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Mr. Regular Says the 2021 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro Isn't a Great Daily Driver

If you’re in the market for a 4Runner with maximum off-road capability from the factory, the TRD Pro is the specification for you. There are, however, a few problems with it. First of all, let’s talk about the price.
2021 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro: Regular Car Reviews 11 photos
Photo: Regular Car Reviews on YouTube
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$50,745 excluding destination charge for a truck-based utility vehicle that gets 17 miles to the gallon (13.8 liters per 100 kilometers) on the combined cycle is pretty bad. Brian Reider of RCR mentions “a droning sound from the exhaust every time you pass someone or climb a gentle rise,” which is also bad. The range-topping TRD Pro isn’t good on the highway either, and the all-terrain tires give a rather vague road feel, according to Mr. Regular.

Brian does wax lyrical about off-road ventures in the TRD Pro because the Fox suspension makes the ride surprisingly comfortable off the beaten path. But if you’re looking to buy a brand-new 4Runner to use mostly for daily driving on the pavement, the Limited trim level is more adequate.

Introduced in 2009 for the 2010 model year, the fifth-generation 4Runner is revered by a wide range of customers and enthusiasts for a pretty good reason. Namely, the overall package is pretty much spot on for a sport utility vehicle that isn’t called Wrangler or Bronco. It’s a good choice even after 12 years of production, a decade in which Toyota has performed only the most essential improvements imaginable, updates such as Apple CarPlay.

Offered with rear-wheel drive as standard and a full-time 4WD system with a center differential, the 4Runner shows its age in terms of engine and transmission. Customers will have to make do with a five-speed automatic in the day and age of 10-speed boxes. As for the six-cylinder powerplant, the 1GR-FE can trace its roots back to 2002 when it offered VVT-I instead of Dual VVT-i for both the intake and exhaust camshafts.

Going forward, things will change for the better with the introduction of the TNGA-F platform that will underpin mid- and full-size trucks and utilities from Toyota and Lexus. The 4Runner will undoubtedly receive this vehicle architecture in a few years’ time, and if we’re lucky, the Japanese automaker may offer a V6 engine with hybrid assistance for more efficiency.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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