Toyota

Review: 2010 Toyota 4Runner Limited Four-Wheel Drive

Family Friendliness: 7.9

Recommended: Yes

Specifications apply to this test vehicle.

Tweet

By Keith Buglewicz

The challenge facing the redesigned 2010 Toyota 4Runner is about as steep as the mountains it's designed to climb. Off-road capable SUVs like the 4Runner are often passed over in favor of car-based crossovers like Toyota's own Highlander. Many manufacturers have dropped their mid-size SUVs altogether, and even the Ford Explorer, the truck that started the SUV craze 20 years ago, is being redesigned as a crossover for its next generation. Since the Highlander appeals to the crossover crowd, the 4Runner can stay a truck, but it still needs to be good on-road. For 2010, Toyota redesigned the suspension to better cope with paved roads, and even dropped the previous-generation's V-8 engine in favor of a new V-6 that not only has more power, but better fuel economy.

To find out if the redesigned 2010 Toyota 4Runner has the chops to take on its crossover competition in suburbia, we resisted the urge to hit the dusty trail. Instead, we hit the mall, just like everyone else will. How Family Friendly did it turn out to be? Find out below.

Model & Pricing

Our test vehicle was a 2010 Toyota 4Runner Limited 4x4 V-6. That's quite a mouthful, but also quite a lot of truck. Standard equipment included the 4.0-liter 270-hp V-6 engine, four-wheel drive with downhill assist, and a standard USB port, Bluetooth, leather upholstery, push-button ignition and keyless entry. Four option packages inflated the $40,600 list price (which includes the $800 destination charge) to the as-tested price of $43,459. One of them was the $1,420 voice-activated navigation system, which also included a backup camera. The fold-flat third row seat added $1,015. A floor mat kit added $204, and the pretty Blizzard Pearl paint cost an extra $220. That's definitely well equipped, surprisingly a  rear-seat DVD entertainment system isn't even available.

Safety

Driver and passenger front airbags and knee airbags are standard in the 2010 Toyota 4Runner, along with seat-mounted airbags for the front and second row. The curtain airbags feature a sensor that can detect a rollover and deploy the airbag before any impact. The optional third row package includes a curtain airbag as well. Stability, traction control and anti-lock brakes are standard, as is downhill assist for off-roading adventures. There are two LATCH positions in the second row, but none in the third. Crash test scores for the 2010 Toyota 4Runner are respectable, earning Good scores in IIHS categories, and five stars for the NHTSA's driver front and side impact tests. However, it only scored four stars on the NHTSA's passenger front test, and three in the rollover test.

Utility & Comfort

Since the 4Runner is designed as an off-road vehicle, it rides high. The commanding view is great, but it means you have to step up into vehicle, which may be a challenge for small children. Loading cargo could also be challenging for shorter owners thanks to the raised floor. Once inside, front and second-row passengers will find a comfortable and roomy cabin, with plenty of head and leg room all around. The second row boasts fore/aft and seatback angle adjustments to maximize comfort even for tall passengers. Drivers will appreciate the clear gauges and conveniently laid out controls such as the intuitive climate controls and four-wheel drive mode selector. While the ride height gives you good forward visibility, the thick roof pillars in the rear make visibility difficult, although the rear view camera helps considerably.

The third row is convenient, but it's obvious at first glance that it's only designed for occasional use. The seatback lifts into place easily enough, but the seat bottoms are shoved under the floor, and there's no easy way to access them without first folding down the second row seatbacks. Putting them back down is a one-touch operation though. While the third row cushions and seatbacks are decently padded, there's virtually no leg room, and we even had a five-year-old complain about being cramped. The head restraint is also disconcertingly close to the rear glass.

Using the third row also kills your cargo space, reducing it from a whopping 46.3 cu.-ft. behind the second row to a paltry 9.0 cu.-ft. At least the third row splits, so you can use half for cargo and the other half for a passenger, and we like how the rear hatch glass motors down into the door itself to make loading small items easier. However, you can forget about taking a large family on the weekly grocery run.

While assembly quality in the 4Runner was excellent, we were disappointed by some of Toyota's materials choices. For example, the headliner and hard plastic dash feel unbecoming, especially in a $43,500 vehicle. The leather seats were nice, but the bolsters felt like they were covered in high-quality vinyl instead of actual cowhide. There was also noticeable wind noise around the windshield at higher speeds, and the droning of the exhaust was just loud enough to become annoying on a freeway cruise.

Family Friendliness

When used as a five-plus-two -- that is, a five-passenger vehicle with two seats for occasional use -- the 2010 4Runner is pretty family friendly. LATCH seats are easy to install, thanks to lower anchors that are easily accessible under a small, upholstered flap on the second-row seat cushions. Behind the second row of seats there's room to spare after a mega-load at Costco, even with a stroller taking up some space. Alternatively, if you're an outdoorsy family and plan on using the 4Runner's four-wheel drive system as intended, there's enough room in back for plenty of camping gear. However, you'll need a bigger vehicle if your camping crew is more than five people since there's no useful cargo space behind the third row of seats; we couldn't even put a stroller back there. We were also surprised that a rear-seat DVD entertainment system isn't on the options list. Maybe we're just spoiled, but these days they're available on a wide variety of vehicles including sedans. You'd think one would be available on a premium SUV. If you're looking for a fuel-efficient off roader, well, keep looking. Our test vehicle's 14.5 mpg average over 220 miles of driving wasn't very impressive.

Conclusion

Overall the 2010 Toyota 4Runner is a compelling vehicle, and certainly worth considering if you're looking for an off-road capable SUV. It's surprisingly competitive in day-to-day comfort with today's crop of crossovers, which is a tough job for many traditional SUVs. It offers up plenty of passenger and cargo space for five, and has the option of carrying two extra passengers in a pinch. The V-6 engine offers up plenty of power, and we don't even miss the V-8 of the previous generation. Our test truck's $43,500 price definitely gave us pause, but you can get most of the important parts in lower priced models like the SR5. Like the Mitsubishi Outlander we recently tested, the 2010 Toyota 4Runner earns our Recommended status, but only if you acknowledge that it's really a five-passenger vehicle, with room for two more when needed.

If you're a Toyota 4Runner owner, or just want to sound off, check out our Comments section below!

Back to top