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ROAD TEST

The 4Runner, aging like a fading athlete, is one of the last remaining proper body-on-frame SUVs on the market

2018 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro.

Consider the snowshoe. Now built of composites and plastics, rather than hide and wood, it is nonetheless still basically the same tool for the job. If you need to tackle the outdoors in deepest winter, a pair of snowshoes still provides excellent traction at the expense of making the wearer occasionally flounder around like a demented duck.

So it is with the Toyota 4Runner, one of the last remaining proper body-on-frame SUVs on the market. Nissan's Xterra has faded from view. The huge Tahoe Z71 package is a bit like going off-roading with a really capable apartment building. Only the popular Wrangler Unlimited seems to still have a grip on the market, most of which has turned to crossovers.

With little competition to keep it on its toes, the 4Runner has aged like a fading athlete. While Toyota has eight-speed transmissions throughout its lineup and a more efficient 3.5-litre V-6 in the Tacoma pickup, the 4Runner gets the old 4.0-litre V-6 and five-speed automatic transmission combination that hasn't changed much in a decade.

While the styling was refreshed a couple of years ago, one notes that they didn't make much of an effort and wishes that they hadn't bothered at all. Boxy and rugged-looking in the body, the 4Runner's weird front vertical slashes make it look like it's wearing Kiss makeup.

This model is the TRD Pro, a package that adds a host of off-road-specific mechanicals and a smattering of exterior cosmetics. The retro-look "Toyota" spelled out on the grille is a nice touch and the meaty tires mounted on 17-inch wheels further complete the 4Runner's overall Tonka-toy appearance. It's quite expensive, at around $53,000, but high resale values mean it'll retain the expenditure.

The tires are mounted on 17-inch wheels.

Being an active family who spends much of our time outdoors, we loaded up the kindergartner and toddler and headed up into the local hills. Although Toyota offers far more all-ages-appropriate vehicles – pragmatic machines such as the practical RAV4 or quiet-running Highlander – this was an fitting destination for a proper SUV.

The 4Runner is not quiet. The tires roar and the body dives under braking and lurches a bit through cornering. Adding the TRD package gives you a shifter the size of a ham hock and the interior is similarly rubbery and cartoonish. All the knobs appear to have been designed to be operated by Andre the Giant – while he was wearing ski gloves.

However, installing the child seats was a two-minute cinch. And the kindergartner loved scrambling up the running boards as if they were her favourite piece of playground equipment. She leapt into the back, pronounced the 4Runner cool and asked when we were going to trade our Subaru in.

Further, the 4Runner was quite comfortable on the move. The steering has all the on-centre feel and response of a wooden ship, but the 4Runner gets around corners without feeling ungainly. It's more rigid than the Wrangler, and even if the 4.0 L is a bit sluggish on initial prodding, a week's worth of driving didn't leave me craving much more power.

The snowshoe isn't the footwear of choice for a sprinter, but a relentless hiker. All four of us suited up, then trudged up to the ski lodge for some hot cocoa. Afterward, I nipped back to the 4Runner and brought it up a rutted and slushy backroad to an alternate trailhead.

On tarmac, the 4Runner feels lovable, if ungainly. As soon as the terrain turns bad, it makes far more sense. This is a proper, shifter-on-the-floor, four-wheel-drive, with a selectable terrain system, locking rear differential and ABS tuned for multiple terrains.

Like a grizzled old master class trail runner, the 4Runner hammered up the road with inexorable pace. Traction was rotten in the deep, wet snow, yet the truck chugged along happily, in its element at last.

We all piled in, damp coats and gloves draped across the back seat. I deployed the 4Runner's party-piece on the road down: a retractable window in the rear hatch. The cabin filled with oxygen-charged cold air and the smell of snow and pines. The 4Runner bobbed its way down the hill, a tool designed for those who only really feel at home when they're outside.

The 4Runner performs well in deep snow.

Tech specs

  • Base price: $44,440
  • As-tested price: $52,920
  • Engine: 4.0-litre V-6
  • Transmission/drive: Five-speed automatic/four-wheel-drive
  • Fuel economy (litres/100km; city/hwy): 14.3/12.0
  • Alternatives: Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

Looks

Chunky and square, the 4Runner's silhouette could be easily sketched out by my five-year-old. The most likeable element here is the paint, Calvary blue, which is the only choice besides black or white. If blue isn't your thing, I'd recommend the white as the black will get scratched up on any trail, whereas the white looks like you're driving around in a Stormtrooper's helmet.

Interior

Roomy and comfortable, albeit with a floor raised by that ladder frame underneath, the 4Runner's interior is rubbery, practical and designed to be operated while wearing outdoor gear. Just have a look at the rear defrost button, which is the size of a Post-it note.

The 4Runner’s large controls are designed to be operated while wearing outdoor gear.

Performance

With a claimed 0-to-100-km/h time of fewer than eight seconds, the 4Runner isn't completely gutless. However, its real forte is at slower speeds, where the four-mode terrain selector comes into play. Shift into low range, add in the locking rear differential if needed, then let the Bilstein shocks sort out the bumps as you crawl into the back country.

Technology

Cramped by its surroundings, the 4Runner's touch-screen infotainment is at odds with the large manual controls. Its small icons can be a bit fiddly to operate, although the interface is intuitive.

Cargo

Rear storage is a useful 1,336 L, enhanced by the sliding tailgate. The latter is particularly beloved by downhill mountain bikers or if you have to pick up some lumber from the DIY store. Towing capacity is 2,268 kg.

Despite its Tonka-toy appearance, the 4Runner is durable.

The Verdict

7.0

Built for a specific task – driving off-road – the 4Runner nonetheless inspires some affection as a durable and honest beast of burden. Whether its flaws actually add character will depend on how much time you like to spend getting your boots muddy.


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