Purchase recommendation

Folks, New to this forum and I am looking for assistance on a 4Runner purchase. Intended use for the vehicle are 3-5 hour road trips to get to offroad use to trout streams, hauling the labs (yes they will likely be wet much of the time), trips to the cabin in the winter (mostly plowed/open roads), getting to skiing and occasion light hauling.

Not interested in any real offroading and more interested in something that is comfortable onroad with some reasonable offroad capabilities to get to better fishing holes. I would likely have a light winch for times of need.

Is there a big difference in the models from 2010-current in terms of clearance, light offroad capabilities, fuel economy, comfort, room, durability, etc?

Looking for new or something with less than 25,000 miles on it so is there any big difference between likely models? Anything I need to be aware of in terms of finding a reliable, durable, capable 4Runner?

As an aside, happy to find this forum as I am amazed at the number of internet experts spewing bad info.

Thanks in advance

 

I like the Trail Edition Premium SR5 over the limited. It has leather, nav., entune, sun roof and stick for 4wd and oval tubes. Which is what we got with the hood scope looks bad....
For my taste the Limited is more of a street queen vice an off-roader it really is nicely appointed over the TE Premium.
Currently in town mpg is about 18-18.7 so we are happy with that. There is no limit to accessories with a Smitty Built front bumper with wench and LEDs.

Cover King makes nice heavy duty cordura like material for seat covers and the labs would not hurt the leather. Fold down the back seats and you have lots of room for 2 labs, fishing gear and a weekend stay. Would not get the third seat option unless you have young-uns it is just to tight space wise.

So these are my own very biased opinions. The 2014 is zippy, handles well and has light steering with good feedback, cruises at 80 all day or for at least a 2.5 hour drive to Texas A&M and back. Wife has not let me take it out off road yet.....but then she did let me have my retirement/mid-life crises truck and got a 14' CM Tundra and it does very well in river bottom mud!

Hope this helps a tad your mileage may vary and by all means drive the Trail Edition Premium first and then the Limited Edition. Then as you mentally game plan it out you quickly see which best suits your need and costs.

 

Thanks Ring and great info. Especially on the 3rd row seating and test drives. We are in the foothills of the sierras so I will test drive one to see how it pulls some of the grades.

Are there existing solutions to put a box reciever in the front so I can move a light duty winch between front and back? I looked but have not seen that.

Any info on ground clearance or a place that shows that info for production years 2010-current? Or is it the same? While the offroading will be limited to old roads and mild 4wd trails for fishing I dont want to get a new model only to find out that, lets say, a 2012 was much better in the offroad catagories.

Thanks......

 

@Pester I cannot speak to the other options so far have not seen a front bumper with a front receiver. Does not mean they do not exists as much as it is not something I have been on the look out for.

Having said that and having read many posts from site vendors; you may have success finding a front bumper to you liking and have the vendor modify it for a front receiver where the cables for a front mount wench would pay out. It may be worth a phone call or two.

Have not used any site vendors other then Auto Anything so far, but this seems to be a very customer oriented class of vendor for Toyota products.

Maybe other Gen. owners can speak up on the differences this is our first Toyota product and then my Tundra so we are on a steep learning curve as well.

The ground clearance data : http://www.toyotaspecs.info/search/toyota-4runner-ground-clearance/
If it is not appropriate to post from other forums please accept my apologies.
Above are some good discussions from seasoned owners that my help answer even questions you may not have considered.

Good luck and enjoy your purchase. We are really enjoying the solid platform performance unlike other SUV street pretenders...HA....ha...ha....