 I've spent the last 14 years trapped in company cars: a 2000 and 2003 Dodge Caravan, and a 2007, 2009, and 2012 Ford Explorers. The Caravans were transmission eating monsters. The 2007 Explorer was fairly problematic, the 2009 was surprisingly reliable, and the 2012 was plagued with engine, transmission and brake problems - and it was the worst vehicle I've ever driven in the snow. When my company told me in late 2014 that they were eliminating company vehicles and switching to an allowance, I jumped at the chance to buy a 4Runner. I just hit 12 months and 22,000 miles in my fairly basic SR5 4Runner. The only upgrades it has are the Entune system, running boards, and the 3rd row seat. Voice recognition with Entune is worthless... I say "take me to the nearest Dunkin Donuts, "and it tries to take me to the Holiday Inn in Deluth, MN. The running boards are a necessity with younger children. The 3rd row seat is cramped but works for extra kids in a pinch. The Edmund's editors like to slam this vehicle for it's unsettled ride, a result of old-school body-on-frame construction. Some people like that type of ride. The 2012 Explorer I used to drive couldn't handle any weight in the back, sagged miserably, and as a result I was constantly high-beamed by oncoming drivers at night. The 2015 4Runner is solid, with very little sagging under a heavy load. They complain about the hyperactive, old school, five speed transmission, and suggest that adding an extra gear or two would improve fuel economy. The engine is not the fastest out there, but you don't buy a 4750 lb vehicle and expect it to take off like a race car. The current 4Runner powertrain has been around for over 10 years and has proven that it is almost bulletproof. I have a couple of friends who have 4Runners with 200,000+ miles on them, and one friend at last check had 326,000 miles and has only changed oil, brakes, and tires. The 4Runner is a tank in the snow. Last winter I got caught in a Syracuse lake effect snow storm and barreled right through a foot of standing snow in the road, blowing past Subarus and Dodge pickups buried in ditches. If you want an overgrown station wagon, go buy an Explorer. If you want a tank that can drive through a house during a blizzard in the middle of the zombie apocalypse and not skip a beat, the 4Runner is the vehicle for you. By the way, the resale value on the 4Runner is one of the highest of any vehicle on the road.