Does your family take a lot of
road trips? If, like me, you like to rent a car to take a long range road trip,
then maybe it’s time to look for a new car that will see you around town and
also be ultra-comfy for long hours inside it. Right about now is a great time
to go car shopping, especially if you’re willing to look at a previous year’s
model to save even more money.
Over the holidays, I had the
opportunity to drive around town in a 2014 Toyota 4Runner, which is about as
different from my normal car as is possible. Did I enjoy it? Let’s just say
that I was very sad to have to hand over the keys once the week was over. The rugged
truck-like SUV sat gleaming in my driveway and seemed a bit intimidating at
first. The 4Runner sits quite tall and, as you know, I am super short. At 5’1”,
most things seem pretty big to me. Luckily, the 4Runner has a helpful step
running down both sides to assist in climbing in and out (as well as a handy
dandy handle inside the driver’s side door, which almost no other cars have). Being
short, this made a world of difference to me, especially since I tried several
times to get in and out without using it. It just didn’t work for me. Once
inside, I loved the height I was able to see from, because it enabled me to see
the road better and other cars around me.
What I loved right off the bat
once I got into the 4Runner, besides the beautiful interior and all the buttons
and knobs on the dashboard (because I love
finding out what they all do by pushing them all) was the fact that I could
adjust the seat easily. One knob electronically makes the seat go up or down as
well as forward or back with just the touch of a finger. No pulling that one
lever behind your legs and scootching or shoving yourself back to make the seat
work for you to actually be comfortable to drive.
The hatchback is very roomy and
could easily fit several suitcases, a cooler for food stuffs (and if you have
one of those that keeps stuff warm or cool, there are outlets in the back to
plug it in) as well as anything you purchase along the way on your trip. I didn’t
have any trips planned over the holidays, but we were able to test out the
available space on Christmas Eve when we headed to my in-laws with gifts for
everyone. At least 5 families come together every year on the 24th
and exchange gifts, which means we pack up 5 or more large gifts as well as
smaller gifts for the children, along with several casserole dishes of food for
the potluck. All of this fit in less than half the space in the hatchback. It
seems we may have come back with more than we started with, and it all easily
fit in the back with no trouble.
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| Photo credit: Toyota.com |
One of the cooler aspects of the
4Runner is that it has a cargo deck. If you have larger items that are heavy
and difficult to get in and out of the back without hitting the rear bumper,
you can slide the deck out (super easy with one hand) over the back
bumper/step, load the item(s) on it, and then slide it back into the car just
as easily. This also works well for short people in order to get things from
further in without having to crawl inside to reach them.
My parents and I drove to
Vancouver, Washington on the 25th from Portland. Though not that
far, it was still a good 40 minutes each way and it was perfectly comfortable
for everyone. My dad, who often complains about lack of legroom said he had
more than enough and was able to stretch out. Even though I hardly ever sit in
the back of my own car, I always sit back there just to see what it’s like for
passengers before I make a purchase.
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| Photo credit: Toyota.com |
I’ve spent enough time as a
back-seat passenger to know that even 10 minutes in a cramped and uncomfortable
seat sucks, but the Toyota 4Runner was not a problem at all, so if you have the
kids back there, they can keep all their stuff for activities in the back with
them without giving up all their legroom. And if they are the sort that
complains that someone is taking up their space, the backseat has a pull-down armrest
and cup holder between the seats that can be purposeful and also creates a wall
for them to keep their spaces separate.
Got a larger travel party? The
Toyota 4Runner has optional third-row seating. On the other hand, if you’re
using it to haul cargo, or found an awesome vintage dresser on your romantic
getaway and need more room, the seats fold down for more storage. I love a car
that is multifunctional and can mold to what you need it to be.
Now, I’ve often taken vacations
in the car where we had a lot of stuff packed in the back and it was hard to
see out, or the kids were waving around in the backseat, impeding the vision of
the driver out the back. The windows all around the 4Runner are large and give
good visibility, as are all the mirrors, but when backing up and having issues
seeing behind you, you have a sweet back-up camera that allows you to see the
road directly behind you. This was especially useful for me when backing out of
my driveway, because our street is not that wide and even in a smaller car I
worry about hitting a neighbor’s vehicle parked in front of the home across
from us.
I have hardly ever driven
anywhere without music and the 4Runner made listening to my tunes awesome.
Besides having a fancy touch-screen stereo (also the GPS and rear-view camera)
that lets you choose your favorite stations as preset, so you can jump between
them, but you can also scan the dial and change the volume from your steering
wheel, so while you’re driving, you never have to take your eyes off the road.
Safety!
We also tested out the Bluetooth features,
by connecting the radio to our smartphone playlist. It sounded just as crisp as
the radio stations we were listening to. Like to talk to others while driving?
I do sometimes, but I also know that sometimes the phone rings at some of the
most inopportune times. Make or take a call while your phone is hooked up to Bluetooth
with the touch of a button on your steering wheel or on the audio screen. We
made a call and it was super clear, which I was not expecting. You know when
you’re at home and put your speakerphone on and it sounds like you’re in a tin
can? The 4Runner speaker was crystal clear and the person we were talking to
said it sounded great on their end as well.
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| Photo credit: Toyota.com |
It rained the entire week I had
the car, so I didn’t get a chance to use the moonroof, but I loved that you
could have it covered up, so it was like a normal car roof inside, but you
could also slide the cover off to be able to see outside and get more light
inside. During a break in the rain, we did open it to see how well it worked
and it slid back noiselessly.
Oregon winters can be cold even though we don’t often get
snow. It was not an option to use the heaters in the 4Runner, because it was
bitingly cold on several of the days I has driving it. This means I also had
the chance to turn on the seat warmer while driving around town. I like that
they have a dial that adjusts the heat to the perfect level of warmth for you.
The passenger can adjust theirs differently to yours, so you’re both happy.
Eric loved this feature. I didn’t think I would, but I really did, because you don’t
realize how quickly it can help you warm up when you’ve been outside and are
super cold.
I went to a couple places I’d
never been to before and made use of the built-in GPS. Not only did it get me
there, but it also had a pleasant voice, too. I especially was happy that the
directions helped me keep my eyes on the road by telling me where I needed to
go and where to turn by giving me the name of the road and then telling me that
I would need to take the next left or right turn ahead. It wasn’t intrusive
like I’ve had some issues with in the past and she was easily heard over the
volume of the radio. Once I had reached my destination, it turned itself off
and didn’t yell at me when I took a slight detour to grab a sandwich at the
drive-thru as if I was purposely going out of the way instead of following
directions. (You know what I mean: “make a u-turn when possible!”) Having a GPS
built-in would be fantastic for road trips, because there’s nothing to plug in
or put away and you can’t forget it at home. You also never have an excuse for
getting lost. It was easy to use without instructions and takes the guesswork out
of putting in addresses as well, because it will only show you the next letter
or number that it could be, so you
don’t misspell words and confuse it and yourself.
I had a really busy week that
included going here and there around town, but if you like to go offroading,
the 4Runner has a multi-terrain function to help you get over more rugged
terrain than potholed roads in the city.
All in all, the 4Runner was a
very comfortable car with a beautiful interior and exterior. I got compliments from everyone I showed it off to,
plus it road super smoothly, had a lot of extra functions inside that I would
use if I owned it. For those of you who do
take a lot of road trips and need room to stretch out, want something that will
be comfortable for short or long drives and will help you out wherever you go,
then you might look into snagging yourself a deal at a Toyota dealer near you.
More info:
Engine: 4x2 or 4x4 4.0L V6 5-Speed Automatic; 4x2 or 4x4 Premium 4.0L V6 5-Speed Automatic
MPG (city/highway): 17/22
Towing power: 4Runner tows up to 4,700 lbs., and the V6 engine pumps out 270 hp and 278 lb.-ft. of torque
Price: From $32,000
What feature of the 4Runner would
you like the most on a long road trip?
