My wife and I have been hunting for the "perfect" SUV for us for a couple years now, and we've been through several. None, until now, could hold up to our standards. The 2003 Toyota 4Runner is the only vehicle to pass muster...and boy, does it!

The new 4Runner, to some, may appear at first glance to be another "yuppie" SUV. I can assure you, it's not. Oh sure, it's got bright paint and fancy wheels, but that's where the similarities end (at least on the Sport Edition we have). The fabric inside is durable and meant to repel dirt and moisture, the carpet is very durable, and the design is very roomy and comfortable.

We just did a 700 mile road trip this last weekend with 4 adults. Not only were we on the highway at 60+ mph, but we took a few "Jeep trails" as well. The 4Runner took it all in stride. It cruises along comfortably at speed (at 65mph, the tachometer was just registering 2000 RPMs), and yet when dropped into 4L and 2nd gear it crawls over rocks and holes with no problem.

Body: The redesign, in my opinion, gives the 4Runner a more aggressive look than the old design, without looking too "yuppie". The scoop on the hood of the Sport Edition is purely decorative, although it does port out over the engine, so there is some cooling benefit there. The 4Runner is wider and longer than it's predecessor, which makes it very stable (more below in Handling).

Interior: the interior is completely new and quite spacious. The specs show that they lost .22 inches in the rear seat area, but I don't see where. There's no 3rd row, but for us that's not a problem (wouldn't want it if there was one available). The seats are comfortable and mold to your body, especially the front seats. The controls are all laid out well, and there are audio controls on the steering wheel which are very handy. Rear air ducts make the rear passengers happy, as do plenty of drink holders (2 in each rear door, 2 up front and 1 more in each front door). The sunroof on our Sport is huge and quiet when open, and impressive feat of engineering indeed.

Handling: Toyota has built in a new X-REAS system to the Sport which improves on-road handling, and I must say, I'm impressed. I've taken corners as fast in our 2.5 ton 4Runner as I did in our little Subaru Forester without any problem. The ride is stable and it handles like a car. Turning radius is tight and precise; there's no give or play in the steering.

Off-road capability: As I mentioned above, we took our 4Runner off-road this weekend. It handled the hard trails just fine (though we did put a gouge in one of our running boards). The 4WD system works flawlessly, and switching from 2H to 4H or 4L is simply a switch a way. There's also a locking center differential, which we didn't have to use, but could come in quite handy for some occasions.

Ours is "Galactic Gray," but just about ever color available (except maybe the gold) looks great on the new 4Runner. One thing to note; ours has gray body-side cladding on it, like the Subaru Forester does. This was an early 2003 model feature. The same body-cladding exists on the newere 2003 and 2004 models, but it's color-keyed to the rest of the vehicle. But hey, at least it's plastic armor and not metal that's taking the brunt of rocks and brush.

While pricey, I believe that the new 4Runner will continue to live up to it's past reputation as a serious SUV. I'd certainly buy another one!

For more information:
http://www.toyota.com/4runner

Please, Tread Lightly!!!
Amount Paid (US$): 28500
Condition: New
Model Year: 2003
Model and Options: Sport Edition