I've got my car listed for sale, as soon as it sells I'll be getting back into a Toyota. I really think I'll use the space of a SUV about the same amount as a bed in the Tacoma. I need both, but I've decided either will work well. The vehicles in question are a 99+ 4runner and a 01-04 Double Cab Tacoma. I'll be getting a 4x4 with either. Are there any real differences in these besides the obvious? I'm leaning towards the 4runner. They are cheaper, easier to find with lower mileage, and seem to have better features for the price (such as leather). So, are there any benefits you guys can see of one over the other? I don't plan on any off roading, just daily driving and maybe some hunting/fishing on the weekends. Thanks!

 

obviously the 4runner (seating for 5, nice space for storage or a sound system) would be more practical.. if your a mom dropping your kids off at soccer practice... hahahaha, im just messing with you... i would go for the tacoma but thats just me...

 

In all honesty I kinda wish I bought a 4runner, But the fact that I couldnt find a low mileage one around her with a 5speed (that was a must) made me search for a taco...

Id say taco as well, I love mine..

The 4 runner just has a bit more versatility..

 

I have found out in the past two weeks that the best solution is to have both in your driveway
Seriously, it sounds like you want a runner, so just get one. I love my 96 taco, but I am enjoying our 01 runner we just picked up. I could see myself happy with just a runner, and I've always had a truck. One positive thing about the runner is you could put your fishing poles in hard case and strap them to the top, keeping them free of mud. Which is a problem I have. Plus, you can sleep in back of a runner and not in a D-cab bed. Good luck.

 

I remember on my last 4runner it always seemed I couldn't do what I wanted to do. I'd want to haul a 4wheeler, haul furniture back and forth to my dorm room, and the biggie, carry freshly killed game. In all honesty, I really don't do that stuff much, but I do frequently carry bags and such around (live on campus at college, always running back and forth to home). The 4runner would be nice to carry my stuff around or take on a trip somewhere because I wouldn't have to worry about stuff getting wet in the bed. I think I'd have plenty of room in the double cab, I usually only have 1-2 other people with me so I shouldn't have problems. The main reason I'm leaning towards the 4runner is because of price, I can save a good $2k as compared to a 01-04 Taco DC with similar mileage (both being 4wd).

 

In all honesty I kinda wish i bought a Tacoma, but I did find a low mileage with a 5speed around here

The 4runner is more versatile on the street, but thats a lot of metal and glass to mess up. As soon as I can I am chopping the top, so hey it will be a dc runner

 

I too wish i had gotten an extra cab pickup over the 4runner.

Crolison has it right, there is alot of glass to break out while wheeling. i also am planning on chopping the top on my 4runner. They are pretty top heavy as is but I feel they handle really good stock, but once you lift them and start modifying the suspension they start getting a lot more tippy, and handle worse.

The 4runners pros IMO besides what you mentioned. The 4runner has the room to seat 5 people, and internal storage. SO your possessions can be locked and are always dry. The downside is its hard to transport LARGER items. I feel it would be vary difficult for me to transport a full set of tires in the size i want.

It all depends on what you plan on doing with it.

 

That's my biggest question. I can't say that I could use the inside space for locking up valuables more or less than I'd need the extra room the bed provides. The Tacoma in question would the a double cab, so I should still have room for 5 people. My biggest question is from the engine, drivetrain, and driveability standpoints. Will one be just as reliable? Does one offer a smoother ride? I know a Tacoma with a TRD package would have different suspension parts such as shocks, so maybe that'd improve the ride. My question really isn't what's better truck or SUV, but rather just the quality/comfort of each. Regardless of which I choose, there will be cases where I could use the other. From that standpoint, the Tacoma is better because I can always get a lockable tool box and/or bed cover to keep things dry (don't frequently have large items, so I think it'd work out). Thanks a lot for the help, I really appreciate it!

 

Oh in that case i think i would rather go for the truck. You can also use the rear seats for internal storage if the items will fit. Or like you suggested a camper shell or lockable tool box.

Ive never driven/riden in a tacoma, but i have done so in a 3rd gen 4runner. i believe they have the same setup, except the tacoma has leafs in the back. I could be wrong, but lets hear what people have to say about the comfort level of each.

 

Yep, probably 80% of the time whatever valuables I'm carrying could be locked up in the cab of a DC Tacoma. Also, a 4runner would serve my needs as well, I could do all I needed to about 80% of the time as well. The Tacoma is obviously a better vehicle, but I'm on a very limited budget. Since the 4runner is about $2k cheaper, that's what I'm considering first. If there's a big difference in ride, power, performance, etc, I may justify the extra money on the Tacoma.

 

Oh and you don't really have to worry about a rusted out frame with the 4runners, and they have a fully boxed frame unlike the taco.

The way my runner is set up right now it rides really smooth and goes over bumps very nicely

and the 4runner rear flexes like a sob

 

i was wanting to get into a double cab taco, but as you mentioned the price tag attached. So i decided on the runner, i have had a ext cab taco and loved every min of it. Had to sell it due to money and school. I can honestly say the runner takes the snow packed roads like a champ, where the taco super light in the rear SUCKED in the snow. 4 sandbags with 60lbs in them and still was all over the road with 285's. Get some pole holders from any outdoor store for 10 bucks! I fit my 6' one pieces in with no problem. (both rode smooth)

 

Honestly the real issue I have been seeing here on 01-02 models is the auto trans. from what I have seen the OD is a weak link in them so I would suggest going 03-04 DC if you get an auto. If manual 01-02 is good. The best part of the bed is all of that stuff you would never want to haul inside! Either because of the smell or the mess, some times even the height of the object. you could always get a soft top or shell but the soft top is more functional with large items and the shell is more secure for tools and such that you want to lock up.

 

heh, i asked this very question a little while back. after weighing the pros and cons of each and what my needs are, i went with a 99 4Runner. Pretty darn happy so far.

 

my vote is obvious...

 

The 3.4 V6 is a really good engine. The Tacoma shouldn't weigh as much so the engine performance may seem marginally better. I had an 02 Xtracab. It was an awesome truck and I miss it, but unfortunate circumstances forced me to sell it. IMO, the leaf spring rear suspension of the Tacoma is a little simpler to modify/maintain. It's nice to be able to just toss stuff into the bed of a truck.

I prefer the Tacoma. The 4Runner is the next best thing.

 

I went with the Runner because of cost & availability. The 4Runner obviously has more potential for "soccer mom" misconceptions, where the taco (in my mind) always looks badass and offroady. On the other hand, I also think the 4Runner has a.... richer?... look to it. It's a sweet looking SUV, no doubt. It would look good for the ladies around campus, but I also tend to fear that mine will draw attention over other potential targets in parking lot theft.

I like that I can lock our bikes up inside it and go to dinner or run into a store. Wouldn't be comfortable doing that with an open bed. And it'll be better for a kid seat when we pop one out, as this will certainly still be my main vehicle when this happens.

 

The bed on the double cab Taco is pretty small, so you aren't getting that much more storage and gear space than in the 4runner. Plus you'd have to spend some big bucks to get a nice camper top or lockable tonneau cover. And then once you have that you limit the usability of the bed, so its a catch 22...

Go with the 4runner. It sounds better suited for your needs.

 

I used to have a 2000 Xtra Cab with the TRD offroad package. It had a bit more pep compared to my 02 4Runner (I feel they are pretty close in comparison), but like others have said, without having weight in the back can make the handling a little "iffy". I had an ARE custom camper top fitted, but it took away from the "truck" look of the thing and I decided to take it off and sell it after three months. I didn't put enough valuable stuff in the back to justify having the camper top. At the time, I was also dating a chick who was REALLY into trucks, so that also made me lose the camper top. "Eww, what is that stupid thing on the back of your truck?" The Tacoma (as well as that girlfriend) were gone soon after that and that's when I went back to driving my 4Runner. It just seems more practical, being able to store all your valuables in complete cover all the time, stuff like that. Plus my dog was getting older and I didn't feel comfortable having her in an open truck bed. Since I have her as a companion on occasion in the car with me I feel she is much safer in the cargo area with the window down. Leather (easier to clean), auto climate control, AWD availability and a more comfortable back seat also made it the clear choice for me. But I do miss the rear locker on the Xtra cab. That's about it. Good luck

 

All great points, thanks a lot. The main time I would use the bed is when I'm moving my stuff from home to my dorm, on the occasion I may kill a deer or the like and need to haul it (I'd buy one of those things you plug into your receiver if I got the 4runner so I could haul it there), or maybe hauling a 4wheeler (which I haven't done once in the past year, and I'll just invest in a trailer and still be money ahead). If the 4runner is gonna drive better, then that's probably what I'll go with. I've found pretty nice 4runner's in the $7-$8k range, whereas the cheapest Tacoma DC I've found with under 150k miles is $10.5k.