
The 4Runner is a great choice, especially in Trail trim, if you really need the off-road ability front and center, while all else follows in priority.
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 new Jeep Grand Cherokee might just have the 4Runner beat in many respects; the Jeep is more refined and comfortable on the road than the 4Runner, yet there's nothing quite like the completely off-road-focused Trail model in the Grand Cherokee lineup.
The 4Runner also maneuvers and rides a bit better than the Pathfinder, and it has a far better interior than the Nissan.
The Ford Explorer was all-new last year 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.
And it doesn't cost much more than a loaded 4Runner Trail.
But with a complicated power-folding third-row seat that takes up cargo space, and a side-opening hatch (the wrong side), there's really no reason to hit the Lexus showroom.
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Quick Specs | |||
The brawny 2012 Toyota 4Runner targets off-road purists who sometimes need to haul the family—and it's better on the highway than you might think. |
It's a rifle shot at the heart of the crossover market: the 2012 Ford Explorer gives any SUV loyalist a reason to leap off their very high horse. |
The 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee only gets better this year with the addition of the SRT8's thundering HEMI V-8. |
The 2012 Nissan Pathfinder appeals to those who need tow or off-road, yet occasionally carry passengers; if it's the other way around, you can do better. |
MSRP From | |||
$31,090 | $28,280 | $27,195 | $29,290 |
Gas Mileage | |||
17 MPG City / 23 MPG Hwy | 17 MPG City / 25 MPG Hwy | 12 MPG City / 23 MPG Hwy | 13 MPG City / 22 MPG Hwy |
Engine | |||
Gas V6 | Gas V6 | Gas/Ethanol V6 | Gas V6 |
EPA Class | |||
Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD | Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD | 2WD Sport Utility Vehicle | 2WD Sport Utility |
Style Name | |||
RWD 4-Door V6 SR5 (GS) | FWD 4-Door Base | RWD 4-Door Laredo | 2WD 4-Door V6 S |
Drivetrain | |||
Rear Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive |
Passenger Capacity | |||
5 | 7 | 5 | 7 |
Passenger Doors | |||
N/A | N/A | 4 | N/A |
Body Style | |||
Sport Utility Vehicle | Sport Utility Vehicle | Sport Utility Vehicle | Sport Utility |
Transmission | |||
Automatic w/Manual Shift | Automatic w/manual shift | Automatic | Automatic |
Detailed Spec Comparison | |||
2012 Toyota 4Runner vs. 2012 Ford Explorer | 2012 Toyota 4Runner vs. 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee | 2012 Toyota 4Runner vs. 2012 Nissan Pathfinder |