2014 TOYOTA 4RUNNER TRAIL EDITION

Few things go better together than firearms and 4x4s. Like peanut butter and jam, steak and potatoes, and whisky and more whisky, 4x4s and guns are two worlds so intertwined that they've become a cliché: from the gun racks that used to (and occasionally still do) adorn the back window of an old pick-up, to the filthy ATV with a rifle across the front and a scabbard on the side, to the popular "truck gun," we Canadians like our guns and our mobility.

But, with the current trend towards cross-over utility vehicles (smaller utility vehicles based upon passenger car platforms), finding a proper body-on-frame sport utility vehicle isn't all that easy these days, especially if you  value your off-road and all weather capability. In fact, if your criteria includes the ability to survive even a semi-maintained dirt road without incurring some sort of mechanic's bill, then your options are realistically limited to just four vehicles: the Jeep Wrangler, the Nissan Xterra, the Toyota FJ, and this: the Toyota 4Runner. A longstanding favourite of off-road enthusiasts, the 4Runner's pedigree is above reproach, and it really is a vehicle that needs no introduction. Having been in production since 1984, the current generation may forgo the original's removable roof, but trades that unique function for a much greater degree of versatility.

Take, for example, the load area. Large, square, cavernous and further extended by folding the second row of seats completely flat, it features a unique tray recessed into the load floor that slides rearward from its stowed position and allows heavy objects (up to 400 pounds) to be placed onto it and then slid into the back of the vehicle on rails, rather than forcing owners to lift such items over the bulky SUV's deep bumper. Having had the occasion to use this particular feature while loading flats of ammunition into the back of our tester we can vouch for its ability to save your lower back, and it also extends the useable space in the rear of the truck, as it makes the usually less accessible forward portions of the load area much easier to reach. And for smaller items, such as cleaning kits and first aid kits, there's a myriad of storage bins and pockets on either side of the load bay and even an optional 110-volt outlet that proved quite useful when it came to running our portable three-mode fridge.

In order to test the 4Runner's ability to prove useful to the average outdoorsman, we loaded it up with as much winter gear as it could bear for a week in the Cariboo region a British Columbia; a historic area of the province roughly 500 kilometres north of our home base in Vancouver. Being treated to temperatures that were dipping to almost -30 Celsius with a decent amount of snowfall just prior to our arrival, the various ranch access roads and dirt trails in the area would undoubtedly make for an excellent proving ground for the big 4x4.

On the 449 kilometre trip north, the most noticeable thing about the 4Runner was its degree of comfort. With a quick steering ratio and a tall body perched atop an off-road capable suspension system and a solid rear axle, we expected to find an ungainly amount of body roll but were surprised to find the truck cornering confidently and surprisingly flat even at 110 kilometre-per-hour speed (but more on that later). Quiet, smooth, and with enough electronics to keep most 12 years entertained for at least 30 minutes, the 4Runner's Bluetooth audio streaming and commanding view made the trip most enjoyable.

And as we neared our destination to the north of 100 Mile House, another of the 4Runner's well-thought out features came in handy: the heated wipers. Although registering -12 on the dashboard-mounted information binnacle (which relays a variety of user-selectable information) rain was hitting the windshield as a liquid and freezing almost instantaneously. As such, all we could do was keep the defroster on full in order to maintain some heat in the windshield, and rely upon the heating grids below the wipers' parked location to keep the blades clear of ice. Progressing at a snail's pace of 50 during the worst of it may have been well below the signed limit of 80, but was a damned sight better than the majority of motorists who were forced to pull over and scrape every kilometre or so.

When we eventually reached our accommodations at one of the innumerable ranches in the area, the combination of fresh- and still-falling snow on a steep access road made the ability to engage the 4Runner's four-wheel drive system a real boon. Splitting the 4.0 V6's 270 horsepower and 278 foot pounds of torque between the solid rear and independent front suspension, the shift-on-the-fly transfer case is manipulated by a mechanical lever rather than an electronic switch, and engages firmly and positively. Being the Trail Edition, the truck also came equipped with a variable-mode Multi-Terrain Select and ABS, as well as 4-Wheel Crawl Control. Controlled by a pair of rotary knobs in the headliner above the windshield, these systems allow the driver to tailor a myriad of systems (including throttle and ABS sensitivity) to the terrain being traversed. However, the biggest party piece is an optional extra known as Toyota's Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System. Replacing the conventional sway bar end links with a system engineered around a pair of hydraulic cylinders, the KDSS system monitors wheel travel, vehicle speed, and the Multi-Terrain mode selected to allow or disallow a greater degree of wheel articulation. As a result, when the Multi-Terrain system is disengaged, the heavier sway bar fitted to KDSS-equipped 4Runners provides better body control at speed, while also being capable of much greater wheel articulation off-road. It literally gives you the best of both worlds.

Obviously, as we made it back to the office to put this entire issue together, the 4Runner got us there and back. Furthermore, thanks to a compliment of amenities like the aforementioned drivetrain systems and such luxuries as an excellent audio system and heated seats, the over 1,000 kilometre round trip through snow, ice, and over rough dirt tracks wasn't just easy, it was downright enjoyable. And that was all whilst hauling everything from cross country skis to snowshoes to guns to a fridge around; we damned near lived out of the thing for a week straight and it was no worse for wear as a result. But it's not cheap. With an MSRP that starts at $37,900 and climbs to $44,315 for the Trail Edition, this is far from the sort of vehicle that you'll want to be bouncing off tree stumps with reckless aplomb, and does come up against some pretty stout competition. In fact, when compared with the price tag hanging from the 4Runner's most likely and popular competitor; the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon, the Toyota 4Runner Trail Edition carries a pretty hefty $7,520 premium. However, while the Jeep has retained many of the key characteristics that have made it so popular (such as the removable roof, ironically), the 4Runner has dispensed with its basic, truck-like heritage and is much more comfortable on-road as a result. There's more legroom in nearly every seating position, the on-board electronics are nicer, its ability to swallow cargo is greater, and the level of refinement inside the cabin is simply better. And with a solid towing capacity of 5,000 pounds, it's got more than enough mojo to tow a trailer full of ATVs or utility vehicles, making it a great choice for those looking for something that can go from five-day family hauler to weekend warrior.