There's much to love about the redesigned Toyota 4Runner

Everything you loved about a true, truck-based, man-sized SUV, as opposed to one of those "wimpy" crossovers to which most people have switched, is built into the redesigned Toyota 4Runner.

And so are things that made you cross over.

Starting, of course, with a serious gas-guzzling habit. I drove like my grandmother for a week, mostly on the highway, and still couldn't get my average mpg over 19. Toyota points out, however, that all the EPA numbers are improved by 1 or 2 mpg, while power has been increased.

The V-6 I sampled delivers 270 hp. and 278 pound-feet of torque. It also delivers a surprising amount of vibration for a Toyota product. And since it has as much as 4,800 pounds of 4Runner to haul, performance is just adequate, so think twice about taking the 157-hp. four-cylinder engine that's standard on rear-drive versions.

On the upside is the ruggedness of a body-on-a-truck frame, the solid feel, the optional seven-passenger capacity and the high stance that lets you look ahead in traffic. There's 5,000 pounds of towing capacity and a four-wheel drive system with a low range. There's as much as 9.6 inches of ground clearance - in the Trail model, and man-sized gauges and controls on a redesigned dashboard.

And the 4Runner is on the short list of Toyota products not being recalled for something. Consumer Reports says the 4Runner has been very reliable, while J.D Power and Associates agrees and predicts that the new one will be just as good.

Unfortunately - though not surprisingly - the trucky personality extends to the ride: on the harsh side at times by passenger car standards, at least in the Trail model I sampled. The handling is clumsy, with lots of lean in cornering, lots of brake pedal effort required and a steering system short on feedback to the driver. This truck might be fun off-road, but it's not much fun to drive on-road.

The redesigned, fifth-generation version starts at $28,300 with freight in rear drive and $31,715 for one with four-wheel drive.

The new 4Runner gets an almost perfect crash protection rating from the federal government: five stars out of a possible five for the driver in frontal impacts; four stars for the shotgun passenger; and five stars for front and rear seaters in side impacts. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety calls it "good" in frontal impacts.

2010 Toyota 4Runner Trail 4X4

Vehicle Tested:

Engine: 4.0-liter V-6, 270 hp.

Fuel: Regular

Transmission: Five-speed automatic, part-time 4-wheel drive.

Safety: Eight air bags included; 4-wheel disc brakes w/antilock, stability control and brake assist; rear video camera; Hill Start Assist; Crawl Control; tire pressure monitoring.

Place of assembly: Tahara, Japan

Cargo Room, min/max:

feet

EPA fuel economy estimates: 17 mpg, city; 22 highway

Price as driven: $40,874 with freight

Bottom line: For better and worse, still the real thing.