Toyota 4Runner
Fit for a dog |
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By Richard J. Newman
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NITS: The bottoms of the front doors curve outward in an odd way that leaves a fairly sharp corner exposed when you climb in. One of my passengers scraped her leg on it.
G-FORCES: The 235-horsepower V-8 engine that's optional on the lower trim line and standard on the luxury version is not blistering, though it provides plenty of power for passing or towing. (Models equipped with a less expensive V-6 won't be available until early 2003.) Cornering is firm and pleasant for an SUV.
GIZMOLOGY: The large, funky climate controls look like dials but are really a combination of four or five switches that you operate by pushing different corners of each knob. They look like something derived from video-game culture, and are cool and unusual without being gimmicky. Less pleasing were the two separate digital displays, one for the radio and one for the climate system and other functions. Toyota blew a chance to combine these into one central screen, as many automakers are beginning to do.
KID MARKS: It's a bit of a climb into the 4Runner for small passengers, but running boards help. And once inside there's ample space in the backseat, including a fat armrest/activity tray that kids will find useful. The tailgate is a very comfortable height for moving strollers and other gear in and out.
HOT OR NOT? Hot. Toyota has toned down the bulging fenders and exaggerated musculature of the prior 4Runner in favor of a leaner, boxier look. Think gymnast instead of bodybuilder.
ENVIROMETER: Rates 4 out of 10 on the EPA's emissions/air pollution scale. Mileage ranges from 15 mpg city to 20 mpg highway. Details: http://www.epa.gov/autoemissions/
E-TOYOTA-4Runner-03.htm
CRASH COURSE: The 4Runner has not yet been crash-tested by the government or by private testing organizations.
PRICE POINTS: Base prices range from $28,515 to $36,990. Price as tested: $33,386. (All prices include delivery fees and are for models equipped with the V-8 engine; prices for the forthcoming V-6 models haven't been announced yet.)
MORE INFO: http://www.toyota.com/html/shop/
vehicles/4runner/
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Model year tested: 2003
A friend and I were taking in the foliage along a country highway when an unexpected form of wildlife trotted out in front of us: An exuberant black Labrador retriever, obviously on the lam . . . and oblivious to the dangers darting around him on the road. We pulled onto the shoulder and managed to coax the rambunctious creature over to us. A tag on his collar identified him as "Otter" and listed his address and phone number. We called. No answer. The only option, aside from leaving Otter to chance it on Route 116, was to hoist the 60-pound pooch into the vehicle and go in search of his home.
It was the kind of unexpected challenge that true-blue SUV owners live for: Hauling a hapless stranger's vehicle out of the mud, rushing a pregnant woman to the hospital in a snowstorm, rescuing a lost pet on the verge of becoming roadkill. And the 4Runner was well prepared for this curious test. We weren't sure how Otter would behave in an unfamiliar vehicle, but he jumped right onto the tailgate and then claimed his space on a unique little shelf that Toyota has devised to help keep gear organized in the cargo area. From his perch on the shelf, Otter was forced to sit–which helped us control him–but he could still see what was going on in his strange new surroundings, which kept him from freaking out.
I doubt Toyota conducted a lost Labrador test when it was building the 4Runner, which has been completely redesigned for '03. But anticipating the unexpected is the essence of functionality, which the 4Runner has in abundance. Toyota decided to forgo a third-row seat in the 4Runner, even though that's a popular trend in SUVs. But if you set aside the kids' car pool, the 4Runner is quite versatile. Seats are comfortable and the cabin is spacious, with an open feel that evokes a minivan interior (without the stodgy factor). There are numerous cup holders and storage nooks and tie-down hooks and tethers in the back. And neat freaks will love the optional "double-decker cargo system," which collapses onto the floor in the back when you need the space for larger items.
Toyota has dressed up the 4Runner to look like a ruffian, with a full kilt of tough-looking body cladding. And to be sure, when equipped with four-wheel drive, the 4Runner's high ground clearance and underbody protection give it real-truck off-road capabilities. But the lumberjack looks conceal a gentle heart. The 4Runner rides nearly as smoothly as less-rugged "crossovers," like the Highlander, that are built on car platforms. It was particularly firm on curves, with little of the body roll that makes many SUVs feel heavy and hard to control. The 4Runner was nimble in traffic too, and blissfully smooth on the highway, compared with other SUVs that bounce down the road like kangaroos. Don't just take my word for it. When we finally delivered Otter to his home, he was so eager to continue his adventure with us that he leaped over his fence and ran to the car when we tried to leave.
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