Toyota 4Runner Ground Clearance: What To Know
Photo by Holly Mandarich on Unsplash
Sometimes you need a car that will blast through the rough terrains the off-road adventures offer. Toyota 4Runner will get you through that terrain, and it’ll carry all of your cargo without hassle. On top of that, the 4Runner is relatively cheap, especially compared to the competition.
However, an inexpensive, all-around excellent car doesn’t exist, so the question needs to be asked, what are the trade-offs for the Toyota 4Runner?
Well, the 4Runner packs a small V6 engine under the hood, an engine that produces only 270 horsepower. The transmission doesn’t shine either, and the five-speed automatic feels outdated.
Still, the Toyota 4Runner feels like it was made for off-roading, thanks to the 9.6 inches of ground clearance and loads of room for cargo. Ride height, or ground clearance, plays such a massive role in the effectiveness of the 4Runner, so let’s dive deeper and see why.
The Importance of Ground Clearance
Ground clearance is essential, especially for off-roading, primarily because it allows you to drive over dusty, rocky, and generally rough terrain without damaging the underbody of a vehicle. Visibility plays a role in high ride height vehicles as well, allowing you to see over other cars or obstacles, on and off the road.
Ground clearance is especially crucial to residents of areas with rougher roads. For example, a sports car with 3-4 inches of ground clearance might perform very well on smooth roads without too many bumps and potholes, but the roads aren’t perfect everywhere.
Driving over a pothole in a Toyota 4Runner with its 9.6 inches of ground clearance won’t cause any damage to the SUV. In fact, you’re barely even going to notice the pothole. That’s precisely why you’d need something higher off the ground.
High ground clearance vehicles most usually offer a much more comfortable ride. That’s not only because of the visibility but also because of the softer suspension compared to stiff suspensions found on sportier vehicles lower to the ground. You won’t feel the road bumps as much, which is always a huge positive.
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Negative Aspects of High Ground Clearance
High ground clearance has its benefits, but you’ll need to be aware of the downsides before purchasing a high ground clearance vehicle such as the 4Runner.
The Driveability and Handling
The driveability is affected by high ride height, simply through fundamental physics. For example, sports cars that are low to the ground don’t suffer from body roll on sharp turns as much as high SUVs do. Also, the handling won’t be as “tight” and sharp as it is in low ground clearance cars. That is simply due to the tires being further away from the body of the SUV, so the entire suspension system has to work much harder for the vehicle to function correctly.
Performance and Fuel Mileage
The performance and the mileage on high ride height vehicles aren’t that much worse than it is on low ride height cars. However, it does need to be mentioned.
The performance numbers will worsen due to poor aerodynamics, but it isn’t something that you should pay too much attention to, simply because those numbers aren’t noticeable unless, of course, you’re going for high speed. What you will need to take into consideration is the fuel mileage.
Fuel mileage is affected by, once again, aerodynamics. Because of the worse aerodynamic properties, a high ground clearance vehicle needs to work harder; therefore, it consumes more fuel. The mileage won’t be significantly worse, but it will be noticeable on the fuel bill over a long period.
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Toyota 4Runner Ground Clearance
Toyota 4Runner comes with 9.6 inches of ground clearance from the factory. It is one of the highest-riding SUVs on the market. The large body of the vehicle helps to keep it stable, on and off the road. With a larger body, there’s much more space for cargo, and combined with some of the SUV’s features, it feels like it was made for off-roading.
Compared to other SUVs, the Toyota 4Runner ranks near the top for the highest ground clearance. Compared to all vehicles, the 4Runner ranks between average and the top, excluding vehicles that were lifted after they were purchased. We can glean from this that the 4Runner isn’t sporty and that there are much sportier vehicles, such as the Honda Civic.
Based on this information, you can expect the Toyota 4Runner to offer a comfortable ride, great visibility, off-roading adventures, and excellent cargo space. If you’re looking for high speeds, excellent handling, or better fuel mileage, the 4Runner might not be your cup of tea.
Lifting The Toyota 4Runner
Lifting a 4Runner higher off the ground sounds fun, right? Tons of 4Runner owners apparently agree with you. However, before you turn the key and drive off into the adventure, you should know what to expect.
You can lift your Toyota 4Runner with a kit that usually costs a few hundred dollars, but we wouldn’t advise it. So, it would help if you were prepared to spend a thousand to a few thousand dollars on a high-quality lift kit. This is one of those things where you get what you pay for.
Various parts will lift your Toyota 4Runner higher off the ground, such as spacers, coilovers, body lifts, etc. Before purchasing any of those parts, make sure that they’re compatible with your model year 4Runner.
Lastly, take your 4Runner to the shop, install the lift-kit yourself, and enjoy your off-roading adventures.
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Should You Buy the Toyota 4Runner?
If you go into an off-highway vehicle park these days, you’ll likely bump into a wide variety of Toyota 4Runners with varying trim levels and customizations. But is this SUV worth buying? The 4Runner feels like it’s been around forever, but it has no signs of slowing down. Its ongoing popularity is proof of its excellent utility and off-roading prowess.
Having a ground clearance of 9.6 inches, the 4Runner boasts one of the best ride heights in the market. If that’s your only criteria, the 4Runner won’t disappoint. Fortunately, there’s more to Toyota’s popular SUV than its ground clearance.
While it does have a body-on-frame construction, the 4Runner is easy to drive, and the top-notch ride height gives you a commanding view of the road before you. Thanks to the X-REAS suspension system, you’ll be treated to an even better ride quality if you get the Limited trim.
Also, the 4Runner is far from a luxury SUV. Its cabin reflects its rugged profile, complete with cheap plastic surfaces, a simple interior layout, and easy-to-use controls. Besides, you can always go up a trim or two for fancier features like power-adjustable seats, wood trim, and leather surfaces.
The Beginning of Your 4Runner Adventures
With its 9.6 inches of ground clearance, the Toyota 4Runner will be an excellent vehicle on and off the road. The adventures will be endless, especially with a high-quality lift kit. However, most of those adventures will be off the road because such high ground clearance doesn’t allow vehicles to dominate speed-oriented activities.
Such high ride height vehicles from the factory aren’t for everyone. Some prefer a bit sportier, compact vehicles that offer performance and fuel economy. If that’s what you’re looking for, check out Mazda3 or the Honda Civic and learn why their low ground clearance benefits them.
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