In keeping with our theme of wanting to share discoveries and experiences with you, we jumped at the chance to test drive the all-new 2010 Toyota 4Runner before it hit the showroom floors. Admittedly, we’re used to reviewing ideas, design and wardrobe pieces, so you’ll have to forgive us if this review lacks the usual technical jargon of typical auto reviews but that having been said, we felt it would be good to share our own personal take of the ride and keep things accessible to those less familiar with lateral rods and dual-pistons. Having been previous owners of old-school Toyota Land Cruisers, G-Wagons and Defenders and well aware of their capabilities, we took the 2010 4Runner off-roading in the Nevada desert outside of Las Vegas to see how it fared.
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Our first impression of the 2010 4Runner was that it was big (inside and out), with exterior stylings slightly reminiscent of the FJ Cruiser and a well laid-out interior cabin with easy to use, easy to find controls that all look like they would be easy to work with gloves on (that’s the Canadian, practical side of me talking). We had the Trail edition which looked more aggressive than the Limited with unpainted fenders, roof rack, water-resistant seats and no-nonsense looking rims. The plan: Through the desert en route to some kayaking along the Colorado River.
We were far from pushing the 4Runner Trail to its limits, but were still able to play with the off-roading technology. The Multi-terrain Select let us choose between ‘Mud and Sand’, ‘Loose Rock’, ‘Mogul’ or ‘Rock’ and when it came to going over more sketchy areas over very low speed, we used The Engage Crawl Control which modulated the electronic throttle and brakes. Going downhill we used the Downhill Assist Control that automatically limited our descent on steep inclines to keep us from cooking our brakes. Off-road capability: Check. Playing with every button and knob: Check.
After kayaking, we played with the sliding cargo deck in the trunk, the Party Mode function that blows music out through the tailgate, and the always convenient 120V AC power outlet to charge our iPhones and update the site. We particularly liked the sliding rear window which isn’t a new feature if you’ve been a 4Runner owner for the last little while, but something you come to really appreciate when your current SUV doesn’t have it. We suppose it’s also convenient for hauling around 2×4’s, Shawn Bradley and surfboards.
Taking the 4Runner back to LA to try it out on the road wasn’t a disappointment either. Obviously the voice-activated, touch-screen navigation and dual climate controls were nice, but we were more impressed with the ride and relative interior noise on the highway, plus, it had some jump to it when we needed to overtake people. Naturally, the 4Runner is geared towards the outdoorsy types, meaning you’ll need the aforementioned off-roading capabilities, space, and all that. But if fuel efficiency and ride are more your bag, maybe the Highlander Hybrid or Rav4 will be more to your liking. Although, we were told that this new 4Runner is actually more fuel efficient than the previous generations. The long and short of it is, if you, much like us are metropolitans with a bit of the weekend warrior in you, the new 4Runner might just be your best bet for an everyday driver, 7 days of the week.
All the technical details of the 2010 4Runner are available here.
[A big thanks to Chad, Marc, Charley, Mike & Evan]
John P says: 
Eric 
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