1st gens all the way, the 22re is a proven motor and it has great torque for the size of the 1st gen , altho highway driving does suck

BLKNBLU makes a good point, "comfort" is subjective. So go test drive all the generations and see which one feels most comfortable to YOU. Then, based on what yotatechers give you as feedback regarding MPG's and overall abilities, make your decision. I know my vote goes for the 3.4 third gen. This is after driving lots of friends 2.4's and owning two different 3.slows and my 1997 3.4 (currently and I love it!). My 97 runner is very comfortable on the highway, tows great, gets relatively decent MPG's and is a very good off-roader especially after I lifted it with SS#1.1. I will never go back to 2.4 or 3.0, never!!

Good luck with your choice.

^^^^^^^^
good luck finding one those are just as hard or maybe even harder to come by than a 85 five speed efi 4runner

It is hard to judge what you are going to do with this, as "most trails" is a relative term,

same thing with "daily driver", that can mean a fully built, covered in dents, painted primer green but has a license plate, but you migh be fixing it until 3am on sunday night.

or it can a mean a rig that is nice enough to be seen in everyday, has decent tires (AT's or MT's?) and enough add-ons (winch/lockers/armor/etc.) to make it through or around the tough stuff, but can still get you to work on monday in style, and not getting 8mpg while running 37inch boggers


Trouble is that there is no perfect vehicle, any 4runner is close. If they made a 4runner that had a V8, looked nice, came with lockers and a real transfer case, could fit 35's w/o rubbing, had power everything and leather, had solid front and rear axles, oh and got 25mpg, then we wouldn't be having this discussion

Everytime that I buy something new (to me) I always find myself thinking that I would be better with a different rig, when I had a 4runner I wanted a truck, now that I have a truck I would love to have a 4runner again (I will probably wind up just having both), but somehow I've never found myself wanting a Bronce or a Jeep again...............



Personally I would start with a 3rd gen (4cyl if you really are concerned with mpg, but a 3.4 isn't a whole lot worse on gas and wont feel like a pig once you start loading down your rig) it has better comfort, and is easily improved on with lockers/armor/etc. There are also plenty of unmolested rigs owned by soccer mom's that go for a decent price

Thank god someone has their priorities strait.

MPG are probably the most overrated feature. I see people over looking what is really important to gain a couple miles/gal (Hybrids are the most discusting example of this)

The 3rd gen has the greatest drivetrain for on and off road (some can argue the 22re/5spd is better) best ride, most reliable (up there with the 22re)

however, I would rather have a 2nd gen with a 3.4. but I have no good reason.

i personally think 2nd gens look ugly stock and 3rd gens look like grocery getters with the station wagon tailgates. 1st gens look the best in my opinion but i have no doubt they are all capable offroad

The best stock 4Runner... in my humble opinion - taking comfort, MPG, and capability into account would be... a 2000 Limited 4x4 w/ the factory e-locker and the multi-mode t-case (push button AWD, selectable 4HI w/ open center diff, 4HI w/ locked center diff, 4LO w/ locked center diff) and of course the ability to lock the rear. Why do I say it? Because I was lucky as and just so happened to pick one up a year and a half ago. I'm 6'3" and while I don't have much headroom to spare (especially with the sunroof) it's very comfortable. As far as fuel mileage I average between 16-18mpg.

But beware... I haven't had mine for 3 weeks now since someone decided it would be fun to drive right into the ass end of a parked 4Runner and I've been having trouble sleeping and find my eyes welling up with tears every once in a while when I get an update on the repair. The latest of which was that my rear axle is shifted and the control arms are bent... :(

If you decide to go with an '85 EFI expect to pay a premium for one in decent shape...SFA will still ride like a truck..
No Toyota 4Runner or truck is going to be a mileage champ. I have owned 5 4runners and trucks over the last 20 years. Everything from a 22R, 22RE, 2.7 and 4.0. Sources like Edmunds are nice for ball park figures but to me it still comes down to vehicle conditions and driver habits. My wife has a lead foot, for some reason when I drive her Camry we get 4-5 mpg more.

'99-'00 Limiteds are the best combo for on road and off road performance since they have the mulit mode auto and an available rear locker.

I'm very happy with mine but I wish I had a 5 speed. '99+ did get the much improved ergonomics and those were a deciding factor on going to a '99 from my '97.

I love my 2.7 :D its really rare, 5speed 4wd and 4.56 gears.

Combined city and highway i get around 20, straight highway i get like 23.

Wow hot topic I guess we love to talk about our Runners! I own both a 1st and 2nd gen, and have driven many 3rd gens. For your uses, get a 3rd gen for sure. 1st gen will wheel the best no doubt, but access to the back seats isn't so great if you have a family or passengers. 2nd gen are great in every category except the motors; 3.0's just plain suck and 22re's are so rare, but if you find one jump on it. 3rd gens give up a bit when it comes to hardcore offroading, but they are actually better than the 2nd gen when it comes to mild wheeling. E-locker aside- the IFS on a 3rd gen is more durable because it has rack and pinion steering- no idler arm to fail and it holds the alignment better. 3rd gens will be easier to find clean/will have lower mileage, have better powertrains, and have better ergonomics.

I have an under-geared 22RE. 4.10 with 31's. It is alright but not fast. Geared properly (in my case, 4.56) it would do just fine. Its a 4Runner, not a Corvette.

I've had a 87 (22RE 5spd) and now have a 97 (3.4 auto)

Mileage: Bah... If I were concerned I'd drive a Civic.

Comfort: No question - 97

Safety: 97 ABS/Airbags

Trailworthiness (stock): Tie. With a locker, winch, sliders and skids either one is very capable.

Reliability: 22RE had 2 headgaskets before 150k. 3.4 has had one scheduled timing belt. Oh and the 02 Sensor finally gave up the ghost this week at 149k

Horsepower: no question


I had a blast in my 87, thought it was the beez kneez. Until I bought my 3rd gen.

As I told my lady in New Zealand when she was looking at about 15 different vehicles ... Drive, drive DRIVE! Get in each one you find and are your interested in and drive it to see if it will meet your needs. zis this the vehicle I really want? Once my dream car was a Lamborghini Countach ... until I sat in one, it was the most uncomfortable vehicle I had ever sat in!

I have owned all three gens and I have to agree with most of the threads. Here is my take on these from personal experience. Remember everyones opinion is subjective to their own experience. I would recommend alot of research on your own. The time you take in research will be rewarded to you in time behind the wheel.

85-89: I loved my 87 1st gen. It was an SR5 and pretty much barren of bells and whistles but it was a truck!
Pros: 22RE had a rock solid motor. Never a problem if you take care of them. Even if they are abused to some extent, never left me stranded in 3 years of ownership and I traded it to a guy for a set of double pane vinyl windows installed in my house (12). It had over 200,000 miles on it and was still a strong, solid truck. Internally mounted roll bar added protection in an accident/rollover.
Cons: I had automatic transmission issues, but it would climb a tree if I needed it to. Seats were not the most comfortable but hey, what 80's Toyota truck had comfy seats? Modify a set of seats you like! Speaking of tops if they were removed frequently some had problems getting a good seal and that equates to leaks. If you are is say Arizona then not an issue. If you live in say the Northwest, it can become an issue. I left mine installed and never had a leak. Power to weight ratio is moderate but remember the 1st gens were Toyota TRUCKS with a removable top! They were just a bit heavier. Mileage, I would consider them average for a small truck but regular Toyota trucks (non-4runner) did respectable. If you were over 5' 5" the rear seats sucked if you had to ride back there. Cramped at best. Storage space was at a premium if you carried any passengers.

The 3.0 in the last years of the gen 1 had a better power to weight ration but the motor had issues in its life time. Not totally sure about reliablity in these but I would be wary of them.

90-95: I had a '95 2nd gen. 3.0 with a manual 5 speed.

Pros: Toyota made some improvements. Better ride, comfort wider stance then the Gen 1. Having the option of manual transmission was a great idea. Off road manners were very solid. The top is now part of the truck so never an issue with leaks. Some early 89 & 90's came with 2 doors vice 4 doors like the 1st gens but they did not sell as well so Toyota dropped those. More rear passenger leg room. More rear area stowage space if carrying passengers. Lots of mods can be done to these.
Cons: Well the biggest issue was the 3.0 V6 Power to weight ration was abysmal so the gas mileage suffered big time. Couple the issue with the head gasket and Toyota's reluctance to admit they messed up with the design and you had disaster waiting to happen. They claim to have the issue resolved in 94 and 95 but they were still some of the worst reliable engines out there. There were many that had no issues if taken care of and watched constantly. Many that were repaired by Toyota, all be it begrudingly, performed quite well but still the poor power issue remained with this gen till its end in 95. My personal experience: I had no issues with mine. I purchased it with less then 90,000 miles. The only time I had issues running hot was climbing mountain passes loaded with gear and children. Stopping just as the needle hit the red line to cool down the radiator even with 2 speed electric fan mod installed made for nervous moments, but I never did lose the head gasket. I stopped at a water aid station and splashed water into the radiator fins and the temp dropped right down. Never shut it off and never tried to open the radiator cap, just splash water in the fins and breathed a sigh of relief!

96-02 3rd gens are some of the most popular. There are actually two different what I call "flights" in the 3rd gen family. 96-98 and then 99-02. I really do love my 98 but wish I had waited long enough to find a 00 limited but hey I'm having fun modding her!
Pros: Biggest one was the new engine. 3.4 litre V6. Improved power to weight ration resulted in similar if not better gas mileage over the Gen 2 with the added bonus of more bottom end "grunt". Like has been stated before if you wanted better mileage then you should not be driving a truck. Comfort was improved again and other creature features were added. Still a very reliable off roader in mild to mid level off road trails in a stock configuration. More accessories and upgrades both in suspension and performance are readily available. After market items are probably the most plentiful for this generation of 4runner. Very comfortable on long trips, the "Limited" option provides for the best Toyota had to offer OEM on all the line from automatic everything to e-locker and suspension upgrades. Great road manners and on road handling, safety features such as ABS and dual airbags were also a plus.
Cons: First flight gen 3 (96-98) center console issues ... do I need to mention cup holders? Some do not come with e-locker and some can even be 2WD. Never understood that issue. I did not see any 4runners in 2WD until the 3rd gens. By late the end of the generation the manual transmission was a dinosaur. You have to pay attention to gearing and the choice of options so do the research.

I owned 3 4runners in order of manufacture. Each had its strong points and suited its needs for me when I had them. I either outgrew the truck or needed other ammenities that each succeeding generation had to offer. Remember to weight out all the pros and cons. Determine what your own personal goals are and what you plan on using it for. This is the only way you can determine which one is right for you. Styling, features, comfort, utility and ability to modify to suit personal tastes all play a part. If a certain body style appeals more to your tastes and you have the funds, modify it! I read about a guy in I believe Australia who put a V8 from a Lexus into a Gen 3 4runner. I'm sure he did it because no one else had done it before and was a real trail beater! But I doubt he did it for gas mileage.

Enjoy the ride and welcome to Yota Tech!:bigok:

90-95 4Runner. strong, reliable, good on fuel as long as you take care of the engine. not plastic or family orientated like the 3rd gens. More Comfort and better styling than the first gen. but if you like the soft/hard tops, a 1st gen would fill that need unless you do what a few on here have done to their 2nd gen 4Runner(remove the roof over the cargo hold)

My average gas mileage since 2/28/06 is 18mpg combined city and highway with the 10% ethanol regular gas, according to fueleconomy.gov .
96 m/t 4x 3rd gen, michelin ltx m/s, carries lots of junk, tows my 4x8x3' walls trailer full of manure or mulch around fine.
Has done Tomichi, Engineer starting from Ouray, Mosquito pass, others, totally stock. 170,000 miles

Besides maintenance had to replace one rear wheel bearing, brake rotors warped and were also replaced. So far it's been easy to work on and all the work done by myself except for the pressing the bearing onto the axle.

I've never had the pleasure of driving a 1st gen, my favorite looks-wise.

You want my 4Runner. Its already built for the nasty stuff, and it will cruise down the road in comfort, and get 21mpg riding on 37" tires. Or, you can put on the 35" tires and make the ride a bit more comfortable.

Plus, all the work is done for you.....so much easier.....:)

3rd Gen vs. 2nd Gen and 3rd... forget 4th gen and newer
 

Ok, here's my two cents and I do happened to be a well informed 4runner owner who's owned a 1st gen, and my good friend has a 2nd. I currently have a 3rd Gen 99 limited 3.4L 5VZE 2wd. I have Michelin LTX tires (265/ 75), probably the largest tire you can fit without a lift. My 3rd Gen is definitely the best choice of the three. It's very rigid just like the 1st and 2nd Gens but it drives way more smoothly on the highway and gets better gas mileage despite what others report. The power band of the 3.4 L is very even and I get better gas mileage than most any will report (I posted about this on another forum). I leave my ECT/ PWR button on all the time, regularly clean my TB and AIC, just changed fuel filter, air filter, istalled NGK +2 spark plugs, and have been using Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant in the past 6 fill ups. I accelerate moderately slow and use my cruise control as often as I can. I have been consistently getting a little better than 21 mpg in town, and 26-27 mpg on the highway. I know a lot of folks on here may raise the BS flag, but I am being completely honest. I have a 14 gallon tank, I usually fill it up with about 13.7 gallons (I run it till the gas light turns on and then drive 20 more miles before filling up). In town I get about 290-300 miles on a 14 gallon tank. I have made several long distance trips in the last 2 months, traveling on highways and interstates, so I've been able to calculate a very accurate mileage number for highway driving. On interstates and highways traveling at 70 mph I'm getting 360-380 miles per 14 gallon tank (this depends a lot on whether I'm traveling North or South.. i.e. uphill vs. downhill). Now keep in mind I have a clean TB and AIC, new air filter/ Fuel filter, new NGK spark plugs, and most importantly I've been cycling Lucas Upper Cylinder lubricant/ fuel system cleaner for the past 70+ gallons of gas. To be completely honest I think turning on the ECT/ PWR and adding the Lucas product have helped out the most. Seems like each new tank of gas with the Lucas additive gets even better mileage than the one before it. I would also like to note than when I was driving with the ECT/PWR off and without the Lucas product, new plugs, filters, and dirty TB/ AIC I was getting about 250-260 miles per 14 gallon tank in town, and about 290-300 on the highway. My old mileage numbers were what most folks report, 18 or so in town, and about 21 on the highway. So, if you have the ECT/ PWR button (in almost all automatic versions) use it, and make sure you do the little things that matter like changing filters and cleaning off things that have a lot of carbon build up. Try the Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant or another similar product and don't stop using it after just one tank of gas. Most any mechanic will tell you that Products like Lucas are way more effective if you cycle them through for at least 50-100 gallons of gas. I have a lower mileage 3rd Gen (112,000) and these little maintenance tricks really worked for me and I would bet that other people could experience the same results. My question for this forum is how can I open up my engine and let it breath without breaking the bank? I know I'm getting stellar mileage, but now I want to add a little extra acceleration and responsiveness to my ride. I bet some of you might suggest a supercharger, but I don't have the money for that right now, so what's good as far as exhaust set ups and intake kits? I don't have a Cali emissions version exhaust (just have the one cat)... I want some throaty low growls and a bit more horses.

i have owned 2 4runners a 1st gen and a 2nd gen. i liked the 85 but a pain for anyone to get into the back .i love my 91 took every thing off of my 85 and put on my 91 including the 22re. so if it was me i would go 2nd or 3rd gen.

Best 4unner
 

I think the 1st gens are the best for off road and all around versatility. 22re or 22ret and you can take the top off. IFS up front keeps it comfortable for the long drives. If you install more sound Insulation it's a good Tripper. With the top off it can be a big jeep wrangler or FJ. its got an extra couple feet of storage room. So it's big enough to sleep in if you're going on a long trip, No tent required, right. Sometimes I take the rollbar off to make it a standard toyota pickup that it started life as.

Cons are the pesky rear window, gets to be a hassle every day, but really nice the rest of the time. It's a Honda Civic 4wd, that's how big it feels, and the doors and body are uninsulated. Good Luck finding a good one too, it's a Favorite. I've got one and it feels like a Tank, wouldn't trade it for anything, you've got to pry it from my cold dead hands. haha. Well check out Carsurvey.com and Look through the reviews of 4runners.

The other "Best " 4Runner is the 3rd Gen, it's got lots of cool perks like Party mode in the Stereo and the size and speed of it. 4.3 v6 is a lot faster than the 80s runners and 4 doors is nice. I'd say the 1st gen trumps it though