Here it is March Break, and this year I’m not in Costa Rica. I’m at work staring out my window at the snow, and at my 4Runner.
My normal daily driver, the 2015 Grand Caravan has gone to West Virginia for a youth retreat along with our daughter. Yes we lend out our vehicle for such occasions, that’s one of the reasons we bought it. Anyway as part of the deal I get someone else’s vehicle to drive for the week, and this time it’s a 4Runner.
My first thoughts getting in were:
1 – This seems awfully sacked out for a vehicle with 150,000 kilometers on it.
2 – I thought Toyota stopped making the 4Runner a LONG time ago
But a closer look at the dash reveals a speedometer in MPH, so it’s 150,000 miles which checks out with the level of sacked out-ery. No doubt this truck started out in the US and was exported to Canada at some point. When the owner handed me the key he said “The dash is lit up like a Christmas tree, but don’t worry about it.” Indeed it is, but I am not worried.
For question 2 I looked at the data plate and turned to Wiki research, apparently this is a 2006 model, which makes it Gen4 of the 4Runner series. It’s made in Japan, it has body on frame construction and a 4.7 L V8 with 5-speed Aisin automatic. [Edit – I checked with the owner and this one is a V6 2WD]
I haven’t owned a Japanese made car in 25 years, but the font of the data plate brought back some pleasant memories.
Less pleasant the memories brought back by the rusty seat bracket typical of Japanese cars in the salt belt.
As I have said several times at CC, if I lived in Moab Utah I would definately have a 4WD vehicle. It really does look like a lot of fun, witness this 4Runner climbing mini lion’s back. As it stands I live near Toronto and have no use for this capability on my daily commute.
Compared to my van (with it’s newly installed remanufactured transmission) the Toyota powertrain is superior. The V8 has loads of grunt, and good throttle response. The gas pedal must be connected to a cable actuating the throttle butterfly, rather than a position sensor connected to a computer. The transmission is decisive and shifts crisply, what a pleasant driving experience. The suspension manages to simultaneously be marshmallowy soft and jarring over bumps, but I’ll put that down partially to the high mileage and apparent lack of maintenance.
The riding experience is mixed. From the waist up it’s a lot like a minivan, you’re up high with a good view of the road. Visibility is good, slightly hindered by the rear pillars. Legs are a different story, with the BOF construction it has a super high and flat floor, my legs stick straight out like in a sports car or a 1965 Studebaker. There’s the compromise for the truckish capability.
I’m not a fan of the center controls. The heater controls are ridiculous, resembling 3 dial controls but it’s actually push button clusters. Information is displayed on LCD screens which are too small for my 50 year old eyes to see, I guess this vehicle is built for younger folks than I. In my defense it would have been no problem for my 40 year old eyes back in 2006. Speaking of old guy stuff, the radio was able to clearly pull in NPR from Buffalo, which is something both my own vehicles struggle with.
This button gave me cause to ponder Paul’s trip report here where he discussed LSD. If I push the button do I get automatially dosed with LSD, or perhaps the auto get dosed? Either way I figured it wasn’t wise to experiment with psychedelics while driving, so I left the button alone. Note the three blanked off buttons, nothing says “You cheaped out and didn’t get the highest trim level” like a row of blanked off buttons.
At the back we have decent cargo space, although a lot less than my Caravan. I also see some tools, the owner is retired but his son works in construction, maybe this is actually his daily driver. This one has a trailer hitch and brake controller, 4Runners are apparently robust tow vehicles. My aunt and uncle have a Gen5 SR5 and pull their big travel trailer all over the continent in the summer.
So in summary, the 2006 4Runner was really quite good at three things: Driving off-road, towing trailers, and looking cooler than a minivan. I don’t need to drive off-road, I have a very small trailer and I’ve long given up on trying to look cool so this is not the long term vehicle for me. However it did get me back & forth to work five times, so I was happy to have its use over March Break.
My 2016 Honda Civic came with that Hallucinogenic Option.
I can honestly say that “It’s a Long Strange Trip” shifting my car manually with a CVT, that’s for sure.
Ripped from the e-Pages of the Owner’s Manual…
I generally am a fan of this generation, well built trucks with more than enough capability stock for most. But this was a leap from my early 3rd gen with its chrome bumpers, and total lack of electronic controls aside from ABS. The 4th gen was the one that brought the greatest amount of civilization to the 4Runner, they handle on-road much better than 3rd gens. These ones also like to beep and buzz at you offroad as wheels slip and regain traction. Notably wider body, yet with a moonroof they somehow manage to have even less head room than my ’96. The “legs out” driving position is a function of high clearance+ BOF+relatively low roof, something had to give. Note than plenty of other BOF SUVs don’t have this sort of position. The cast iron block 4.7L 1UZ-FE is a fantastic and long lived motor, transmissions go the distance as well, as does basically everything else on the truck.
That’s not a bad placement for the garage door opener. If was stuck on straight it’d look quasi-factory, the plastics look similar.
My neighbor has one of these, and they are all over town, they seem to be unkillable and command strong prices used.
“they seem to be unkillable and command strong prices used.”
Correct on both points, but just like my generation of truck, their death can come unexpectedly by way of frame rot in locales with heavy road salt. The body will still look great, engine/trans plenty of life left, but it’s just too expensive to try and fix. Never any recalls on this mind you.
My next door neighbor has owned a string of 4 Runners so long I have lost count. Part of it is that until the current one, every one was gray so it was hard to notice when there was a new one.
When I had my Club Wagon I lent it out for a weekend scout trip. I got a late 90s 5 speed Honda Accord in return, so my trade was both newer and more fun to drive. I also swapped my Honda Fit for a weekend with a Volvo C-70 convertible. I clearly do a better job of “trading up” for my substitute wheels than you do.
A new transmission in the van already? Yoiks! Maybe you should have waited then blamed it on the guy who borrowed it? 🙂
Yeah that caught my attention, as a newly minted 5th gen T&C owner. Mine does this weird shift-flare-up to 2k at lower throttle inputs, seemingly a programming feature to smooth out shifts at lower engine speeds, but never any jarring or clunky shifts at all unlike a few rentals I’ve had. Been a really comfy commuter so far, gotta love the heated seats and steering wheel.
The flare up is normal and so is the clunk you get sometimes when it downshifts into first. Remember, just keep the eco mode off. My 2014 caravan was the best vehicle I have owned.
Thanks for the reassurance Tom. I figured the “flare” must have been by design, but having experienced it in a clapped out old Maxima, I couldn’t help but be concerned. Yes I know better than to engage that blasted button 🙂
Wife and I are very pleased with the purchase so far. Suspension is a bit noisy and there are a fair number of occasional creaks and sounds in the interior, but hey it was $8k less than an equivalent Honda/Toyota and had some features they were missing, I won’t be too picky!
I did better than last time, two years ago I got an awful Pontiac G6, truly a horrid vehicle.
Caravan transmission was replaced under warranty, no charge. Lucky for me the original owner purchased the transferrable extended powertrain warranty.
I have a different perspective about factory blank switches. My position is they exist to provide ways to add features to your car without having to drill/cut holes for non-matching switches.
On my ’08 Prius, I used the switch blanks to add an EV-mode switch (N/A in US on this model), as well as a dealer accessory Bluetooth kit I purchased on eBay.
I don’t know Doug D., I live in the GTA and there were more than a few times that I had to borrow the wife’s Toyota RAV4 V6 with AWD to get to work this past winter. My employer has never cut the shift due to bad weather, even when the Ontario Provincial Police say to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary.
It’s a rare day that I find the snow / ice bad enough in the GTA to require additional traction other than provided by snow tires. The one time I did get stuck was in that bad storm in January when I had to go to Ancaster, and had to drive down an unplowed alley, containing a good foot of snow. FWD just didn’t cut it, nor did my 9 year old snow tires. Maybe time for some new shoes on her for next winter.
FWD with winter tires did it for us OK this winter, but we live on a bus route so our street is always well plowed.
We had tickets for “Come From Away” on Jan 19th, we left early because it was a snowstorm and the OPP told everyone to stay home. It was one of the quickest trips into downtown Toronto we’ve ever had 🙂
I lived in Toronto for a while, and the road conditions are pretty decent during winter IMO. I think justifying a 4WD or AWD vehicle [i]purely[\i] for the Toronto winter conditions is a stretch. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for owning whatever kind of car you want, just be trueful one why you actually picked it. Living in a rural area that gets way more snowfall than Toronto and has poor road clearing on the back roads, even here we’ve gotten by with FWD and winter tires.
That said, life sure is much easier with an AWD or 4×4. And this winter was much worse than a typical winter. My wife’s Outback on winter tires near got stuck a couple of times. I know our old FWD cars would definitely have had trouble this past winter.
If we are to believe the CEVR registration, your associate bought this in the past year or so. They don’t mind that their investment has a dash lit up like a Christmas tree eh? Possibly obtained for a bargain basement price, hopefully for them.
Costa Rica sure sounds good about now. I dearly miss my annual junket to Puerto Rico for work every February.
99 percent certain that throttle is electronic, based on my 2006 Sequoia with the same engine. But it is a VERY linear throttle. The only times I was ever reminded there was no real cable was when the traction control would kick in, and the throttle would suddenly go completely limp.
I didn’t know you could get the V8 with the SR5 trim. I like the styling of this generation of 4Runner, but the clearance is a bit light. The bones are still there, though, and they look very capable with the 2-3″ lifts.
Not looking well-taken care of. Ignored dash warning lights, hammered interior. If the seat mounting bracket is that rusty, I shudder to think of what the frame looks like.
Today’s Curbside Classic articles magically include both of my current vehicles – a Honda S2000 and a 4th Gen Toyota 4Runner.
My 4Runner is a 2008 SR5 4WD with the 4.0 liter V6, which the majority of 4th Gen 4Runners are equipped with. The “1GR-FE” V6 makes almost as much power as the V8, with just a bit better gas mileage, and no timing belt to replace (V8 has a timing belt, V6 a chain). Both V6 and V8 versions feature a 5-speed automatic that adjusts to your driving style. If 4WD is included as an option, it is selectable with the V6 and full-time with the V8. Both V6 and V8 versions of 4WD-equipped 4Runners include a center Torsen differential that can be engaged/disengaged as needed. Also included is Down Hill Assist and Hill Start Assist.
The subject vehicle in this article is a 2WD model, as the electronic selector for 4WD is missing from the dash.
I bought my 4Runner used about 6 years ago and have put about 45K miles on it for a current total of around 94K miles. I occasionally pull a small tent trailer for camping. This vehicle has been virtually maintenance free apart of regular oil changes, filters and wear items. It has plenty of power and can get as much as 23-25 mpg on the highway. My SR5 is a base model, but is reasonably well-equipped. The only modification I have done to the truck is to replace the stock Toyota radio with a unit from a Scion that has a higher power amplifier built in. It is a “plug & play” swap and even with the stock speakers, the sound quality is quite an improvement. The 4Runner has proven to be among the most reliable, trouble-free vehicles I have owned – very happy with it!
Never warmed to this gen. There was just something off about the styling. This one seems like an oddball with the 5th gen looking like it came after the 3rd gen. I’m sure it’s a decent vehicle regardless The resale value on these are crazy high.
Wow that’s very impressive MPG from the 1GR Dan, at what sort of speeds do you see those kinds of numbers? The 4th gen must be easily the most aerodynamic 4Runner owing to its lower clearance and more raked front end. The most I’ve heard of folks with 5th gens getting is about 21-22 staying closer to 70mph. My much lower powered 3rd gen with the 3.4L can fairly consistently knock down 20mpg in 70hwy/30city split driving when running all season tires, as much as 21-22 pure highway in the summer. My current all terrains take that down about 2mpg unfortunately.
The C-series license plate may mean it was recently registered, or it may have been a new plate to replace a B-series plate (they tend to shed their skins like a snake).
No 4WD switch on the dash but it was selectable on the shifter. Like I said I never tried it out, too distracted by the LSD I guess 🙂
If the throttle was drive by wire I’m impressed, a 13 year old Toyota has better transmission and gas pedal feel than a 4 year old Dodge.
Doug are you certain this wasn’t a 2WD? A 4wd V8 with fulltime will still have a selector on the dash to switch 4H->4L. Toyota’s “Auto-LSD” is also a 2WD only feature, functions on the rear axle. 4WD Toyotas get A-TRAC, brake-based low speed traction control that simulates locking differentials. This won’t have a button on a 4th gen unless you have a 2009 Trail Edition model. I’m also wondering why this V8 is missing it’s V8 badge in the lower driver’s side corner of the front grille.
I asked the owner, it’s a V6 2WD. Wouldn’t it be a 2Runner then?
I remain impressed with the amount of grunt in the motor.
Maybe it’s a Frankenstein welded together from a data-plated V8 4WD and a V6 2WD with 400,000 actual miles. Maybe Gtem’s brother did the work at his shop 🙂
Or maybe it’s really a 2wd Rav4 V6 and Doug took pictures of the wrong unlocked car in the parking lot. The Rav4 was in the next row over 🙂