Here’s a test no one thought before - a three-way tug of war between different grade Toyota 4Runners to prove which one is the most off-road capable.
The guys over at The Fast Lane Car are those who put this into practice recently, using a 2013 Toyota 4Runner Limited model, its 2014 equivalent and a 2014 4Runner Trail.
The Limited trim levels were designed to be more family friendly, coming with the top-grade interior, nice faux wood trimming, better audio system and less off-road technology. So if you don’t want a fancy grocery hauler, the off-roader oriented trim level you’re searching for can be found right in the middle, represented by the Trail model.
Coming with a less interesting interior, the 4Runner Trail is spending the money more on off-road features, like the standard 4WD with Active Traction Control, Multi-Terrain Select, VSC cutoff, locking rear differential and Crawl Control which can be operated via an overhead console, as well as a slimmer front fascia that helps with the approach angle.
Powering the three 4Runners is the same 4-liter V6 producing 270 hp and 278 lb-ft of torque, so basically what differentiates them is the way they use all the power.
TFL Car decided to show us which one is the best and they also went a bit hardcore with this test by doing it on snow, to make clear which has better traction.
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