Part-time 4WD system living in Utah / Colorado winters?

[lardo]

New to 4runner. I’m looking into a 4runner to replace a Grand Cherokee V8 Trailhawk.
I was surprised to discover that 4runner doesn’t provide an off-road trim with full-time 4WD.
I see lots of 4runners TRD trims in Utah & Colorado, so there’s lots of people driving part-time 4WD systems in mixed weather conditions like Utah and Colorado winters.

I guess another option is to get a 4runner Limited, then replace their 20” street wheels & tires and lose the rear locker & MTS modes.

I wasn’t considering a Bronco (since I’ll never remove roof or doors), but looks like they provide an AWD mode in addition to 2WD and 4WD hi & low.

Maybe I’m putting too much emphasis on getting another full-time 4WD system. Any thoughts or recommendations from owners living in areas with mixed winter road conditions?

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[Maximus4R]

I recently (like the last week) ended up in a Limited, one reason was getting the full time 4WD. I'm just so used to having it in recent vehicles and really enjoy the peace of mind. I feel dirty giving up the locker but realistically I won't ever use it. I am new to Toyota this year - so take this accordingly - but I didn't really understand the value in the MTS modes and have never used crawl control off roading outside of the Bronco Off-Rodeo. I also wanted the dual climate, color matched goodies, upgraded headlights, and wanted the hybrid anyway for a few (admittedly dumb) reasons.


I know this is no help because you're looking for real world thoughts. I will say that I have had a few Broncos with their auto 4WD system and they were all amazing. I never took the top off and the trade offs weren't worth the capability boost so I ended up moving on from it though. Warranty issues and interior build quality were the main deal breakers for me.

 

[brumey]

In great summary and certainly not from an expert in either 4WD or Toyota, I recommend AWD for your location and intended use. This is assuming you intend on using the 4R in mixed weather condition on the road. If only on the trail/off-road, the Part-time $WD might be fine.

 

[spelingbeachampeun]

I live in Michigan. I’ve got a 2025 Trailhunter (part-time 4WD). This year so far for us has been pretty mixed winter weather conditions. The tires seem to do really really well in snow on the Trailhunter - I can’t speak for the other trims. But the traction control system is also really quite good. The only time I felt better/more confident in a full-time 4WD or an AWD system than I do in my Trailhunter is accelerating quick on a slippery surface while turning off a side street. Otherwise I’d take my 4Runner in 2-Hi over the others in any situation. My wife even commented on how surprised she was with how confident the vehicle felt while driving in the snow, in 2Hi. She drives a full-time 4WD (2020 Navigator). I had an SH-AWD Acura MDX before this. That did great in the snow. I prefer the 4Runner.

As someone who shared your same concerns of part-time 4WD, don’t let that be a sticking point for you. Just an hour ago I got back from a 2-hour round trip in freezing sleet where a surprising number of others were driving exceptionally slow with their hazards on and I didn’t notice a concern at all with cruise control set to 73.

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