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Hello fellow 4runner enthusiasts. This is the way too detailed explanation of why I chose to buy the Trailhunter instead of the TRD Pro I had reserved. I'm writing it here because if I try to talk to my wife about this again, she'll smother me in my sleep. Alas, I come to 4Runner6G!
I spent a really long time comparing these two trims. Way more time than any person should spend on choosing the trim of a vehicle. I partially blame Toyota because it took so damn long for these things to come out. I made the pros and cons lists, created charts so I could compare them. Before the Trailhunter was officially released, I really thought I wanted one. I mean, back when it was first announced on the trucks at a car show; over a year before the six gen 4runner was announced.
I loved the idea of a ready made, lifted, off road beast. I already had a 4runner, a 2021 Nightshade. And I had considered lifting it and putting some Method Wheels and new tires on it. But that comes with adjusting lights and sensors. I know it's not a big deal. But I really wanted my cake and to eat it too. So I waited. Waited forever for the six gens to be announced. Even the announcements took forever.
Once the trims were all revealed I was torn between the TRD PRO and the Trailhunter. The Trailhunter had the cool Old Man Emu lift, bronze wheels were a nice touch, I really liked the interior, the fender flares being matte instead of gloss looks cooler IMO, and the built in air compressor was super cool... but the snorkel. Why did they have to put a snorkel on it.
And I know that they call it something else, I'm just gonna call it a snorkel.
I didn't care about the look, but the loud sounds it made at the passenger side window, every video turned me off from the Trailhunter. I watched every video of test drives I could find and was 100 percent convinced that I would hate it. Similar to the bed mounted utility bar on the Tacoma for some... just not everybody wants that. And I just assumed the sound coming from the snorkel would be far too obnoxious for me.
Also, I assumed that the Trailhunter would be harder to find. I think a lot of people assumed that. So I went and put down a reservation at my Toyota Dealership for a TRD PRO.
Well, turns out that the TRD PROs are harder to find. Not sure why I thought it'd be that way, but I did.
My dealership got both and I really wasn't considering the Trailhunter just because of the snorkel.
But it looked cool. So finally I was like, I'll drive it. Just in case.
Loved it!!! Yes the engine sounds are loud. Yes the air sucking in the snorkel is loud. But windows up, it really is super quiet. The glass is very well designed to block out noise. And driving windows down, well I'm driving that way I don't so much care about the noise. Windows down I'm usually cruising for fun anyways, not chatting or making phone calls. Honestly it made me feel like a kid. It was a great feeling.
Ultimately the Trailhunter had way more that I wanted than the TRD PRO did. I wanted the matte black fenders. I wanted the Old Emu shocks. I wanted to exclusive interior and badging. I wanted the air compressor. And I loved that it doesn't have a moon roof / sun roof.
I'm six foot tall and over 300 lbs. I'm a big guy. And my head hits the roof in 4runners that have the sun roof. It did in my Nightshade as well. I have to slouch. Not in the trailhunter. Plenty of head room because it isn't dipped down to make room for the all the mechanics.
So there you go. I said no to the TRD PRO and yes to the Trailhunter. They're both awesome, obviously, but I'm really excited about my purchase.
There you go. AMA.
I spent a really long time comparing these two trims. Way more time than any person should spend on choosing the trim of a vehicle. I partially blame Toyota because it took so damn long for these things to come out. I made the pros and cons lists, created charts so I could compare them. Before the Trailhunter was officially released, I really thought I wanted one. I mean, back when it was first announced on the trucks at a car show; over a year before the six gen 4runner was announced.
I loved the idea of a ready made, lifted, off road beast. I already had a 4runner, a 2021 Nightshade. And I had considered lifting it and putting some Method Wheels and new tires on it. But that comes with adjusting lights and sensors. I know it's not a big deal. But I really wanted my cake and to eat it too. So I waited. Waited forever for the six gens to be announced. Even the announcements took forever.
Once the trims were all revealed I was torn between the TRD PRO and the Trailhunter. The Trailhunter had the cool Old Man Emu lift, bronze wheels were a nice touch, I really liked the interior, the fender flares being matte instead of gloss looks cooler IMO, and the built in air compressor was super cool... but the snorkel. Why did they have to put a snorkel on it.
And I know that they call it something else, I'm just gonna call it a snorkel.
I didn't care about the look, but the loud sounds it made at the passenger side window, every video turned me off from the Trailhunter. I watched every video of test drives I could find and was 100 percent convinced that I would hate it. Similar to the bed mounted utility bar on the Tacoma for some... just not everybody wants that. And I just assumed the sound coming from the snorkel would be far too obnoxious for me.
Also, I assumed that the Trailhunter would be harder to find. I think a lot of people assumed that. So I went and put down a reservation at my Toyota Dealership for a TRD PRO.
Well, turns out that the TRD PROs are harder to find. Not sure why I thought it'd be that way, but I did.
My dealership got both and I really wasn't considering the Trailhunter just because of the snorkel.
But it looked cool. So finally I was like, I'll drive it. Just in case.
Loved it!!! Yes the engine sounds are loud. Yes the air sucking in the snorkel is loud. But windows up, it really is super quiet. The glass is very well designed to block out noise. And driving windows down, well I'm driving that way I don't so much care about the noise. Windows down I'm usually cruising for fun anyways, not chatting or making phone calls. Honestly it made me feel like a kid. It was a great feeling.
Ultimately the Trailhunter had way more that I wanted than the TRD PRO did. I wanted the matte black fenders. I wanted the Old Emu shocks. I wanted to exclusive interior and badging. I wanted the air compressor. And I loved that it doesn't have a moon roof / sun roof.
I'm six foot tall and over 300 lbs. I'm a big guy. And my head hits the roof in 4runners that have the sun roof. It did in my Nightshade as well. I have to slouch. Not in the trailhunter. Plenty of head room because it isn't dipped down to make room for the all the mechanics.
So there you go. I said no to the TRD PRO and yes to the Trailhunter. They're both awesome, obviously, but I'm really excited about my purchase.
There you go. AMA.
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