Making a Good Thing BetterI should warn you ahead of time that this review may not be up to
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| Up to a critical analysis? The 4Runner puts me in a serious mood. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press) |
my usual standard of wit and repartee. For some reason, Toyotas simply bring out the adult in me, the critic who evaluates a car from all angles, its functionality, its value, its merit and position in the marketplace, as well as the many conveniences and advantages each model may pose. This kind of analysis serves the 4Runner well, I believe, because it withstood such scrutiny and came out shining.
Hopefully,
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| Bright lights are ideal for the big city, or taking on the wild unknown. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press) |
I haven't scared you away from my review yet, because the 2006 4Runner is a very impressive vehicle on nearly all fronts. One big advantage of the 4.7L V8 outfitted in my Limited tester is its generous 260 horsepower and its even more generous 330 lb-ft of torque, plenty of stump-pulling twist from a low 3,400 rpm. While I doubt many people will really pull up many stumps with this ute (leave that to the new Tundra), its towing capacity stands at 2268 kilos (5000 lbs), so most trailer-able boats are fair game and many motorhomes short of the massive "fifth wheels" (which need a pickup truck or flatbed anyway - Ed) can be dragged up to camping territory without a fuss.
The Super ECT (Super intelligent Electronically Controlled Transmission) is, well... super. Shifts are smooth and without hesitation and it feels ready to dig in to all that torque whenever called upon. Then again, with all that torque, the transmission mostly just has to stay out of the way, which is where its 'intelligence' is much appreciated.
The 4Runner is a thoroughly competent vehicle and it was begging to
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| Great looking interior, impeccably assembled with high-end materials. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press) |
be taken for stint in the mud and muck, where its power and tenacious traction is best served, but my hectic week didn't see fit to make such an opportunity available. The closest I got was about an inch of snow that fell in my neighbourhood, but that didn't even make the differential lock sweat, never mind exercising the grocery list of off-roading-oriented features: Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Downhill Assist Control (DAC), Active Traction Control System (A-TRAC), skid plates for the engine, fuel tank & transfer case and that locking centre diff connected to the 2-speed transfer case. Sad, isn't it, to see all those acronyms not being put to good use? I swear when I get the FJ Cruiser I will make up for lost time and take it out to some abandoned quarries and then deep into the woods.
So
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| Great off-road for sure, but the 4Runner is also superb in the inner city. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press) |
that leaves me to evaluate the 4Runner as a grocery runner and occasional shuttle bus. Like I said, it's not necessarily the recipe for an exciting review. In fact about the only two things I got really excited about were its styling, which I have enjoyed from the very moment this model hit the scene a couple years back, and its turning radius. Holy smokes does it have a great turning radius! I realized it more-so after swapping into a Volvo S60. It seems like the 4Runner can practically go sideways in comparison, and I managed parking spots that the S60 could only get into with several attempts or excessive back and forth action.
Helping to ease tight maneuvers was Toyota's variable assist power steering and the 4Runner's great visibility from an old fashioned greenhouse with big clear windows, not to mention its ride height, which gave it a great vantage point in parking lots, on side streets, as well as in traffic. While these attributes served me faithfully in town, they are also hypothetically a big advantage on trails where agility and clear vision are paramount to getting back home safely.
