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2008 Toyota 4Runner Limited 4x4 V6 Road & Trail Test

The crossover is the current love child of the automotive sector, the end all to be all conveyance for new drivers, families and empty nesters alike. And what's not to like, with tall wagon

Crossovers might be all the rage, but give me a real 4x4 any day of the week. (Photo: Kevin Wang, American Auto Press)

capacities that rival some minivans, car-like ride and handling, and styling that often mimics real SUVs, without their waste and negative environmental connotations. Or at least that's the sales pitch. In a different light they can be seen as wagons in capacity but not when it comes to handling, and hardly better for fuel efficiency than the SUVs they're replacing due to growing size and weight. And for me, one of those rare 4x4 fans who actually use SUVs for off-roading, they're missing one key ingredient, a transfer case with low gear ratios.

Climbing into Toyota's 4Runner brought me a feeling of traditionalist comfort, and not just because some of the knobs, buttons and switches were a bit small and old-school or the immediate realization that its leather-clad steering wheel felt a bit thinner in my palms than the thick and meaty rings that are more often than not fixed to more recently updated models. No, more because the 4Runner is an honest SUV and not attempting to appear like something it's not. The dial on the dash for changing its default rear-wheel

It might be looking a little dated compared to newer SUVs, but the 4Runner is Toyota's best interior next to the Avalon. (Photo: Kevin Wang, American Auto Press)

drive setup into four-wheel drive high and then four-wheel low when the going gets tough is all I needed to make me feel right at home, well, that and the good old Toyota quality that permeates this upper crust 4x4.

This is the nicest Toyota sold in North America by a long shot, at least when it comes to interior fit, finish and materials quality. OK, the Avalon is pretty good, for sure, but the 4Runner's high-grade plastics elevate it into premium status in my books, not quite to the snooty level of Lexus' GX 470, which rides on the same Land Cruiser Prada platform, but it's just as well made despite having no genuine wood or metal trim, and the JBL audio system might not be as wickedly powerful as the GX's Mark Levinson stereo, but it sounds good enough for my ears (especially considering I listen to my iPod more often than not... and yes there's an aux-plug in here). And unfortunately, you can't get your dealer to add an iPod interface to the 4Runner as it's not available, but if you're an XM fan it'll cost you $449 to upgrade... a $5 aux cord for

Not quite as modern as the Highlander, for instance, but tighter fitting knobs and buttons join soft-touch plastics for a higher quality feel. (Photo: Kevin Wang, American Auto Press)

the iPod or a portable XM player might be a better idea. My Limited 4x4 V6 tester, which added $2,434 to the $36,975 base price, boasted leather on all seats and nice aluminum-like trim throughout, giving it a really nice high-tech look, and the circular gauges nestled into their shrouded binnacle add a sporty touch that complement the SUV's racy exterior design nicely.

I don't know about you, but I find the 4Runner's sheetmetal very attractive, and still fresh despite its years. It was the first vehicle to get Toyota's “Vibrant Clarity” design language, before they even had a name for it, and now most new models from the Japanese brand reflect elements in its aggressive, forward thinking design. Its unique grille treatment and angular headlamps set the tone for the RAV4, Highlander, Tacoma and Tundra, as well as some cars in the lineup, and its long, lean, yet geometric shape is unusual in a world of squarish two-box SUVs and organically formed crossovers.

Despite what appears to be a low roofline there's plenty of room inside, but don't shop here if you're looking for a seven-occupant family hauler, as the 4Runner only seats five. This isn't a negative attribute for its intended purpose, mind you, as it fits five inside very comfortably with ample room to spare for their gear. And gear in mind there's a reason I'd take the 4Runner over its more opulent Lexus GX sibling. Rather than the side-swinging rear door that plagues the GX, compounded by hinges fitted to the wrong side of the SUV (unless you live in Japan, England or some other jurisdiction that drives on the left side of the road), therefore not only making access to the cargo area difficult when carrying a larger, awkward item if parallel parked, but downright dangerous if the road you're walking into happens to be busy, the 4Runner features a handy liftgate with a somewhat old-fashioned electric rear window (I don't know why these are considered old-school as they're still optimal

Loads of cargo room and this flexible shelf system makes optimal use of the space provided. (Photo: Kevin Wang, American Auto Press)

over fixed or pop-out windows). Its Dual-Deck Cargo Area system is also pretty impressive, allowing you to load on two levels if set into place, and therefore maximize the available space.

Convenience and comfort in mind, the 4Runner really surprises when it comes to ride-quality too. There's something to be said for good old body on frame construction in this case, as the SUV effectively isolates the road and/or trail from driver and passenger, aided by much sound deadening material and those high quality plastics I spoke of before. There's plenty of suspension travel in the four-corner coil spring setup too, which translates into an ability to soak up the nastiest of ruts and most unsettling of bumps, whether you're negotiating the rigors of the trail or simply trying to make your way through a potholed inner city alley. Its 37.4-foot turning circle is also very good

In a back to back backroad test, Toyota's 4Runner was the clear winner and Nissan's Pathfinder the obvious loser. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

for this class, important when off-road and also amid tight parking garages, allowing maneuverability not expected in such a large vehicle.

But of course, the 4Runner isn't all that large when compared to many rivals, even the new Highlander. This makes it a relatively user-friendly companion no matter the situation, and thanks to a suspension setup that is more sport than utility and variable ratio rack and pinion steering, it carves corners like no other 4x4-capable SUV in its class. I learned this while on a competitive drive program, not for the 4Runner, mind you, but rather the Ford Explorer. It was near Lake Placid, New York in 2005, when Ford brought in numerous rival SUVs to go up its then new 2006 Explorer, and to no one's surprise the once number-one selling blue oval sport ute performed very well throughout the backwoods course that was as diverse in terrain as anything I've had the pleasure of racing around. And believe me when I use the word “pleasure”, as the smiles were wide while we pushed this pack of very capable SUVs well beyond what they'd normally be forced to endure. The course left a private farm, up a crisscrossing heavily treed hillside and onto a thickly wooded plateau

High-speed back country "rally" separated the weak from the strong. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

before winding its way out onto a grassy plain, the grass being extremely tall and therefore quite slippery as the “road” weaved its way down the edge of a large field, the SUVs leaning to the right on a rather awkward angle that fully tested each vehicle's traction and stability control. This is where the controllable SUVs were separated from those unable to cope and therefore keep up, with the Explorer doing well, as mentioned, achieving a second place finish overall. Surprisingly a third place tie was between the agile Jeep Grand Cherokee and the rather large but nevertheless stable Chevy TrailBlazer. I would never have guessed that the overall loser would be Nissan's Pathfinder, which went so wayward through the woods, tail wagging like a happy albeit stupid puppy that it scared the wits out of everybody in the group. Oh, and the winner? The 4Runner by a measurable distance, maintaining stability through the woods and on the grass, while dominating on the dirt, gravel and winding paved sections I neglected to mention. Ford, of course, would rather I hadn't mentioned this in my review of their very capable SUV, but being the unbiased reporter I try to be I just

A turn of the dash-mounted switch initiates 4WD high or low, for serious off-roading. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

couldn't help myself. After a week of running around in the improved 2008 4Runner, this one with the X-REAS suspension upgrade which comes standard on the Limited model, that links shock fluid between all four corners, improving balance and overall stability, not to mention 18-inch alloy rims wrapped in 265/60R18 all season tires, I am once again convinced that it's the best handling 4x4-capable SUV on the market, at least for a price much lower than Land Rover's Range Rover Sport, VW's Touareg and Porsche's Cayenne, and one of the most comfortable.

Just the same, the last 4Runner I tested was even more enjoyable to drive. Why? Its optional 4.7-liter V8 turned it into a much more substantial feeling ride, not only because its burbling eight-cylinder engine gave me a solid whump in the backside every time right foot met floorboard, but more so because it somehow transformed the overall experience even further up the desirability

No shortage of grip from 4WD plus traction and stability control. (Photo: Kevin Wagon, American Auto Press)

scale, making the SUV feel more like its premium rivals from Lexus and others. Unlike its V8 sibling, an engine available on any of the three 4Runner trims (SR5, Sport, or Limited), incidentally, my Limited V6 tester got up and went in a merely adequate fashion. I wasn't put out by any lack of oomph, but the 4.0-liter V6's 236 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque worked hard to move more than 4,320 pounds of SUV up the steep inclines in my neighborhood. The V8 I tested previously never broke a sweat doing the same work, as it delivers 24 additional horsepower and 40 more lb-ft of torque over the V6, and while I didn't have opportunity to test fuel economy figures back to back, my guess is there wouldn't be much negative impact in moving up to the larger engine, especially amongst the hills. It improves towing too, although the V6 allows for a surprisingly good tow rating of 5,000 pounds.

Both engines

Five-speed auto might be missing a gear to make it more fuel efficient, but it's a smooth operator just the same. (Photo: Kevin Wang, American Auto Press)

come mated to a five-speed automatic transmission that works flawlessly, shifting down with the kind of snap to attention those of us raised on American iron learned to appreciate at a young age. It's much smoother than those old transmissions, however, and a heck of a lot more efficient, but it's easy to feel the robust nature of the gearbox, which was designed as much for tooling around town as it was for tackling the wild unknown, and getting everyone aboard back home safely.

This in mind, the 4Runner's 4x4 system is anything but archaic either, despite some peoples' opinions that part-time four-wheel drive is less appealing than the sophisticated automatic all-wheel drive systems now more prevalent. If you want to scale rocky crags or trudge through axle-deep mud, part-time 4WD with a set of bull low gears and a locking center diff is the only way to go. The 4Runner actually gets a Torsen limited slip center differential with a locking feature, plus Downhill Assist Control (DAC) and Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC); even better. And enhancing traction off-road or on is standard traction (ATRAC) and stability control (VSC). VSC is fabulous, maintaining grip on loose gravel or snow even if an overzealous driver is using more speed than appropriate for the occasion. Notable is a switch to deactivate the rollover sensors for the side curtain airbags. This SUV really is meant for 4x4ing.

Also capable are the 4Runner's brakes, which incorporate power-assisted four-wheel discs all-round, enhanced by ABS, Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), and Brake Assist (BA). Yes, they'll fade if attempting to drive it like a sports car on a winding mountain road, but for regular use they're flawless, stopping quickly and with control during panic situations and operating smoothly otherwise.

So what's wrong with Toyota's classic off-roader? Not much that a slight interior

For the money, this is my favorite SUV. (Photo: Kevin Wang, American Auto Press)

update wouldn't fix (and I'm not talking about dumbing down interior plastics like Toyota did with the Highlander, but rather improving its switchgear and modernizing its features). The only complaint I heard came from my wife, Jennifer, who couldn't get comfortable in the seat, saying it sat too low for her driving style. We fiddled with the eight-way power adjustable seat settings and managed to pull it up higher, which we both liked better, but despite being a 4x4 capable SUV with decent ground clearance at 9.1 inches, the 4Runner ensconces its driver in a sportier seating position than he or she might want. This is a personal taste issue, but in my experience the majority of those buying into this category appreciate the visibility and overall dominance over others on the road that high seating positions offer. When the seat is fully raised to compensate for its ground-hugging stance there isn't much headroom left over for taller drivers either, something I certainly didn't have trouble with but more than likely something someone in the upper percentile of height would find discomforting.

In the end I personally had no complaints and therefore am once again enamored with Toyota's 4Runner, not only finding it the best all-rounder in the mid-priced off-road capable SUV segment, but also the best Toyota available, period. Expecting that a total redesign is forthcoming, I can only hope that the future 4Runner remains as good as the current model. Just in case, you'd best grab one of these while they're still around.

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