2023 to 2022 Toyota 4Runner Review and Walkthrough (Maybe 2024 too!) 

Thanks for the sub!

Haha! Thanks Tony!

People act like 4Runners are these unbreakable tanks. They (and Tacomas) are not immune to both mechanical and electrical issues. Sure, compared to a Range Rover they’re bullet proof, but people need to stop excusing the bad aspects of the 4Runner just because it has good (not perfect) reliability. There is NO excuse for the camera quality, running boards, or transmission that can’t pick between 4th and 5th gear.

That's a great compliment! Thank you!

No doubt I'm a diva! :P And thank you for complimenting the grill - I do like the looks a lot. In an effort to remain un-bias I'll say a few things: I LOVE the simplicity of the 4Runner. I agree - it doesn't need fancy tech to make it a great vehicle. My problem is that some of the things it does have, including the tech, are terrible. -Running boards that are worthless (almost any passenger I pick up complains about them). -The cameras on it are borderline unusable. I almost think you'd have been better off with nothing at all that's how bad they are. -The stupid position of the volume / track change buttons -Dumb interior layout. Why couldn't they just steal the design from the Tacoma and put that in the Runner? -One of the worst transmissions I've ever experienced. I'd rather have an unreliable transmission (kidding) than this dinosaur that doesn't know what gear to select. No doubt its a well built vehicle and should be a reliable companion. But come on Toyota - you can still have simplicity with well thought out design! And the bad cameras are purely a money saver for Toyota.

@@ComputerStuff You definitely have your points, and to be fair, I’m sure this video and the items you feel are flaws will help guide potential buyers that aren’t Toyota-bias. I can definitely agree with the volume buttons on the steering wheel, but then again I’m so used to using the dial on the head unit that it’s a non-issue for me (this goes for a lot of the tech items, at least for me). As far as the transmission, Toyota is notorious for sticking to the “don’t fix what’s not broken” theme, and this is evident here. I will say though that after driving the six speed Tacoma and a few newer vehicles with much more gears, I’m glad I have the five speed. Too much gear hunting in the six-eight speed transmissions! All in all, nice vehicle (I have an army green limited as well!) and it’s good to sometimes see the non-bias reviews! Take care!

@@tonybillingsley6960 Thanks Tony, you too! I'll say this, the army green color is HAWT! 🔥

If people don’t think all the missing equipment on the 4Runner doesn’t cost Toyota dearly - think again!! This is exactly why every single Ford and Chevy SUV is sold! My Expedition blows this thing away -(not for off-road) as a functional family SUV.

@@sunnygirl9691 Completely understand the lack of goodies, but that definitely doesn’t keep the 4Runner from selling. Even after the lack of makeover, the 4Runner continues to be a top seller and dealers cant keep them on the lot, at least in my area. The reliability, off road capability, and reputation keep them a top choice.

Happy to help!

I appreciate your seeing things from my perspective :P. Thanks for commenting, NC!

Thanks!

Great comment. With the Pallisade or Telluride that was one of my biggest concerns was the quality especially at high milage.

I found the parts on like Ali Express kind of site. I'd have to dig up some links.

Glad to hear!

One things for sure, it drives SMOOTH AS HELL! It being built in a lexus plant is noticable. Despite its lack of amenities.

Honda passport AWD is a better option if you aren't off roading much. It has the same cargo space for a lot less money. These things are just popular.

Finally! Some hard truth about this overrated dinosaur. I understand 4Runner owners affection towards this rig…..but come on! It’s grossly under powered. Gets horrible MPG and just isn’t well suited for the every day commute, etc. Toyota has definitely milked every penny they could out of this SUV with 2024 being this gens last year of production. Can’t help but think that Toyota could’ve offered the consumer more in recent years with it though. I mean….why couldn’t they add an automatic lift gate and better quality back up camera?? Seriously Toyota! Talk about thumbing your nose at the consumer. There’s much better SUV’s to choose from with price to value that blows the 4Runner away.

@@pewterngoldI’ll be honest - I’ve never once cared about the backup cam or lift gate. I’ve backed up for 20+ years without any cameras, so that means nothing. And I can lift the door just fine and can’t imagine any one without injuries that’s under the age of like 65 can’t. Different things matter to different people. I love everything about the 4Runner that matters to me….except the gas mileage.

@@DJR33333 I’ve been driving for 20+ years as well and can back up with the best of them, camera or not. My point is that Toyota has been making the current Gen 4Runner for 10+ years. Most vehicles, if not all now come with a backup camera. It’s a modern amenity, convenience and safety feature that Toyota should be including considering the premium price they charge for their SUV gas hog with weak horsepower. Same goes for the power lift gate. Another modern amenity and convenience feature that Toyota could’ve made standard given the premium price they charge. You do realize that automatic headlights are only offered in the TRD and limited models, right? It’s a modern safety feature available on nearly every vehicle as a standard feature. Really Toyota?! They couldn’t go an extra inch for the price and offer automatic headlights on each 4Runner trim level? Which brings me to my final point, as long as people continue to be brand loyal blind, manufacturers like Toyota will laugh all the way to the bank and they’ll continue to screw the everyday consumer over the basic amenities. I can appreciate the fact that you enjoy your 4Runner. But really dude, these things I mentioned are not a big ask from Toyota. When their’s blind fanboyism, manufacturers like Toyota will continue to sit on their hands and do nothing. The “mighty” 4Runner is overrated.

This Limited also has 360* camera but the image quality is atrocious. Unacceptably bad.

Great question Luke. It's tough to say. The 4Runner just looks beast. It's easily one of the best looking trucks available. I like the looks of the new Bronco as well, however I have a few friends with them, and while they like the trucks, they find them even less practical than the 4Runner (I tested them out a bit). The Broncos are also noticably not trimmed as well and use cheaper interior materials. Telluride of course has the looks, the features, and the function ---- BUTTTTTTTT concerns with its long term reliability. Ive seen some Tellurides with 100k+ miles and the interiors were BEAT up. This could be chalked up to bad owners... or bad materials.... I also owned a Hyundai (they own Kia) for a brief stint and it was reliable mechanically but attrocious about everywhere else (although had good MPG). And dropping $100k for a new Range Rover or 75k for a Land Rover to get that "legendary Land Rover reliability" just wasn't enticiging. So that said, we landed on the 4Runner. 4Runner is weird. It drives great, looks great, but has some of the utmost lasiest design and implementation of any car I've ever driven. Everything you want it to do, it wont. Everything you think it can do, it can. It'll never leave you stranded whether offroad or on. And for what its worth its not bad in 13+ hour highway rides if you can stomach the horrid fuel economy. Would I recommend it? Yes if you don't need luxury. Is it overpriced? Absolutely. You can get slightly used GXs or Porsches for almost what you pay for a Limited 4Runner. So yeah, long reply, but I want to love the 4Runner more, I just can't. But I also want to hate it more.... and I just can't..... its peculiar. :P

Or we can stop making excuses for Toyota? Mechanically - I’ll grant you that. Tech? The camera is an embarrassment, the controls are lousy, the ergonomics are not well thought out.

2024 earliest 😫

Simplicity is great. But I ask you... how much more complicated would the 4Runner have been had Toyota offered it with a BETTER camera instead of a lousy one?

Yes. It's had a Heritage Grill overlay done to it. Gives it a more burly look.

Then you’ll love the 4Runner!

I also just bought one of Toyota 4Runner

I also just bought one of 2023 Toyota 4Runner TRD SPORT and I like it.

@@dariphonesisommout3685 Glad you like it! After 6 months of driving one around I still don't know how I feel about it. 😅😂

Because it's SOOOO RELIABLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. 🥴

Obliged!

It's reliable, that's for sure!

I'll second that. I'd prefer NO tech, than lousy tech. Enjoy your TRD Offroad. Good looking truck!

Haha, noted!

My hat was super glued on my head in the opposite direction :(

I didn't have that experience. That's crap though especially considering how cheap the Toyota fobs are.

​@Steven Flucas I received one, they said they would mail me the second

Sure, feel free to reach out to us privately.

Intersting. I wonder if Toyota gives TRD better cams or if there was an un-announced upgrade to the cams. But the cameras on this model are absolute trash.

Not all of my complaints were technology. I don't need tech, I've owned Rovers with no tech and they were awesome (though unreliable as all hell). The 4Runner running boards STINK! The cameras (this is tech) are horrific. Eats dinosaur bones like I eat pizza. A transmission that people can call bullet proof as much as they want, it's clunky and never knows what gear it wants to be in. Crappy headroom in the rear. Cheap plastics in the trunk interior with limited storage by comparison to others. Limited storage in general. An center console designed by apes. I could go on, but my point stands. The 4Runner has its perks. Toyota only sells so many of them because the other options on the market are lacking. I'd counter that Ford sold near as many Broncos as Toyota did 4Runners... soooooo.

Having owned a RAM I can say that it was perfectly reliable up to the 100k I put on it. In 4 years and 100k it had one sensor go bad that I replaced myself for $15 and 15 minutes of work (at night because it had a light under the hood). The 4Runner IS reliable. And I still own this one and I enjoy driving it for the most part. But people give a pass to all of its shortcomings because it's "reliable" and that's not objective. You can still make a car reliable by giving it a decent camera, backlit utility buttons, and a more sensical interior design. Lexus manages to be luxury while maintaining quality - so that's clearly not an excuse for Toyota.

Yes, I had the discussion with another viewer and we came to the conclusion that there is a difference between Toyota's full time 4WD and AWD. I misspoke.

@@ComputerStuff I’m curious how this hinders you? I use my cam when I park to make sure I’m in the middle of the parking space, and it’s fine for that. What else are people hoping to see, that I’m missing out on?

A bad camera can be outright dangerous. I dont know what year 4Runner you have, but the abhorent quality of the camera makes it difficult to see objects, people, other cars, whatever in the path of when you're parking. @@DJR33333

@@ComputerStuff I have a 21 and haven’t noticed an issue. But I also only had one previous car with a camera (a 14 Accord), so maybe I’ve just never had a good camera and don’t know what I’m missing.

Hah! Fair point! @@DJR33333

If it had those two things I would be a very happy little boy.

@@ComputerStuff I’m glad Toyota didn’t put the 6 speed automatic transmission from the Tacoma in this 4runner. I would definitely not have bought one. I sold my 2020 Tacoma TRD Pro because I couldn’t stand the constant gear hunting. My 2023 4runner shifts great in comparison.

@@hasonlavajunk9774mine with the five speed hunts constantly. Toyota and Lexus have a thing with transmissions. It’s strange.

@@ComputerStuff If the Runner shifting is bad, the Tacoma would drive you absolutely nuts. Especially with the semi-droning TRD Pro exhaust on each shift.

Funny, I just traded a Tacoma for a 2023 4runner. I find the backup camera no different, in fact its not bad at all.

Had to warm up my fingers for this one... Toyota is remaining "old school" because they know they don't have to - these trucks still sell. That doesn't make it right. Toyota's unwillingness to adhere to modern tech has had them fall behind in terms of safety and reliability. Let's look at their LTA system - not only worst in class but downright dangerous compared to that of Honda's, Tesla's, Ford and so on with algorithmic misinterpretations and an inability to TRACE. These "niggling" complaints always bring Toyota fans out to the rescue. "It's so reliable". Remote start - why use another "cold start" on the engine just because Toyota couldn't figure out a way to keep the vehicle on like everyone else? It's (a minor) annoyance. Toyota offers a multi angle camera system, it's rubbish. A big annoyance. Memory seats that don't move the mirrors. A minor annoyance. I could go on, but all these minor annoyances make for a bigger annoyance. That's not to say the 4Runner doesn't have its merits. Fun mods, reliable engine (underpowered though it is), good crash rating, a stellar 4WD system, dashing good looks, and so on. If you don't care about these negative things, right on! But for those looking to buy a 50k car, they may want to be aware of these annoyances before purchase. Hence someone had to get on RU-vid and give facts instead of the circle jerk every other reviewer seems to have with Toyota. I'm unimpressed with Toyota. Not yucking anyone's yum, if you like it great, but I think the 4Runner can be a rugged and reliable machine while fixing these "niggling" issues. As for your RAM and Ferrari issue? You can keep your points.

@@ComputerStuff make the observations and put them in context. Small oversights don’t diminish the fact that this old power train is durable and the entire vehicle tends to deliver satisfaction and resale better than other vehicles that chase the additional gear in the transmission because the marketing team said it would move units. Btw - my first Toyota is my current one (gr86) and that’s more of a Subaru anyway. I’m interested in this because we might buy one for my wife. So I don’t qualify as a Toyota apologist in any means. I’ll admit the ferrari comment may be a low blow but wearing automotive symbols (particularly exotics) is usually the move of a poseur….whether they own one or not.

@@stms4411 I’ll let the exotic car community know that sporting their teams colors doesn’t adhere to STMs preferences.

@@ComputerStuff you do that. Back to the primary point….it’s often the case that two things can be true at the same time: 1. Toyota is viewing the 4Runner as a cash cow (thus remaining satisfied to keep it minimally changed so long as people keep buying it, even in decreasing numbers). 2. They may also be aware that a segment of the market recognizes how a focus on secondary and tertiary features and benefits can allow a car maker to falter on core issues (eg drivetrain reliability), and they appreciate the simplicity on-purpose that may also be behind Toyota’s decisions. It would allow you to have a different take on why they can (admittedly) miss on some creature comforts but get the big stuff right. Also, you’d invoked the car’s cost earlier. High 40s is the average new car MSRP in 2023. Thus, $50k is not even an expensive vehicle in today’s market. When a top of the line Lincoln Navigator lists for 6 figures, I give some latitude to vehicles like the 4Runner.

@@stms4411 I can't drive this home enough, it's not the *lack* of creature comforts, it's the ones they installed are half assed. It's like they sit on their pompous throne of "well we gave you a multi terrain camera system, meh meh meh" when in reality it's *the* worst camera system on any vehicle you can buy today. Unacceptable. I'll grant you lateral pricing and the car market being banana sandwich (case in point a new GR Corolla just went for 75k to 95k on third party market), however at that price point they still should have done their best, and they didn't. In fact, your argument has a degree of "Toyota is getting away with it because they can." What kind of attitude is that towards your products? Here is how Toyota can improve the 4Runner - and no it's not add a hybrid and make it look like the new Tundra! - Smarter remote start system. Chrysler, Ford, Tesla did it, they can too. - Better TSS, make LTA safer and not a gimmick to chase after Honda. - Better cameras on 4Runner. - Change the transmission algorithm to stop hunting between 4 and 5 gear while driving up a hill. - Link the mirror to the memory seats. - Give running boards that don't require a size 3 shoe to use. - You gave us wired car play, would it really have been that much harder to give us wireless CarPlay? - Re-design the console / cup holders to what sister company Lexus has been doing for decades. None of the above would impede on the core values of the 4Runner. I'll wrap up once again that if you like 4Runner and don't mind its incongruencies, then get one. But people deserve to have an unbiased review and that's what I provided. An alternative perspective of the truck.

But if I'm not mistaken, and this may be semantics, because the center diff opens up it mimics exactly that of AWD. When you turn the knob into the other two modes it locks it up. 4Runners put most of the power to the driver left and passenger rear when in "AWD / Full time 4WD" mode. Either way I appreciate your input on this. I feel as if Toyota is trying to rebrand "AWD" but I'm willing to concede on this.

@@ComputerStuff 4WD and AWD are not synonyms…

@@Thankyou_3 I'm well aware. But again, as far as I'm aware, 4Runners Limited "all time 4WD" functions like AWD.

@@ComputerStuff nope, it does not. I thought the same until I dig deeper to look at the differences between 4WD and AWD. For example, a Highlander AWD is completely different than 4Runner Limited 4WD.

@@Thankyou_3 Affirmative. I'll look into it. I'd love to get @AutomotivePress to weigh in on it!

You whining about my video?!

No, that's no charm. That's Toyota being lazy, and you bring a fan boy. You should demand more for 50k.

Agreed.

Overpriced and rather homely in the face.

While I appreciate you acknowledging our attention to detail - I have a very good understanding of the 4Runner. It's a reliable machine that misses the boat in a lot of other categories that get's a lot of excuses from owners all because it has a Toyota badge. It's a good truck. Not a great truck. And now worth what their asking for in 2024.

@@ComputerStuff is anything worth it’s current asking price? The 4Runner is only built in the best mass production factory in the world but otherwise yeah it sucks.

I'm aware it's built in the lexus factory (Tahara if I'm not mistaken, or something like that) - but you can build a good quality machine with bad parts or asinine design. And that's what Toyota has done! Look, if you love your 4Runner, more power to you. I am very "meh" on mine. I enjoy the build quality, and the way it drives (except for its transmission which is god awful) - but there are a lot of things to dislike about the 4Runner and I dont know why we have to give Toyota a pass on them just because its reliable. Most cars these days are reliable... this isn't the 80s where lemons were lurking around every corner. @@theoutdoordad7395

Because it looks cool. 🤓

​@@ComputerStuff sorry, not really.

@@rickybobby6760 You don't need to be sorry. It's ok to have your opinion.

It's ok to be ok with good design. And Kenny...... this aint it. 4Runner has the following going for it: looks, reliability - and there is too much competition to keep resting on their laurels.

4Runner fan, I see.

I'm curious of what you'll think of the new gen 4Runner when it comes out...