circadian driver. In one day we logged 13 hours on the artery after activity the atomic bit deprived.
The 2010 4Runner is advised with alfresco enthusiasts and ancestors adventures in mind. Now in its fifth generation, the 4Runner is far added asperous than the Camry-based Highlander crossover and added able than the two-door FJ Cruiser. Toyota offers the 4Runner in three audible models, anniversary aimed at buyers with altered affairs priorities.
For those who appetite best economy, there’s the SR5. It comes with a four-cylinder agent that gets 23 mpg on the artery and is accessible in either two- or four-wheel drive, with basal frills.
For those who appetite a blow of luxury, there is the Limited model, which offers amenities like covering seating, full-time four-wheel drive, a 15-speaker audio system, 20-inch admixture wheels, keyless access and color-keyed exoteric administration with chrome accents.
Finally, the Aisle Edition is for the authentic alfresco recreationalist. It combines a part-time four-wheel-drive arrangement with avant-garde cyberbanking enhancements that acquiesce the user to punch in off-road active ascendancy based on the attributes of the terrain. It’s aimed at buyers who appetite article as able as the FJ Cruiser but with four doors and added burden room.
Power and Mileage
In the absorption of bigger ammunition economy, Toyota has ditched the alternative 4.7-liter V-8 agent in favor of a revised high-output adaptation of their 4.0-liter V-6 that gets 270 horsepower. That’s 34 hp added than the above-mentioned V-6, and 10 hp added than the old, alternative V-8. The 4Runner feels quicker than anytime before, with stronger response. We had abounding accelerated casual ability and on-ramp dispatch — alike with a abounding load, and there’s abundant ability to canyon on the artery after banishment a downshift. The V-6 is run by an electronically controlled five-speed automated transmission. Its best towing accommodation is 5,000 pounds.
We averaged 20.3 mpg during the anniversary we collection the 4Runner, which is a little bigger than its accumulated 19 mpg EPA rating.
Driving Dynamics
As you ability expect, the Aisle Edition rides and handles like a 4x4. The abeyance permits a fair bulk of beating on the highway; acquaintance with cracks and baby imperfections are noticed in the cabin. On the added hand, beyond irregularities — done out clay roads, acceleration bumps or dips at intersections — tend to disappear, blood-soaked up by springs, shocks and bushings acquainted to handle boxy terrain.
Steering is accessible and analytic authentic in the 4Runner, and it’s accessible to accumulate on-center while canoeing on the highway. It takes basal accomplishment to action in bound spaces. We anticipate the 4Runner would readily out-handle and ride added calmly than best full-size SUVs, but car-based unibody SUVs would be acutely added precise, with bigger on-road manners.
For-Real Off-Road Capability
While the 4Runner ability be so-so aback it comes to on-road manners, it acutely excels in off-road capability. The anatomy is as asperous as they come, and the driveline has been adequate all the way aback to the rear differential. The four-wheel-drive arrangement in the SR5 and Aisle Edition is a part-time arrangement advantaged by off-road enthusiasts, added by cyberbanking absorption control, acceleration ascendancy and terrain-following innovations. Four-wheel drive is actuated by a abbreviate batten on the centermost console.
We begin that it was accessible to about-face in and out of 4-Lo, as continued as the manual was in Neutral, and it was accessible to get aback to two-wheel drive again. A locking rear cogwheel that’s electronically actuated is accepted on the Aisle Edition. One different feature, the Kinetic Dynamic Abeyance System, disconnects the balance confined to enhance abeyance bend in awful aberrant terrain. KDSS and added enhancements that acquiesce for accomplished affability the absorption ascendancy arrangement were aforetime alone accessible on the top-of-the-line Toyota Land Cruiser. Ground approval — 9.6 inches for the 4x4 — is abounding for aisle use; the 33-degree bend of access is actual good, but it’s not absolutely according to the Hummer H3, addition above off-road crawler.
How Big Is It?
The 4Runner offers a three-row advantage with allowance for seven. The autogenous aggregate is added by the rear seats that bend collapsed after accepting to abolish the headrests, and the rear liftgate opens wide. That accustomed us to bulk the 4Runner with our son’s dresser, abundance bike, computer, chair, guitar and amp — additional boxes, clothes and advantage — to accompany to his academy abode in a distinct trip.
