2005 Toyota 4Runner Sport Edition 4X4 V8

Pros

solid feel, well finished, strong engine, smooth ride for a 4x4

Cons

wind noise

I have had my '05 about 4 months and 3000 miles and so far have been very pleased with it. I have a few minor complaints:
1. wind noise - probably from the large mirrors or roof racks.
2. the dash indicators when the headlights or the crusie control are on are bright green and do not dim when you dim the other dash lights - annoying when driving at night.
3. the remote for keyless entry requires 1 tap to unlock the driver's door and 2 to unlock all doors...problem is that if you don't hit 2 taps in quick succession then only the driver door unlocks...on the other hand sometimes all doors unlock on one tap...go figure.
4. road grit form the back wheel well lodges in behind the bottom of the rear doors - takes extra effort to clean and could potentially be a rust problem from road salt in future .

All pretty minor - the real test will be when I start towing a travel trailer later this spring...will keep you posted....read morehide

Pros

Power, X-REAS suspension, JBL stereo outstanding, sliding rear window

Cons

Fabric on seats collects lint like crazy, rear window only goes down using key fob - why not up too?

Best mid-size out there hands down in almost every critical area. Power, looks, suspension, quality, etc. I have the 270 HP V-8 and I am getting 21 mpg city and 26 mpg highway - INCREDIBLE! This truck is a steal comparatively. If you buy any other mid-size suv, you need your IQ checked.

Pros

fuel economy, sporty look & drive, good available options, solid

Cons

seat position limited, seat comfort is average

Sporty and a good value. I traded in a foreign sportscar for a Trailblazer (terrible - not comfortable, fuel economy fair even on the V6, really uncomfortable and not a value) in order to fulfill kid-related cargo requirements. After six months I couldn't take the number and variety of mechanical and electrical problems along with the lack of comfort and drive performance. Decided to stick with reliability and found that the Toyota provides so much more. I have had the 4Runner Sport V8 for only a week and it was a super udgrade over the Trailblazer. I would recommend it (if you need additional cargo space for longer trips or hobbies, consider a roof pack - not a larger SUV)....read morehide

Pros

STRONG V8, SMOOTH TRANNY, OVERALL INGINEERING IS OUTSTANDING...

Cons

BRAKES...

SINGLE PULSATING FEEDBACK IN A BRAKE PEDAL EVERY TIME I DEPRESSED IT - VERY ANNOYING, AND IT'S GETTING WORSE...MECHANICS AT THE DEALERSHIP TRY TO CONVINCE ME THAT IT'S NORMAL. NO WAY!
TOYOTA, IT'S TIME TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTS AND TO ISSUE THE TSB.

Pros

Quiet, powerful engine, ultra smooth transmission, superb fit and finish

Cons

third row seat is way small, exterior stying

I have had my 2003 4Runner for 2 and 1/2 years and I am still in love with it. I recently shpped for a new car for my wife and ultimately traded in her 2002 Ford Explorer for a Honda Pilot. In the process I researched and/or test drove all of the top brands of mid-size to large SUV's. If my wife didn't need the third row seat for kid duty, I would have bought a second 4Runner. Its combination of power, quietness, smoothness, handling and body integrity was unmatched by anything I tested (Volvo X90, '05 Pathfinder, Acura MDX, Honda Pilot; Ford Explorer, Lincon Aviator, Chevy Tahoe, BMX X5). Given its price tag (low $30,000s) it is the best value out there--again if you don't need a third row seat). The Acura and Honda are nice, have good accelleration and are generally rated as being reliable. But they are really cars. The 4Runnera real off road vehicle, but even so it is quieter on the highway than the Acura or Honda. In addition, I am a rear wheel drive snob. These vehicles are all full time all wheel drive, but the 4Runner sends more power to the rear wheels. The Honda and Acura have a front wheel drive bias (more power sent to front wheels than rear) and drive like a front wheel drive car. The Toyota has the feel of a rear wheel drive car. The new Pathfinder actually has a useable third seat (for kids), but its engine is loud and handling is sluggish compared to the Toyota. The Volvo is whimpy on the inside. It is not as quiet as the Toyota. The BMW X5 out handles the Toyota, but is no more quiet, is not really off-road capable and is way more expensive. So, after spending entirely too much time evaluating all of the usually suspects, I would buy another 4Runner over any of these models. Hands down....read morehide

Pros

V8 POWER/TRANSMITTION, AGRESSIVE LOOK, FUEL ECONOMY.

Cons

BRAKES, NOISE FROM DRIVETRAIN, REAR WIPER.

NICELY DESIGNED VEHICLE, GREATER DRIVING IMPRESSION, X-REAS SUSPENSION IS THE EXCELLENT FEATURE, 17.2 AVG MPG. I'D BE LOVING MY T4R, BUT...
PULSATING FEEDBACK FROM BRAKE PEDAL WHEN DEPRESSED AFFECTS MY ESTIMATION OF BREAKING DISTANCE, WINNING NOISE FROM THE DRIVETRAIN ON SPEED 70-75 MPH, REAR WIPER DOES IT'S JOB WITH NOTICEABLE HESITATION. THE DEALERSHIP WAS 'UNABLE TO DUPLICATE' ANY OF THE LISTED PROBLEMS.
TEST DRIVE IT BEFORE PURCHASING....read morehide

Pros

Excellent ride, power and styling. Fun to drive!

Cons

It's my wife's primary mode of transportation, I only drive it on the weekends.

What a fun SUV to drive, on the highway or the backroads our 4runner sport is just what we were looking for in a SUV. The sound system has plenty of power and is easy to operate. The flight deck is well designed, controls are easy to operate and access. The ride is very smooth and the V8 power (270 hp) is impressive. Take a test drive, I think you will want to take home. Our last SUV was a V8 Jeep Grand Cherokee, nice, but not in the same class....read morehide

Pros

Tons of power, refined, and fun to drive.

Cons

Gas mileage not as good as expected.

I have had my new 4Runner for about a month. I absolutely love it. It is an awesome vehicle. The ride is quiet and smooth and there is plenty of power. I traded in a 2000 Tacoma for the 4Runner. I was amazed at how much better the 4Runner drives.

My only complaint would be that I haven't gotten better than 14.9 miles per gallon. I may have gone with the V6 if I would have known that, but the V8 was rated at 16-19. Admittedly, I've been a bit of a leadfoot since getting the 4Runner--It's just too cool to be able to pin your passengers to their seat when the light turns green.

You won't regret purchasing a 4Runner. It truley is awesome....read morehide

Pros

I LOVE MY NEW 4RUNNER! Fuel economy is good, ride is outstanding, and it's fast!

Cons

No major cons. The rear window get's dirty easily as it rolls down, but i love the feature, so.

I had a 1992 Toyota 4Runner as my very first vehicle and I fell in love with it. It was extremely sluggish, but good on fuel economy, and it was extrememly rugged. I sold it with 227,000 miles and I hated to get rid of it really. After that I owned two Ford Explorers. I had a 1994 and a 1998. Both of them sucked to be brutally honest. American engineering did not show me much nor did it appeal to my appetite when purchasing a new car in 2005. As far as this SUV goes. The 4-wheel drive system is outstanding and the tight feel of the upgraded suspension of my V8 sport edition is incredible. I don't feel nearly as rolly as I did with any of my other SUV's. The 270 hp is awesome! This truck has a lot of pick up and a smooooooth ride. It is very quiet on the road or off the road. I've driven it quite a bit over the winter here in Cincinnati, Ohio and it has done marvelously in the snow and ice. No complaints there. In fact I believe I've already towed about 8-10 people out of being stuck off the roads. It's hilarious when I hardly have to hit the gas and they're out. The value is incredible with the new 4Runner. My sticker price was $35,200.00, but I paid about $32,200 including tax, so I'm very pleased. The Sport Edition provides you with a little more rugged feel than the Limited does, and I hate leather interiors so it worked out well for me. I highly recommend this truck to anyone who has an appetite for extreme performance and comfort....read morehide

Pros

smooth ride, quiet interior, excellent quality

Cons

slow brake, lack of power for a V8, miserable garage door opener

We bought the 2003 model truck about a year ago. I love this truck for its smooth ride, excellent build quality, as well as the on-road handling, so does my wife.

I found two major downsides of this beutiful truck. First is the brakes. It seems no response for the 1/3 of peddle travel distance although most of suv owners do not expect 4runner's brakes work like those on a sport car; the other one is the "integrated garage door opener. I tried to initial setup three times following both manufactrueres' (Toyota & Liftmaster) manuals. It still would not work.

It would be really appreciated, if some 4runner owners can offer me a hint about the garage door opener....read morehide