4Runner or Half Ton Pickup?

[Theringworm]

My sons at A&M currently. I gave him the same option your father is giving you. 4Runner/GX vs a truck. He chose 4Runner. He would rather have the interior cargo space than exterior cargo space. One of your buddies will always have a truck you can borrow if you need to move something, esp at A&M., so that nixed the real need for that. The resale value of a 4Runner cannot be beat by anything else. If he hangs onto it for 8-10 years it can still easily function as a family vehicle with room for a car seat in the back and interior storage for luggage for trips. Just made more sense for him. Personally, I would have taken the truck, but no truck will out live a 4Runner. He made the better decision, IMO.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

IF you decide to go the truck route, I highly recommend sucking it up and getting a 3/4 ton crew cab. I've owned 4 half ton trucks and 3 three quarters and the latter are better at everything except in mpg. There is nothing a half ton can do that a three quarter can't do better IMHO.

One other thing to mention, I don't know the laws in TX, but my 3/4 tons cost me $60 to register annually. My 1/2 tons were charged the same as a car or SUV. Before I got rid of my '19 Ram 1500, it was costing me $365/year to register. Insurance was higher too.

 

[Tmac]

I’m not sure if times have changed, but man a 4 runner rear seats down, in college? Say no more! Not even close second which way I’d go!

If you need a clarification

Spot on…

 

[Steve300xcw]

Had a few suv things over the years and was always wishing they were a pickup. I'll echo the others and say skip the 1/2 ton stuff.

Also, heading to Texas A&M, something about having a truck just seems right.

What?

 

[TaperPin]

Thanks for the info! So if you could go back again you would get a truck instead? Also I have been wondering, what is the interior space like on the 4Runner?

The rear seats have good room - more than a four door taco, but the rear cargo area isn’t all that big. You definitely want to look at one before committing.

 

[Uncle Goonie]

4runner hauls my 21' bass boat just fine and gets better mpg than my duramax and cummins doing so. The 4runner is arguably more reliable than the tacoma, made in Japan and has the 4.0 up until 2024 unlike the Tacoma that switched to the 3.5 in 2016. 4runner is great offroad and in the snow and I can crawl in the back to get dressed when it's dumping.
If you need a bed, get a tundra with the 5.7, if you don't get a 4runner.

 

[TaperPin]

I had some errands to run across town - yeah I’ll change my mind - the Four Runner is a much better college car.

 

[Fatcamp]

I've had a lot of vehicles. A lot.

My current vehicle is a 3rd gen 4runner. Without a doubt the best vehicle I've ever owned. Even now with 170k it goes down gravel roads with no rattles or squeaks.

They make a great vehicle. Hitch hauler and a Yakima will carry all kinds of equipment. Reciever hitch for a trailer if needed. Or a boat.

I own a truck too, but that 4runner is an awesome rig.

 

[philos]

I have a ‘23 4Runner along with a 2005 Tundra. The one thing to consider with a 4Runner is the lack of power and or speed compared to even a small V8.

I love my 4Runner but I do miss having the little extra get up and go that my old tundra has compared to the 4Runner. If you don’t mind that it’s not that powerful, 4Runners are hard to beat.

 

[IdahoElk]

Sequoia, Plenty of room to haul stuff, plenty of seating and you have 7' of room to sleep when seats are folded down.
My wife has a 2011, 35's with 5.29 gears and it tows our 17' boat like it's not even there.

 

[flyfisher117]

Dumbest thing I've done in a while is sell my 4Runner.

It was fantastic in college. 80% of my time at college I didn't need a truck bed. But the large interior space of the 4runner was nice. When I did have a pickup at school I hated parking it. Best thing about the pickup was shuttling buddies mtn bikes up the mountain.

The 4runner will get the same if not worse mileage as a pickup.

The 4runner will tow but most half tons will tow a bit more comfortably IMHO.. Depends how much you truly need/want to tow.

Someday own both.

 

[CorbLand]

If waterfowl hunting is in the mix, I would get a pickup. Way easier to put wet waders and decoys in a bed. Same with muddy layout blinds and gear.

Going to take a special girl to crawl back in a 4Runner that smells like mcasshole.

 

[Sbird2019]

Moving to and from school, and just for general utility and convenience, the truck is hard to beat. Plus, get a bed canopy and a blow up mattress and you have a comfortable hotel to sleep off a night at The Gates of North. Gig em

 

[rogerdoger]

Get the truck and date a girl with a 4 runner.

 

[displacedtexan]

4Runner.

I generally think if you don't know if you need a truck, you don't.

And a half ton is worse than a 3/4 ton in just about every way.

And in your case, you'll have plenty of friends with trucks if you do need one.

ON EDIT- I say that as someone who will always have a truck.

 

[jonesn3]

I’d go pickup truck every time. You’ll find a reason to use the extra space. I grew up in a family having a 88 Bronco and a 92 Suburban 2500. Dad always talked about how he shouldn’t have gotten rid of his previous pickup truck. So I guess that rubbed off on me and my thought process lol

 

[haywoodhunter]

My family fleet is
15 Silverado 1500
04 4Runner
16 4Runner

My take is go 4Runner. Campus parking/parking in town will be much better. As noted before, most boats would be no problem.

And if you can swing it (and if it wouldn’t be taken as disrespectful to your dad since he’s willing to pay for a vehicle after all). Pick up a side job and buy a super cheap beat to heck little pickup if you need something to haul a deer/move furniture etc, assuming you’d have somewhere to park it.

FWIW, in college I drove a 2nd gen Tacoma and honestly, unless you’re towing more than 3500lb consistently, that might would be a better option than what you’re considering. It gives the smaller footprint of the 4Runner with the ability to throw a deer/decoys/waders in the bed.

 

[LostArra]

Dumbest thing I've done in a while is sell my 4Runner.

My wife still gets a little emotional about selling her '96 4Runner and that was 20 years ago.
"250,000 miles and not a thing wrong with it!" Thankfully it was her decision, not mine.

My 5th gen 4Runner Trail has 200,000 and it's never going on the market in spite of offers from random people about 2-3 times a month.

As mentioned above, a hitch hauler for a 4R is a game changer for the occasional bump in cargo space or hauling a dead deer.
If I need more space I go with a utility trailer.

 

[DRUSS]

My wife has a 19 4 runner i have a 2006 mega cab.
4 runner keeps everything dry or out of dust. easy to park. but 2-4mpg less than my cummins for fuel and with a much smaller fuel tank crusing range is under 300 miles. that has been biggest concern about it for me.

a friend has a half ton diesel GMC that he pulls his 25' boat with and when empty is getting 23-27mpg running around. mid teens when pulling boat.

 

[CadeM22]

The rear seats have good room - more than a four door taco, but the rear cargo area isn’t all that big. You definitely want to look at one before committing.
View attachment 844864

This is definitely eye opening, I thought that the four runner had much more space in the back than it seems like it does.