The 4Runner shares strong family ties and many components with the nearly unbreakable Toyota pickup trucks. Look at any Toyota and you'll find that everything about it is well-done and logical. Thoughtful features abound. The last complete redesign was in 1996. In 1999, the front fascia was redesigned and a new four-wheel-drive system was employed for the Limited grade. It's relatively unchanged for 2000.Base models of the 4Runner are equipped with a 2.7-liter twin-cam 16-valve four-cylinder engine that makes 150 horsepower, arguably the best four-cylinder engine to be found in a sport-utility. It has twin balance shafts to cancel out vibrations and, for a four-cylinder, offers an outstanding blend of smoothness and power.
For those wanting more power, the 3.4-liter twin-cam V6 - standard in the SR5 and Limited - is a sweetheart, delivering 183 horsepower and 217 pound-feet of torque, which allows towing trailers up to 5000 pounds. The tradeoff for the extra power is reduced fuel economy; the V6 gets 17/19 city/highway EPA mpg ratings, versus 20/24 for the four-cylinder (both with automatics).