Help - Best Reliability: Toyota 4Runner v Subaru Ascent v Kia Telluride

[Corey Paulsen (teamkabob)]

Great info. Thought about the Highlander but it doesn’t do it for me. May be I secretly want the 4Runner in hope I’ll sneak away to the mountains with it.

Subaru is appealing. Maybe it’s because I don’t want to be labeled as a tree hugger that I am hesitant lol. The Ascent is more of a Mom ride where the Outback is a little more hipper of a vehicle. Not that I care what my kids drive down the road but they obviously would pick the 4Runner first . Between the Subarus they would prefer to drive the Outback I would bet over thr Ascent.

But, the intended purpose is a “Soccer Mom” car first. She has driven the 4Runner & Telluride . Headed to drive the Ascent today.

One feature I failed to mention is safety which some of you have pointed out. I live in the Permian Basin of West Texas where huge oil trucks and young dumb guys think they have to race from stop light to stop light. We have the highest rate of MVC’s in our county for th entire state . Safety is key. Hence my hesitancy to drop down to a RAV4 or something smaller. I like the 4Runenr because it sits up higher than the other 2. We tried this experiment 2 years ago with an Lexus IS250. Wife totaled it within 6 months by pulling out in front of someone because she could see over the hood of the big truck next to her.

I had the same thought about Subaru as you. Tinted windows are great! Just a normal hiker to them. People have no idea when your scouting in it.

 

[30338]

Bought a trail edition for wife, 4Runner. Just put Fox shocks on all corners and K02 tires. Its our 4th 4runner so that is how I would lean. Has apple car play and few things to go wrong over the next 250-300K miles.

 

[SoloWilderness]

4 runner, I'm on my 6th Toyota, had several go well over 200k, before I sold them, still running strong. Dad has a Highlander, nice rig but kind of small inside. They are bombproof. I had one Subaru (granted an old one in college) leaked about a quart of oil a week.

 

[bluumoon]

The Subaru's were having a bunch of transmission failures when they first came out. Friend got one and it failed w in 5k miles. They had to sign an NDA to get the transmission replaced quickly. Toyota for me. Wife drives a Subaru.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Ignoring most all other categories….. which of the 3 has the best long term reliability?

Sole purpose is for the wife to use it as her Soccer. Mom daily mode of transportation and child hauler. We have 3 kids 9-15 years of age. She will never go off-road (I might) and it will never tow anything. Strictly lots of city miles on average around 30k/year. Plan is for her to drive it for 3 years and b that time I’ll have 2 kid drivers of which the oldest child when then drive this vehicle. Should have close to 100k miles on it by then. I plan on keeping it for as long as I can to pas down to the other children as they get older.

I don’t care about gas mileage (I know the 4Runner is the weakest in that category), prices are within In $2-5k depend8mg on specs (Toyota being the most expensive). Resale, well I don’t plan on selling it any time soon. but I would guess the Toyota wins here also. I have never owned any of these brands before. Which is going to be the most reliable of the three over 200k+ miles? My guess would be Toyota, closely followed by Subaru then the Kia.

Since she’ll be spending lots of time in it daily which has the best cabin creature comforts? I Whois’s guess the Kia >Subaru>Toyota.

Whats says the WKR brain trust?

Hands down the toyota.

 

[TAArrowood]

Bought my wife an Ascent (touring edition).. It has all the bells and whistles that she likes and has the 3d row seating which she likes... It is laid out very well and drives very well.. Getting great gas mileage for an SUV.. Fourwheel/AWD goes great.. It is not an off road vehicle by any means, but is awesome on road.. Sabaru has a very good quality and safety rating.. My wife has always liked to drive Lexus 350, etc, but decided this time to try something new... So far (55k miles) the vehicle has been great and we would definitely buy Sabaru again... We've owned several Lexus/Totota vehicles as well and can't say anything really bad about them either...

 

[9.1]

As a Subaru owner, I'd recommend the Toyota or Kia.

 

[TAArrowood]

As a Sabaru owner, I be really interested in why you would feel that way.. We love ours, but wonder if you could share your experience (maybe there's something we need to know?) Thanks in advance..

 

[bojangles808]

Subarus are supposed to be very reliable, but I’d go with the Toyota they’re tried and true!

My mom lives at 8k and we were just talking about this. she said everyone has Toyota in her mtn town instead of Subarus bc Subarus don't last. she has 270k on her fj cruiser with minor maintanence . I'd go toyota

 

[mstei4]

My wife and I have had great luck with Kia’s and my parents have had the same with Hyundai’s, we’re leaning heavily towards a Kia when we need something bigger but that’s not for a few more years

 

[Theringworm]

Bought my wife an Ascent (touring edition).. It has all the bells and whistles that she likes and has the 3d row seating which she likes... It is laid out very well and drives very well.. Getting great gas mileage for an SUV.. Fourwheel/AWD goes great.. It is not an off road vehicle by any means, but is awesome on road.. Sabaru has a very good quality and safety rating.. My wife has always liked to drive Lexus 350, etc, but decided this time to try something new... So far (55k miles) the vehicle has been great and we would definitely buy Sabaru again... We've owned several Lexus/Totota vehicles as well and can't say anything really bad about them either...

I would buy a Lexus no question as my first choice however there are no Lexus Dealers in town. Been there done that. It’s a PITA if service is needed to drive or tow it out of town.

Waiting to see how the Subaru test drive goes

 

[CoStick]

Great info. Thought about the Highlander but it doesn’t do it for me. May be I secretly want the 4Runner in hope I’ll sneak away to the mountains with it.

Subaru is appealing. Maybe it’s because I don’t want to be labeled as a tree hugger that I am hesitant lol. The Ascent is more of a Mom ride where the Outback is a little more hipper of a vehicle. Not that I care what my kids drive down the road but they obviously would pick the 4Runner first . Between the Subarus they would prefer to drive the Outback I would bet over thr Ascent.

But, the intended purpose is a “Soccer Mom” car first. She has driven the 4Runner & Telluride . Headed to drive the Ascent today.

One feature I failed to mention is safety which some of you have pointed out. I live in the Permian Basin of West Texas where huge oil trucks and young dumb guys think they have to race from stop light to stop light. We have the highest rate of MVC’s in our county for th entire state . Safety is key. Hence my hesitancy to drop down to a RAV4 or something smaller. I like the 4Runenr because it sits up higher than the other 2. We tried this experiment 2 years ago with an Lexus IS250. Wife totaled it within 6 months by pulling out in front of someone because she could see over the hood of the big truck next to her.

The highlander can go mountains we have started using it in place of my Tacoma for most camping trips. Can also tow the boat. Pretty capable actually.

 

[CorbLand]

I would buy a Lexus no question as my first choice however there are no Lexus Dealers in town. Been there done that. It’s a PITA if service is needed to drive or tow it out of town.

Waiting to see how the Subaru test drive goes

This was a live and learn moment for us when we bought our Kia. We didn’t even think about that but the nearest dealer is an hour away. Made getting warranty issues taken care of a pain. Will definitely be a factor in our next purchase.

 

[Wellsdw]

My wife is in the process of picking her car out now. It was between the 4runner and Honda passport. She loved the passport. But I think she’s gonna choose the Toyota. The gx460 with 40k are about the same price as passports and 4Runners and they are loaded with extras. Also worth a look

 

[9.1]

As a Sabaru owner, I be really interested in why you would feel that way.. We love ours, but wonder if you could share your experience (maybe there's something we need to know?) Thanks in advance..

Read up on the Subaru Oil Burning Class Action Lawsuit and see if your model of Forester, Legacy, Outback, or Crosstrek might have defective piston rings that could eventually deteriorate enough that your engine burns up all your oil between oil changes, disintegrates your rod bearings, and needs to be replaced for $8k. If you have one of the affected models, check your oil level often. Road noise and loud idling at startup from the PZEV operation are also things I don't like about ours. Maybe if I didn't keep vehicles so long and they were covered by warranties I wouldn't have anything to complain about.

 

[Andrew12gauge]

Do your family budget a favor and buy the Kia, my wife and I have owned 2 Kias over the last 11 years and the only time a mechanic has touched them has been to change the oil


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[cday34]

My wife loves her Ascent. She test drove all the different brands with comparable size SUVs and Subaru was an easy choice for her. Haven't had it long enough to truly comment on reliability but safety was a huge priority for her (two kids under 3) and Subaru won there too.

 

[southLA]

Unless you want to have to buy another vehicle at some point in your life, get a Toyota.

 

[cjdewese]

If reliability is the main factor I don't think you can argue against the 4Runner. It almost always makes it's way onto any list talking about reliability. That along with function, I don't think you can compare the others really.

I did own a Kia Sephia and it went over 220K miles so I wouldn't discount them either.

All depends on your finances but if reliability is what you are after, it would be hard for me to chose against the 4runner. I own a 2017 TRD off Road currently and have 129K worry free mile so far and I have beat it up pretty good. It's done a ton of work for me around my property, taken 4 road trips over 2500 miles with the longest being over 4K and countless off road trips.

 

[jKsled]

Just bought a soccer/grocery car... We were looking at the next size class down, mainly between the Rav4 & Sportage. Went with a Kia Sportage hybrid due to the features for the price, availability, and warranty. . Love it so far 6k miles in.
If I was going west with only 2 people I would take it no question. With 3 people it would be tight. For running around town its perfect and roomier than I would expect.