1 / 5

2017_Toyota_4Runner_TRD_OR_Prem_03_AD9F570FFFC981D1EF9FBE113F28B3C95E085F1A.jpg

2 / 5

2017_Toyota_4Runner_TRD_OR_Prem_02_10A801F47C153DAFF8B6DE59EAB244D480CF9108.jpg

3 / 5

2017_Toyota_4Runner_TRD_OR_Prem_07_A650F56BF7C7C2EC2B860D94575ABB28FC01913F.jpg

4 / 5

2017_Toyota_4Runner_TRD_OR_Prem_11_A89853A305BBF70217E33E27AF9BADA630A96E37.jpg

5 / 5

2017_Toyota_4Runner_TRD_OR_Prem_08_F313947F5667EFDC1638838669D945AC8BD454DC.jpg

❮ ❯

‘Let’s Go Places’ is certainly one of the options we had during our week with the Toyota 4Runner TRD Off Road edition, as that moniker just takes on a whole new meaning with a SUV that literally can go anywhere that we could dream of, or actually want to drive to. This new edition will make those folks happy that can’t quite afford the TRD Pro package but still want to spend more time off road than between the lane lines!

The competition in this segment continues to dwindle as there are now only a couple of manufacturers left that are still producing a true 4×4 vehicle that is designed to go off road and conquer the world. A couple of years ago there were 3 that pretty much fit this bill, but with the departure of the Nissan Xterra, there are now only 2. The Jeep Wrangler and the Toyota 4Runner, are pretty much the only options that most common folks can afford and enjoy in the back country without having to get a second mortgage on the house.

Of course either of these two would get you pretty much where ever you wanted to go, they just have differing ways of negotiating the 4X4 world. Jeep has remained rugged on the inside and out keeping with traditional styling and getting some great upgrades from Chrysler in the luxury end but we still have to give the edge to Toyota in this realm.

Of the two, the 4Runner definitely wins in the comfort department when not tackling the off-road world. The inside of the 4Runner would keep any soccer mom happy getting the kids around and running errands all day long with much easier access to the back seats and rear cargo room, and quite frankly has more of it.

The 4Runner looks and drives more like a sedan than the off road behemoth that it is. Looks can be deceiving and in this case they quite frankly are just that, with the standard off road technology in Muti-terrain Select, we could choose from four modes designed to regulate wheel spin by adjusting engine throttle setting and braking pressure to provide us with the maximum traction in any off-road situation.

Of course there is also a Crawl Control that literally keeps the 4Runner crawling through the bad stuff be it going up or down an incline meant only for sheep and goats, it will stay in a ‘crawl’ stance to get through it all. This continued development of dirt eating technology keeps Toyota as one of the leaders in this world with so many different advantages at your fingertips that allow a multitude of different choices when climbing anything from hills around your home to the red rocks of Moab, the 4Runner has it covered.

The 4Runner comes equipped with all kinds of great 4 wheel drive benefits including the A-TRAC, or a full time 4WD Active Traction Control with a Torsen limited slip locking differential. In other words the rear wheels can be locked in to spin at the same speed with the A-TRAC doing the same to the front but still allowing brake control in conjunction, or in other words you don’t have to be a professional driver to have complete control of the 4 wheel drive!

About the only option that ours came with was the addition of KDSS, we quickly had the question what is KDSS? It is Toyotas name for Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System of course, that allows through the magic of some hydraulic system the sway bars under the SUV are disconnected to improve articulation. In essence the KDSS equipped 4Runner is able to follow the terrain better by allowing the axels to have more travel distance.

Included with this system is the KDSS/CRAWL selector that does a couple of things, one it automatically adjusts the suspension for better wheel articulation that would be the KDSS part and then the CRAWL automatically modulates the brakes and throttle on the 5 low speed settings, allowing the driver in essence to Crawl almost automatically over and through rough terrain. If that were not enough there is also a multi terrain selector allowing the driver to choose what kind of terrain they are currently encountering from hard rock to sand.

Over the years we have come to understand that to this point, it is very important to read and understand how all the different functions work together so the 4Runner experience can be enjoyed as much as possible when out exploring the vastness nature has to offer.

Under the hood the 4Runner sports a nice 4.0 liter V6 motor that cranks out 270 horsepower with 278 lb.-ft. of torque, making sure that there is always enough power be it headed up into the hills or passing on the freeway. There is also a 4700 pound towing capacity on the SUV, so small trailers or small boats will not be a problem, and since Toyota is the only manufacture to make sure the towing capacity of their vehicles matches up to SAE standards, you can rest assured the 4Runner can handle at least that much weight.

Inside as we mentioned it seems more sedan like with Softex seating surfaces that had a very nice red stitching accent, they were extremely comfortable, and of course they were also heated making Deanne even happier during our rides. The control knobs for the heat and air are taken from a page out of the Tundra book and are huge making them very easy to use even with heavy work gloves on. They actually add to the ambiance of the vehicle making it seem more ambitious!

Included also is a 6.1 inch high resolution touch screen with the full Toyota Entune sweet available, SiriusXM Radio, navigation and a backup camera. Our phones hooked up without a hitch through Bluetooth and we were able to play our music through the sound system. The 4Runner does however still take a key to start it in the TRD Off Road version.

Good news is the Off Road comes with more color choices than the Pro, which will make some folks like it even more, but if serious off-roading is something you really enjoy and want to be able to get anywhere then the 4Runner is worth serious consideration, yet it will still keep mom happy running around with the kids. See them today at Brent Brown Toyota at 1400 South Sandhill Road Orem, (801) 224-1320.

Base Price: $39,295

Price as Driven: $43,922