I'm curious what you dislike about it. Too compact, sleeping space, payload, mpg?

 

really other than the lack of comfortable seats, nothing.. I drove a 4Runner and it fits the purpose I use a vehicle for better.

 

I imagine the seats may be better in the 4Runner SUV, tho they are comparable rides to me, and with about with 455K+ combined on two Tacomas, the seats do degrade from only a fair start.
Personally tho, I prefer the short bed and the double cab of a Tacoma so, no help here between the two.
I do know a Vet who preferred 4Runners as his business vehicles.

But, this year may well see a new vehicle here and if so, it will be a full size double cab of some manner....just for more room and better ride....Ford perhaps.
Probably a mistake....won't be the first.

Happy hunting....I hate buying vehicles.

 

Nothing I hate worse than car shopping

 

My buddy has a Toyota 4Runner, probably his 3rd, hunts and fishes all over the tri-state area, Pa, W.Va, NY,. He'll never run anything else, at 70+ years old, he's had 'em all and runs the snot out of them.
Agreed, buying vehicles is not the pleasure one see's on TV.
Shoot Well
Bob

 

I use a 2004 Chevy Suburban for all hunting escapades. Remove 3rd row seating and lots of room for guns, luggage, small dog box if needed. There is room for 4, or if not needed, fold middle row seats down for additional cargo space.
Power leather seats, sunroof, dvd, dual air and heat and long wheelbase makes for a comfortable ride anywhere for man and beast. Also protects luggage and guns from weather and theft.
Buying older with several miles makes it a small investment for a dedicated hunting car.
Just my opinion, no cost to you 😀

 

From 1951 until 2023 Oregon did not allow drivers to pump their own gas and even a C-store had to have a pump-jockey around to fuel up autos. COVID broke the camel's back.

But before that I recall one kid trying to fill up my brother's Suburban tapping on the window and asking my him "Would you shut the engine off for a few minutes? You're gaining on me."

 

I have a RAM 1500 Laramie Longhorn with heated and cooled seats and the air ride suspension. It’s a great place to ride on long trips. I prefer a truck over an SUV as a hunting vehicle because you can just throw your muddy gear and bloody animals in the bed and not have to worry about dirtying up the inside of the vehicle. Also, I have RamBoxes so I can store a lot in those that doesn’t have to clutter up the bed. All the things that ride in the truck all the time go in them so when I pull the hunting, shooting, fishing, whatever gear out of the bed it’s empty and I can just hose it out.

 

I'm on my 4th Dodge Ram 4 door crew cab. The last two have been the eco-diesel but they don't make it anymore. Mileage was great (eco-diesel). Lot's of room in the bed and the cab for gear and people. Rambox is perfect for guns/fishing rods. Others have had problems but mine just ran. I tow a 30 ft trailer with it too. We do a few remote trips per year and I've been really happy with it.

I looked at getting a new truck but the price went up by $30K CAD (and that was for the hemi). Electric is a non starter with our winter temps. I guess the plan is to keep driving mine until there is a sane alternative available. $90K-$100K for a truck seems a little crazy to me. I like the idea of hydrogen but that's likely too far off. Dodge has the hurricane for 2025 but no idea of cost yet.

 

The largest SUVs

 

Let’s see those hunting rigs

 

Not much to see but...in taking out part of the rear seats and that dumb plastic tool box there is room for two Intermediate RuffToughs, if one has a side-opening door.....giving room for 4 setters total.
White, for an imagined cooler effect.
Works fine for two guys over 5-7 days, however....bigger brings advantages.
I had a Suburban once.....something in between seems wisest these days.

 

Both the 4Runner and Tacoma are built on the same frame and suspension. The only way the 4Runner could deliver a better ride is with better seats. Maybe you can get top of the line 4Runner seats in a Tacoma.

Steve

 

That might work. If the electronics would match up, I’ll check into that.

,

 

2023 4Runner TRD Off-Road Premium with Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS)

 

I went from two 4-Runners and a Honda Pilot to a Toyota Highlander. I've been driving the Highlander for a couple of years now and love it. All-wheel drive and cargo space with seats down is same as 4-Runner. I switched for the same reason, more creature comforts. It is way more comfortable than the 4-Runner and gets better milage, I don't drive much off-road anymore so I don't need the ruggedness of the 4-Runner. You should take a look.

 

I have, it just seems that the 4Runner is more readily available.

 

My out of state is turkey hunting so I’m not hauling dogs. I do however, sleep in my vehicle occasionally. The most comfortable out of state trip was a Wisconsin turkey hunt where I drove my wife’s Honda odessy.

 

Turkey Camp

 

I would also recommend a Chevy Suburban. Plenty of room to sleep with the seats down and still room for all other stuff. Mine is 22 years old. Bought it new and still going strong. I only use it now for hunting and fishing. However for many years it was the family do everything vehicle. This is the second one I owned. Had the first one for 15 years.

 

Hey Turk, I have a 4Runner limited that my wife drives, me a Lexus GX460, very close style of vehicles. We use them for dogs, hunting, fishing, and towing. Extremely capable off road and Bullitt proof. Gotta have heated and cooled seats at this age too!

 

I have never had anything but full size F-250's - 4 door - 4WD - Diesels. Current one is a 2011. Purchased it 5 years old with 50,000 miles on it. I can put 10 to 12 hours in the seat with no problems. They have always been very easy on me and plenty of room in the back seat when 3 or 4 of us head out to SD and MN every year. Current one averages between 19.8 and 21 mpg on trips. Last fall took it to Smokey Mt National Park. Average 20.2 both ways - 1400 miles. But anyway I am rambling - back to the OP's question - that's my hunting rig.

 

All of a sudden a good topic for me. In our household, wife and I and an elderly GSP, we have a 2020 F-250 Super Duty Diesel and a 2009 Chevy Tahoe with 140,000 miles plus. It has not been a reliable vehicle as well has been comfortable and very multi-purpose. It still gets 20+ miles per gallon and is ideal for most trips. It is the go to for anything 200 miles or less.

Well today, she broke the second passenger side rear view mirror, this year. The repair bills continue to add up, the list and amounts are really depressing. So we are looking at something that fits needs similar to the OP. I say a F-150 V8 crew cab and she says no trucks. So I says a Toyota 4 runner and she thinks a Bronco, maybe even a Jeep Cherokee. Then again she thinks the Ford E whatever, Escape, Edge, Explorer is an option.

We live in the boonies and 4x4 is the way to go but I hear the AWD might suffice. We don't need a rock crawler but something for snow/mud is a requirement. No daily driving to work or the like. No EV and I am not thrilled about Hybrid either. I sure would like a small or mid-sized 4x4 diesel. Any input out there will be much appreciated.

s/f. Steve

 

2015 Ford F150 with the 3.5 Ecoboost. Bought it new. The first year with the aluminum body. I have a Super cab, if I wanted to sleep in it, I’d need a topper and a cot. Might get rough in December. Works fine for two guys and a pooch for 2-5 day trips. Winter mileage around town is 20 mpg, summers run 23-24mpg. Stupid torque numbers, 400 ft/lbs available at 1700rpm, and it is flat and linear, all the way to red line, just like a diesel. 110,000 miles, I put an O2 sensor and one tie rod on it-very reliable. The antilock brake system runs more than you think in winter, and I serviced the back brakes at about 80,000. I was a little early on that, but, winter was coming and I wanted it done. The 4 wheel drive is the simple system, either in or out, no clutches, or leaving it on when you are on dry roads. A friend runs the 2.7 engine in a two wheel drive with the electrically locked rear axel, and swears by it, but, I get way further back in the woods than he does.
I‘d buy another.

Phage

 

If the vehicle is right and it is the seats that are the issue, have the seats redone to your specs. I have had seats redone in two cars specifically for our comfort. You can stack different density foams to make a seat the way you want it. Seek out a good automotive upholstery shop who does vintage/custom work. A perfect seat is better than a vehicle payment. Been there done that

 

I use a dodge ram Cummins 6 speed 4 door 4x4 I have a couple of them and I'm 6'1 and I can sleep in the truck or in the bed if I want I can fit all my gear clothes food everything and I don't worry about driving from one side of the country to the other and back or circling the country.

 

The 2024 Tacoma is ground-up new, nothing like the 'old' Tacomas. The 4Runner is the same aging platform, due for a complete redesign in 2025, based on the 2024 Tacoma frame.

 

FWIW I heard from a friend who had an older Tacoma and got a '24 Tacoma, "take care of the one you have". Another friend just bought a '24 Ridgeline RTL and he let me drive it. Very comfortable rig and I like the idea of a long proven naturally aspirated V6 along with Honda quality. Honda's have never had the rust problem Toyota can't seem to overcome.

 

If the rest of the truck suits you I would think a new set of front seats would be all you need. As Steve said you could get OEM 4 runner seats or you could get custom seats made for your truck. Either one will be better than the new car buying experience we all dread.

John

 

Gentlemen,
Like DoublesForever, I like the old suburban and original Tahoe, both were great vehicles for hunting and fishing. My 3/4 tone Tahoe was just incredible, built on the old Suburban frame, it had lots of room for all my dog cages and you could put a plastic milk crate between the cages. I also built a gun locker under the cages that would hold 4 double guns, and lots of shell boxes. It also had a medical bag and tool storage area. In Montana we often slept right in the vehicle in those days. I liked this vehicle because it always kept my dogs warm after a hunt, and with studded tires it could go just about any place.

However my favorite Grouse hunting/Fly fishing vehicle was our 28' Ford Motor home, that I also towed my Bronco II behind, it got lots of usage, had everything in it necessary to be comfortable, including dog cages and shotgun safe. A great home base no matter where we traveled to hunt or fish, the Bronoc II with the winch on the front tow bar, made every Covert accessible no matter the weather. Not an inexpensive set up that lasted from 1984 till present day, unfortunately gas milage now side lined the vehicle for most long trips.

all the best,

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

Fully contained 28' 1984 Ford Motor Home, our favorite vehicle for Grouse Hunting & Fly Fishing. It has been a great hunting & fishing vehicle for many many years.

 

Setter fur and a sewage hose not a good combo.

 

Santa brought me this. V6, very comfortable ride. At some point I may put a 2" lift on it.

 

I have a Dodge Ram now (2021) and it’s very comfortable to ride. I average about 19 mpg and I’m ok with that given the size of the vehicle. It’s also got some pep to it with the Hemi, if I get anything other than a Ram, it might be a big SUV- I am looking forward to the 2024 Land Cruiser’s coming out, that might be enough for me to trade mine in if they are as nice as I think they will be.