Ashburner

Hello all,

I have had my Galactic Grey Mica V8 Limited 4x4 4runner now for one week and I wanted to write up a short review of what I think. These are just my first thoughts.

First of all, coming from a high revving sports sedan, this truck is quite a change for me. My only other experience with an SUV is the 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9 limited that I had.

After one week with the 4runner, I am quite impressed. It is quite a comfortable ride and the XREAS suspension significantly improves the handling of corners. This is something that I appreciate as the access body roll makes me feel car sick.

The leather seats are also quite nice. They seem to be a little firm and I feel as if I may be sitting too low, but this is a must because I am 6’4”. With the adjustable seats, telescoping and tilt wheel, finding a comfortable position is not too difficult.

The turning radius of this truck is extraordinary. Parking is simple and u-turns are a no-brainer. The on-road and highway ride of this vehicle are also remarkable. The ride is pleasant and the steering is precise. At highway speeds, the interior sound is surprisingly quite with just a hint of wind resistance. The tires are nearly silent. The vehicle does not wander at highway speeds and it is very easy to sit back and enjoy the ride.

The power seems to be fairly adequate. Since I have about 280 miles on the vehicle, I have not had the chance to push it with any authority; however, the torque seems to be there with little resistance. I look forward to breaking it in properly so that I can finally give it some gas.

I have not had the opportunity to test the off-road prowess, but I think it will do well. Ground clearance is my only concern.

The navigation works flawlessly. It was not a necessity for me, but instead a feature which I desired. The functionality of the system is superb and everyone seems to get a kick out of it. I am excited to take the vehicle on a road trip and feel like I can control my presence, wherever I may be.

Now to some of my concerns and slight complaints:

First of all, I don’t think the JBL 10 Speaker system is up to par. The sound resonating from the mid speakers and the subwoofer are almost non-existent. I’m not sure why this is but no adjustments seem to correct the unbalanced sound. On the other hand, the front speakers sound nice.

Second, I miss having memory seats. With all of the options on this $41,5K vehicle, memory seats should be standard. Why they were not included ponders me.

Third, the power window controls are at an odd position. When my seat is all the way back, I have to lean forward to reach them. This is not a big deal, but could have been avoided.

Forth, there is no rear hatch release. I would prefer to have a lever inside the vehicle to open the rear hatch. Also, a button on the key fob would be a welcome replacement. Again, this is no big concern and I will quickly adjust to this.

Fifth, I would like the key fob to be able to put the rear window up. Yes, I can roll it down from 20 feet away, but I have to stick the key in it and hold it clockwise to roll the window back up. Again, this is a simple feature that I feel should have been included.

All in all, I am very happy with my purchase and I recommend the 4runner Limited to anyone who is looking for a creature comfort laden vehicle that combines a nice ride with the true design to be taken off-road.

In my first week with the vehicle, I rate it an 8.8 out of 10.

-Ash

BT17R

Nice writeup! Maybe after you break it in and give it the boot, it'll rate a 9.0+.

AznSky

Limited? Better not get those leather seats dirty!

MY024runner

Nice post.Wish I could feel those x-reas.They must feel great

Ashburner

That's the beauty of leather... It's simple to clean!

decepticon

ive done one up the other day at toyota, that rear susp is great, as homer would say, rear goes up, rear goes down, rear goes up, rear goes down