The Toyota 4Runner is one of the original sport-utes.  This off-road station wagon has been around since 1985, and old 4Runners are a common sight on the trails, sharing mud space with Jeep Cherokees and even older Toyota Land Cruisers.  In the face of much-improved competition from all corners of the globe, the 4Runner has been redone from the ground up for 2003.  It’s bigger, more powerful and more comfortable, for starters.  Don’t worry, though, it hasn’t lost its off-roading spirit.

With the Camry-based Highlander available to woo buyers who never intend to take their sport-utes into the mud, Toyota was free to build a dirt-oriented 4Runner.  The new truck bristles with hard-core off-road features that are disappearing from the street-oriented SUVs these days, including hill descent control for steep off-road grades and body-on-frame construction.  It’s got a new engine, too:  a larger and more powerful 4.7 liter V8 replaces last year’s 3.4 liter V6.

It’s also bigger.  The new 4Runner has grown in length and width.  It’s almost half a foot longer and three inches wider than last year’s model.  The increased size is evident in the new design, which no longer bears any resemblance to the Tacoma pickup line.  The 4Runner is more angular, with a hint of Sequoia DNA in its long, wagon-style body and high stance.  Perhaps intentionally, it bears no resemblance whatsoever to its pavement-bred stablemate the Highlander.  Aggressive plastic fender flares run the length of the body, and the distinctive forward-sloped C-pillar is a nod to classic 4Runners (if you want to think of a 17-year old truck as “classic,” anyway).  Fog lights, hood scoops, and discreet spoilers come and go, depending on trim level.  The 4Runner is available in three trim levels:  SR5, Sport, and Limited.  We think it looks best with the body-colored trim, in Limited models, but the gray-sided SR5 and Sport models look less like clones of other SUVs.  Oh, and the rear window can still be lowered, a long-time 4Runner trademark.

The 4Runner’s increased size is welcome on the inside as well.  Gone are the brutally uncomfortable seats and cramped interior of years past.  Ditto the pickup truck-derived instrument panel.  The 4Runner’s new interior duds seem to have come from a sporty sedan, with gauges separated into three chrome-ringed pods and a high-mounted LCD screen for navigation-system equipped trucks (GPS is available on all 4Runners).  The climate control switches look like rotary dials but are actually buttons arranged into circles.  that takes some getting used to.  The large console can double as a desk.  A neat cargo divider turns the 40-cubic foot cargo area into a two-tiered storage space and can hold up to 66 pounds.  In 4Runners without the premium sound system, the rearmost speakers are replaced by a pair of convex mirrors that neatly show what’s directly behind the truck–a feature that’s equally handy off-road or in parking lots.

One of the biggest changes of all is under the hood.  Toyota wasn’t going for “kinder and gentler” with this truck.  The 4Runner is about muscling its way through hostile terrain, and toward that end it can now turn the wheels with eight cylinders instead of six.  The 4.7 liter V8 is shared with other Toyota trucks, and cranks out 235 horsepower.  More power is always welcome, and the 4Runner doesn’t disappoint on the freeway.  An all-new 4.0 liter V6 will also be available.  The V6 puts out 245 horsepower and is almost indistinguishable from the V8 on the road thanks to its higher power.  The only difference is in towing capacity, where the V8′s greater torque capacity gives it an edge.  V8-powered 4Runners are equipped with a five-speed automatic transmission that features Toyota’s intelligent shift control.

Of course, two- and four-wheel drive are available.  The 4Runner uses a Torsen torque-sensing limited slip differential which splits torque front to rear depending on demand.  Four-wheel drive is full-time in V8 4Runners, and shift-on-the-fly in the V6 model.  Anti-lock brakes and Vehicle Skid Control (VSC) are standard equipment.  Also along for the ride is a Downhill Assist Control (DAC) system.  Previously unique to Land Rovers, DAC modulates the power during steep hill descents on or off-road, using the traction control and brakes to hold the truck to walking speed.  This ensures a safe, straight descent in dangerous off-road situations.  DAC must be engaged and isn’t likely to be used in normal driving situations, but on those occasions where it’s needed, off-roaders will find it invaluable.

This bigger, meatier 4Runner gets a bigger, meatier suspension, too.  Despite its hard-core off-road leanings, the double wishbone-front, four-link rear suspension is still comfortable on the road.  This is thanks in part to a long wheelbase and wide track, which keep the ride stable.  A cross-linked shock absorber system is also available.  Called X-REAS, this system links the compression chamber of each shock absorber to its diagonal mate–left front to right rear and right front to left rear, and all four are linked to a central control absorber.  Small pitching motions front to rear and side to side are thus smoothed out, as the shocks can mechanically respond to impacts all over the truck.  In action, X-REAS gives the off-road-friendly 4Runner an on-pavement ride that rivals many of its car-based competitors.  It’s a far cry from the punishing ride that off-roaders may be familiar with.  The suspension still has nine inches of ground clearance, and if there’s anything to complain about, it’s that the driver may be too comfortable.  Nasty trails are dispatched with a lack of drama that may disappoint some thrill-seekers!

Pricing remains close to last year’s model.  Even though it’s all new, the 4Runner sees a price increase of less than a thousand dollars.  The V6 powered 4Runner starts at $27,205 for the baseline SR5 model.  V8-powered versions are a bit more, starting at $28,005 for an SR5 two-wheel drive.  The full-zoot 4Runner Limited that we tested starts at $36,480 and should satisfy any driver who wants all the comforts of home included with that off-road ability.

Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Toyota 4Runner Limited, which we tested.
Length:         189.0 in.
Width:            73.8 in.
Height:            71.6 in.
Wheelbase:        109.8 in.
Curb weight:        4420 lb.
Cargo space:        75.1 cu.ft. (all seats folded)
Towing capacity (if app.):     5000
Base price:        $36,480
Engine:         4.7 liter 32-valve V8
Drivetrain:         five-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
Horsepower:         235 @ 4800
Torque:         320 @ 3400
Fuel capacity:        23 gal.
Est. mileage:        15/19