Compare the2024 Toyota 4RunnerVS 2023 Porsche Cayenne Coupe

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 Cayenne Coupe 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 Cayenne Coupe doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The 4Runner’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Cayenne Coupe.

The 4Runner has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Cayenne Coupe’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the 4Runner’s standard Rear Cross-Traffic Alert uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Cayenne Coupe 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 Cayenne Coupe doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the 4Runner and the Cayenne Coupe have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available four-wheel drive and around view monitors.

Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers the 4Runner 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Porsche covers the Cayenne Coupe. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Cayenne Coupe ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the 4Runner for 1 year and 15000 miles longer than Porsche pays for maintenance for the Cayenne Coupe (2/25000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are over 6 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Porsche dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the 4Runner’s warranty.

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 19 points higher than the Cayenne Coupe.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the 4Runner first among upper midsize suvs in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The Cayenne Coupe isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Porsche vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Porsche is rated lower.

On the EPA test cycle the 4Runner gets better mileage than the Cayenne Coupe running its gasoline engine:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota 4Runner uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Cayenne Coupe requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The 4Runner has 3.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Cayenne Coupe E-Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (23 vs. 19.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota 4Runner higher (5 out of 10) than the Porsche Cayenne Coupe (3 to 5). This means the 4Runner produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Cayenne Coupe every 15,000 miles.

In an emergency stopping situation, many drivers don’t press the brakes with enough force to stop the vehicle in the shortest distance. The 4Runner has standard Brake Assist to detect emergency braking situations (by how hard and how quickly the brake pedal is pressed) and then automatically apply maximum braking immediately in order to help prevent a collision. The Cayenne Coupe doesn’t offer a brake assist feature.

The Toyota 4Runner’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Porsche Cayenne Coupe 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 Cayenne Coupe; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which has mileage and speed limitations, or roadside assistance and a tow-truck.

The 4Runner’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (53.6% to 46.4%) than the Cayenne Coupe’s (55.9% to 44.1%). This gives the 4Runner more stable handling and braking.

For greater off-road capability the 4Runner has a 1.4 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Cayenne Coupe (9.6 vs. 8.2 inches), allowing the 4Runner to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Toyota 4Runner may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 850 pounds less than the Porsche Cayenne Coupe.

The 4Runner is 4 inches shorter than the Cayenne Coupe, making the 4Runner easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the 4Runner TRD Off-Road is quieter than the Cayenne Turbo GT:

The 4Runner offers optional seating for 7 passengers; the Cayenne Coupe can only carry up to 5.

The 4Runner has 1.1 inches more front headroom, .6 inches more front legroom, .3 inches more rear headroom and 1.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Cayenne Coupe.

The 4Runner’s cargo area provides more volume than the Cayenne Coupe.

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 Cayenne Coupe 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 Cayenne Coupe’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

The 4Runner has a much higher standard payload capacity than the Cayenne Coupe (1625 vs. 1150 lbs.).

The 4Runner has a much higher maximum payload capacity than the Cayenne Coupe (1700 vs. 1499 lbs.).

The 4Runner Limited/TRD Pro has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Cayenne Coupe doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

If the windows are left open on the 4Runner the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Cayenne Coupe can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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

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 Cayenne Coupe doesn’t offer extendable visors.

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 Cayenne Coupe doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

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

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

The Toyota 4Runner outsold the Porsche Cayenne by over 8 to one during 2022.