We bought my 4Runner in April of 1998, and I've loved it ever since. The 4Runner accomodates almost every type of person. The car is very versatile, it can be used as a workhorse, a family vehicle, or a vacation car. This cars gives the owner many options in how they wan the car to be used. Upgrades are easy and readily availiable on the market. The double din dash allows one to customize the car audio system significantly. As for brush guards and such, this car makes it fairly easy to install any of that. There is also a TRD supercharger availiable for those that want the extra horses.

As a workhorse, this car provides all the torque one will need to move almost anything. The back seats fold down 50-50, and the rear tail gate comes down like a power window, allowing for easy transportation of lumber. The rear may not have as much room as a expedition, but it has accomadated everything I've needed to carry so far. It has even helped me move all my belongings 500 miles away to college. The engine took the load pretty well; the engine did not seem like it was burdened.

As a family car, this car has seating for five, but a lot more can fit in the trunk. One time, i was able to fit 11 people in my car!! The one thing that parents may not like is that windows roll all the way down in the back. For those without kids, this is a plus. The car rides smooth enough for a SUV, and road noise is limited. The car provides enough power to get around the city, especially hilly cities such as San Francisco. The high ground clearance may make it hard for little kids to get in and out, but that should be expected on all SUV with the exception of the compact ones. The front seats provides handle bars for one to hold when boarding, a big plus for the 5'6" and under. The seat belts are somewhat stiff in the back, but it isn't too big of a problem. The trunk provides ample room for storage and will easily fit a baby stroller.
This car has almost everything one could want for a family car.

The 4Runner also makes an excellent vacation vehicle. For camping/skiing adventures, it is easy to get racks for storage on the exterior of the car. Brush guards look great on the car, and provides protection during off roading. The engine is able to power its way through a variety of conditions, though i would suggest getting 4wd if you plan on going off roading. There is plenty of room in front, and the back is pretty roomy when comparing it to that of other SUVs in the class. This car is comfortable enough to last through all the long road trips as well.

As for pricing, the 4Runner does run a little big more then others in the class, but the 4Runner is also known as a very reliable machine with low depreciation. The front dash is pretty basic, has all the usuals. There is a seperate unit that heats the rear, which is a big plus. The 4Runner is a great buy, and it will never let you down. I've had no major problems with my car yet and its about 2 years old.