Compare the2023 Toyota 4RunnerVS 2023 Tesla Model Y

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the 4Runner are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Model Y doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The 4Runner has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Model Y doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the 4Runner 4WD’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Model Y doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The 4Runner offers an optional Multi-Terrain/Panoramic Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model Y only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the 4Runner’s standard rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Model Y doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

The 4Runner’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Model Y doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

The 4Runner has standard Safety Connect™, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model Y doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the 4Runner and the Model Y have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and available four-wheel drive.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota 4Runner is safer than the Tesla Model Y:

	4Runner	Model Y
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	41	42
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	89	358
Spine Acceleration	36 G’s	45 G’s
Hip Force	381 lbs.	567 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the 4Runner for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Tesla doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Model Y.

There are over 8 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the 4Runner’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the 4Runner’s reliability 31 points higher than the Model Y.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the 4Runner first among midsize suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Model Y isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Tesla vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in initial quality. With 54 more problems per 100 vehicles, Tesla is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Tesla is ranked 19th.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the 4Runner’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Model Y (265/70R17 vs. 255/35R21).

The Toyota 4Runner’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Tesla Model Y only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The 4Runner has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Model Y; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

The 4Runner has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the 4Runner flat and controlled during cornering. The Model Y’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The 4Runner TRD Off-Road offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Model Y doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

For better maneuverability, the 4Runner’s turning circle is 2.4 feet tighter than the Model Y’s (37.4 feet vs. 39.8 feet).

For greater off-road capability the 4Runner has a 3 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Model Y (9.6 vs. 6.6 inches), allowing the 4Runner to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the 4Runner TRD Off-Road is quieter than the Model Y Long Range (67 vs. 68 dB).

Passenger Space

The 4Runner has 22 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Model Y (128 vs. 106).

The 4Runner has 2.7 inches more front hip room, 1.4 inches more front shoulder room, 5.1 inches more rear hip room, 3.8 inches more rear shoulder room, 2.8 inches more third row legroom, 6.8 inches more third row hip room and 16.7 inches more third row shoulder room than the Model Y.

Cargo Capacity

The 4Runner’s cargo area provides more volume than the Model Y.

	4Runner	Model Y
Third Seat Folded	46.3 cubic feet	30.7 cubic feet
Third Seat Removed	47.2 cubic feet	34.3 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	89.7 cubic feet	76.2 cubic feet

The 4Runner 5-Passenger’s optional sliding cargo floor is capable of supporting 440 pounds, to make loading and unloading cargo easier and safer. The Model Y doesn’t offer a sliding load floor.

The 4Runner’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the liftgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Model Y’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

Towing

The 4Runner’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Model Y’s (5000 vs. 3500 pounds).

Ergonomics

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the 4Runner has a standard rear wiper. The Model Y doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

Consumer Reports rated the 4Runner’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Model Y’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

The 4Runner’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model Y doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the 4Runner has standard extendable sun visors. The Model Y doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the 4Runner Limited keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Model Y doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The 4Runner has a 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Model Y doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Model Availability

The 4Runner is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Model Y doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the 4Runner owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the 4Runner will cost $3050 to $4620 less than the Model Y over a five-year period.

The 4Runner will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the 4Runner will retain 62.96% to 69.47% of its original price after five years, while the Model Y only retains 53.26% to 56.91%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Toyota 4Runner will be $9371 to $15997 less than for the Tesla Model Y.

Recommendations

The TRD Pro was selected by Petersen's 4-Wheel & Off-Road magazine as their 2015 4x4 of the Year. The Model Y has never been chosen.