Written by Marco Carvajal
Since its introduction in 1984, the Toyota 4Runner has earned reputation for being the adventure vehicle for everyone.
For those who need an SUV with true off-road capability, the Toyota 4Runner has been the classic choice for excellence. It has been a great off-road vehicle since four generations ago until the present time.
The TRD Off-Road Premium 4Runner is the ideal 2019 model for the adventurous driver who want a great 4Runner with great value and a good budget. It is not as powerful and not as expensive as the top of the line the 4Runner TRD Pro, but its locking rear differential and the available KDSS suspension provides an all-terrain capability that only a few SUVs in the market can offer.
Highlights of the 2019 Toyota 4Runner 4×4 TRD Off-Road V6 Premium
- 4.0-Liter V6 DOHC 24-Valve with Dual Independent Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i)
- Horsepower 270 hp @ 5600 rpm
- Torque 278 lb.-ft. @ 4400 rpm
- 17-inch 7-spoke alloy wheels
- 4×4
- Part-time 4WD with Active Traction Control (A-TRAC)
- Hill Start Assist Control (HAC), Multi-terrain Select and Crawl Control (CRAWL)
- 18 MPG average, 17 city / 20 Highway
- SofTex trimmed heated and power-adjustable front seats
- “TRD Off-Road” red lettering on driver and front passenger headrests
- Backup camera with projected path
- Towing capacity of up to 5,000 lb
- Entune Premium Audio with Integrated Navigation and Entune App Suite
4Runner Trims and Pricing
The 2019 4Runner is available on 7 different trim models. I am test driving the TRD Off-Road Premium
- SR5 $35,310
- SR5 Premium $37,140
- TRD Off-Road $38,485
- TRD Off-Road Premium $40,395
- Limited $43,625
- Limited Nightshade Edition $45,365
- TRD Pro $46,815
The TRD Off-Road Premium is my ideal model in the 4Runner lineup with all-terrain capability, but staying on a good middle budget around 40K.
If your lifestyle requires a vehicle with true off-road capability, the TRD Off-Road Premium can be the perfect match. Regardless of the model or package, the 2019 4Runner is very versatile, it can adapt to any situation. This great 4Runner offers space for up to seven passengers, to bring all the crew on board on any adventure.
4Runner History
The Toyota 4Runner is a classic truck for those who like power and all-terrain capability. The 4Runner has been with us already for a few decades, some of us can remember this strong car since our childhood years, perhaps it was your family or friends adventure fun car.
Toyota has been selling the 4Runner worldwide since 1984 until the present time. All 4Runners have been built at Toyota’s plants in Japan.
The original 4Runner was a compact SUV and a Toyota truck with a fiberglass cover on the bed. As the market and Toyota has evolved the 4Runner also has seen great evolution. Every new 4Runner is always effective, being a market classic, becoming today’s mid-size SUV with off-road power and a more luxury design.
Although there has been almost no change in more than 10 years, the 4Runner has one of the best resale values in the market, due to its proven reliability and durability.
In the last 35 years, the 4Runner has evolved to offer more comfort, security and technology, but car buyers continue loving it not because of new enhancements, but because what it does, because its core strong DNA.
2019 Toyota 4Runner 4×4 TRD Off-Road V6 Premium
This 4×4 is powerful and ready for any adventure, the “premium” part of this model’s name indicates the many features that makes this 4Runner a great vehicle, luxury and also premium.
That third row of seats, along with a high load capacity, is one of the few advantages of the 4Runner over its closest rival, the Jeep Grand Cherokee. 4Runner lovers know that this is a safe and a reliable option, with a high resale value.
The 4Runner reached number three in a 2016 study conducted by iSeeCars.com, which ranks the 10 most durable vehicles in the United States. The 4Runner had 5.2 percent of vehicles over 200,000 miles on the roads, according to the study.
Performance
The 4Runner is one of the last mid-size 4×4 SUVs with real off-road capability and robust sensitivity. The V6 engine powering the 4Runner is not fast, but it is surprisingly strong, ready for any impossible task. The 4Runner accelerates with authority. This V6 is really robust.
The 4Runner exhibits surprisingly smooth, linear and powerful acceleration. The high gears and five speeds keep it in the power band during longer shift time, unlike many of today’s SUVs that change to the higher gears as quickly as possible, losing power.
The steering effort is a bit heavy at higher speeds, then at low speeds, it offers an adequate amount of assistance. The 4Runner is very stable, even in short turns. The suspension system works well, doing everything possible to make the 4Runner feel somewhat luxurious.
The smooth delivery of the accelerator and the continuous change make the 4Runner feel less like a truck and more like a crossover.
The 4Runner is an old classic SUV that has not changed much over time, but buyers love it the way it is, everything works perfectly. It is a vintage and modern SUV that is here to stay.
