Handy Toyota

The Specs

The 2010 4Runner is the result of deliberate, cautious, evolutionary development. Every alteration is moderate, and one of its biggest changes is actually an excision. The most impressive change is actually one of attitude-how the new 4Runner seems much more substantial and adult than before. It's not a Tacoma pickup with a really wicked cool shell, and it doesn't drive like a Land Cruiser Jr. either.  It drives like, well, a full-grown Land Cruiser.

In fact, the new 4Runner is a Land Cruiser. As with the fourth-generation 4Runner, this fifth-generation machine is based on Toyota's Land Cruiser Prado, which is sold in just about every market except North America. The frame under the new 4Runner is a straightforward, fully boxed construction of thick gauge steel. To this, Toyota bolts a double wishbone front suspension, which incorporates coil-over shock absorbers, and a four-link system in the back supporting a solid rear axle on coil springs.

Opt for the "Trail" model, and the suspension can be supplemented with Toyota's Kinetic Dynamic System (KDSS), which electronically manages the stabilzer bars through hydraulic cylinders and links at the points where the stabilizer bars would othersise conventionally bolt to the suspension.  Introduced on the full-size Land Cruiser, the latest KDSS manages the roll stifness of the suspension so that during on-road driving the body roll is minimized, and so that off-road it can be loosened to allow as much wheel articulation as possible. The stabilizer bars are never actually disconnected from the 4Runner, but with the KDSS at work they may as well be when the going gets particularly hairy. Does it work? Yeah, it works. And there's even more of this off road enabling technology aboard.

Most 4x2's and all 4x4 models will be powered by Toyota's 4.0 Liter, DOHC, 24-valve V6, rated at 270 hp and a meaty 278 lb-ft of torque at 4400 rpm. The Four comes lashed to a standard four-speed automatic transmission, while the Six feeds a five-speed automatic. The fuel economy advantage for the four-cylinder engine is so slight (the four is EPA-rated at 18 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway, compared to the V6's respective 17 mpg and 19 mpg), that the only reason not to buy is pure stinginess.

The Drive

The least interesting thing about the 4Runner is how well it drives on-road. We didn't have a chance to drive the base SR5 model or the range-topping Limited, but even the harder-edged Trail was easygoing on the road. Leave the transfer case in two-high and put the transmission in D, and the 4Runner does a pretty fair imitation of a Highlander.

The 4.0-Liter V6 is deceptively bland; there's no exhaust note, no induction noise and doesn't so much rev as whirr. But look down at the speedometer, and the 4Runner is building velocity at a solid clip. The V6 is never strained by the 4Runner's heft, the unobtrusive transmission doesn't have to hunt down a couple of gears just because of a slight grade, and it's super-creamy cmooth.

Off-road is where the 4Runner is a stunner. While the Limited comes with a full-time all-wheel drive system, the SR5 and Trail use a part time system operated by making a satisfying tug on a real lie lever next to the shifter. With its 33 degree approach angle and sure-footed suspension, the 4Runner is in the same league as the Jeep Wrangler-and that's high praise indeed. Experienced off-roaders will have this thing floating over the Rubicon.

The standard suspension, suitably loosened by engaging the outstanding KDSS system, seems to have significantly more articulation than before. In deference to the rather timid tires that come standard even with the Trail package (P265/70R17 all season), we didn't fling the 4Runner into any mud bogs, but Toyota's standard A-TRAC does an ecellent job ofd distributing power to whichever wheel has traction. If you're going to get stuck in the 4unner, you'll have to work at it.

A panel on the ceiling above the rearview mirror houses the controls for two fascinating off-road technologies. The first is "Crawl Control" (CRAWL), which debuted on the current Land Cruiser.  Toyota describes it as "an electro-mechanical system that can be tuned to match the terrain by choosing any of five speed levels." What it does is basically manage the throttle and brakes over a difficult terrain so the driver can focus on the direction of the vehicle. It's a literal slow crawl, but it could also be an absolute lifesaver for those times when the driver's talent is overwhelmed by the conditions.

The second technology, "Multi-Terrain Select," Toyota asserts, "allows the 4x4 operator to dial in wheel-slip control  to matc hthe terrain. In loose terrain such as mud and sand, more-than-normal wheel slip is permitted, allowing more wheel spin to work in the vehicle's favor. On bumpy moguls, or solid rock, wheel slip is minimized and the system acts more like a limited slip. The mogul setting is for any extremely uneven terrain, such as V-ditches, slopes, and ridges, uphill or downhill."

In the limited time we had the 4Runner, and the limited conditions under which we drove it, both CRAWL and the Multi-Terrain Select systems worked beautifully. Throw in the Downhill Assist Control (DAC) and the Hill-start Assist Control (HAC), and the 4Runner can turn even a novice into a superstar dirt eater.

The 4Runner's new cabin is spacious and practical. Some love Toyota's latest interior themes, and others find them a bit overwrought and self conscious. But there's no denying that the front two seats are well shaped, and that there's a good deal of leg space in the second row. And the second row reclines up to 16 degrees.

The Bottom Line

Toyota sustains several traditions with the new 4Runner. It has a great off-road chassis, like decades of Land Cruisers-and 4Runners-before it. It feels well built, like decades of Toyota's. And even though the rear one piece tailgate is top hinged, the rear window still rolls down, like a proper station wagon. But it's the additional off-road technology that's been engineered into this beast of burden that makes the 4Runner so compelling.

At Handy Toyota, we have several 4Runners in stock. Because each one is unique, we encourage you to schedule a test drive or to simply stop by for more information. We hope we can help you in your search for your ideal vehicle!!

*Adapted From the Following Source:  

Huffman, John P. "2010 Toyota 4Runner Review & Test Drive -." Popular Mechanics. 26 Oct. 2009. Web. 06 Feb. 2010. <http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/new_cars/4335011.html>.