Hi,
We are trying to decide between a Toyota Highlander and a Toyota 4Runner.
We own a cabin with a few acres that need to be mowed with a garden tractor (1000 lbs.). The tractor has occasionally quit, for various reasons, and we have needed to pull it up some grassy hills and out of a valley in order to get it onto a utility trailer. The road to our cabin is pretty solid dirt and gravel, although it is up and down hill.
Everyone in the family leans toward the more comfy Highlander but I am not sure this is the vehicle we need.
Does anyone have experience (or perhaps offer an opinion) as to how the Highlander would do for these kinds of off-road tasks?
95% of the time this will be the family/shopping/pleasure vehicle.
Hi,
We are trying to decide between a Toyota Highlander and a Toyota 4Runner.
We own a cabin with a few acres that need to be mowed with a garden tractor (1000 lbs.). The tractor has occasionally quit, for various reasons, and we have needed to pull it up some grassy hills and out of a valley in order to get it onto a utility trailer. The road to our cabin is pretty solid dirt and gravel, although it is up and down hill.
Everyone in the family leans toward the more comfy Highlander but I am not sure this is the vehicle we need.
Does anyone have experience (or perhaps offer an opinion) as to how the Highlander would do for these kinds of off-road tasks?
95% of the time this will be the family/shopping/pleasure vehicle.
Highlander is not an offroad vehicle IMO. 4 runner is better suited for that especially the trail edition is one of the best offroad vehicles in the market. But only for 5% of the time, highlander will do the job and will be a better fit.
May not seem like a big thing, but my wife can slide into the HL, whereas she needs to use the inside oh sh1t handle and foot runners to climb into the 4runner... which is why we stayed with the HL. She could do it, but I think after 6 months of up/down up/down, etc it might wear thin. They tow the same, so there is no advantage there either.
__________________
Hers: 2011 Sandy Beach Metallic Highlander Ltd with Nav, color keyed crimp-on door guards, side moldings with chrome stripe, mud guards, hitch, bug deflector, exhaust tip, roof racks, rain guards, all-weather mats, envelope net, Wolo horns.
His: 2000 Salsa Red Sienna XLE
The Highlander is more comfortable, but it is not an off-road vehicle. That said, based on the description you gave it should have no problem with the gravel road. It has decent ground clearance, and with four wheel drive it won't have problem going up and down the hill even in bad weather. You will be fine with the Highlander.
Just don't take it to do extreme off-roading because it lacks the body armor required for such use. It would probably get to most of the places that a stock 4Runner can go, but at the expense of risking a serious damage to the drivetrain, chassis and suspension.
But an occasional gravel road is perfectly fine for Highlander, just drive slowly and carefully.
can you drive your average car on this gravel road?
Probably....
So the Highlander should have zero problems with it. It does have pretty solid ground clearance (8.1 inches) and is available with AWD.
Most gravel roads are easily passable by car assuming they are not rutted, muddy, slippery etc....the Highlander should be able to easily traverse this....
recent reviews showed unless you really need to go off road (which 4runner is very very good at) otherwise, no reason to get 4runner.
If you do, may consider not a loaded one which Consumer Review claim its overprice, not comfortable....
The Highlander is more comfortable, but it is not an off-road vehicle. That said, based on the description you gave it should have no problem with the gravel road. It has decent ground clearance, and with four wheel drive it won't have problem going up and down the hill even in bad weather. You will be fine with the Highlander.
Just don't take it to do extreme off-roading because it lacks the body armor required for such use. It would probably get to most of the places that a stock 4Runner can go, but at the expense of risking a serious damage to the drivetrain, chassis and suspension.
But an occasional gravel road is perfectly fine for Highlander, just drive slowly and carefully.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tagheuer
can you drive your average car on this gravel road?
Probably....
So the Highlander should have zero problems with it. It does have pretty solid ground clearance (8.1 inches) and is available with AWD.
Most gravel roads are easily passable by car assuming they are not rutted, muddy, slippery etc....the Highlander should be able to easily traverse this....
As a lot of you know I've probably driven my Highlander off-road more than any other owner on the planet. I can attest that although the Highlander is not a true 4x4, it is nevertheless very capable off-road as long as you don't get into technical four-wheeling. The Highlander's AWD system and high ground clearance will take you to 90% of the places off-road that you need to go, with the other 10% going to 4x4s with low-range rock crawling, etc. Like katekebo said, if you do get to rougher, more technical ground just take it slowly and be more careful than you would in a true 4x4 and you'll be just fine. If the OP wants to read up more on off-road capabilities with the Highlander then read the off-road links in the Common Problems & Solutions sticky thread.
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2008 Highlander Base 4WD
2002 Avalon XL
1987 Suzuki Samurai 4X4 - Treading where no Jeep can follow....
The Following User Says Thank You to TrailDust For This Useful Post:
What really concerns me is the fact that the garden tractor gets stuck or quits in some damp, grassy, valley areas occasionally and we need something to pull it out and/or get it onto the utility trailer to take in for service. We never experienced too much of a problem pulling it out with our 94 Pathfinder (never even needed the 4L).
I think you are correct that the Highlander will handle pulling 2000 or so lbs. on the solid but hilly dirt and gravel road which accesses the cabin.
I originally thought a v6 Rav4 might do, but my brother-in-law insists (he's no expert) that it wouldn't handle the cabin road and he thinks it would get pushed downhill in a couple of places.
We didn't test drive the Limited edition of the 4runner, but the SR5 was found somewhat wanting. The wife didn't think it would do for vacations of any length (other minor issues too).
I guess I just don't know what to expect from these crossovers when you need the infrequent get out of trouble in BFE (don't even have cell service there) vehicle.
As a lot of you know I've probably driven my Highlander off-road more than any other owner on the planet. I can attest that although the Highlander is not a true 4x4, it is nevertheless very capable off-road as long as you don't get into technical four-wheeling. The Highlander's AWD system and high ground clearance will take you to 90% of the places off-road that you need to go, with the other 10% going to 4x4s with low-range rock crawling, etc. Like katekebo said, if you do get to rougher, more technical ground just take it slowly and be more careful than you would in a true 4x4 and you'll be just fine. If the OP wants to read up more on off-road capabilities with the Highlander then read the off-road links in the Common Problems & Solutions sticky thread.
I'd say given your primary usage pulling the tractor out of trouble then opt for the more capable 4Runner for peace of mind. Personally, I'd opt for a Nissan Pathfinder instead with an even more capable high and low range system, but slightly less reliability than the 4Runner.
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2008 Highlander Base 4WD
2002 Avalon XL
1987 Suzuki Samurai 4X4 - Treading where no Jeep can follow....
What really concerns me is the fact that the garden tractor gets stuck or quits in some damp, grassy, valley areas occasionally and we need something to pull it out and/or get it onto the utility trailer to take in for service.
This could be a problem for a Highlander, for two reasons:
- First, Highlander's 4WD system is really not optimized for mud / damp soil. For mud, you need a 4WD system that can deliver 100% torque to one axle, or even to a single wheel. Locking central and rear differentials make a huge difference in mud. Even sophisticated electronic traction devices are not as effective in mud as a simple locking differential. While the HL will do better than any car without 4WD, it will be much more prone to get stuck in damp grass / mud than a car with "real" 4WD. This is especially important when trying to tow something.
Have a look at this video that shows how much difference locking rear differential makes when stuck in mud.
The FJ seems to be helplessly stuck, until approx. 1:10, when the driver locks the rear differential.
- The second problem is that if you get stuck and "sink" into the mud, the HL is much more prone to damage than a 4Runner. The HL carries a lot of stuff under the floor that is only protected by thin plastic covers. If you sink into the mud and scrape the floor against the ground you you will very likely break / damage something. On the other hand, the 4Runner has at least some protection (skid plates) on the most "delicate" parts, and in general, has less exposed stuff underneath.
I shouldn’t have over emphasized the difficulty in pulling a 1000 lb. garden tractor up some grassy hills (sometimes damp) because I have only needed this a half dozen times in 15 or 20 years, and too our 94 Pathfinder handled it and I never felt any slippage or did much damage to the turf.
We would consider another Pathfinder but have not test driven one (mostly due to some less than stellar owner satisfaction surveys at “Consumer Reports”). However it’s probably time to look at it, and other options. (I noticed online that the Honda Pilot looks to have an interesting “locking rear differential” at slow speeds).
Our initial thoughts were to buy a Toyota because quite frankly we have been damned impressed with the repair records of everything in the Toyota lineup.
This business of purchasing one vehicle to please everyone in the family with a nice ride (especially on those long vacations), while considering the needs at our cabin, is proving to be tougher than I envisioned.
I have appreciated your help and advice everyone. Thanks.
This business of purchasing one vehicle to please everyone in the family with a nice ride (especially on those long vacations), while considering the needs at our cabin, is proving to be tougher than I envisioned.
I have appreciated your help and advice everyone. Thanks.
Have you looked at the Honda Ridgeline yet?
MD
__________________ In memoriam NYPD DAOS / NYS OIG #77 '12 Highlander SE - Sizzling Crimson Mica / Black Interior / V6 / 4WD + Tow Prep Pkg; OEM Mud Guards; OEM All-Weather Mats; Camry horns; Weathertech Vent Visors & AVS Bugflector II.
'09 RAV4 Base - gone.
'06 Highlander Base - gone. R.I.P Seattle Mike / Joe S.
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