What direction did you head when you outgrew your 4runner?

SDDiver5

Expedition Leader
I retired the 4runner in 2002. Replaced with 94. Landcruiser (11mpg) one kid one 75lb dog. Second kid and grandpa moving in moved to 2007 sequoia. Two pre teens super active family one 100lb dog one crocodile mix 12lbs 2019 Expedition heavy tow elocker hands down my favorite.

This will be my families next vehicle...minus the crocodile mix lolll
 

calicamper

Expedition Leader
When kid #2 came along, we outgrew our 4Runner also. Went from a 97 4runner to a 2005 Sequoia. It's basically the 4Runner +30%. What I needed was a love child mix of 4Runner and Minivan because on a daily basis I am using the 3rd row for car pools, then I pull them out for weekend jaunts.

I really wish I had a Tundra with a camper shell- but that doesn't offer the passenger capacity I currently need.

I am rather dissapointed in the newest gen Tundra (lack of front recovery points) and disgusted with the newest Sequoia (really small cargo space behind the 3rd row when it's up, an ungainly cargo space when its down and the elimination of the drop down rear window- which I have been using several times a week between my 4Runner and Sequoia for the last 21 years for surfboards).
Yep same with the 07 Sequoia. The 2019 Expedition fixed that plus it gets within 2-4mpg of the Subaru Outback I had also. Sold the Outback and the Sequoia bought one rig. My only complaint is the rear raised cargo floor 3rd row down eats into the floor to headliner space. The old Sequoia had 8ish more inches floor to roof. But I gained some floor width so its a little give n take. But 12-15mpg Sequoia vs 16-21mpg 400hp Expedition psshhht no comparison.
 

calicamper

Expedition Leader
What year did the expedition get an elocker option?
The 2018-2019 and I think some early 2020’s then chip shortages I think scratched it. My Sequoia got stuck several times all thanks to no locker. The push button rear locker was one of the reasons I went Platinum Heavy tow. Thats a big deal with any of these big rigs especially with independent rear suspension. Oh and yes its a big deal. Have used it a few times. Its like a magical get out of stuck purgatory button ??
 
I think the current MY Expedition still offers it. It’s just been separated from the Max Tow Pkg. and renamed to the ControlTrac E-LSD, but it functions the same if I’m not mistaken.
 

dman93

Adventurer
I never had a 4Runner, ours was an 80 Series, but as our kids grew, we went the opposite way and got a smalller vehicle, a Forester when they were in junior high for better mpg and as a daily driver. We kept the LC until they were in high school and then sold it. Admittedly I was also doing less off-road, but one thing we realized is that as the kids grew we needed to bring less “stuff”, and as they grew more they were less likely to want to do things with us … they were either with friends or old enough to stay home alone. Now the kids are adults with lives of their own and we have an AWD Transit and a 4wd Tacoma. And I sometimes wish we had a 4Runner too :) But anyway, just be aware that as kids grow your space needs change; maybe less cubic feet for stuff, but more inches of legroom for a teenage boy.
 

Tex68w

Beach Bum
We don't have kids and at our age it looks like we are beyond that ever happening even by accident. That said, we too outgrew the 4Runner. The GX460 fixes the power and comfort issues of the 4Runner and provides you a third row but it doesn't give you anymore room being that they are the same platform. I sure do miss the roll down rear window on the 4Runner, what an amazing feature and one that they hopefully carry over into the 6th Gen.

The problem you find as you go bigger is that they are harder to fit down trails and take on more "trail rash" if you will because of it. There's always a trade-off and gaining more room and power usually means less maneuverability off-road. You have to decide what attributes are most important to you on a daily basis and lead with that. I tend to focus my purchase and build on off-road capability first out of eagerness to be off-road more when in actuality they see a lot more highway use than anything. Buying a vehicle 100% based on its off-road prowess only to be used 10% (at best) of the time, its silly but it's what most of us do.

Luckily for us we don't have to worry about extra bodies when we travel and the Land Cruiser provides more than enough room for the two of us and all of our gear. I am happy that I don't own one of the many mainstream "meat haulers" as we call them, like the masses are forced to buy in order to move their booger pickers. Like others have said, odds are that you'll find that you need less room as the kids age and begin to do more things on their own. All of that said, the new Sequoia looks promising but the way they tackled the cargo space with that silly shelf in order to accommodate the hybrid batteries is a real bummer and might be a deal breaker for many people, ourselves included.
 
All of that said, the new Sequoia looks promising but the way they tackled the cargo space with that silly shelf in order to accommodate the hybrid batteries is a real bummer and might be a deal breaker for many people, ourselves included.
The 3rd gen Sequoia has really sold me on the 2nd gen. I hate that new one went backwards with the transfer case, cargo room, and rear window. I’m just looking for the right well-cared-for model.
But 12-15mpg Sequoia vs 16-21mpg 400hp Expedition psshhht no comparison.
If you check out Fuelly averages, it’s more like 14 vs 17 overall. Not quite so bad.
 

Tex68w

Beach Bum
The 3rd gen Sequoia has really sold me on the 2nd gen. I hate that new one went backwards with the transfer case, cargo room, and rear window. I’m just looking for the right well-cared-for model.

The interior room doesn't bother me so much as we don't have kids or need the vehicle for the sole purpose of moving bodies like most. The transfer case is a valid point I didn't think about. I fear Toyota will drop the roll down rear window on the 6th Gen 4Runner as well which will be a travesty.

There's a 2nd Gen TRD Pro Sequoia in my neighborhood with a lift and what I assume are 34's or 35's and it looks sharp. I really need to track them down one day and have a look up close.
 

calicamper

Expedition Leader
I don’t really miss the drop rear window that much. But I will say this all wagon’s need a lift rear glass window at minimum. I do use that quite a bit. I never found driving around with the rear glass down all that great. Even my old ranger the rear sliding window. All of them get all sorts if debris and exhaust rolled back through the vehicle when left down. The occasional long item left hanging out the back. I do that occasionally for sure.

The rear glass access is usually road trip access when the back is loaded with stuff.

What I really miss? And would be a major consideration to look at switching brands is a tailgate/ hatch combo. That was by far my favorite thing about the Land cruiser. Not to mention the rear tailgate really stiffened up body flex in the back.
 

Downytide

New member
The 3rd gen Sequoia has really sold me on the 2nd gen. I hate that new one went backwards with the transfer case, cargo room, and rear window. I’m just looking for the right well-cared-for model.

If you check out Fuelly averages, it’s more like 14 vs 17 overall. Not quite so bad.

The transfercase is not necessarily a bad thing, it is very very stout, the older JF3A Torsen one in Sequoia is nice that it can still be switch to 2wd (unlike LC200's JF2A), I do think the 2nd gen Sequoia will be very thought after in a few years, proven drivetrain, no nonesense, decent IRS, just wish gas tank was bigger.

And those MPGs are about biggest crock of poop among the big 3s, they list best MPG on trims with smallest tires and lowest suspension, I had a Rebel which on paper was rated for 20mpg, I never once hit pass 17mpg on stock 33s, and on 35s I get exact same mileage as the Tundra which was around 14-15mpg,

The interior room doesn't bother me so much as we don't have kids or need the vehicle for the sole purpose of moving bodies like most. The transfer case is a valid point I didn't think about. I fear Toyota will drop the roll down rear window on the 6th Gen 4Runner as well which will be a travesty.

There's a 2nd Gen TRD Pro Sequoia in my neighborhood with a lift and what I assume are 34's or 35's and it looks sharp. I really need to track them down one day and have a look up close.

LC200 = you can really feel the quality, everything is tight, it feels like a finely made swiss army knife (or rolex).

2G sequoia/tundra = feels like a hammer, some rattles here and there, some panels don't line up, but it's a hammer you love.

Sequoia rides a bit nicer than LC200 in my opinion, stock to stock, but I think that has to do with the wider track and IRS, I can lie down flat to sleep in a Sequoia, I'm 6ft tall.
 

Tex68w

Beach Bum
The transfercase is not necessarily a bad thing, it is very very stout, the older JF3A Torsen one in Sequoia is nice that it can still be switch to 2wd (unlike LC200's JF2A), I do think the 2nd gen Sequoia will be very thought after in a few years, proven drivetrain, no nonesense, decent IRS, just wish gas tank was bigger.

And those MPGs are about biggest crock of poop among the big 3s, they list best MPG on trims with smallest tires and lowest suspension, I had a Rebel which on paper was rated for 20mpg, I never once hit pass 17mpg on stock 33s, and on 35s I get exact same mileage as the Tundra which was around 14-15mpg,



LC200 = you can really feel the quality, everything is tight, it feels like a finely made swiss army knife (or rolex).

2G sequoia/tundra = feels like a hammer, some rattles here and there, some panels don't line up, but it's a hammer you love.

Sequoia rides a bit nicer than LC200 in my opinion, stock to stock, but I think that has to do with the wider track and IRS, I can lie down flat to sleep in a Sequoia, I'm 6ft tall.

The 2nd Gen Sequoia definitely rides better than the 200 Series, but that's to be expected with IRS.
 

XJLI

Adventurer
I think the new Sequoia is going to be a great option. The new motor is crazy complicated compared to the 4.7 and 5.7; but it's Toyota so lets all be real... I'm sure they figured it out. The shared platform with the 300 and re-addition of the solid rear axle is a BIG plus for us enthusiasts, but I don't know if it will translate to regular people. If you decide to venture out of the Toyota world, the domestic options are great. Expedition if you have the cash (IMO) is the nicer truck to live with every day, but the K2XX Tahoe (15-20) are coming into their own now, too.

It's a toss up off road when you compare the two. The Tahoe doesn't have any 4wd modes (IIRC most ETC stuff is disabled in 4wd low) and has the love-it-or-hate-it G80 rear diff locker and a solid rear axle. The Ford has IRS and a selectable "locker" (its just an eLSD that the user can request max lockup on) but there are videos online of the truck cutting power and impeding progress if pushed outside its parameters. Both are 100% fine for "overland" and fire road use. 33s on either truck will let you go almost anywhere, and any mechanic in North America will be able to fix them and parts should be on the shelf as well. I don't have any experience with the brand new GM stuff, so I can't comment on those besides what I read on the internet.

If you feel like getting frisky, a used Discovery 5 will get you the capability that you're familiar with from the 4Runner, but with a LOT more room and comfort. The diesel ones get almost 30mpg highway and all have low range and real locking rear diffs. You trade off a little bit of that known reliability quantity (and they're a little hard on the eyes from certain angles) but they're great trucks. You can move right into a new Defender as well and get an even better experience, minus the diesel.
 

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