My 15 minutes in a 2007 Toyota 4Runner

[iamwin]

Well I am in LA and needed to rent a car. Since Alamo was out of the midsize car I had reserved, I was stuck with an SUV. I was first handed the keys to a Pontiac Torrent with a dead battery. Then I got stuck with a Toyota 4Runner until the morning when I traded it in for a G6. I wasn't pleased, since I have no interest in filling that thing at $3.50 a gallon. Well, let me start by saying I did not have a good impression of it.

Complaint #1, the worst steering wheel setup ever. A tiny steering wheel in an SUV with a horrible hinge tilt arrangement that just makes finding a comfortable position impossible.

Complaint #2, the worst dash A/C set up ever. I could forgive being unable to figure it out on a moonless night when I got the thing, but in the morning when I took it back I still was unable to decipher how to use it. Note to Toyota, when an Oldsmobile Intrigue has buttons that push in smoother, its pretty pathetic.

Complaint #3, if you won't spend the $10 to have automatic headlights, please make it easy to figure out how to turn them on! I still don't understand why every car doesn't have automatic headlights, even my sister's $30k loaded Jetta doesn't have them. GM puts them on just about everything, why can't everyone else? Back to the 4Runner.

Complaint #4, the floor is not an appropriate place for window and side mirror controls. It took me forever to figure out where they were and they are very difficult to reach.

I did appreciate the engine, it was quite powerful and quiet. Also, the old school Toyota corporate radio is easy enough to use, despite its lack of features compared to modern auto radios. I can't complain about that. I was truly disappointed. Toyota designers please, enough with the crappy ergonomics just because you seem to think it looks good. I'll take ugly old school GM anyday over that mess. I have been much happier this weekend in my G6.

[plane]

We feel your pain.
It's 2007.
And Toyota doesn't have automatic lights?
That's been on every GM I've seen since 2002.

Maybe it's time for a new GM commercial?
Really great cars know when to turn on the lights.

[marinerbc]

Old style radio? Whoda thunk that? And window controls near the floor?

Toyotas are still an aquired taste, it seems.

[Love_My_Grand_Am]

Originally Posted by plane

We feel your pain.
It's 2007.
And Toyota doesn't have automatic lights?
That's been on every GM I've seen since 2002.

Maybe it's time for a new GM commercial?
Really great cars know when to turn on the lights.

Yeah, even my crappy 'not very good' (see my dealership thread for the source of this comment) $12000 (CDN) Pontiac Sunfire has automatic lights. Sheesh!

[stormwatcher]

Originally Posted by iamwin

Complaint #4, the floor is not an appropriate place for window and side mirror controls. It took me forever to figure out where they were and they are very difficult to reach.

Nor are the window and side mirror switches located on the floor. They are on the armrest. What switches did you find on the floor?

[BusyBody]

^^ Out come the Toyota apologists.

[01sunfire01]

theres a 2002 SR5 sport edition in are family and it is the worst SUV we have ever driven that is one pos truck.

[Quickening]

The A/C controls are really bad. My cousin drives an 04 4Runner and I really can't stand that car. The a/c controls are straight from hell and are completly unintuitive and it is hard to find a position that is comfortable.

I do find the cup holder positions a plus though.

[ElmerMCR]

Compaints 3 and 4 seem a little bit out there...I won't say the others are, but I will say you seem to be overreacting quite a bit with your description of your complaints. Aside from GM, many vehicles do not come with automatic headlights standard, and I do not see how it could be that difficult for you to figure out how to turn the headlights on? And how could you not notice where the window controls are? For you to say the window controls were not difficult to reach, but very difficult to reach? I just do not get it.

[giagastormer]

Originally Posted by plane

We feel your pain.
It's 2007.
And Toyota doesn't have automatic lights?
That's been on every GM I've seen since 2002.

Maybe it's time for a new GM commercial?
Really great cars know when to turn on the lights.

My Buick is nearly 20 years old (it's an '89), and even it has automatic headlights.

[ctaylorzl1]

sheesh, bash bash bash, cant we start to bash something else? The Toyo bashing is getting a little monotonous. Cant we start bashing....uummmm....well somethng else.

[stormwatcher]

Originally Posted by 01sunfire01

theres a 2002 SR5 sport edition in are family and it is the worst SUV we have ever driven that is one pos truck.

That's intelligent criticism. ......Not.

Tell us WHY it is such a lousy SUV. And please, don't start off by saying the power window switches are located on the floor.

[jro4566]

No automatic headlights!?! Well since I just replied in the MAZDA3 vs Ford Focus thread, I'll say this:

The 18K MAZDA3 has automatic headlights. Also, the 21K MAZDA3 even has automatic wipers.

[marinerbc]

Originally Posted by BusyBody

^^ Out come the Toyota apologists.

There's always one handy when you don't need one.

[plane]

Originally Posted by marinerbc

There's always one handy when you don't need one.

Shrill and high pitched in tone.
Always making strident demands.
Yeah, you can see those posts coming from a mile away.

Can menopause and Toyota ownership really be that closely interlinked?