2002 Toyota 4Runner

The 1996-2002 Toyota 4Runner is the third generation of Toyota's body-on-frame mid-size SUV and the generation that moved the model decisively away from its pickup-derived origins. Engines were the 2.7-liter 3RZ-FE four-cylinder and the 3.4-liter 5VZ-FE V6, paired with a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic. Rear-wheel drive was standard, with part-time four-wheel drive widely fitted and a full-time system available on the Limited trim. The only body style was a four-door wagon.

This generation replaced the previous model's rear leaf springs with a coil-sprung four-link rear axle, transforming on-road ride quality without giving up meaningful off-road capability. The interior and body were designed independently of the Tacoma rather than shared with it. The fourth generation that followed in 2003 added significantly more power, size, and electronic content.

For used buyers, the third-generation 4Runner has a devoted following built on the 5VZ-FE V6 and the straightforward mechanical layout, and clean examples have appreciated rather than depreciated in recent years. Frame and rear-quarter corrosion are the dominant structural concerns and should drive the buying decision on any truck from a salted-road region. Lower ball joints were the subject of a recall, and the automatic transmission benefits from fluid service that many examples never received. Condition varies enormously across surviving trucks, so a careful inspection is worth more here than on almost any comparable vehicle.