2019 Toyota 4Runner

The cabin is spacious and offers decent cargo capacity. The stiffer suspension supports off-road performance but steals some of the ride quality. Moreover, the Nightshade edition would be a new point of attraction to the buyers for the 2019 model year. The Toyota 4Runner is in immediate need of some upgrades with the tech so that it seems modern and fits your daily needs. Starting at $35,310 for the base RWD, the prices go up to $47,400 for the Limited Nightshade. It competes with familiar all-rounders like the Ford Explorer, GMC Acadia, and Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The classic off-roader comes in 7 different trim levels; namely, the SR5, SR5 Premium, TRD Off-Road, TRD Off-Road Premium, TRD Pro, Limited, and Limited Nightshade. Each of these trims is equipped with a 4L V6 motor that churns out 270 horsepower and 278 lb.-ft. of torque. The base trim comes with good equipment which includes power front seats, cloth upholstery, heated mirrors, and many more. The SR5 Premium trim adds heated cushion front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, navigation, and SofTex simulated leather upholstery. 

The TRD Off-Road adds Multi-Terrain Select off-road settings and a Crawl control function. TRD Off-Road Premium gets an additional 20” machined aluminum wheels. Limited trim comes with some more feel-good features like heated and ventilated front seats, keyless ignition and entry, X-REAS suspension system, sunroof, and so on. The Nightshade comes with an all-black exterior on the Limited Trim. Let’s have a look at some standout and optional features in the table below:

Which trim should you buy?

Though all the trims value what they are offered, the 4Runner TRD Off-Road Premium seems a more affordable and capable choice. It gets serious features for off-roading along with features that we strongly need. The 4WD drivetrain makes more sense with the 20” machined aluminum wheels. The more you pay the more you get, but the TRD Off-Road Premium is an easy choice to make your buy more sensible.

The 2019 Toyota 4Runner is offered with a 4L V6 that churns out 270 horses and 278 lb.-ft. of torque. The engine is paired with a five-speed automatic transmission that powers either the rear wheels or all the 4 wheels for the SR5 and Limited models. It comes with a standard 4WD config for the TRD models. All the trim levels have been rated a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds.

The engine is powerful and capable. The torquey engine makes the drive more enthusiastic. The smooth and precise automatic transmission does a great job in ensuring proper and timely power distribution. It is better at off-roads rather than highway commutes, as the 5-speed transmission is way behind the 8-speed transmissions in the rivals.

With the V6 motor under the hood, the Jeep Grand Cherokee seems the most powerful SUV in the segment, followed by the Ford Explorer. Though the figures of the 4Runner are least in terms of power, it is the torquiest of all. The capable machine shows decent acceleration, far better and consistent than that of the GMC. Ford Explorer stands the best in terms of acceleration.

How well does the 2019 Toyota 4Runner handle?

The torquey motor under the hood of the 2019 Toyota 4Runner adds some serious muscles to your drives. Climbing up hills and mountains through rugged terrains is what this machine is meant for. The high ground clearance and narrow-body design, let it perform beyond one’s expectations. Handling it is not cumbersome work, but one has to be careful with the brakes. It evidently has somebody roll which makes it uneasy while cornering. However, riding a sporty and muscular SUV would be satisfying.

The ride quality is smooth and balanced on normal roads, but the stiffened suspension shall not offer premium rides on rough terrains. The steering is light but precise, making it more drivable. The locking differential and multi-terrain select with crawl control in the TRD models are notable upgrades. The FOX Shocks, dynamic suspension, and special skid plates in the higher trims improve the ride quality.

2019 Toyota 4Runner Braking Performance

Braking performance is a point of concern, especially in the case of highly-capable hauling SUVs. The brakes of the 2019 Toyota 4Runner doesn’t comply with the way it should be. The brakes seem inactive during the first-half travel of the brake pedal. One should flat foot the brake pedal to get it to stop from some good speeds, which would steal off your confidence on higher speeds.

4Runner’s brakes are mediocre for sudden action or even for cornering. It tends to be nosedive and demands more braking distance than the rest of the competitors in the segment. Being the heaviest in the segment, it needs a bit more upgrade in the brake department to improve the stopping distance. The 13.3” brake rotors at the front and 12.3” ones at the rear are the biggest in its competition.

The Toyota 4Runner and Jeep Cherokee get decent brakes with ample performance. There is a serious need for an upgrade in the brakes of the 2019 Ford Explorer as it is one of the smallest brakes of all and the slowest in halting even in an emergency. The Jeep however stands on the top of the table when it comes to braking performance with its 13 inches rotor in the front as well as rear.

Cars like these aren’t really good at returning good fuel economy due to their massive engines. The RWD 4Runner returns an EPA-rated fuel economy of 17 MPG in the city, 21 MPG on highways, and 18 MPG combined. These ratings aren’t competitive when it comes to the figures from the rivals. In short, the 4L V6 under the hood of the 4Runner is a thirsty motor.

The 23-gallon fuel tank has given a somewhat decent range for the 4Runner. However, the figures lag behind the rivals. Acadia gets the best-in-class mileage while Cherokee with its 24.6-gallon tank offers the highest range of 46734 miles in the city and 639.6 miles on the highway. This is where the Toyota 4 Runner falls short when compared to its competition.

The 2019 Toyota 4Runner comes with a standard 5-seat configuration, which shall be expanded to seven also. The cabin is spacious and airy, making it feel good to be within. The dashboard is tall, stands bold and sleek in design. The seats are stern, giving good support to the occupants. The thick rooftop columns would take away some visibility. Tall drivers would find it a perfect space. The added third row would be cramped, otherwise, the seats are spacious and roomy. The second row shall be equipped with a one-touch sliding facility so that the third row shall be easily accessed. 

The third row would be better for kids due to less space. The cloth-trimmed interior won’t let you feel premium. The dashboard has several hard plastic elements and the seats aren’t too pleasing to see or sit. However, the leather upholstery makes things better. The cabin isn’t fancy or feature-rich but decently equipped with simple and minimalistic character. Higher trims get dual-zone climate control, heated and ventilated front seats, leather steering wheel, and many more.

The figures clearly show that the 4Runner is the smallest in terms of interior space in the segment. However, the figures are close enough to the competitors, which practically feels the same. The Explorer seems to be the most spacious in the segment followed by the Acadia and then the Cherokee.Some of the Standout interior features:

• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Heated and ventilated seats
• Four-way power-adjustable passenger seat
• Eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Cloth or leather upholstery
• Tilt-telescopic steering wheel

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The infotainment unit on the 4Runner is outdated and needs an immediate upgrade. The 6.1” Entune touchscreen infotainment system comes standard on all the trims. The interface is now old enough to attract tech lovers. However, the system is simple and easy to use, with quick responses.

In this era of smartphones, there is a specific need for smartphone integrations in the infotainment units, which is another point of lag in the 4Runner. It doesn’t have either Apple Carplay or Android Auto. It connects to your phone only via Bluetooth or USB connections. For the new model year, we’ll see a 15-speaker premium JBL Sound System that enhances the sound experience. Standout infotainment features:

• 6.1” Entune touchscreen
• Bluetooth
• USB Connectivity
• 15-Speaker Premium JBL Sound System
• Navigation
• 120V Power outlet

The old-school design of the 2019 Toyota 4Runner, though a decade old, is still loved by its fans. The sharp and boxy looks give significant muscular appeal at first sight. The large headlights and the fog lights beneath are well-placed and catchy to the eyes. The front bumper is high enough to enable easy rides on off-roads. The huge ground clearance adds to it. 

The roof rack on every trim level lets you carry more cargo or loads on the vehicle. The chrome elements on the front and side seem more of an element of attraction for a viewer. The big tires with silver aluminum wheels and the body-on-frame design let out the capabilities in its looks. Moreover, it seems to be the heaviest car in its segment weighing 4750 lbs and boasts a ground clearance of 9 inches.

Though the looks are outdated and sleek, they evidently complement the way it performs and its capability. Moreover, 4Runner is meant for off-roading as it comes with whopping 9-inch ground clearance. It is also the heaviest of the lot which affects its performance and handling. On the other hand, the GMC Acadia is the lightest car in the segment measuring only 3956 lbs.Standout exterior features:

• Projector-beam Headlights
• LED Tail Lights
• LED Fog lights
• Chrome door handles
• Power tilt/slide moonroof
• Heated power outside mirrors

Though the 2019 4Runner isn’t much equipped with active safety features, its structural stability has made it score 4 out of 5 stars in the NHTSA crash tests. It has scored ‘Good’ in almost all sections in IIHS except for small overlap front and headlights where it scores ‘Marginal’ and ‘Poor’. One shall have to spend money to accommodate some of the available safety features in their 4Runner so as to ensure a safe and composed ride.

 As add-ons, the vehicle shall get features such as ESC, Hill Start Assist, Hill Climb Assist, Enhanced Accident Response System, ParkSense Rear Park-Assist. A well-built airbag setup and LATCH help you be safe if an unfortunate situation happens. Like any other Toyota vehicle, the 4Runner is also a reliable choice. However, rivals such as Ford, Jeep, and GMC have better equipment on the active safety side, which gives them an advantage at times. Standout safety features:

• ParkSense Rear Park-Assist
• Enhanced Accident Response System
• Hill Start Assist
• Hill Climb Assist
• Parkview Rear Back-up camera

2019 Toyota 4Runner vs 2019 GMC Acadia

The Toyota 4Runner is an ultimate muscular machine with immense capability and a noteworthy 5000-pounds of towing capacity. However, Acadia from GMC emphasizes maintaining good fuel economy, and balance well between performance and comfort. Acadia is longer, better in handling with better brakes, and offers decent space too. 4Runner would be your take if you care about performance and capability. If you intend to get everything at a balance with uncompromised fuel figures, then Acadia would suit you.

2019 Toyota 4Runner vs 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Both these SUVs are immensely capable. However, the old-school body-on-frame construction of the 4Runner stands far apart from the modern and fancy design of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Jeep gets larger brakes, better mileage figures, and acceleration, but fails to defeat the torquey 4L V6 in the 4Runner. Grand Cherokee would get you more creature comfort features and tech tweaks within the modern cabin, while the 4Runner continues exploring off-roads.

2019 Toyota 4Runner vs 2019 Ford Explorer

The Ford Explorer is an all-rounder and a value-for-money product in the market. Though 4Runner still stands high in its ability to haul and go off the roads, Explorer impresses its fans with decent performance and a family-friendly cabin. Not too fancy, but the cabin of the Explorer offers good features to have in the infotainment too. The 4Runner stands high with the unbeatable reliability ratings of Toyota and its off-road characteristics.

The Toyota 4Runner has been sustaining in the market successfully for more than 3 decades. The aged SUV still looks appealing and competitive to the modern and energetic releases. 4Runner is in high need of upgrades, especially with the tech and features, so that people shall buy their favorite off-roader without hesitation. After all, it’s a Toyota-built, which means it is immensely reliable and would never disappoint you.