Tacoma vs. 4runner

My wife just got a 4runner. Us tacoma guys are getting screwed as far as the little extras. The 4runner is for off roading in luxury. A heated windshield really!? It's got everything!

 

Meh…….its a Lady’s station wagon

 

My 09 Taco has a heated windshield, but back then it was called defrost.

My wife has a 4Runner and yeah, it’s pretty nice.

 

Wait, what? What does a heated windshield do? Just help turn the rock chips into cracks?

 

My wife’s 4Runner has defrost strips at the base of the windshield (the wires like the rear windows on some vehicles) where the wipers sit at rest, so the wipers don’t freeze to the windshield. Not sure if that’s what the OP is referring to. I’m pretty sure they’ve had this for 10-15 years now. At least since the 5th gen came out in 2010, at least on some models.

 

My first truck was a 76 Chevy and it had an antenna in the windshield. Luckily that windshield never cracked. I can't imagine that was cheap to replace.

 

I had a 2002 caravan that had that and I never understood why it wasn't a more popular thing.

Finally got a chance to use ours in our 4Runner this winter and was kind of surprised at how little it actually did in the conditions I had. The wipers didn't stick but they sure got plugged up with ice and didn't wipe super effectively.

 

They were very inexpensive just like front windows without antenna, not much difference..

 

As someone that has owned a 2019 Taco, 2020 Tundra, and a 2022 4runner, I can say that the 4runner is my jam. I live in cold a$$ Minnesota and the windshield wiper heater is pretty nice to have. The 4 runner also has an electric heating element in the heater core. Pretty sure the Tundra and Taco, don't have that.

 

Honestly I think I’ve only used it once. Usually forget it’s there. I know it added $40-50 when we had the windshield replaced.

 

Coincidentally The one time I used it was when we went snowmobiling up on the north shore of Lake Superior.

 

Yeah, luckily we haven't had to do that. *knocks on wood.* Probably the biggest jealousy I have from our 4runner though are the cupholders. The 4Runner has removable inserts which allow me to fit my 32oz Hydroflask. None of my Tacoma cupholders will fit that. But apart from that, I just plain like the Tacoma more.

 

Pretty sure 3G tacos do.

Meaning it's likely Tundras do too.

 

Better drivetrain and build quality too.

 

They do indeed.

 

Little google-fu... Looks like your right the 3G Tacos have it. The previous gen Tundra's didn't have it. New ones I'm not sure.

 

Rav4's, Tundras, Tacomas, 4Runners, they all have them now. It's not an exclusive club.

 

There is no way! It takes 15 miles to warm the engine when it's below zero lol and if it does it doesn't work

 

Gen5 4R is a benchmark for assembly quality versus any other Toyota. Just walk a Toyota dealer lot and that’s pretty clear. Tacoma does not meet those standards, but it’s reasonably close, and exceeds expectations for starting out at a much lower price point and being built in NA.

The ‘24 Tacoma I sat in gave me similar material & assembly vibes that my current truck has, so with Gen4 & Gen6 sharing identical platforms, it’s going to be very interesting to see if 4R diehards might need to lower their expectations. Or maybe they’ll just keep insisting it’s better, just because.

 

Post 5 gives operating conditions. If you meet those conditions and don't have heat, exercise your warranty.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/electric-heater-element.523097/