Never owned a 4Runner before but have had a couple Subarus...

The wife wants the 4Runner. They look great but I want the price of the Subaru. Used 4Runners are dang expensive compared to used and CPO Outbacks. What am I missing here in the price difference?

Is the Outback superior for the cost?

Wow. Great responses so far.

Newer Subarus (post 2012) have a redesigned engine that should reduce the risk of head gasket issues. CVTs are a known weak point. But when I was shopping for my wife an Outback + the cost of a new CVT was still less expensive than a similarly appointed 4 Runner.

Made the decision easy knowing even I had to replace the CVT I was still saving money over the 4 Runner. People love them because they're dependable as hell, but there comes a point where the up front price premium stops justifing the savings on maintenance costs in my book.

I used to have a Subaru (2009) that had head gasket problems at 140,000 miles.

I took over my wife's 2006 4Runner after unloading the Subaru for a good price on a trade in.

The 4Runner has 215,000 miles and still rocking. Not a smooth ride but just keeps on trucking.

I would choose the 4Runner all day every day over the Subaru. I did like how the Subaru handled snow and slick conditions though.

Satisfied 4Runner owner here (2019 TRD Off-Road). As mentioned, for dependability and thus resale, they're hard to beat. Steeper cost up front to be sure, but in terms of total ownership cost including maintenance and depreciation, they're tough to beat.

Power is adequate to cruise 80 on the interstate, though you won't have much to spare, and it's pretty freaking thirsty at that clip, but if you're cross shopping a Subaru, you won't be giving up too much in that department either.

I like the stone ax quality of the thing. The drivetrain is understressed and doesn't have much in the way of fancy features, which adds to its dependability and longevity. It's still running a clutched mechanical radiator fan, it's definitely among the lower-tech options out there which again is a plus in my book. I wish it were a little quieter/insulated from road noise, but I may fix that myself eventually.

Mookie said:

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Nothing in common between the two cars you listed. Zero. It's like asking what's better an apple or string cheese.

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String cheese is so you are for the Outback?

FIDO*98* said:

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I've got an Outback for a company car and it's been great. Maybe it doesn't have the "cool" factor of a 4Runner, but, they Eyesight feature makes daily driving so much nicer. It's also got a much ride much better than a 4Runner and so far I'm average over 30mpg with 11K miles. Outbacks will hold their values right up there with 4Runners too.

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That's what i'm talkin bout. Eyesight is pretty awesome. Gotta get the wife over the cool factor or nut up and pay a little more and hope some of you are right about longevity and maintenance.

I'll add that even in sr5 package it's still a solid off roader.

4Runner

4Runners wont get 30 mpg... not even close... so if that's a big issue, look elsewhere. But the cost over 10k miles a year isn't an issue for me personally. It's better than my Tundra was

FC12 said:

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Also, I assume you are wanting AWD/4wd? If you get the limited model 4Runner with 4wd, it comes with full time 4wd....you can then also lock the center differential for a true 4hi/4lo. Only the limiteds have the full time 4wd. The other models, SR5, Trail, TRD have more traditional 4WD set ups. Whichever you choose is awesome though.

If you're in DFW, you can come drive mine for a comparison.

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Do you have a lift or level on your 4Runner? My son is inheriting our 2011 4wd 4Runner tomorrow and I'd like to match the stance on your rig.

Yes I do. I have a 1.5" Daystar spacer in the rear and Bilstein 5100 shocks up front set on the highest setting for about 2.5". I reused the stock springs. Tires are 285/70/17.

It did rub some up front at full lock but I took care of that with a heat gun. Also, it's about 1 degree past "normal" for camber but there is no odd tire wear. It drives very well and tracks straight. Anyway, I just point that out because the stock upper control arms are limited past 3" if lift up front. You won't be able to get it into alignment.

Right now, it sits at 39" tall from ground to fender in the rear and 38" in the front.

This was right after the lift install


This was my inspiration

Thanks

I didn't really clarify well on the shocks...it has the 5100s on all corners front and rear...but only the fronts are adjustable. I re-used the stock springs front and rear.

knoxtom said:

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I wanted a 4runner forever. Finally got a 2017.

Traded it a year and a half later because it really did nothing well.

Bad gas mileage, horrible performance, good off road, no features even though it was "loaded", couldn't tow well, couldn't climb the mountains here in Colorado, couldn't fit much inside, uncomfortable, expensive to insure.

On top of that it was legitimately dangerous in sudden stops. The front end dives BAD.

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I don't care about "features". Bluetooth, full Power and heated seats is all I ask for and it has that. I don't need a butt massager...although cooled seats would be "cool".

It tows just fine. Just towed a fully loaded 6x12 enclosed U-Haul trailer with zero problems through hills of east Texas and back to DFW for 8 hours.

It's not dangerous in sudden stops...does it nose dive on very hard stops? Sure..so do many other trucks. If you want to fix it, change the shocks. Was I ever remotely concerned with it...no. Plus, don't put yourself in situations where you need to slam on the brakes.

Expensive to insure? Negligible difference between my tundra and sienna.

No idea what you refer too regarding not fitting much inside...I fold the seats down and load it up with all my hunting/camping gear plus a friends if we go together. Quarter our my deer and I'm good to go.

The only legitimate gripe you may have is yeah, I don't think it would be a power beast at elevation.

AnyOtherName said:

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FIDO*98* said:

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I've got an Outback for a company car and it's been great. Maybe it doesn't have the "cool" factor of a 4Runner, but, they Eyesight feature makes daily driving so much nicer. It's also got a much ride much better than a 4Runner and so far I'm average over 30mpg with 11K miles. Outbacks will hold their values right up there with 4Runners too.

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That's what i'm talkin bout. Eyesight is pretty awesome. Gotta get the wife over the cool factor or nut up and pay a little more and hope some of you are right about longevity and maintenance.

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Getting the wife over the cool factor was my biggest challenge also. Wife initially refused to look at the Outback at all because it was a station wagon, but begrudgingly took a test drive once she decided the Forester was too small since we were already at the dealership. 3 test drives later she agreed the Outback was more comfortable, more spacious where she needed it, better appointed, and came with more safety features than anything else in the same price range. 3 years later she still loves it.

All in all she got a fully loaded Limited (basically a Touring without the Touring leather which she didn't like) for about $31,000 out the door, plus I got 0% financing on top of that (which I think they're offering again now). The same features in a 4 Runner would have cost $45,000+.

My previous car was a Subaru Legacy. My wife liked it so much she traded her Platinum Expedition for a '19 Outback Touring and didn't regret it for a second. When I hit my mileage cap, we bought the Legacy for my 16 year old son. Subies have been great for us.

Nose dive on hard braking can be a bit unsettling. I got over it. However the 2 Limiteds I had braked like they were Porsches. The XREAS system is not a gimmick at all.

Its a bit of a hindrance off road, but on road it really really mitigates all body roll.

And AWD is super nice to have.

I have nothing to contribute other than I love 4Runners. Never owned one. If they were flat-towable behind our RV we'd own one.

I had a 2003 4-Runner SR-5, not 4WD that I bought new. It had almost 200,000 miles on it and still drove like the day I bought it when I traded it in for a Tundra in 2013. In 10 years of ownership, it never had a problem and the only time it saw a mechanic was for routine maintenance. There are many days I kick myself for getting rid of it, but I just couldn't pass up how much it was worth as a trade-in. If it were 4WD I definitely would have kept it as a weekend toy.

My son now drives the 2013 Tundra and I bought a Lexus GX. I seriously considered purchasing a new 4Runner, but I couldn't be happier with the GX.

TexAg2001 said:

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I had a 2003 4-Runner SR-5, not 4WD that I bought new. It had almost 200,000 miles on it and still drove like the day I bought it when I traded it in for a Tundra in 2013. In 10 years of ownership, it never had a problem and the only time it saw a mechanic was for routine maintenance. There are many days I kick myself for getting rid of it, but I just couldn't pass up how much it was worth as a trade-in. If it were 4WD I definitely would have kept it as a weekend toy.

My son now drives the 2013 Tundra and I bought a Lexus GX. I seriously considered purchasing a new 4Runner, but I couldn't be happier with the GX.

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How is the GX compared to the 4Runner? I have done zero research on the difference. Is the GX just the upgraded 4Runner?

AnyOtherName said:

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TexAg2001 said:

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I had a 2003 4-Runner SR-5, not 4WD that I bought new. It had almost 200,000 miles on it and still drove like the day I bought it when I traded it in for a Tundra in 2013. In 10 years of ownership, it never had a problem and the only time it saw a mechanic was for routine maintenance. There are many days I kick myself for getting rid of it, but I just couldn't pass up how much it was worth as a trade-in. If it were 4WD I definitely would have kept it as a weekend toy.

My son now drives the 2013 Tundra and I bought a Lexus GX. I seriously considered purchasing a new 4Runner, but I couldn't be happier with the GX.

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How is the GX compared to the 4Runner? I have done zero research on the difference. Is the GX just the upgraded 4Runner?

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Kind of. The GX is the Toyota Prado. The T4R shares the Prado platform, but none of the sheetmetal.

USDM GX is available only with the 4.6L V8 engine and is more luxurious than a T4R and suspension is a little more compliant.

In some cases its a better buy when its depreciated as well.

AnyOtherName said:

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TexAg2001 said:

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I had a 2003 4-Runner SR-5, not 4WD that I bought new. It had almost 200,000 miles on it and still drove like the day I bought it when I traded it in for a Tundra in 2013. In 10 years of ownership, it never had a problem and the only time it saw a mechanic was for routine maintenance. There are many days I kick myself for getting rid of it, but I just couldn't pass up how much it was worth as a trade-in. If it were 4WD I definitely would have kept it as a weekend toy.

My son now drives the 2013 Tundra and I bought a Lexus GX. I seriously considered purchasing a new 4Runner, but I couldn't be happier with the GX.

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How is the GX compared to the 4Runner? I have done zero research on the difference. Is the GX just the upgraded 4Runner?

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as someone that did this very dance last year, we bought a used 4Runner limited. if i was shopping again, i would have bumped up for the used GX.

GX' 460's are nice. The 4.6 is a nice engine...same one as the non 5.7 Tundras. 4WD is sweet and very capable just like the 4Runner.

Some people find that looks "meh" both 1st gens and 2nd gens. I shopped both the GX and the T4R. Would have bought either but found an absolutely awesome deal on the T4R.

AnyOtherName said:

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How is the GX compared to the 4Runner? I have done zero research on the difference. Is the GX just the upgraded 4Runner?

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The previous posters pretty much covered it. It took a VERY long time to find the vehicle I was looking for, but I purchased at the end of 2019 and was able to find a 2017 GX with only 10k miles. It was $5k-$6k less than a new 4Runner Limited 4wd, which is probably the most comparable trim level. I test drove both and the difference in ride, feel, and comfort were very different. The GX seats were more comfortable and it was much quieter inside. It also had more creature comforts such as heated/ventilated seats, larger nav screen, more wood accents, and generally a higher fit & finish. Bells and whistles are light years behind the competition, but I'd rather have reliability and don't necessarily care about that. Another thing to note is that the GX is full time 4wd.

Downside is the GX has pretty poor gas mileage and requires premium fuel. Also, maybe this is nitpicky, but the entire vehicle only has 2 usb ports, they are inside a compartment with a door, and there are none in the 2nd or 3rd row. I'm not sure I should even do this, but for long trips, I've run a short extension cord from the plug in the rear hatch up to the middle row so kids can plug in their devices and it's worked well.

Op, where do you live? How many miles will she drive a year?

Cannot go wrong either way. Unusual comparison, though, as others have pointed out. You're either getting a great apple or a great orange, as the saying goes.