2011 Toyota 4Runner Overview Change Vehicle

This 2011 Toyota 4Runner review explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2011 4Runner, and includes Toyota 4Runner safety, reliability, and fuel economy ratings.

It didn’t take long for Toyota to realize that sticking a four-cylinder engine in a 4,300-pound SUV was a bad idea. Last year’s 2.7-liter four-cylinder is dropped and all 4Runners have a standard 4.0-liter V6 for 2011. Otherwise, this capable, traditional SUV rolls into the new year unchanged after a complete redesign for 2010.

With six colors, three models, and a single engine to choose from, Toyota makes it fairly easy to decide on a new 2011 4Runner. The SR5 is the popular and most affordable one, the Trail is the rugged off-roader, and the Limited is the luxurious and expensive version.

Choose the SR5, and you’ll get 17-inch alloy wheels, chrome exterior trim, fog lights, dark tinted rear glass, power heated outside mirrors with integrated turn signal indicators and puddle lamps, a roof rack, reversing sensors, a tow hitch receiver, skid plates, and a full-size spare tire. Interior features include a height adjustable driver’s seat, a tilt and telescopic steering wheel, cruise control, power windows, power door locks with remote keyless entry, and air conditioning with an air filtering system. A trip computer is also standard, along with a HomeLink programmable remote control, a compass, and an exterior temperature display. A “party mode” stereo features eight speakers, a CD player, dual auxiliary audio input jacks, and satellite radio.

The SR5 model is available with numerous options, including part-time 4WD, power front seats, a third-row seat, leather, and Bluetooth hands-free calling and music streaming capability. A power moonroof is available, along with a sliding rear cargo deck and a couple of 120-volt power outlets.

If you’re looking for something that’s ready to tackle some serious terrain right out of the box, get the 4Runner Trail model. It comes standard with a part-time 4WD system, Downhill Assist Control, Multi-Terrain Select, Toyota Crawl Control, raised ground clearance, and improved approach and departure angles. Bumper guards and black fender trim help protect against damage, a utility roof rack is designed to carry more stuff than the standard rack, the cloth seats are water-resistant, a reversing camera helps when maneuvering in tight quarters, and 120-volt/400-watt electrical outlets to power your gear. You can tell the Trail model apart from other 4Runners by its special 17-inch alloy wheels, hood scoop, tinted headlight and taillight lenses, and black exterior trim. The Trail is also equipped with an eight-way power driver’s seat, a power sunroof, a sliding rear cargo deck, Optitron gauges, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a sliding rear cargo deck, and a better audio system that includes Bluetooth with music streaming capability, an iPod connection, and a USB port. For even more off-road ability, choose the optional Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS). The only other options are navigation and a premium JBL sound system.

Obtain the most luxurious 4Runner by selecting the Limited model, which adds to the SR5 special 20-inch alloy wheels, lots of body-color exterior trim, leather seats, premium JBL audio, dual-zone automatic climate control, a power moonroof, automatic headlights, Safety Connect telematics service, and a Smart Key keyless entry and ignition system. The Limited is also equipped with an X-REAS automatic damping suspension system that calms the ride and stabilizes the handling. An automatic 4WD system, a third-row seat, and a navigation system are the only options for this model.

For 2011, Toyota installs a 270-horsepower, 4.0-liter V6 engine making 278 pound-feet of torque into every 4Runner it sells. A five-speed automatic transmission drives the rear or all four wheels, and the 4Runner can tow up to 5,000 pounds. Fuel economy rates 17 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway with rear-wheel drive and 17/22 with 4WD.

A part-time 4WD system with an electronic locking rear differential is optional on the SR5 and standard on the Trail. Limited models can be equipped with an automatic 4WD system that has a locking center differential. Hill-start Assist Control comes standard on every 4Runner, and 4WD models get both Downhill Assist Control and A-TRAC, the latter of which distributes engine power to a single wheel if that’s all that’s touching the ground.

The 4Runner Trail model is further equipped with Toyota Crawl Control, which automatically holds the 4Runner to one of five speed settings while the driver concentrates on steering and picking a line through tough terrain, and Multi-Terrain Select, which adjusts wheel-slip allowances based on the type of surface the 4Runner is traversing. An optional Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) is exclusive to the 4Runner Trail, allowing for greater wheel articulation by disconnecting the suspension’s stabilizer bars over difficult trails.

Eight airbags, including knee airbags for the driver and front seat passenger, come standard on every 4Runner, along with traction control, stability control, and four-wheel-ventilated-disc antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist. Reversing sensors are standard on the SR5, a reversing camera is standard on the Trail and Limited, and Safety Connect telematics is standard on the Limited. When Safety Connect is activated, it features Automatic Collision Notification and Emergency Assistance Button services, among others.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has changed testing procedures this year, making it harder for vehicles to obtain 5-Star crash-test ratings. The 2011 Toyota 4Runner had not been tested under the new guidelines as this review was written, but the NHTSA does carry over the SUV’s mediocre 3-Star rollover resistance rating.

Results from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) indicate that the 4Runner is a safe SUV. The IIHS assigns its top rating of Good to the 4Runner for its ability to protect occupants in frontal-, side-, and rear-impact collisions. When it comes to roof crush strength in a rollover accident, the 4Runner gets an Acceptable rating.

Reliability predictions are strangely conservative given the 4Runner’s historical performance in this regard. Consumer Reports gives the SUV a prediction of average reliability, while J.D. Power and Associates predicts better than average dependability over time.

The first thing you need to remember about the Toyota 4Runner is that it is a truck, a body-on-frame beast that shares its platform with the rugged FJ Cruiser. That means it is quick to leap off the line but slow to accelerate to freeway speeds, that it has a jiggly ride quality, that the steering is a bit slow and numb, that it handles ponderously, and that it gets bad gas mileage. Part of the reason for these traits is that it is heavy, but most of the reason is that it is designed to be an off-roading rock star.

We tried to find terrain that could challenge the 4Runner Trail we spent a week driving, but were thwarted in our attempts. The Trail model proved impervious to what dirt, ruts, and rocks we did fling it over. In some respects, we were more impressed with the way it pounded crappy and crumbling Los Angeles surface streets into submission. As an urban warrior, the 4Runner Trail makes just as good an argument for itself as it does a trail buster.

As a family truckster, the 4Runner is a mixed bag. It sits high off the ground, and it’s hard for little kids to clamber aboard. The cargo area also features a high liftover, making loading more challenging. Add the 4Runner’s 3-Star rollover resistance rating, and maybe a crossover SUV like the Toyota Highlander might be a better fit. Nevertheless, the 4Runner’s crash-test scores are good, the tall height makes snapping kids into car seats a breeze, and everyone is comfortable on firm, supportive seats with an excellent view out. Add the fact that it can carry nearly 90 cubic-feet of cargo with the rear seats folded, and the 4Runner makes perfect sense for some folks.

Our favorite way to drive the 4Runner, however, is at a 60-mph cruise along the coast on a sunny day, all five windows powered down (the back glass drops into the tailgate), the sunroof open, and our favorite music on the stereo. The effect is not unlike that of a convertible, only this one can go almost anywhere you want it to, at any time, under any weather conditions.

We’re big fans of the 2011 Toyota 4Runner. Our favorite is the rugged Trail model, but any of the three is capable of providing lots of comfort and lots of space combined with impressive off-road performance, dependability, and safety. Just don’t expect this truck to be able to pass many gas stations by without stopping for a re-fuel.

By Christian Wardlaw