2010 Toyota 4Runner

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Safety - What the Auto Press Says

The federal government has not yet tested the new 4Runner, but gave the 2009 4Runner four out of five stars for driver and passenger safety in frontal crash tests and top five-star scores for front- and rear-seat passenger safety in side crash tests. It earned only three-star rollover scores, while most SUVs earn four. The three-star score means the 2009 model has a 20 or 21 percent chance of rollover in a single vehicle crash. The insurance industry hasn't yet tested the 2010 model  but it gave the 2009 4Runner top scores of "Good" in both frontal offset and side impact tests. Unfortunately, the 4Runner received a very low score of "Poor" in rear crash protection tests.

On the plus side, the 4Runner comes with all the safety features expected of an SUV and then some. Standard features include Vehicle Stability Control and Traction Control, Electronic Brake-force Distribution, Brake Assist, roll-sensing side curtain airbags for all rows (even optional third rows), driver and front passenger knee airbags (a rare feature), and rear clearance sonar. Limited models get a one-year subscription to Safety Connect, which provides emergency service support. A backup camera is standard on Limited and Trail models and optional on SR5 models.

• "Models without upgraded audio get novel wide-angle mirrors inside the rear roof pillars that expose some blind spots when backing up." -- Consumer Guide
• "For better safety, the side-curtain airbags now extend to the third row, if that option box is checked, and there are standard knee bags for both the driver and front passenger." -- Truck Trend
• "The rearview video camera works incredibly well and we highly recommend this option. Hidden in the rear bumper, it projects its image onto the seven-inch navigation screen on the center dash whenever the 4Runner is in reverse. The pictures are sharp, even in complete darkness (with the backup lights on), and cover the area directly behind and a couple of feet on either side of the vehicle." -- New Car Test Drive
• "A clever feature that bears imitation is convex mirrors mounted on the inside of the D-pillars. These are a big aid when backing out of a head-in parking place and the side view is blocked by tall vehicles on either side." -- Washington Examiner