2011 Toyota 4Runner vs. Its Competition

Bengt Halvorson Senior Editor

For those who really need the off-road ability, the 4Runner is a great choice, especially in Trail trim.

With the available KDSS system, the 4Runner won’t rattle you as much as a Pathfinder or Grand Cherokee, while still offering as much ability for most types of off-roading.

The 4Runner also maneuvers and rides a bit better than the Pathfinder, while compared to the Grand Cherokee it gets better fuel economy than the Jeep does in V-6 or V-8 form.

The Ford Explorer is all-new for 2011 and is now built on more carlike underpinnings; it might provide adequate off-road capability for those who occasionally take to the trail, and with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine on the way, should be a much more fuel-efficient choice.

Yet another alternative is the 4Runner's cousin, the Lexus GX 460.

While sharing the same underpinnings, the GX 460 is a luxury SUV of the sort that was popular earlier last decade, with running boards and a V-8 engine.

But with a side-opening hatch (the wrong side) and a complicated power-folding third row that sacrifices, the GX 460 is the inferior of the two in many respects.