This is our third Toyota, and certainly not the last. After a Tercel, and then a 4Runner, they have proven themselves to be worth every penny. They ran when you wanted them to, they required little maintenance, and they'd do whatever was needed; and the 2003 4Runner looks to be following tradition.

We compared it to most other vehicles; including the KIA Sorento, Dodge Durango, Mitsubishi Montero Sport, Nissan Pathfinder, and GMC Envoy; but none seemed to match the 4Runner. The Sorento was nice, but too small for our needs (we needed a vehicle for multi-day out-of-town work that requires driving offroad). The Durango was cheaper, and it felt that way, with some annoying features (side-opening console) and a cramped back seat, we had also heard of front-end problems with it. The Montero Sport wasn't bad, but lacked power and seemed very truckish. We never really got into the Pathfinder much, mainly because everywhere we looked it said the 4Runner was better. Finally, the Envoy looked to be good, but it seemed to be more of an in-town SUV which wouldn't suit our needs. We didn't even bother looking at the Honda Pilot after having two Honda's which have had nothing but problems and the dealer is out for nothing but money. We also own a 2003 Ford Expedition which also has been rather decent (except the heating is somewhat slow), but for the most part, the 4Runner is better.


The 4Runner has ample power (both the V6 and V8) yet from inside you can barely hear the engine working away. The only noise that I've noticed is at high speeds on the highway when there is a rumble in the back of the vehicle (which I figure is just road noise) but it's a noise that you don't notice unless you are listening carefully. Besides, whenever you are on the highway, you usually have some music on which completely blocks the noise. Even when the moonroof is open the noise isn't too terribly awful, but since it's the middle of winter in Canada, we haven't had much opportunity to have it open. Anyways, compared to the other SUV's we drove, it was the quietest.

The compartments and audio/climate controls can all be managed by the passenger (unlike the Durango). There are plenty of storage places, cup holders, tables/trays, a bag holder and just a lot of things to help the vehicle looking clean and organized, rather than having papers and garbage all over the floor/dash. Also, the climate controls work well, quite well in fact(once you figure them out). Also, a feature you don't think much about until you actually use it is the Driving Range feature. It calculates how far you can drive with the fuel left in your tank based on your past driving, which can help determine where you can make it to before buying gas.

There is plenty of room for storage, even with the back seats up. We weren't sure at first, but you'd be surprised what fits. If for some reason you need more space, the back seats easily fold down and become flat providing plenty of room.
As for the back seats, they are far more comfortable and spacious than any of the other vehicles I sat in, and far more comfortable than they were in the older 4Runner we had. It's a back seat you don't groan about when you find out you have to sit in it.

The handling is astounding for something of this size. The turning radius is smaller than our '88 Honda Accord, and when turning it doesn't feel like you are about to tip over (like the Montero Sport did). Of course you can't drive it like a small car, but compared to most of the other SUV's, it's as good as it gets. However, we never test-drove a vehicle without the X-REAS suspension, which should make quite a difference in the tippy feeling (The suspension is the main reason we got the sport package).

There are a few flaws, most of which have been mentioned in the other reviews. One being the gear box. Given it's zig-zagging design it can be awkword to switch between modes, and it takes some getting used to. However, the automatic transmission is great and you don't even notice it shifting.
All of the flaws are very minor and liveable, but with only a few adjustments, this would be the perfect SUV.

I have every intention of purchasing this vehicle at the end of the leasing agreement.

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The following was added on April 3rd, 2003

3 months and 9000km of have passed with our 4Runner, and for the most part things have been wonderful. However, I'll start with the problems that we have seen develop.

The worst problem in the design is the back doors. They are poorly sealed, so a lot of mud and rocks all collect on a lip on the inside of the door. This wouldn't be too serious, except for the fact that the only way to clean it is by hand with paper towels - something that is quite obnoxious, but needed in order to prevent rust. We thought this problem may be fixed if it had running boards, but a friend of ours who has running boards is also having the same problem. We have yet to see Toyota about this problem, but we intend to see them in the next few weeks.

An annoying feature is when you lose traction, it beeps at you repeatedly, only making the situation more tense. If anybody requires a beeping noise to inform them that they are going into a skid, they shouldn't even be driving.

Those are really the only two things which I have had bother me. Many of the previous things that annoyed me I have gotten used to, and actually have come to like (The zig-zag gear box is actually quite helpful if you drive a standard transmission vehicle occasionally).

The sport packages audio system is quite impressive for a factory-direct package. It makes my home stereo look like a hunk of garbage.

A really nice feature is that you don't have to hold the key to turn it on. You just turn it for a second, and it'll start itself up. You don't notice this until you start getting into other cars, and then you always forget that you need to hold the key for a while.

Another nice feature is that you don't need to slam the back hatch in order to close it. It will automatically pull itself in so that it is tightly closed. It's somewhat hard to describe, but when you see it, you'll understand what I'm talking about.

The moonroof is quiet (when open) for speeds under about 60-70km/h but after any higher and it's more of an annoyance than anything.

Overall though, I don't think there's a better SUV out there in this class. It has proven itself in snow, mud, ice, freezing rain, rain, and it handles offroad just as well as onroad. If anything develops from the mud collection on the back doors, I'll be sure to inform you.


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The following was added May 28, 2004
I should probably just completely rewrite this, but I don't feel like it.

Anyways, I'm still loving the 4Runner, even though gas prices have caused me to limit the use of it. I passed the 50 000 kilometer mark about a month ago, a couple of which were part of a trip down to San Francisco with two family members, after going through quite to fiasco finding tires.

Nothing ever happened with the collection of crud in the back doors, it seemed to slightly improve itself. We did have running boards installed, even though I retain that they are useless and annoying.

There has only been one recall, something regarding the fuel source and fires. Problems I'm now seeing are rust on the hitch, and the wheel wells are decaying - but neither are serious. The paint has held up well, although there are some rock chips on the hood scoop, but nothing else. Otherwise, there hasn't been anything to note - it's very reliable.

It's still a blast to drive the vehicle with it's handling and acceleration. The interior is just like new and very comfortable. Basically, my views were more than just that new owner feeling - I have no regrets about it, and simply put, love it.


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The following was added September 4, 2005

I just returned from a 2-month long, 16 276 kilometer (10 091 miles) road trip in my 4Runner up to Alaska and all around British Columbia. It's almost at the 100 000 kilometer mark on the odometer. It started every time, it went on anything that was thrown at it without a fuss, and was an ultimate joy to have, although I would not have complained with a more fuel efficient vehicle. However, with roughly 20mpg for much of the trip, it’s not as bad as it could’ve been. The seats were good for about 3 hours, at which point getting out and walking around was often needed. At this point in time the only thing I can honestly say I truly dislike about the 4Runner is the beeping it does when there’s a loss of traction. It would also be nice if the back hatch weren’t so heavy and were easier to open and close. Beyond that, I don’t know that there’s anything I’d want to change.

The 4Runner also served as my lodging for roughly half of the trip, and I discovered it to really be not all that bad. With the back seats folded down it can fit a 6 foot tall person reasonably well, and it’s pretty flat. Using a Thermarest made it plenty comfortable, and perhaps even preferable to sleeping in a tent since it muted any outside noises. If there’s only a little luggage, you’d be able to have two people sleeping back there comfortably.

Prior to this trip, some repairs were required with a tensioner belt and some things that were around it. I haven't heard of anybody else having the same problem, so it's probably just an isolated case. It was partially covered by the warranty, but even at that it was around $700 that needed to be put into it.
Amount Paid (US$): ~45 000 CAD
Condition: New
Model Year: 2003
Model and Options: SR5 Sport