The Toyota 4Runner is a long-running vehicle, having been produced for more than 30 years.
Its longevity and high mileage combined with its lack of significant operating issues are a testament to its safety, durability, and reliability. The Toyota pickup and the Toyota 4Runner share the same platform when they were both manufactured in 1989, necessitating Toyota take steps to differentiate the two.
As a result, the four-door model is the standard one for the 4Runner, complete with a new 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine (and an upgraded option featuring a 3.0-liter V6 engine) available in both rear-wheel and all-wheel drive.
Read on to find out just how safe, durable, and reliable a 1989 Toyota 4Runner can be, contributing to its collector status.
Millennials Want Vintage Trucks
The 1989 Toyota 4Runner is incredibly popular with younger drivers, who tend to have an affinity for vintage trucks. Vintage trucks like the 1989 Toyota 4Runner remain popular with millennials, as these trucks have a reputation for being built strong and act low mileage even as they travel beyond the 100,000-mile mark.
Older Toyota 4Runners with mileage beyond 100,000 have sold for $14,500 to $17,500 at auctions. Further, when the Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser market proved too expensive, older 4Runners provided a cheaper alternative- at least for the moment.
While the 1989 model is more collectible, the 4Runners released in 1984 and 1985 are known for having a more solid axle on the front end, gaining it increased popularity among off-road riders despite the rough riding experience.
Further, the 4Runner was the first vehicle to earn the “SUV” designation when Toyota marketed it as such, and its reputation was only cemented once it became a four-door with the 1989 model.
Depreciation Is Incredibly Slow
One thing that helps make it easy for Toyota to sell their 4Runners is that they do not depreciate quickly after being released, bought, and driven. The 4Runner, just like the Toyota Tacoma, is known to be rugged and reliable, lasting and enduring tough road conditions.
The 1989 Toyota 4Runner loses surprisingly little value over time, especially when compared to other vehicles of the same age. New models retain value longer, as it only depreciates by 36.5% only five years after its release.
Unfortunately, because of the slow depreciation rate, even the used and older 4Runner models for sale can be quite expensive. It's important to keep in mind that 36.5% of the average 4Runner's value is only $13,147.
Long And Varied Generations
Toyota deliberately gave each of its vehicles a long-running generation before releasing the next wave, and each generation had multiple variations. When Toyota releases a new generation of 4Runners, there are many variations released. Further, each generation has a lengthy manufacturing period.
As a result, the older 4Runners still look relevant even when many generations have succeeded them. The mechanics between generations also tend to stay consistent and do not change much. Many different versions and trim levels over the years are frequently desired when the public seeks to collect them.
Another benefit of the long generations is that Toyota gets more time to market each generation and build up a solid reputation for the 4Runner brand, as well as general awareness among the driving population. With the new 2021 version, however, Toyota has decided to change the look, possibly breaking the consistency streak.
Reliability Is Key
The 1989 Toyota 4Runner was known for being very reliable, making it very highly prized among older vehicles. After all, reliability is key, as evidenced by the fifth generation of Toyota 4Runners. Consumer Reports gave the 4Runner a 5 out of 5 rating each year since 2010, aside from 2015.
These ratings help cement the 4Runner's “built to last” reputation among the public, contributing to their high resale value. After all, when customers see how durable a vehicle is and that it's expected to last a long time, they don't expect to find that vehicle for cheap.
Also, when it comes to 4Runners, expect to find both high mileage and repeat owners. These SUVs can easily run for 221,000 miles. When iSeeCars.com ran a study of longest-lasting vehicles in the United States in 2019, the Toyota 4Runner ranked at number five. Even as late as 2020, Toyota continues to manufacture the 4Runner brand, known for its safety, durability, and reliability.
Sources: roadandtrack.com, motorbiscuit.com, hagerty.com, fourwheeltrends.com, cargurus.com,